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

• 22/09/22 Marilyn Goater resigned
• 11/10/22 Lola Owolabi term extended to 08/10/2026
• 07/10/22 Alison Bell resigned as a Governor but remains a BLDT Trustee/Member
• 15/11/22 Iffat Khalid (Support Staff) Term Ended
• 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
• 15/11/24 Steph Banks (Teaching Staff) elected as a Governor
• 18/11/24 Andy Friths Term Ended as a Governor but remains a BLDT Trustee/Member

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.

Gursharan Bansel

Gursharan became a parent Governor in 2023, and has a son in year 8.  

Previously a career Civil Servant, she has worked in some of the biggest departments of States delivering on complex policies and programmes.  She has held Non-Executive Director roles on Boards. Gursharan is now a Management Consultant at a global firm, specialising in business consultancy and advisory services. 

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.

Steph Banks

Steph has been a teacher for nearly 30 years and first joined BGS in 2012.  She has taken on a number of roles within the school since that time and is now Head of Department for MFL.  With a wealth of experience in both academic and pastoral matters, and as a Youth Mental Health First Aider, Steph is a keen advocate for championing the emotional wellbeing of the students whilst also steering them towards academic success.  Having supported her two sons through a grammar school education, she is fully appreciative of the need for positive, open dialogue between parents and teachers.  Steph is delighted to be able to represent the staff body as a member of the Local Governing Board.

Tracy Wrycraft

Tracy Joined the Burnham Grammar School LGB as a Staff Governor (teaching) in 2020, just before lockdown, because of that suspension, her term ends in February of 2025. Tracy joined BGS as Director of English and Media Studies but has recently stepped down from her English role to focus on the blessing of being a grandparent.

Over the last 5 years Tracy has been part of the Trips Committee; Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Working Party; Premises, Health & Safety Committee and Curriculum committee as well as regularly contributing to the Assessment and Reporting Working Party and Staff Wellbeing Working Party.

Tracy thoroughly enjoys working at Burnham Grammar School and has taken part in a lot of the extra curricular productions including drama and dance shows as well as giving talks for parents about the Literature we teach at GCSE. Her  proudest role is that of the LBGTQAI+ group's staff advocate, she's worked hard to ensure a safe space is established and that their voice is heard equally as part of the richly diverse life of BGS.  

Tracy teaches English, Media and Drama and supports the Dungeons and Dragons Club, the BGS Newsroom and advocates for the LGBTQIA+ group alongside her role as a Staff Governor.

Emily Farrell

Alishaan Hassan

Sridhar Somisetty