Meet the Team!

Gill Jones – Lead Proposer and Trust Member 

Gill is an experienced education and school improvement professional. She has been involved in opening four primary free schools in Hertfordshire and was the CEO of West Herts Schools Trust. Previously she was Head of Standards and Effectiveness in Hertfordshire. She was also a member of the Director of Children’s Services strategic management board. Her career prior to this included work as a school adviser, Ofsted Inspector, NPQH trainer, Head Teacher and teacher.

Maxine Kinghorn – Co-opted Trustee (Chair of Trust Board)

*I was elected as a co-opted Trustee in September 2024 but I was elected as a parent Trustee in 2021 and recently became Chair of Trust Board in September 2023.  I have two children at HCFS, one in Year 3 and another in Year 5.  My background is in business & finance, as an accountant and office manager working in various business areas, from small start-ups to a global law firm for the last 25 years.  My aims are to assist the school in achieving and maintaining excellent standards in all areas, making sure high standards are met in line with OFSTED guidelines, maintaining policies and budgets and supporting the school.  It is very important to invest in a child’s future and to ensure that their school and teacher are working to the best that they can be. 

Victoria Hobson – Principal Trustee

Victoria began her teaching career at HCFS, before spending a short period of time working at the sister school at the time. Victoria returned to HCFS in 2019 as a member of the Senior Leadership Team and became Principal in January 2021.

As HCFS’s Principal, Victoria reports to the Trust Board on the progress the school is making and advises the Chair and other Trustees on a range of matters in relation to the strategic development of the school. Victoria is passionate about ensuring the pupils at HCFS are not just seen as a number on a page. She strives to ensure all members of the school community are uniquely valued in school, are given the care and attention they require and are provided with the relevant opportunities and support to flourish and become the very best they can be.

 Victoria’s biggest passion is her family. She has a three year old son and a loving husband who she adores and loves spending time with. Victoria has an allotment and a lot of her and her families’ free time can be spent outside there, growing fresh produce and enjoying each other’s company.
 

Ellen Summers – Staff Trustee

I feel incredibly fortunate to have been elected as a Staff Trustee at HCFS. I have spent the last six years working at HCFS across each phase in the Primary Curriculum and feel this offers me a clear -understanding for the curriculum  and day-to-day running of HCFS. Across the years, I have been fortunate enough to undertake a variety of training to support the school in a number of roles. In 2021, I qualified as a Thrive Practitioner and am now enjoying helping all pupils develop socially and emotionally across the school; something that is extremely topical and close to my heart in our current society. In my spare time I enjoy taking walks with my Husband and my dog and spending time with family and friends. I have an interest in amateur dramatics and definitely bring this into my teaching practice on a regular basis! I definitely hope to get back on to the stage at some point in the future. 

Chetan Pawar – Parent Trustee

Chetan is an Engineer at core and an experienced IT practitioner.  He currently leads the Microsoft technology-based health practice across all Europe for one of the largest & global IT consulting organizations.   

He previously established some of the UKI education practice for his employer which spreads across schools to higher education and academic facilities.  Over the last two decades, he has been instrumental in setting various new benchmarks in both Educational and Health fields from transformations to re-enabling the workforce, from fine tuning business processes to releasing trapped value for client investments across brown or green field highly complex IT environments which he enjoys.  

At HCFS, he would love to use this experience, contacts, and insights to help the school, its staff, it’s pupils and where possible parents in all possible ways to enhance their learning, skills, apply productive use of technology and any such thing that he can bring in from the wider UKI educational sector to enhance and enrich the school in any positive way possible.  

When not working, he loves spending as much time as possible with his better half and two lovely daughters apart from his passion for cooking and being a technical author with published work sold on Amazon. 

Vinh Huynh – Co-opted Trustee

I currently work in IT as a Software Engineer. I have previously worked as a secondary school teacher of computing within Hertfordshire, and have had the pleasure of teaching some ex-HCFS students. I am passionate about educating the minds of our future, and making sure everyone reaches their full potential. I have taught through the pandemic lockdowns, and have seen how it has negatively impacted on many students through all aspects of their education and life, so I hope to be a part of the change in expanding the depth and breadth of their education by promoting high standards. I understand first-hand the challenges faced by teachers, and my personal aim is to support the school in reducing teachers' workloads and improving their well-being, which should make a direct positive impact towards students' achievements and progress. 

Pierre Robert – Co-opted Trustee (Vice Chair Person)

I grew up on a sugarcane farm on the east coast of South Africa, where I went to school and University. After graduating I lectured for several University courses and that was when the “teaching” bug hit me! I did that for two years before starting a 15-year farming career. I spent much of that time mentoring and training to empower and develop our team into a business that eventually employed ±800 people. Over the same time, as a parent of four now “grown up” children, I spent many hours supporting their learning, or around a sports field of sorts.

A career change saw me move into business consulting, executive education and coaching, and facilitating management development programmes to groups of middle and senior managers. After a move to the UK, I implemented a global learning management system and been the lead facilitator for online learning programmes. 

I have seen the tremendous positive impact that education has on people. I’m keen to use my business and education experience to support the school’s objectives to continue providing a high quality learning environment to the Hatfield community.

Lauretta Baker – Co-opted Trustee

I am an ex employee of HCFS having left in 2022.  I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to be a member of the Trust Board of such a dynamic, impressive and nurturing school. There is a fantastic team of motivated staff at this school who work very hard to ensure that all pupils achieve the very best that they can do. 

My background is in Finance and Operations having worked in the industry for over 20 years.  I started my career in banking and then moved across to Education in 2017.   I am currently the Finance and Operations Director at a local school. 

I am very passionate at ensuring I use my skills and knowledge to help lead HCFS on it's continued journey. 

Sarah Adler - Co-opted Trustee

Growing up, I lived with my Grandparents and travelled with them depending on where they were required to work.  Due to this, I had a limited exposure to the UK education system but decided to study UK law.  Unfortunately, I was unable to complete my course due to family circumstances.  However, I returned to law as a legal executive and ran a London based solicitors firm.  After getting married and raising a young family, I set up an administration department for my husband’s firm which provided a good work life balance.  At the same time, I volunteered for Citizens Advice bureau and the local library which subsequently became a partnership library with Barnet Mind.  I was a subsequent carer for my husband and continued to take up voluntary work including setting up a gardening club for the local church primary school as well as planting a garden for the library.  After my husband passed away, I began to volunteer with an organisation working with students with learning disabilities which I continue to support, 11 years later.  I have been very lucky with the work positions I have had and feel that this is really the time for me to give something back to the community.

Fatima Badini - Co-opted Trustee

I am delighted to join HCFS as a Trustee and I am looking forward to having this opportunity to support such a wonderful school.
I am a HR professional who has worked in various industry sectors, most recently in investment banking as a HR Director and a member of the regulated board. I am passionate about learning & development and have helped many young people to be better prepared in their early career stage, both with their CV writing and interview skills.  I have wanted to be more involved in education generally and now that I am on a career break, its great to be able to do so.
I live in nearby town and have a daughter who is 27 and also works in HR. I am Portuguese and so spending time in Portugal is also on my wish list during this career break.  Any free time I have I enjoy spending time with family and friends.

Nick Reip - Co-opted Trustee

With a background in law, I have extensive experience in commercial legal roles, where I have structured, negotiated, and executed deals within the technology industry. I also have a keen interest in pro bono and volunteering, and I coach and mentor students about career opportunities in law.

Although my professional experience in the education sector is limited to my own schooling, I am eager to bring a fresh perspective as a Trustee at HCFS.

I am committed to supporting the school and its leadership team in achieving their objectives and vision, ensuring that every individual at HCFS reaches their full potential.

Aldrin Bhebhe - Parent Trustee

I have no professional experience in education other than my own personal time at school as a pupil and that of my own children, currently at HCFS.  I am passionate about ensuring they, and everyone else, get the most out of their time at HCFS. Education is important and is always at the forefront in our lives and I believe that an investment in knowledge pays the best interest, and I am here to invest my time with the school. I also strongly subscribe to the need to help our schools thrive and understand that all schools must be governed.

So I am pleased to have been elected as a Parent Trustee and honoured to be given an opportunity to contribute towards improvement of education and look forward to helping the children achieve their full potential. I am extremely passionate about learning and am committed to supporting the school in bringing out the best in boys and girls.

I am employed by a large international pharmaceutical company, and the Finance Lead for Europe. I hold over 20 years of experience working in FMCG, pharma and financial services sector across UK and Europe. I have experience in strategic development, financial reporting, project management and commercial valuations.

My interests include playing and watching most sports, technology and watching films.

Trust Board Attendance 2024/2025

Trust Board Attendance 2023/2024

Jake Fleming resigned with effect 15/09/2023

*Covering Ellen Summers Staff Trustee maternity leave

Heidi Russell-Jones resigned with effect 06/03/2024

Shireen Tamer resigned with effect 17/04/2024

Mary-Anne Dalton resigned with effect 18/06/2024

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