Governance

John Ashmore MA (Edinburgh) French, has worked in a variety of industry sectors including yoghurts, toys, pet nutrition and premium spirits, where he has held positions in Marketing, Sales and General Management. Currently, he is Marketing Director Europe, Middle-East for Clearwater Seafoods, North America’s largest vertically integrated wild shellfish producer. John is a member of the Fishmongers’ Livery Company.

Andrew Challacombe BSc (Hons) London, ACII has held a number of senior management and executive board roles over the course of almost forty years in the specialty insurance and reinsurance sector in the City of London. Recently retired, he has a number of non-executive roles in the financial sector.

Alexandra Cornforth, MA (Oxon), M.Litt, rejoined the board on the 1st September and has held several Board and Trustee positions over the course of a thirty-five year career in financial services. She is currently Head of Corporate Governance for a FTSE 250 listed investment trust and is also a non executive director of an investment management company providing ethical investment solutions for charities and individuals.

Deborah Livsey: LLB Hons (Exeter), CEO, has had a 15 year career in finance which has taken her from London, to Hong Kong and Japan. She has been a governor responsible for safeguarding at Amesbury, a preparatory school in Hampshire since 2012 and a trustee of Send Family Link, a charity which supports children with a female family member in prison. She joined NMS in 2018 as its Chief Operating Officer and became CEO in July 2020.

Charles Olver, MA (Cantab), is a commercial lawyer, having recently retired as a partner of Hakluyt & Co, a London based strategic advisory firm, where he spent 13 years as their general counsel. He began his career with the City law firm, Linklaters, where he specialised in financial services litigation and regulation, and has also worked for the UK’s financial services regulator. He is involved with a number of charities and other community organisations in Oxfordshire.

Xavier Villers, MA (Oxon), MSt, ACII (Chairman), spent his working career in the insurance industry in the City of London, specialising in the marine sector and extreme risks, as well as managing and integrating a number of different businesses. He now holds various non-executive roles in finance, charity, and education. He is a non-executive director of a multi-academy trust which runs five primary schools over eight different sites in South London. He also resumed his own education, recently completing a Master’s degree in historical studies focusing on 17th century English History.

Joanna Copland BA (Hons) QTS, PG Cert Dys, Mont Dip has worked in the independent sector for more than 30 years.  Starting as an early years teacher, she was then Deputy Head of Thomas’s School, Clapham for 14 years before becoming Vice Principal of the Thomas’s Schools group, collaborating with the senior leaders and sharing best practice across the schools.  Most recently she has been Head of Pre-Prep at Fulham School.  Joanna is a member of the Educators’ Livery company and a judge for the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay competition.

Jonathan Cubitt, BA ACA, was Bursar of Queen’s Gate School.  Previous roles include Business Development Director of Charity HR and Finance Director of The Art Fund, the national art charity. Prior to that, he spent 15 years in the accountancy profession working for several leading accountancy firms.

Vania Georgeson, BA (Hons), MA, PGCE Vania is a former head teacher with a background in English and Drama,  teaching in both state and independent schools. Under her 14 year headship, The Roche School in SW London became known for academic excellence, strong pastoral care, and a progressive approach to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion. She holds an MA from King’s College London/The Globe Theatre and has directed youth Shakespeare productions, and co-edited The Women Writers Handbook. Vania now runs speech classes for children and advises on parents on school placement and educational choices.

Jane Ritchie, Early Years Professional (CWDC), Cert Ed in Early Childhood Education, has over 40 years of experience working in Early Years Education. Jane has worked within the independent sector in advisory/management roles to nursery groups, schools, companies and individuals both in the UK and abroad. Her experience includes 9 years at the Alpha Plus Group as Director of Nurseries and Head of Early Years and owner of The Minors Nursery School, London from 1990 to August 2005.

Justin Shaw, MA (Cantab), is a former Director and Deputy Chairman of NMS, and was the company’s Chairman from its foundation in 2004 until 2008. He was also Chairman of Civitas and remains a trustee of the independent social policy think-tank. After receiving a Senior Exhibition in Philosophy at Cambridge, he studied law and was called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn. Justin is now a full-time writer. Recent novels include The Illumination of Merton Browne and Ten Weeks in Africa.

Damian Castello: (Parent Advisor) is a parent of a child at Faraday Prep School. Damian is a qualified psychotherapist, counsellor and clinical supervisor in private practice, working with both adults and young people aged 11–17. With over 16 years’ experience, Damian has worked extensively with young people both one-to-one and in group work across mainstream schools, alternative provision and community settings. His work focuses on supporting young people’s social and emotional development and emotional wellbeing.

Nisha Vidani: (Parent Advisor) is a parent of two children at Maple Walk School and is a successful CFO and Co-Owner of a medium-sized business that exports and wholesales British and European FMCG. Nisha is a multi-award winning business executive; her company has been awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade on five occasions and has featured in both the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 and International Track 200 as well as being included in JP Morgan’s Top 200 Female-Powered Businesses in both 2022 and 2023.

The New Model School Company’s Board of Patrons was established in 2018 and gives valuable support, encouragement and advice using their experience and expertise.

Lord Neuberger – Chairman of Patrons. David was a judge for 21 years, President of the UK Supreme Court from 2012 to 2017 and has links with Westminster School.

Lord Craigmyle – The Craigmyle Charitable Trust. The Trust has supported NMS from the beginning by acquiring the site for Maple Walk School and financing its construction.

The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers – The Company provided finance to start Faraday School, where it has recently created an annual Fishmongers’ Award for a child of great potential and is exploring collaborative opportunities in the Arts.

Richard Oldfield – Oldfield Partners. Richard is a shareholder and supporter of NMS. Oldfield Partners, of which he is Chairman, has been a generous provider of bursaries for NMS families in need.

Eric Reynolds – Trinity Buoy Wharf Management. Eric is the visionary behind the regeneration of Trinity Buoy Wharf, which became a focus of creativity and arts in the business world of Docklands. He invited us to open Faraday School at the Wharf.

Teaching and Learning Committee

The Teaching and Learning Committee is the dynamo at the heart of the NMS project. They are the education specialists who oversee and drive our forward-thinking, knowledge-based curriculum.

Justin Shaw
Jane Ritchie
Lucas Motion
Mia Santa-Humfrey

Alarie Drummonds

Deborah Livsey

Vania Georgeson

Audit Committee

Jonathan Cubitt (Chair)
Deborah Livsey

Xavier Villers

John Ashmore

Andrew Challacombe

Alexandra Cornforth

Charles Olver

Carolyn Wilder

Remuneration Committee

Xavier Villers (Chair)
Deborah Livsey

Senior Management Team

Deborah Livsey, (Chair)

Lucas Motion, Executive Head, Maple Walk and Faraday

Mia Santa-Humfrey, Head, Maple Walk
Alarie Drummonds, Head, Faraday

Carolyn Wilder, Bursar and Clerk to the Board