Governance
Chair of Governors, Dr Miriam Edelsten, can be contacted at the following address:
Clerk to the Governors
New Hall School
The Avenue
Boreham
Chelmsford
Essex CM3 3HS
Dr Miriam Edelsten (Chair of Governors)
Born in Chester in 1949, of Dutch parents, went to school in Kent before beginning medical studies at the Universities of Amsterdam and Liverpool. She was a GP Partner at Sutherland Lodge Surgery, Chelmsford, for 34 years, until June 2015, the last 11 years as Senior Partner. Has also been Medical Officer at New Hall School for 22 years. A Council Member and past President of MOSA (Medical Officers of Schools Association) and past Secretary-General of EUSUHM (European Union for School and University Health and Medicine). Married with two daughters (Vet/Dentist and Anaesthetist), one son (Financial Analyst) and four grandsons.
Mr John Aldridge
Member of NHMAT
Educated at Wimbledon College and King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford. Worked for the Bank of England for 35 years in the areas of Exchange Control and Debt Management. Manager of the Gold Bullion Office and later the Bank Note Issue Office. Elected a County Councillor in 2005 representing Broomfield & Writtle. Served in a number of senior positions on Essex County Council and as Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care. Chairman of the County Council (until May 2018). Trustee of Open Road and Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome and locally, a member of two charitable trusts. Vice-Chairman of the King Edward VI Grammar School Foundation Governors and Member of the KEGS Academy Trust. Married, with one adult son.
Mr David Buxton
Head of St Columba’s College, St Albans, since 2008. Originating from the Potteries, educated at St Joseph’s College, Stoke-on-Trent, by the Irish Christian Brothers. Read Theology at the University of Durham and remained in the North East to complete the PGCE. Taught at St Bede’s College, Manchester, for two years before studying for a Master’s degree in Theology at the University of London. Also holds a second Master’s degree in Education. Head of Theology and Assistant Housemaster at Worth School, a Benedictine boarding school. In 2000, became Deputy Head at Cardinal Newman Catholic School in Hove, one of the largest Catholic state schools in the UK. Married, with two adult sons.
Mrs Janis Croom
Link Governor for NHVS, Director of NHMAT
Born in Orpington, Kent. Was educated at Bromley High School GDST and the University of Bristol (Mathematics with Physics). Moved to Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, on graduation and trained as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse in Birmingham, qualifying in 1976. Worked as a self-employed accountant from 1979-2000. Non-executive director of Community and Mental Health Services NHS Trust in Worcestershire from 1993-2000. Relocated to Wickham Bishops, Essex, in 2000 and joined New Hall School as Finance Bursar in April 2000. Retired as New Hall Finance Director in December 2015 and continued as New Hall Multi Academy Trust Manager until January 2018. Married with two adult children and three small grandchildren, who live in London.
Mr Malcolm Day
Link Governor for Health & Safety, NHMAT & Boarding
Educated at Loyola, Bancrofts and the University of Manchester; Malcolm is a 35-year veteran of Financial Markets, including two stints in the Middle East. Currently, European Head of Financial Markets for a Chinese bank, an active mentor and passionate about education. Parent to three former New Hall students.
Mrs Katherine Jeffrey
CEO of NHMAT
Principal & Governor, New Hall School, since 2001. Read PPE at the University of Oxford and Theology at the University of Maynooth. Undertook the PGCE (RE & Mathematics) at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, a Master’s degree in Educational Management (including in Special Educational Needs & Disabilities) with the Open University, followed by the National Professional Qualification for Headteachers (NPQH). Teacher of RE & Faith Development, St Mary’s School, Shaftesbury; Head of RE, Woldingham School; Deputy Head, The Marist School, Ascot. Was an A Level examiner in Christian Theology for a number of years. Governor, St Mary’s School, Hampstead (2004-2009). Director of The Tablet, Catholic international weekly. Member of: Catholic Association for Racial Justice (CARJ); Douai Society & Foundation; Headmasters’ & Headmistress’ Conference (HMC); Catholic Independent Schools’ Conference (CISC); Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA); Independent Schools Association (ISA). Married with four children; two former and two current New Hall School students.
Mr Joseph Peake (Vice Chair of Governors)
Vice Chair of Governors and Chair of Education & Staffing Committee and Link Governor for NQTs
Joe is presently a quality assurance officer for the training of newly qualified teachers in the independent sector. He also mentors headteachers in their first year in post.
For 21 years he was the Headmaster of St George’s College, Weybridge which is the largest independent Catholic school in the country. Prior to that he had taught at Millfield School, Manchester Grammar School and in West Africa.
Joe was educated at The Queen’s College Oxford where he read chemistry and gained his PGCE. At different times he has been a chief examiner for A Level Chemistry, has been an inspector of schools and has been the Chairman for national organisations for headteachers and for Catholic schools. He is married with 3 adult children and lives in Suffolk.
Mrs Olga Slater
Born and raised in Malawi. Has lived in London for the last 22 years. Studied BA Hons Accountancy at London Southbank University. Hold 20 years’ experience working in Finance for Kairos Community Trust (A Homeless charity in South London) and as Senior Income Finance Officer at Christian Aid (An International development charity working for global justice and to make poverty history) specialising in Finance and Gift Aid Tax. A practising Catholic and parishioner of Corpus Christi Catholic Church. Member of Corpus Christi Finance Committee, Brixton Hill. Regular contributor to the Daily Reflections for the Oblates. Married with two sons.
Mrs Yogi Sutton
Link Governor for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Retired teacher having held several posts in a RC secondary school. Member of the Labour Party in South Africa working against the then apartheid regime, volunteering as secretary to Stephen Biko. Founder member of the Catholic Association for Racial Justice (CARJ) in England and Wales. Appointed as the second Chair and served for six years then as immediate past Chair for another six years; returned as Chair in 2013. Founder member of The [email protected] project in Kings Cross, London. Volunteer at the Justice and Peace Commission in the Southwark Diocese, on the Campaigns Committee for CAFOD and a catechist in both Corpus Christi, Brixton, and Holy Rosary, Stockwell. Member of the parish Finance and buildings Committees. Deputy President South, Deputy National President and National President of the National Board of Catholic Women, an advisory body to the Bishops’ Conference for England and Wales. Canon Lawyer and a voluntary advocate in the Southwark Metropolitan Tribunal. ‘Catholic Woman of the Year’ and the first black woman to receive the Campion Medal during the Jesuit 500th anniversary celebrations in Britain. South African of Indian descent, married to an Irishman. Two adult children, both married, and two lovely grandchildren.
Mr Robert Talbut
Chair of Finance & General Purposes Committee
Born and attended school in Essex. Studied Economics at Warwick University. Also studied at Harvard Business School and INSEAD. After a 30-year executive career in financial services, now provides non-executive and advisory services covering corporate strategy, investment and general management to public companies, insurers, and charities. Married with four children, one of whom was a student at New Hall School.
Mrs Agnes Williams
Link Governor for Chaplaincy and Preparatory Divisions, Member of NHMAT
Born in Llandudno, North Wales and educated at Loreto College and Saint Agnes’ School, graduating in 1976. Has thirty-eight years’ experience in the field of education, having taught in co-educational schools, large and small. Had the privilege of helping to set up a brand new Catholic comprehensive school in Milton Keynes in 1988. Headmistress of Thornton College, Convent of Jesus and Mary, an independent day & boarding school for girls, 1997-2015.
Mrs Pauline Wilson
Link Governor for Safeguarding and Member of NHMAT
Head of Ursuline Preparatory School, since 1994. Previously Headteacher of Mayesbrook Senior School (ages 11-18). Deputy Headteacher of Sydney Russell School, Head of Creative Arts, and Teacher of Mathematics. mentor catholic independent Headteachers. GCSE and KS2 examiner. Active member of the Catholic church. Married with two children: one completing post Master’s qualification at Colombia and one film director.
Mr Philip Wilson
Educated at Caterham School and Oxford Polytechnic. Spent ten years in commerce, export finance and then capital market instrument issuances. In 2001, moved into public affairs and politics in a professional capacity at Essex County Council. Councillor for Boreham & The Leighs Ward on Chelmsford Borough Council from 2003 to 2019. Held a variety of senior positions including Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Vice Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Chair of Licensing and Regulatory and Deputy Mayor 2015/16. Married, with two children (twins), both of whom are educated locally. Vice Chair of Governors, Our Lady Immaculate RC Primary Academy, Chelmsford and Head of Operations for a national farming welfare charity; the Farming Community Network.