Governor Pen Profiles October 2025

Gary Smith - Chair of Governors

Gary lives in the village and is a parent governor with three daughters, two of whom attend the school.  Gary has been a governor since 2019 and is our Chair of Governors for the 2025/26 school year 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.

Dave Bromage – Co-opted Governor; Vice Chair of Governors and Chair of Curriculum & Pupil Welfare

Dave and his wife, Fran, moved to Brent Pelham in 2011. His son Toby attended Furneux Pelham School from 2015 – 2022. Dave was elected to the Board of Governors as a parent governor a year later and, in 2017, was appointed Vice Chair of Governors. He is Chair of the Curriculum & Pupil Welfare committee and is the link governor for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and Children Looked After (CLA). Dave is a journalist who has worked for The Sun newspaper’s sports desk for 20 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, Dave offers a non-religious perspective on the Governing Body. He is fascinated by primary-school education and how to tailor the curriculum to enable pupils to fulfil their potential.

Louise Tainton – Parent Governor; Chair of Resources

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 joined the Resources committee and became its Chair of Committee in 2025. She 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.

Vicky Bartlett – Staff Governor

Vicky lives in Great Hormead and joined the governing body as a Parent Governor in 2022.  She has a daughter and son at the school. Vicky is a Chartered Accountant who has worked predominantly in the financial services and natural resources sector. She is currently the Training Link Governor.  Vicky now works for the school as the School Business Manager, Finance, for two days a week and became the Staff Governor in 2025.

Miranda Trenchard – Local Government Governor

Miranda and her husband, Harry Smart, moved to Furneux Pelham in 1991 and she became a school governor in 2010. Since then she has chaired the Curriculum and Pupil Welfare Committee, the Personnel Committee and was Chair of Governors between 2015 and 2025. Miranda worked in the public sector for 41 years, most recently as an HR Manager for Hertfordshire County Council, retiring in 2017. Miranda now works for HFL as a clerk to school governing bodies.  Miranda’s main aim is to support the school and its development.  She has been particularly interested in Pupil Voice and Parent Forums, as well as the regular school surveys.  Her term of office ends in February 2026 and she will be stepping down then as governor.

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 Schools Development Manager at a large IT Company specialising in IT solutions for schools and colleges.  He visits many schools, meeting school leaders in both the state and independent sectors on a regular basis.  As well as being the Foundations Governor, Kristian is the link governor for Safeguarding and Deputy Chair of the curriculum committee.

Nathan Tolhurst – Co-opted Governor; Vice Chair of Resources

Nathan moved into the village in 2020 to join his partner who was born and raised in Furneux Pelham. He joined the team as a Co-opted governor in October 2023. Nathan is a Police Sergeant currently in Hertfordshire Police, with over 12 years’ service. Nathan has been one of the lead Managers for Digital forensics within the police force, so has gained a very unique skillset to safeguard all children in the county. Nathan is the lead Health and Safety Governor and joined the Resources committee to bring his management experience to aid the success of the school and where he is now Vice Chair of committee.

Sarah Cook – Ex Officio Governor; Headteacher

Sarah joined Furneux Pelham Primary School in September 2024. She has four girls, aged between11 and 23, who are currently in Year 7, 2nd year of university studying design for publishing, 4th year at university completing a 4 year masters' degree in veterinary physiotherapy and her eldest daughter is a secondary PE teacher. Sarah has been teaching for many years in church schools and greatly enjoys the sense of community from being in a smaller school. She is the English lead in school, continues to moderate KS2 writing for Hertfordshire and is passionate about reading. Sarah also enjoys still continuing to teach and has been doing so in Skylark and Robin Classes this year.  

Nick Radmore – Parent Governor

Nick and his wife, Rebecca, have lived in Anstey village since 2015, and their eldest child, Zach, joined Furneux Pelham school in 2018.  Zach has since moved on to secondary school, but his two younger siblings, Gulliver and Beatrice, are still thoroughly enjoying their time in Skylark and Nightingale classes, respectively.  Nick became a governor in May 2023 joining the Curriculum and Pupil Welfare Committee. 

Nick has worked in the charity sector for the past 20 years and is currently at Plan International UK, an international development charity that promotes gender equality and fights for girls’ rights around the world.