BUTE HOUSE - Key Persons


Amanda Barron

Job Titles:
  • Safeguarding Governor
Amanda has been a London magistrate for 18 years and is a chairman in the Central London Magistrates' Adult and Youth courts. She is also the lead magistrate for the domestic abuse court, sits on Crown court appeals, mentors new JPs and gives workshops on the criminal justice system to London school children. Amanda spent much of her childhood living in Hong Kong, America and Australia, returning to the UK for secondary school. She studied Natural Sciences, then Law at Trinity College Cambridge and qualified as a solicitor at Allen & Overy. She is married with four children and lives in Barnes. Both of her daughters were pupils at Bute House and her two sons attended both Colet Court and St Paul's. Amanda has sung in the Bach Choir and a quartet group called ‘the High Heels' for many years. She enjoys running and cycling with her two fox red Labradors and travelling extensively with her family. Amanda is the Safeguarding Governor and Chair of the Education Committee.

Dianna Pierce-Burgess

Job Titles:
  • Governor
Dianna's career spans television news, journalism, politics and public relations. In 1993, she joined the Clinton White House, helping with press, strategy and communications plans. She then spent 11 years at ABC News/Nightline and is a 5-time Emmy Award winner and recipient of a Peabody Award. She's covered wars, natural disasters, politics, social issues and more. After 3 years in South Africa, she returned to D.C. to become Director of Public Relations for the award-winning Foreign Policy magazine. After moving to London, she lectured US university students studying abroad with IES, and from 2017 to 2020, she co-founded and was Executive Director of Press Forward, a charitable organization designed to change culture in newsrooms and create a more safe, fair and equitable environment for all. Additionally, from 2015-17, she was a Governor on the Board of the ENBS (English National Ballet School). She now consults on communications strategy for clients & lives with her husband and daughter - a recent Bute House graduate - in West London.

Dr Gillian Groszewski

Job Titles:
  • Specialist Teaching Staff Member
  • English Teacher

Felisha Ellington

Job Titles:
  • Lower School Teaching Assistant

Jonathan Beckitt

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of Governors
Jonathan is a solicitor with particular expertise in project finance. He has worked at CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP for over 30 years and is the leader of the Project Team for the development of PPP standards in the Rail sector on behalf of the International PPP Centre of Excellence at UN Economic Commission for Europe. He is also Chief Executive of the Community Wholecare Centres charity, which is a joint venture with the London Diocese to roll out social prescribing programmes across London in partnership with the NHS. He is married with two daughters, both of whom were at the school.

Jonathan Brough

Job Titles:
  • Governor
Jonathan retired from full-time teaching in 2023 after more than thirty years in the profession. These included headships at St Swithun's Prep in Winchester, Hurlingham School in Putney and the prep school of City of London School for Girls. Between 1999 and 2004, he worked at Bute House as the Head of English and Deputy Head (Curriculum). Bute is a school that he holds extremely close to his heart, and he has implemented its values and practices in all of the schools that he has been privileged to lead. After graduating with a B.Ed. degree from Cambridge, Jonathan worked in boys' schools- York House in Rickmansworth and Cumnor House in Croydon- before he moved on to Bute… and never looked back! He also works as an inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate and writes various articles for the educational press. These usually focus on his greatest passion, children's literature, and he is proud to have gained an MA in this area from Roehampton University. For fourteen years, Jonathan was a governor of Fairley House School in Pimlico and, following his appointment to St Swithun's, joined the board of The Pilgrims' School in Winchester. Married to Harry, an international lawyer, Jonathan lives in both Winchester and Central London.

Mark Perry

Job Titles:
  • Governor
  • Chairman of the Finance and Bursary Committees
Mark spent over 30 years working for investment banks including Kleinwort Benson, Citigroup and Mitsubishi in both the City of London and Tokyo. He was Principal Delegate to the International Securities Markets Association and Chair of the Yen sub-committee. Since leaving the financial world Mark has turned his hand to voluntary work which includes being a magistrate in the West London Area, an Honorary Steward at Twickenham stadium and helping to coach his 14 year-old son and others at Richmond Cricket Club. His daughter was at Bute House from 2012-16 during which time Mark was Chair the House Committee and member of the inaugural Bursary Fund Ball committee. Mark lives in Chiswick with his wife, children, a guinea pig and a Labrador. Mark is Chair of the Finance and Bursary Committees at Bute House.

Michelle Sherman

Job Titles:
  • Governor
Michelle has been a Consultant Gastroenterologist at Guys and St. Thomas' Hospitals since 2004. She has specialised in Nutrition Support, intravenous feeding and Home Parenteral nutrition for Short Bowel Syndrome. Prior to this she trained for several years at King's College Hospital in Hepatology and liver transplantation. She has been the Clinical Audit Lead in her department for many years overseeing many clinical audits and reviews of clinical outcomes. She has currently taken over as the Clinical Lead for Undergraduate Education where she helps teach and mentor medical students as well as overseeing their educational curriculum. She was awarded her Medical degree in the University of New South wales, Sydney, Australia where she graduated in 1989. Although born in the UK, she emigrated with her family at the age of 10 to Sydney, Australia and lived there for over 20 years. She still has family and many friends there which luckily means many regular visits to Australia. She is married to David, also a Consultant Gastroenterologist in London and lives in Chiswick with their three children; Nicholas who attended St. Pauls School and Sophie and Georgia who both attended Bute House. Her passions outside of work are the theatre, visiting art galleries, playing tennis and skiing and spending wonderful holidays with her family.

Miss Catherine Smith

Job Titles:
  • Head of Senior School Transition

Miss Emilia O'Connor

Job Titles:
  • Peripatetic Staff Member

Miss Emily Harper

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • Wrap Around Care Assistant

Miss Guillermina Chivite

Job Titles:
  • Peripatetic Staff Member

Miss Hazel Woodcock

Job Titles:
  • Peripatetic Staff Member

Miss Kimberley Boyle

Job Titles:
  • Peripatetic Staff Member

Miss Lola Birmingham-Conner

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • Wrap Around Care Assistant

Miss Mikaela Krenzer

Job Titles:
  • Head of Beliefs and Ethics, Philosophy for Children and EDI Co - Ordinator
  • Year 1 Teacher

Miss Rafaela Valle

Job Titles:
  • Head of Languages

Miss Rose Peters

Job Titles:
  • Specialist Teaching Staff Member
  • Teacher

Miss Tania Gordon

Job Titles:
  • Teaching Assistant / 11 Transition Process )

Mr Alan McAfee

Job Titles:
  • Peripatetic Staff Member

Mr Alexander Man

Job Titles:
  • Head of Computing / Digital Learning Leader

Mr Andrew Pitts

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • IT Manager

Mr Ben Eales

Job Titles:
  • Peripatetic Staff Member

Mr Daniel Rayner

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • IT Development Co - Ordinator

Mr Derrick Elliston

Job Titles:
  • Site Staff Member
  • Security Officer / Assistant Caretaker )

Mr Giles Puckle

Job Titles:
  • Deputy Head, DSL

Mr Greg Hearle

Job Titles:
  • Peripatetic Staff Member

Mr Jamie Pringle

Job Titles:
  • Peripatetic Staff Member

Mr Kevin Neary

Job Titles:
  • Facilities Manager
  • Site Staff Member

Mr Kez Chin

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • IT & Data Technician

Mr Liam Byrne

Job Titles:
  • Site Staff Member
  • Senior Caretaker

Mr Mahipal Mahida

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • Finance & Purchasing Administrator

Mr Matthew Foster

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Head ( Academic )

Mr Pablo Grande

Job Titles:
  • Spanish Assistant Part Time )

Mr Patrick Hayes

Job Titles:
  • Head of Mathematics and EDI Co - Ordinator
  • Year 2 Teacher

Mr Paul Cawley

Job Titles:
  • Peripatetic Staff Member

Mr Philip Vessey

Job Titles:
  • Head of Creative Arts

Mr Roderick Skeaping

Job Titles:
  • Peripatetic Staff Member

Mr Thomas Casey

Job Titles:
  • Specialist Teaching Staff Member
  • Teacher

Mr Tom Nugent

Job Titles:
  • Performing Arts Technician

Mr Yusuf Ahmed

Job Titles:
  • Peripatetic Staff Member

Mrs Alexandra Bell

Job Titles:
  • Peripatetic Staff Member

Mrs Anne Phillipps

Job Titles:
  • Head of Lower School and Reception Teacher

Mrs Bernadette Kettle

Job Titles:
  • Middle School Teaching Assistant

Mrs Camilla Prewitt

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • Marketing and Communications Manager

Mrs Christine Adams

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • School Administrator / Senior First Aider )

Mrs Christine Kuiper

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • Registrar

Mrs Emma Albrecht

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • Receptionist / First Aider )

Mrs Fiona Maguire

Job Titles:
  • Head of Sport and Activities and Educational Visits Co - Ordinator

Mrs Isabel Wemyss

Job Titles:
  • Lunch Time Supervisor

Mrs Janette Patterson

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • HR Manager

Mrs Karen Brewer

Job Titles:
  • Upper School Teaching Assistant

Mrs Milly Behrooz

Job Titles:
  • Lower School Teacher

Mrs Natalie Greenwood

Job Titles:
  • Head of Dance and Drama

Mrs Nieves Garcia

Job Titles:
  • Head of Middle School and EAL Co - Ordinator

Mrs Pat Murphy

Job Titles:
  • Middle and Upper School Teaching Assistant

Mrs Rachael Ball

Job Titles:
  • Head of English, Early Years Foundation Stage Co - Ordinator and Transition & Intervention Teacher

Mrs Rebecca Kateley

Job Titles:
  • Middle School Teaching Assistant

Mrs Sara Russell

Job Titles:
  • Art Technician Part Time )

Mrs Susan Neary

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • School Administrator

Mrs Tatiana Hernandez

Job Titles:
  • Specialist Teaching Staff Member
  • Design & Technology )

Mrs Zielena Sukhu

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • Finance Manager

Ms Agata Bogdanowicz

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • Mental Health Network Co - Ordinator

Ms Alice Pinto

Job Titles:
  • Peripatetic Staff Member

Ms Ana Ferreira

Job Titles:
  • Teaching Assistant / Science Laboratory Support )

Ms Anni Green

Job Titles:
  • Head of Learning Enrichment and Sustainability Co - Ordinator

Ms Cara Thomas

Job Titles:
  • Lunch Time Supervisor

Ms Caroline Young

Job Titles:
  • Middle School Teaching Assistant

Ms Catherine Fernandez

Job Titles:
  • EAL Teacher / Middle School Teaching Assistant

Ms Davida Deda

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • Wraparound Care Supervisor and TA Admin Support )

Ms Debbie Lofts

Job Titles:
  • Reception Teaching Assistant

Ms Eleanor Rushton

Job Titles:
  • Peripatetic Staff Member

Ms Ellen Jakubiel

Job Titles:
  • Specialist Teaching Staff Member
  • Dance Teacher

Ms Ellen Yap

Job Titles:
  • Learning Enrichment Staff Member
  • Head of Pastoral Care, EDI Co - Ordinator and Deputy DSL

Ms Emma Bunting - CFO

Job Titles:
  • Director of Finance and Operations

Ms Fizah Durrani

Job Titles:
  • Learning Enrichment Staff Member
  • Specialist Teaching Staff Member
  • English Specialist Teacher

Ms Gillian Jesson

Job Titles:
  • Teaching Assistant / Outdoor Learning )

Ms Heidi Cox

Job Titles:
  • Peripatetic Staff Member

Ms Jacy Reid

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • Assistant
  • Registrar

Ms Jimena De Pedraza

Job Titles:
  • Librarian
  • Specialist Teaching Staff Member

Ms Jo Whiteley

Job Titles:
  • Head of Music

Ms Julia Watkiss

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • Clerk to the Governors )

Ms Karen Feagan

Job Titles:
  • Reception Teaching Assistant

Ms Laura Chiabolotti

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • School Counsellor

Ms Leonie Conner

Job Titles:
  • Middle School Teaching Assistant

Ms Lucy Webb

Job Titles:
  • Lunch Time Supervisor

Ms Marcelle Price

Job Titles:
  • Learning Enrichment Staff Member

Ms Marie Bowen

Job Titles:
  • Specialist Teaching Staff Member

Ms Myrsini Psalidaki

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Staff Member
  • Head 's PA & Compliance Co - Ordinator

Ms Patricia Duke

Job Titles:
  • Head of Humanities
  • Head of Upper School

Ms Phoebe Neighbour

Job Titles:
  • Specialist Teaching Staff Member
  • Teacher

Ms Rachael Vaughan

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Head ( Staff Wellbeing & Data and Assessment Lead )

Ms Runa Keating

Job Titles:
  • Lower School Teaching Assistant

Ms Sian Bradshaw

Job Titles:
  • Head

Ms Sue Elliott-Nicholls

Job Titles:
  • Peripatetic Staff Member

Ms Susie Thorpe-Woods

Job Titles:
  • Specialist Teaching Staff Member

Ms Tracy Lynn

Job Titles:
  • Lunch Time Supervisor

Ms Winnie Tang

Job Titles:
  • Specialist Teaching Staff Member

Polly McAndrew

Job Titles:
  • Vice Chair of Governors
Polly grew up in Chiswick and has lived in Hammersmith for over thirty years. After attending a state primary school she spent four very happy years as a pupil at Bute House before going on to St. Paul's Girls' School, where she won an Exhibition. She then read History at Oxford University and went on to work as an investment analyst in the City specialising in European equities, before leaving to run a specialist art gallery and dealership in Bloomsbury. She has a TEFL qualification and has worked as a volunteer teaching English to refugees as well as at a local prep school. She has recently completed a two year course in Counselling and Counselling Skills at Birkbeck College, University of London. She has three daughters who were all pupils at Bute House and went on to Godolphin and Latymer, Benenden and SPGS, so she has experience of being a parent at both day and boarding schools. Her two brothers both attended Colet Court and St. Paul's Boys' School. Passionate about the theatre, she was a member of The Bush Theatre Development Committee for a number of years. She is also the longest-serving member of the Patients' Committee at her local NHS Medical Practice and regularly volunteers at the local foodbank.

Rob Watney

Job Titles:
  • Governor
Rob started his career in the food industry designing and building production facilities throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa as a project manager. After eight years, he changed course and founded and ran an investment management company for a number of years. Following this, he now runs two other companies including a software consultancy and property management organisation, having founded the latter. Rob lives in Putney and can often be found walking on the commons with a tennis racket and ball in hand to keep his cocker spaniel forever busy. He greatly enjoys cycling the countryside around London and skiing the Alps each season. He is a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers' in the City of London who are associated with Bute House.

Sandrine Paillasse

Job Titles:
  • Governor
  • Head of St Christopher 's School
Sandrine is the Head of St Christopher's School, Hampstead, an independent school for girls aged 4 to 11. She has worked in education for over twenty years, in both the maintained and independent sectors in England, as well as in international schools in Kuwait and Tanzania. She has held leadership positions at several senior schools in London, including Queen's College, South Hampstead High School, and, most recently, deputy head, director of pastoral care, at St Paul's Girls' School. Sandrine has volunteered her time for several charities and organisations, including Samaritans and St John Ambulance. She is currently the safeguarding governor of an academy in North London. Her school experience has led her to further her interest in the role of the parental couple: she is a qualified and practising psychotherapist working with adults, primarily couples. Sandrine's second home is Paris, where her husband Antoine, a human rights lawyer, lives.