Meet the Governors
Angela Iraggi – Chair of Governors
Angela started at Nexus as a parent governor, became Vice Chair and Chair of the Strategy and Resources Committee in February 2020 and was elected to Chair of Governors in September 2023.
She is mum to George, who was diagnosed at 2 years with severe autism and learning disability, which changed her family life dramatically. He joined Nexus with no speech or personal independence and flourished beyond her expectations. He is now attends a specialist music college.
Before becoming a mum, Angela had a demanding career in Investment Banking & Finance, but gave this up to support her son. The challenges faced by those parents/carers of children with disability and complex needs to get proper support in place prompted Angela to volunteer for the National Autistic Society as an Education Rights Advisor for 3 years and this naturally led to her into governorship.
Being a governor at Nexus has given her the opportunity to be part of a forward-thinking team, and that collaborative working has already enabled growth and huge changes within the school framework, which was recognised in a great Ofsted review in June 2023. She supports the leadership team, working closely with them and the Local Authority to achieve the school’s strategic vision, in what is a very challenging landscape.
Angela is determined that Nexus will provide everything it stands for to make every pupil be the best they can be so that they have a progressive and relevant pathway into young adulthood in today’s society. Knowing that she is making a positive difference is extremely rewarding.
She spends most weekends either cooking to entertain friends or taking long walks with her family. Angela also travels to Europe frequently to visit friends and family.
Helen Norris MBE - Foundation Governor
Helen has a background as a headteacher in successful special schools, Head of Specialist Educational and Disability services in a London borough and as Regional SEND Lead for London. Helen retired in 2019.
Her passion for improving outcomes for those with special needs and disabilities developed following the birth of her son with Down’s Syndrome. Helen has been on a number of pioneering SEND national steering groups, and as a volunteer trained post graduate students at the university of Zagreb promoting cultural change and improving educational opportunities for young children with complex needs across Eastern Europe. Helen was Co- Chair of a Mencap local charity group until 2020. She is also currently a board trustee for a Multi Academy Trust.
Helen is one of the Nexus Safeguarding governors. She is an integral part of the governing body, using her previous experience to work closely with school leaders, staff and external stakeholders to support every child and their family to have the best possible educational outcomes.
Helen joined Nexus as a Governor from early 2019, became Chair in 2020 and stepped back as Chair in September 2023. Helen enjoys spending quality time with her grandchildren and family and enjoys travelling. She has been awarded an MBE for services to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
Andrew Pembroke - Foundation Governor
Andrew is Nexus' longest serving Governor with over 10 years service. Unlike most other Governors he has no educational or pupil link to the school and therefore brings a different perspective to our board.
Andrew is employed as a senior insurance specialist, however he has been suffering long term injury and associated disabilities since an accident in 2008. Nowadays he concentrates on Nexus Governorship and pro bono management advice to local small businesses. Andrew spent 10 years coaching youth sports clubs and is an active member of a premiership football club disability advisory group. He is an expert at Bee Stings as owner of a number of Beehives.
Andrew is Chair of the Strategy and Resources sub-committee, a member of the Learning and Curriculum sub-committee, Pupil Premium Governor and has previously held the role of Vice Chair of Governors.
Scott Jarred – Headteacher
Scott became the headteacher at Nexus in June 2018. He has spent his career working in special educational needs schools and has had the opportunity to work with students in all age ranges across a variety of needs. He has a Masters degree in autism (children) and has published work in SEND journals. Prior to starting his teaching career Scott worked in a residential SEND children’s home which prompted him to follow a career working in SEND.
Scott has been part of school Governance for over 15 years having started as a staff governor. He is passionate about the role that school governance plays in the overall development of the school and is keen to attract individuals to the governing body with a wide range of skills.
Scott is driven by the progress that we have seen in school over the last 3 years despite the challenging situations we have all found ourselves facing. He is proud of the staff team that has been developed in the school, and the passion that they have for developing the best outcomes for our students. He is keen to promote opportunities for students beyond the ‘normal’ curriculum offer and promote lifelong interests as well as lifelong skills.
Outside of school Scott has a young family, and new puppy (Luna). He is very active when he isn’t injured, alongside Crossfit and running, he has recently taken up stand up paddle boarding. One of his proudest achievements is trekking to Everest Base Camp in 2019.
Angela Ellingham – Co-opted Governor
Angela joined us as a Co-Opted Governor in December 2021. She is a Safeguarding Governor and part of the Curriculum and Learning Committee.
She has three grown up sons and has been actively involved in volunteering and working as part of a team ever since her boys were young; joining school PA groups, helping with school plays, events and fundraising activities.
Angela has volunteered at Hospice in the Weald Day Centre for about 6 years. The Hospice provides an enjoyable and creative day in a friendly environment for people receiving palliative care whilst still living at home. As a volunteer she felt she could make a positive difference at a very fragile time. As a result she has completed a 2 year Counselling Skills course.
She has also been a volunteer with Age UK for 4 years on the Information and Advice team, visiting elderly and infirm people in their own homes to help them with benefits advice and form filling. She finds it a very satisfying and worthwhile role, since the weekly allowance can make such a big difference to people’s lives and allow them to stay at home and manage for as long as possible.
She is very motivated to support people. She has qualifications in both horticulture and floristry and enjoys gardening and running a small floristry business from home. She is creative and open minded and always interested to listen and learn about new ideas, find solutions and develop opportunities.
Angela was new to the special educational needs and school sector when she joined Nexus and has learnt a great deal. She brings enthusiasm, rising to new challenges and enjoys working in partnership with the governors on the board.
Pauline Campbell – Co-opted Governor
Pauline became a Co-opted Governor for Nexus School in December 2020 and is Chair of the Curriculum and Learning Committee. She brings a wealth of experience to support Governor colleagues and School Leaders to ensure that every child, and their family, at Nexus will have the have the best opportunities and outcomes.
Prior to retiring Pauline was a Qualified Teacher, initially working in the mainstream primary sector, but soon moved to special education. Pauline has worked with children and young people with complex disabilities across all age phases. For many years she worked for a London borough, as a member of a team working with colleagues in Health and Social Care, supporting young people, their families and schools to develop practical skills and strategies to improve outcomes. She had a particular interest in developing understanding and supporting students with Autism. Pauline is committed to promoting creative attitudes and ideas that result in positive, and meaningful, opportunities for all young people.
Pauline enjoys spending time with her three young grandchildren. She enjoys reading, Pilates, Yoga and spending time on her beloved narrow boat. Pauline also volunteers for a charity supporting vulnerable families in Surrey.
Lorna Stapley - Co-opted Governor
Lorna has been a governor at the school for many years. Starting work when the school was based in Hildenborough, before it moved to Tonbridge and became Ridge View and now Nexus. She has worked her way up from teaching assistant to teacher and across all the Key Stages, currently teaching in a Key Stage 2 class. Lorna is also the Family Liaison Officer, using her years of experience to support the families offers guidance and support, and to signpost them to other services.
During the school holidays Lorna has previously run a variety of different clubs and activity groups for children and young people with learning difficulties, and has always been heavily involved in the school’s PTA group.
Lorna feels very strongly about supporting the school and improving the outcome for all pupils.
Alongside her work at school, for the last 18 years Lorna has also been a Shared Lives host, sharing her home with a lady with Down’s Syndrome, autism and severe anxiety. This role has given Lorna a great insight into the needs of parents and carers and is a role that she finds very fulfilling.
Lindsey Harris – Parent Governor
Lindsey Harris is a parent Governor at Nexus school. She is a member of the strategies and resources committee and is relentless in my pursuit to ensure that all children get the very best.
Professionally, Lindsey has over 13 years of experience working within primary education as both a teacher and leader. Throughout her career she has gained experience of, and specialise in, school improvement. She has a passion for teaching and learning in the early years and is driven by her core belief that as practitioners children are the priority, everything else is just noise.
Lindsey believes that Nexus is an incredible place where all children are valued for the wonderful individuals that they are and she is extremely proud to be part of the Governing body.
Ben Fozard – Co-opted Governor
Ben has two children, one of whom has attended Nexus all of his school life. His son has thrived during his time at the school and Ben would like to help ensure that all of the children and their families benefit from the same positive experience that his family has had from Nexus.
Ben is a qualified Treasurer with over 20 years of experience working for large organisations, currently employed by a large UK Housing Association. The sector Ben works in has a particular emphasis on transparency and strong governance and Ben knows that these are key areas of focus for Nexus too. Ben has extensive experience of budgeting, cash forecasting, implementing payment and online banking systems, as well as managing financial risk. A large part of Ben’s current role involves reviewing, improving and documenting financial processes and procedures and Ben would like to bring this experience to bear at Nexus.
In Ben’s spare time he enjoys trips to the coast with his family and he also likes mountain biking, playing darts and attending classes at the local boxing club.
Tim Hunt – Staff Governor
My name is Tim Hunt and I am the upper KS2 Curlew Class teacher at Nexus Wouldham. I joined Nexus in 2021 having moved over from working at main stream schools. I have worked with children since 2001 where I started volunteering with my local Sure Start as a Family Support Worker, and where I started my long association with Governing Boards where I became a Parent Governor for the Medway Sure Start Board, this led to me joining the Medway Children and Young Persons Strategic Planning Committee again as a Parent Governor. In 2001 I also started my own childminding business where I worked closely with the probation service and Social Services to support disadvantaged children across Medway and Kent. When my daughter started school, I supported her schools as both a parent governor and a local authority co-opted governor before starting my teaching career. This is now my third post as a School Governor where I will bring the experience and knowledge, I have gained in the past to supporting Nexus Foundation Special School.
Alex Ravenscroft – Parent Governor
My daughter is autistic. She started at Nexus nursery when she was 3 and is now mid-way through primary. During her time at Nexus, she has been continually supported and encouraged to grow and develop both personally and through her learning. She is happy to go to school and feels accepted and a strong sense of belonging.
I work for a charity for the parents and carers of disabled children, and my role is Hub Manager for the Autism Hubs in London and The Midlands. The role involves managing two teams who deliver group sessions and 1:1s to parents, carers, PAs and family members of autistic people. In addition to this, we are working to develop region-specific networks and resources to support these families, as so many are currently affected by isolation and a lack of support. The role is busy and varied and requires high level of project management, an ability to deliver at a high level and work in a pressured environment, whilst always ensuring the quality of the service.
I believe that my personal experience as a parent carer, in addition to the work that I do supporting families has given me an all-round understanding of what our children need and deserve. I’m looking forward to working with the Nexus governing body to continue the brilliant work that has already been achieved and ensure even greater success for the school, the pupils and the parents and carers.
Julie Aspinall - Co-opted
My daughter joined Nexus in 2022 and I have been impressed by the school ethos, energy, enthusiasm and compassion of all the staff. She has thrived since she started at Nexus in terms of her confidence, learning and independence. The positive environment where high expectations are set for all of pupils is helping all children/young adults to achieve their maximum potential. I have a keen interest in the school and wished to become a Governor to play a more active role.
After starting my career as a Police Officer and serving for 5 years I moved into Financial Services and am now an HR professional specialising in Leadership, Learning, Development and Early Careers. In my current role I am responsible for graduate and apprenticeship programmes and working with many diverse partners to ensure an inclusive approach to attracting young talent into the organisation. We are also doing lots of great work supporting Neuro-diversity in the workplace for all colleagues.
I bring lots of energy, enthusiasm, a can-do approach focussing on delivery, creativity, curiosity and will always challenge constructively when needed. Most importantly I want to use my passion, skills, experience and network to support the whole school and make a positive contribution to the work of the governing body.
