Philip Vander Gucht

(Chair)

For the final eleven years of my business career I worked for a large international corporation based in London. I was responsible for the acquisition and expansion of several smaller companies located in Europe and South Africa. Analysing those companies strengths and weaknesses enabled me to put into place strategies for personnel development, for financial stability and for product and market growth. Working in Cape Town for the last five years, building a strong team and transforming an average company into a highly successful operation was the most satisfying part of my career. I hope many of the skills I have developed may be brought to The Galaxy Trust.

In my earlier career I was an English teacher working abroad for ten years. I had the benefit of experiencing the wonderful cultures of Japan, Abu Dhabi and France.

I am married with two adult children. Josephine is a successful musician, singer and songwriter, performing all over the world and William is a teacher having just returned from four years in Madrid and then Medellin in Columbia. We are an International family.

Richard Acton

Photo and biography awaited following appointment

Akua Agyepong

I am a senior Policy Officer with over 15 years professional experience in the field of Equality, Inclusion and Diversity.

I attended Keele University and graduated with an honours degree in Politics and Law and has an MSc in Public Sector Management from Warwick University.

I worked in a range of roles in the field of Equality and Human Rights, including an internship with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), then gained a place on the National Graduate Development Programme, which led on to a range of roles in service delivery and policy development.

I am particularly interested in the implementation of equality and inclusion practice, with a focus on ensuring that they make a difference to the outcomes of individuals, groups and communities.

Dawn Bramer

Photo and biography awaited following appointment

Rowena Estwick

(Vice-Chair)

Occupational Background: Partnerships, strategy and community development in civil society/third sector

Special Interest Area: Reducing inequalities and an equitable educational offer.

About me: I have over 20 years of experience in the voluntary sector, working with children and young people and supporting grassroots community development. I also worked in a newly formed academy trust as an Extended Services Manager.  I currently work for an urban health foundation focusing on equity and inclusion. We work with central and local government, community organisations and  international bodies to reduce poor health outcomes faced  by people from low-income families and marginalised communities.  

I have 2 children myself and strongly believe that it is possible for every child to reach their full potential with the support of a nurturing educational environment that enables children to follow their own path not others expectations.

Angela Konarzewski 

I have been involved in education for over forty years and taught in and led a number of primary schools in Essex. Alongside headship, I worked as a school improvement partner in Essex before being invited to oversee the amalgamation of Fleetdown Infant and Junior schools in 2010. I became an Ofsted inspector in 2002, and trained to lead Ofsted inspections before I joined Fleetdown. Inspection work in and around London and Kent gave me access to many schools where I found excellent practice to share with my own schools. I firmly believe in the values and principles of The Galaxy Trust and hope I can be of help in ensuring that the children for whom we are responsible, regardless of their background or ability, are given the confidence, ambition and best opportunities to reach their potential.

Jennifer Margetson

Photo and biography awaited following appointment

Jake Meekums

Photo and biography awaited following appointment

Jasdip Nijjar

Photo and biography awaited following appointment

Sue Phillips

I have over 30 years of experience working in education. During this time, I have had the privilege of working as a Deputy Headteacher in an inner London primary school, a Local Authority adviser for Literacy and school improvement, a regional lead of a national school improvement programme, and over 15 years as an Education Adviser/External Expert at the DfE. Since 2011 I have supported the development and successful opening of over 25 Primary, Secondary and Alternative Provision Free Schools from initial concept through to their first Ofsted inspection. During my time working with the DfE, I have focused on promoting effective school improvement, identifying and developing strategies to support the narrowing of the achievement gap, and raising attainment particularly for vulnerable groups.

During this period, I also worked as a Professional Partner for Hertfordshire Virtual School. As part of this role, I undertook a range of activities to monitor and assess the quality of provision provided by schools and the Virtual School for Children Look After.

I am committed to ensuring that all children, whatever their individual needs, access a broad and enriched curriculum which allows them to flourish and reach their full potential academically, socially, and emotionally.

I fully retired in January 2023.

Sam Robinson

I am a Deputy Head Teacher with responsibility for teaching and learning across my trust family of schools. I have a passion for ensuring the children that we serve are given the best possible life chances. I believe that instilling a love for learning, building character, promoting independence and enabling children to develop their knowledge and skills should be at the heart of any primary school.

I am currently studying for my Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and am reading around educational initiatives extensively to further better my own practice.

I am an advocate of staff development and ensuring staff members are able to offer excellence to our children. I have a particular interest in school improvement.

Jim Rouncefield

Mr Rouncefield has lived in Dartford for over 30 years and has over 45 years of working experience in education, including leadership at all levels through to headship [16 years in two secondary schools – Kent and Bexley before taking up his role as Deputy Director School Improvement & Quality Assurance in Bexley. In that role he was responsible for 84 schools in as well as all forms of quality assurance, Early Years provision, including Child Care Centres, and Adult Education. Retiring from Bexley in 2010, he spent the next eight years working across London and the South East as an Independent Educational Consultant. He has chaired two Multi Academy Trusts, one large (40+ schools) and one small (4 Primary Schools), chaired two Independent Educational Boards and been Chair of Governors in Primary Schools, Chair of a Joint Governing Body of two secondary schools and a Primary School as well as a Regional Governing Body in Bexley.  Specialising in School Improvement, he has supported a considerable number of schools in raising standards, preparation for inspection, led Governor Training and been commissioned to review all aspects of educational provision. Fully retiring in July 2018, he has considerable experience of governance across all sectors of education.

Victoria Stretton

Victoria is currently Head of Musical Theatre and BA(Hons) Programme Leader at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Victoria’s professional career has enabled her to combine her passion for arts, education, management and psychology within specialist training environments. Holding a first-class degree in Professional Practice: Musical Theatre Education, and an MSc with Distinction in Psychology, Victoria is an experienced educator with a successful history of working in further and higher education management within specialist training institutions.

The programmes she has led have received external recognition such as ‘Outstanding’ judgements (Adult Leaning Inspectorate), Beacon status for teaching and learning, and professional industry acknowledgement. This led to the development of partnerships with higher education providers, and the conception of the musical theatre provision at Trinity Laban. 

As a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Trinity Laban Senior Teaching Fellow, Victoria is committed to access and participation, and the development of teaching and learning environments that support outstanding progression and achievement and the ability to reach a person’s full potential. Most recently, Victoria has utilised her MSc in psychology to research the area of mental health and wellbeing in tertiary musical theatre education settings, identifying how programmes and interventions can be established to support the development of good mental health in educational setting, and when transitioning into employment.  

Victoria believes that the student is the absolute center of the learning journey, and that it is important to support personal development beyond the core curriculum outcomes, fostering the unique individual and personal identity within the learning community.  

Victoria works as an Specialist Advisor and External Examiner for other HEIs across the UK 

Tom Whelan

I am a Chartered Management Accountant who qualified in 2007, and have spent over 15 years working at all levels of financial processing, reporting and management. I am now the commercial manager for City and Guilds, helping them as a registered charity make money to make a difference.

I joined the Galaxy Trust to ensure children get the most out of the resources provided for them. My work life has given me lots of experience in working efficiently and ensuring a company gets a fair and equitable deal. I am keen to use that to improve the education and experience of children in the local area. I have two children currently at West Hill school and enjoy spending time with them and friends whenever possible. I help organise a local football team and manage my sons age group. After playing football all my life and getting the great physical and social benefits a team sport brings, I strongly believe in giving children every opportunity to play, enjoy, learn and improve while making friends and forging a team.

        Ms S Steven, Governance Professional

       Email: clerk@galaxytrust.co.uk

All tiers of governance are supported by Ms S Steven who we are delighted to announce was the winner of the "Outstanding Clerk to a Governing Board" award at the 2021 National Governance Association Awards.

Ms Steven has completed the Clerk’s Development Programme through the National College of Teaching and Learning and holds the Certificate in Academy Governance. She has also been part of an interim team led by a National Leader of Education in supporting standalone schools and multi-academy trusts with their governance arrangements at the request of the Regional Schools’ Commissioner.