Governors

Pierre Spain - Chair of Governors

Pierre has worked in the Airline business for 28 years as regional director and corporate director responsible for the running of operations in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Responsibilities included customer service standards and safety as well as a wide range of business units and budgets. 

Pierre was also chairman of the trustees for the company pension fund in addition to chairman of the board of directors for a private handling company at several airports in India. 

Pierre is an Irish national who has lived in the UK since 1996. 

John Constable – Community Governor

John Constable is headteacher at Langley Grammar School. Prior to his appointment in 2010, he held senior leadership posts in selective and partially-selective schools in Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, and originally qualified as a Physics teacher.  He is a trained Ofsted inspector and a National Leader of Education with experience of supporting school improvement through the Slough Teaching School Alliance. He is a committed member of the Slough Association of Secondary Headteachers and a member of the SASH Education Trust.

Gillian Dawson  - Staff Governor

Gillian Dawson is a qualified teacher who is the lead Creative Arts teacher at Ditton Park Academy. She has also worked locally at Windsor Boys School, Upton Court Grammar School, Slough and is an ongoing Curriculum Advisor for the Green Room School, Windsor.

Nick Caulfield  - Principal

Nick Caulfield has been a qualified teacher for over 21 years and has enjoyed every moment of his career to date. He trained at Carnegie College, Leeds where he graduated with a BEd Honours degree specialising in Physical Education. Sport will always play an important role in his life as he believes it encourages the development of teamwork, leadership, hard work, healthy lifestyles and decision making qualities along with an insistence on the highest expectations and standards.

Before moving to Longford Community School in 1998 he taught in Camberley, Surrey. He was appointed as sole Deputy Principal of Rivers Academy in 2012, having previously becoming a Deputy Headteacher in 2005.

Mr Caulfield feels privileged to be the Principal of Ditton Park Academy and to be a part of shaping the future of education in Slough in a time of significant and rapid change. He believes that as individuals we are all unique and that is why this very unique situation of working in very close collaboration with all the secondary school Headteachers in Slough is very exciting and can only lead to a very bright and successful future for its young people.

Alison Henderson - Community Governor (from 3.2.21)

Ali is CEO of Royal National Children's SpringBoard Foundation, a charity that works to widen access to independent and boarding school bursary places for children in the social care system and those from deprived areas. Living locally to Slough she brings an understanding of both the local area as well as national context around educational policy from a career spanning senior roles in both charities and central and local Government.

Sunita Baber - Co-opted Governor (from1.9.19)

Sunita’s teaching career spans 17 years in a variety of roles in the secondary school setting. The experience she gained from her years as a classroom practitioner led to her role as a mathematics consultant for a local authority, which involved focusing on school improvement and developing teaching and learning in mathematics. Another key aspect of her role as part of the local authority advisory team was the provision of professional development, both at departmental and whole school level. She now works at Brunel University London, where she is the subject tutor for the secondary PGCE mathematics and Deputy Head of the Education Department. Her previous role at Brunel involved overseeing Initial Teacher Education in the department. Sunita has always maintained a keen interest in mathematics education, in particular curriculum development, Y6/7 transition and the development of problem-solving skills in mathematics.

Kamaljit Kaur - Vice-Chair (from 15.11.21)

My name is Kamaljit Kaur.  I have lived in Slough for many years. I have a daughter studying in Y8 and is doing well at DPA. I am currently a councillor for Baylis and Stoke, teaching assistant and parent Governor for DPA. I am very hopeful that I will be able to contribute and improve DPA to its best standards and am very passionate about helping students in their education.

Maria Kaneva - Co-opted Governor (from 1.12.21)  

Maria’s experience spans 10+ years in the technology sector, currently working for one of the major tech giants in the world, primarily focused on customer success and value realization. Having two degrees and a passion for Education, Maria is keen on making an impact in her local community in Slough.

Manmeet Pabla - Parent Governor (from 24.05.22)

Manmeet Pabla has worked with various organisations and industries; consumer goods, research, media & telecommunication, and the food industry to mention a few; with experience across Finance, Sales & Marketing, Operational management.

His current occupation is a Sector Manager (Healthcare & Education sector) within the food industry. Manmeet has a son in year 7, who’s enjoying the encouraging and supporting nature of DPA.

As are all Governors, he’s also very keen to ensure that the children strive to gain the best skills and knowledge, and remain happy and confident.

He believes that his skills will bring a fresh perspective to the school and recognises that its fundamental to help all children to thrive, supporting the choices they’ll make in their adult lives.

He looks forward to learning more about the Academy and the mechanisms which exist, and work with the governing team to ensure that all children flourish at Ditton Park Academy.

Mahwish Khushi - Staff Governor (from 1.5.24)

Ms Khushi is our Lead Teacher for Business and has been with the academy since Sept 2016.

Mark Evans - Community Governor (from 1.5.24)