Please note the below governor election/resignation dates for the past twelve months: 

• 23/02/23 Asad Parkar appointed by Trustees as a Governor (Community)
• 02/05/23 Manu Bajaj (Parent Governor) Term Ended
• 17/05/23 Amarpreet Dhaliwal resigned
• 19/05/23 Joseph Rhymer appointed by Trustees as a Governor (Community)
• 12/09/23 Shirley Foster extended to 11/09/2027
• 22/09/23 Gursharan Bansel elected by Parents (Parent)
• 01/10/23 Veninder Dhariwal resigned
• 10/10/23 Daljit Kalher elected by Parents (Parent)
• 10/10/23 Sridhar Somisetty elected by Parents (Parent)
• 17/10/23 Cecile Searle elected Chair of Governors (unopposed), Shirley Foster & Savita Rana elected as Co Vice Chairs (unopposed). Andy Frith continues as a BLDT Trustee/Member and Chair of Trustees.
• 06/11/23 Gulzar Hanspal resigned
• 05/02/24 Lola Owolabi resigned as a Governor but remains a BLDT Trustee
• 01/03/24 Nick Walker Term Ended as a Governor but remains a BLDT Trustee/Member
• 05/03/24 Wayne Goldsmith Term Ended as a Governor
• 02/05/24 Lucy Barrett elected by Parents (Parent)
• 03/05/24 Alishaan Hanif elected by Parents (Parent)
• 13/05/24 Anjali Singhal elected by Parents (Parent)
• 13/11/24 Anjali Singhal (Parent) resigned as a Governor
• 18/11/24 Andy Friths Term Ended as a Governor but remains a BLDT Trustee/Member
• 17/12/24 Steph Banks (Teaching Staff) elected as a Governor
• 17/12/24 Savita Rana Reappointed by Trustees as a Governor (Community)
• 21/02/25 Tracy Wrycraft Term Ended as a Staff Governor
• 22/09/2025 Gursharan Bansel (parent) resigned as a Governor
• 20/01/2026 Emily Farrell (support staff) resigned as governor
• 02/02/2026 Alishaan Hanif (parent) resigned as governor
• 04/03/2026 Ashish Mishra (parent) elected by parents
• 18/03/2026 Donovan Borah (parent) elected by parents
• 19/05/2026 Nina Matharu (parent) elected by parents
• 17/07/2026 Sridhar Somisetty (parent) resigned as governor

Andy Gillespie – Ex Officio (Executive Headteacher)

Cecile Searle – Chair of Governors

Cecile has been a Governor at Burnham Grammar School since October 2018. She was originally a Parent Governor and was co-opted by the Trustees as a Community Governor in 2020 as her expertise in construction aligned with the project to create the new school building, which was completed in 2021. She was elected Chair of Governors in October 2023.

Cecile’s background is multi-disciplinary engineering of complex projects; leading consultancy business and technology start-ups, with a focus on individual impact on strategy, vision and values. She is now an Executive Coach specialising in leadership and growth. Her son is about to complete A-Levels at BGS and her daughter is at a local primary school. 

Cecile is incredibly proud to be part of the diverse community of BGS and is committed to supporting the school and staff to continue to deliver an educational programme that creates responsible learners and embraces challenge across all walks of life.

Cecile has recently been reappointed by the Trustees and her current term ends in January 2028.

Savita Rana – Co Vice Chair

Savita has been a Governor at Burnham Grammar School since 2019. She was originally a Parent Governor and was later Co-opted by the Trustees as a Community Governor. She was elected Co Vice Chair of Governors in October 2023.

Savita is a HR professional with over 20 years’ experience in public service.  She specialises in Diversity &Inclusion, Talent and leadership capability. Savita is the school link Governor for well-being, careers and diversity & inclusion and is the current Chair of the Personnel Committee.  Savita has 2 children at BGS who are currently in years 12 and 8.

Savita is really proud and feels very fortunate to be part of the diverse community of BGS and is committed to supporting the school to continue to enrich the lives of our students and staff whilst demonstrating our school aims and ensuring wellbeing is always a top priority.

Shirley Foster – Co Vice Chair

Shirley comes from Stoke-on-Trent where she attended Thistley Hough School for Girls, before reading History at St. Anne’s College, Oxford and continuing there to gain a doctorate in Medieval History.

After 2 years in the Ministry of Defence and teaching in various types of school, she came to Burnham Grammar in 1987 as Head of History, staying until she retired in 2015. She spent about a decade as an Assistant Head and also enjoyed being a Staff Governor, so she was delighted on retirement to be able to continue working with BGS as a Community Governor. She is particularly interested in helping students to achieve their potential, both through her work on the Curriculum and Teaching, Learning and Pastoral Committees and through helping to mentor Sixth Formers applying to Oxford or Cambridge.

Outside school she enjoys visiting historic sites, here and abroad, walking and music.

Matt Gordon-Smith

Matt has been a Governor since 2021. With both his children attending the school, Matt was originally appointed as a Parent Governor but has since been Co-opted by the Trustees as a Community Governor.

Matt has been working in IT and Cybersecurity since the late 1990s and now runs his own consulting business, supporting organisations seeking to improve their security posture and address new challenges.

Matt is passionate about supporting diversity and inclusion, and recognising the benefits of neurodiversity in teams. As well as championing this at work, he is keen to ensure that the next generation have more opportunities in this area.

Joseph Rhymer

Joseph joined the local governing body at BGS in Spring 2023 as a Community Governor appointed by the trust. He is a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and currently works for Barclays Bank.

Joseph is passionate about social mobility having completed his accountancy training with PwC through their school leaver scheme, he worked at the firm for 10 years prior to joining Barclays in 2022. His professional background is in assurance and risk management.

Joseph is the allocated Governor for pupil premium, sixth form, subject link for Business studies & economics, and is a member of a number of LGB committees.

Asad Parkar

Asad is an alumnus of Burnham Grammar School, having studied here from 2007-2014 successfully completing his GCSEs and A Levels. He frequently visited the school for talks while at university and more recently as an employee of Heathrow. He was elected as a Community Governor in February 2023 and holds a variety of offices. These include being the Vice-Chair for the Premises, Health and Safety and Curriculum Committees, along with being a Vice-Chair for the Equality & Diversity Working Group. Asad is the Subject Link Governor for Maths and English/Media.

Asad’s background is in Engineering, having graduated with a First Class degree in Mechanical Engineering with Aeronautics from Brunel University London. Upon graduating, he successfully started a role at Heathrow in September 2019 on the Engineering Graduate Programme, completing rotations in various Engineering departments at the airport. He currently works as an Engineering Resilience Manager, specialising in asset contingency planning for all Engineering assets at Heathrow. This includes writing new contingency plans and updating current ones, along with planning and delivering appropriate desktop and live exercise to test these plans. Asad is a Chartered Engineer and a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Asad is excited to return to BGS as a Governor, and continue to give back to the school. Asad’s term as Governor began on 22 February 2023. He is committed to ensuring the school is providing an effective education to students, that is challenging yet rewarding. This includes ensuring students are responsible learners and take pride in their work, along with giving back to the community.

In his free time, Asad is an avid food enthusiast, who enjoys visiting new eateries, and loves baking at home. He also enjoys travelling, reading and going to various shows and concerts throughout the year.

Daljit Kahler

Having left Burnham Grammar School to embark on completing a Master's in Pharmacy at the University of Bath almost 25 years ago, Daljit is delighted to be welcomed back as a Parent Governor (appointed October 2023). Daljit has lived in Burnham for the majority of his life and has served the local community as a Pharmacist for the past 20 years.

Daljit and his wife Preet, also a BGS alumnus, are supporting their eldest daughter through her A-Levels, whilst simultaneously encouraging their twins to fully embrace their time at BGS. Daljit enjoys travelling and spending time in nature, frequently venturing on long walks with his family and two beloved dogs. 

Daljit is a firm believer that education offers invaluable opportunities and feels school should provide a happy, safe environment for the younger generation to flourish. He feels indebted for the profound impact his years at BGS had upon him and is honoured to give back to his school and community.

Lucy Barrett

Lucy was appointed as a Parent Governor in May 2024 and has taken on additional responsibilities of SEND/LAC oversight and is the subject Link for History/Politics, and PE (joint with Anjali).

Lucy has had an extensive career in HR spanning over 25 years and is a Chartered member of the CIPD. Currently an HR Consultant for SMEs having spent 2 decades in Corporate HR across the pharmaceutical, banking, NHS, advertising and manufacturing industries.

Lucy has lived in Burnham for over 12 years, having grown up in London and is married with 2 sons, one of whom is a pupil at BGS. She has particular interest in pupil and staff wellbeing, safeguarding and SEND. Looks forward to contributing across all areas of the school.

Ashish Mishra

Ashish  has been a Parent Governor at Burnham Grammar School since March 2026, with a strong commitment to supporting the school’s strategic direction, effective governance and continued development. As a parent of two children at the school, Ashish brings a genuine understanding of the experiences and aspirations of families within the school community.

Ashish contributes his experience in leadership, strategic decision-making and technology as a Solution Architect and Tech Lead in London’s investment banking sector. Ashish is also an author, Hindi poet and writer, and Editor of bilingual (Hindi/English) magazine Namastey Bharat, a UK-based magazine promoting language, literature and culture.

Ashish is committed to working collaboratively with governors, staff, students and parents to help ensure that every student has the opportunity to thrive and achieve their potential.

Nina Matharu

Nina was elected as a Parent Governor in May 2026 and is a proud parent of two sons at Burnham Grammar School.

Nina holds a degree in Psychology and has over 15 years’ experience working within schools and education settings, alongside valuable experience in school governance. She is a qualified therapist and works as a Student Welfare Officer, supporting children with a wide range of needs. Nina also works closely with vulnerable families and children in care, helping to ensure they receive the appropriate support to thrive and achieve their potential. Her experience has given her a strong understanding of safeguarding, pastoral care, inclusion and the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment for every young person and adult.

As a governor, Nina is the Subject Link Governor for PSHE and is also a member of the Premises, Health & Safety, Equality and Diversity Committees. She is passionate about ensuring that the voices and wellbeing of students are considered alongside the needs of staff and the wider school community.

Donovan Borah

Donovan has over a decade of leadership and management experience, having built and managed businesses across a range of sectors. His background includes design, business consultancy, and behavioural science, with a particular interest in Emotional Intelligence. Through his work, he has gained experience in strategy, finance, governance and supporting businesses through growth and change.

Donovan is passionate about driving positive change, particularly at a time when education is navigating rapid technological advancement, artificial intelligence, social media and increasing financial pressures. He believes schools play an important role in preparing young people not only academically, but emotionally and socially for the future.

For the past seven years, Donovan has coached football and mentored young people, giving him experience in safeguarding, community engagement and youth development. He is passionate about inclusion and diversity and believes every young person should have the opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of their background.

Donovan is proud to contribute his experience and perspective to support the school, its staff and students in its continued success.

Matthew Conroy

Matthew has been a teacher at Burnham Grammar School for 10 years. He is also a former student of the school, having attended from 1996 until 2003. Prior to joining BGS as a teacher, he gained a degree in Physical Geography, after which he then trained in Oxfordshire schools. He then commenced full-time teaching at St. Bernard’s Catholic Grammar School in Slough.

Matthew’s two primary roles at BGS are teaching Geography across all year groups, and being Head of Roosevelt House. He is also a teacher of PSHCE and has taught Business and Citizenship in the past. He has experience in running trips, from local through to international, and has managed many Duke of Edinburgh expeditions before joining BGS. He is also a member of the BGS safeguarding team. As a staff governor, Matthew sits on the Teaching, Learning and Pastoral and the Premises Health and safety Committees.

Matthew’s main priority as a Head of House is the wellbeing of students, ensuring they are happy in and out of school, so as they may give of there best and are able to navigate the stresses and complexities of life and education,

David Griffiths

David has been a teacher a Burnham Grammar School for 13 years. He has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College and trained to teach at Sussex University. His earlier teaching career was in Sussex before moving to Burnham Grammar.

David’s primary role at BGS is Director of Mathematics. He has also been Head of Computer Science in recent years. He has run and participated in a wide range of trips both at home and abroad. As a staff governor, David sits on the Curriculum and the Premises, Health and Safety Committees.

David also contributes to the school by leading the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme and coaching the Senior Rugby side. He believes this demonstrates to students the benefit of extra-curricular activities in helping students to manage the challenges of life and education.