Grafham Grange Governors
Sue Mellor (Chair)
Ray Winn (Vice Chair)
Ray Winn was head teacher of a special residential school (EBD) for 23 years, with qualifications in education and psychology.
He is now retired from education but works for the Care Standards Tribunal and is actively involved as a magistrate in West Sussex (Deputy Chairman of Northern Division). He is trained as an appraiser of CST members and magistrates.
He is now Vice Chairman of GGSET Directors, Vice Chairman of Grafham Grange School Governors and Governor of Brantridge.
Lynda MacDermott
Lynda MacDermott is a linguist and founder partner of an internet-based translation and internet web marketing company. Communication, by a variety of media, has been an all pervasive thread throughout her career. At first this was in the field of education where her main interest was the development of teaching expertise.
After leaving teaching in 1997, she became editor of an on-line language learning service and subsequently manager of an international market research centre.
She has considerable experience of selecting and managing personnel from a wide array of cultures in her present and previous roles in international communications. Within wider society, she plays a leading role with a variety of campaigning groups.
She became a Director of Grafham Grange Educational Trust in 2000 and is a Governor both of Grafham Grange and Brantridge schools.
John Page
John Page was, for 40 years, in the shipping industry with over 20 years' experience as a Director of a Greek shipping company, responsible for the chartering of dry cargo vessels and tankers.
After retiring in 1999 he is mainly active in charity work. He has been a Governor and Director of GGSET since 2000.
Phil Thompson (Acting Head Teacher)
Phil Thompson is the Acting Head Teacher at Grafham Grange School. Having worked in the EBSD sector since 1986 he brings a wealth of experience to the post. Phil has been Deputy Head at GGS since 1998 having previously been a senior teacher at a state EBSD school.
As well as a teaching qualification Phil holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Management Studies and the NPQH.
Phil believes in developing individuals to reach their full potential (both staff and pupils). He is enthusiastic and strives to provide the right conditions for growth.
He has always been a keen sports man having represented his County in many different sports. He has coached at Guilford Rugby club and Cranleigh Basketball club. Now in his spare time he plays golf and enjoys Fly fishing. He is married with three children.
Kate Caine
With experience in general nursing and midwifery, Kate has specialised in Intensive Care Nursing as a Clinical Teacher and a Sister at St Thomas’ Hospital, where she continued as a Ward Sister on wards incorporating Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cardiology and General Medicine. During this time Kate also travelled to Africa and the Middle East carrying out various specialist duties.
A change of direction led Kate into management, firstly managing all out of hours clinical and management issues and then moved back to intensive care to manage the units of both St Thomas’ and Guy’s Hospitals following their amalgamation. Kate also travelled to Europe to recruit specialist nurses and developed strategies for recruitment and retention of nurses with critical care skills (subsequently used as an exemplar by other NHS Trusts.)
Before retiring Kate was Associate Head of Nursing in General Medicine at the NHS, where she was the Directorate lead to the Trust in Health and Safety, Clinical Governance, Data Protection and Child Protection. Following early retirement from the NHS Kate spent 3 ½ years as a House Matron at Cranleigh School sharing the pastoral care of 100 boys aged 13 years to 18 years.
Karen Meeks
Sue Tresman (CEO)
Formerly Director of the Retention Programme at the Open University and Education Director, then Chief Executive Officer at the British Dyslexia Association, Susan Tresman is the Chief Executive of Grafham Grange Special Educational Trust.
A Fellow of the HESDA Top Management Programme specialising in Leadership for Effective Change, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Susan holds the position of Visiting Professor in Inclusive Learning at the University of Sunderland 2005 - 2010. Previously she held Visiting Chairs in South Africa and Romania promoting access to learning for disadvantaged learners.
Passionate about empowering those with additional needs to realise their full potential, Susan is qualified in the teaching of Learners with Special Needs and holds a PGCE from the University of Cambridge. Her first degree was from Sheffield and her PhD from University of London; Kings College. Susan is a co-opted member of the Council for the National Association for Special Schools.
Peter French
Caroline Howard
Marita King (Parent Governor)
Brantridge Governors
Lloyd Richards (Chair)
Lloyd Richards is a Chartered Banker of over 30 years experience within the NatWest/RBS Group. His career focus has been on people and change management, having spent 20 years in HR management and the balance of his career in leading national change programmes covering systems, performance and behavioural issues.
Lloyd is highly community service oriented and has been actively involved in charitable activities for a quarter of a century, culminating in joining Brantridge School as a Governor in 2000 and becoming a Director of Grafham Grange Special Education Trust in 2002.
He holds two other Directorships.
Pete Miles (Vice Chair)
Tamsin Blythe (Head Teacher )
Tamsin Blythe is the Acting Head Teacher at Brantridge School. She brings with her a wealth of experience to the post, having previously been Deputy Head Teacher at Cornerstones Independent School. Tamsin (Tammy) is highly experienced in the management of staff, communication strategies, school development and management of challenging pupils.
Tammy holds a B.Ed from The University of Northumbria at Newcastle in Primary Education with Qualified teacher status. She has completed the learning schools programme, various management and equality/diversity courses and holds an advanced child protection qualification.
She is currently engaged in working towards her NPQH and in her spare time enjoys spending time with her family, eating out, travel, music, cinema and theatre.
Paul Kenny
Paul Kenny is currently a director of the IT management group at British Telecom where he has worked for 27 years. During his career Paul has been responsible for the development and implementation of some of the major computer systems that underpin BT service and products. He is currently working on BT's 21st Century Network project, which will bring about the replacement of the UK telephone Network.
Paul is married with four grown-up children. He came to the trust via his role as a Governor at Brantridge School, where he was deeply involved with the transfer of the school from Greenwich LEA to the Trust.
Peter Samuels
Lynda MacDermott
Lynda MacDermott is a linguist and founder partner of an internet-based translation and internet web marketing company. Communication, by a variety of media, has been an all pervasive thread throughout her career. At first this was in the field of education where her main interest was the development of teaching expertise.
After leaving teaching in 1997, she became editor of an on-line language learning service and subsequently manager of an international market research centre.
She has considerable experience of selecting and managing personnel from a wide array of cultures in her present and previous roles in international communications. Within wider society, she plays a leading role with a variety of campaigning groups.
She became a Director of Grafham Grange Educational Trust in 2000 and is a Governor both of Grafham Grange and Brantridge schools.
Richard Fihosy
Tony Lees
Tony Lees was head teacher of a special residential school (MLD/EBD) for 25 years and worked for the ILEA and Tower Hamlets. Until recently he was a long serving magistrate with the Sussex Magistracy and has maintained close contact with special education in both training and school governor capacities.
He is extensively involved in charitable concerns and is Chairman of an East Sussex hospice as well as holding a Paul Harris Fellowship in Rotary. Tony is a director with GGSET and a governor to Brantridge School.
Kathy McNicol
Phil Peterson
Sandra Norkett (Staff Governor)
Sue Tresman (CEO)
Formerly Director of the Retention Programme at the Open University and Education Director, then Chief Executive Officer at the British Dyslexia Association, Susan Tresman is the Chief Executive of Grafham Grange Special Educational Trust.
A Fellow of the HESDA Top Management Programme specialising in Leadership for Effective Change, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Susan holds the position of Visiting Professor in Inclusive Learning at the University of Sunderland 2005 - 2010. Previously she held Visiting Chairs in South Africa and Romania promoting access to learning for disadvantaged learners.
Passionate about empowering those with additional needs to realise their full potential, Susan is qualified in the teaching of Learners with Special Needs and holds a PGCE from the University of Cambridge. Her first degree was from Sheffield and her PhD from University of London; Kings College. Susan is a co-opted member of the Council for the National Association for Special Schools.