Governor Profiles

Dave and his wife, Fran, moved to Brent Pelham in 2011. He is the dad of Toby, who joined Furneux Pelham in 2015. Dave was elected onto the Board of Governors as a parent governor a year later and, in 2017, was appointed Co-Chair. He is Co-Chair of the Curriculum & Pupil Welfare committee and is the link governor for SEN, Pupil Premium and Data Analysis. Dave is a journalist who has worked for The Sun newspaper’s sports desk for nearly 15 years. He also had a column in the Herts & Essex Observer until 2016. He is also a keen quizzer – running regular quiz nights locally – and an avid birdwatcher and nature enthusiast.

A secular humanist and strong critic of the Government’s faith-schools policy, Dave offers a non-religious perspective perhaps lacking from other Church of England school boards. He is fascinated by primary-school education and how to tailor the curriculum to enable pupils to fulfil their potential.

Louise Tainton – Parent Governor

Louise moved to Albury in 2021 from Islington. Her two children joined the school in 2022 and she was elected as a parent governor in October 2023.  Louise is a commercial real estate lawyer who has worked in London for over 20 years. Louise has joined the resources committee and is looking forward to learning more about the school and using her management and financial skills to help make a material contribution to the success of the school.

Kristian Taylor – Foundation Governor

Kristian joined the governing body in 2013.  He is married to Mirella and lives in Berden with their two children: Luca, who attended Furneux Pelham from 2009-2016 and also Ava, who attended Furneux Pelham from 2012-2019. Kristian is a Sales and Marketing Director at an IT Company specialising in Apple and IT solutions for schools and colleges. He visits many schools and meets numerous teachers, headteachers and IT manufacturers on a regular basis. Kristian is the link governor for Safeguarding, eSafety and ICT. He is a keen swimmer and cyclist and was a volunteer ChildLine counsellor for several years.

Gary Smith – Parent Governor/Chair of Resources Committee/DPO

Gary lives in the village and is a parent governor with 3 daughters attending the school.  Gary has been a governor since 2019 and is currently the chair of our Resources Committee as well as being our Data Protection Officer. Gary is an employment solicitor based locally in Bishop’s Stortford having previously worked in the City.  He grew up in Bishop’s Stortford and has lived in the area all of his life.

Louise Foley – Headteacher

Louise is headteacher at Furneux Pelham School.  She has represented the staff of the school as a member of the Governing Body for the majority of the last seventeen years.  Having trained to be a teacher at Homerton College, in 1999, Louise taught at St. Andrew’s School in Much Hadham, before moving to teach in a large Catholic School in Surrey for two years.  She returned to the area, where she grew up, to take up the role of Deputy Headteacher at Furneux Pelham School.  Louise was Deputy Headteacher at the school for thirteen years, before she took on the role of co-headteacher alongside Brigid Dyson.  In September 2021, Louise was appointed to the role of headteacher.

Vicky Bartlett – Parent Governor/Vice-Chair of Resources Committee

Vicky lives in Great Hormead and joined the governing body as a Parent Governor in 2022.  She has a daughter at the school and a younger son looking forward to joining. Vicky is a Chartered Accountant who has worked predominantly in the financial services and natural resources sector. She is currently Vice Chairman of the Resources Committee and Behaviour link governor.