Staff & Governors

Mr R Johnson

Community Governor (Chair)

Richard was brought up in Northumberland, and graduated in law from Newcastle University. He subsequently trained as a teacher, and has worked in schools for over thirty years, holding various senior leadership positions, including the headship of two schools. His family settled in Wiltshire in 2004, and he is a current St John’s parent. He previously served as a governor of St John’s between 2005 and 2010 and currently works as a school inspector and educational consultant.

Mrs Tina Harrigan-James

Parent Governor (Vice Chair)

Tina moved from Cornwall after completing her PGCE to teach English in Berkshire. She led the 6th form for several years before taking a career break, during which she served as a Governor. She then moved into the careers sector to work as a Business Development Director for a large charity before becoming a freelance consultant, specialising in special educational needs, and pastoral care and guidance for apprentices. Covid forced a change of direction, so she launched Careers Collective, a start-up delivering careers education and career development support virtually. She moved to Marlborough 4 years ago and is a parent to three children, two of whom are already studying at St John’s, with her third due to start this year. She is delighted to be serving as a Parent Governor and has a particular interest in special educational needs, English and the arts, careers and sustainability.

Wing Commander Calvin Bailey MBE MEng MA RAF

Parent Governor

Calvin, a Parent Governor, has 2 daughters at St John’s, both in their later years at St John’s Marlborough. Born in Zambia, Calvin grew up in Plumstead, South East London, and attended a very large boys comprehensive school which is now defunct. Calvin graduated with a Masters in Engineering from Exeter University before commissioning in to the Royal Air Force as a Pilot. He has an avid interest in sports in particular Rugby, Football, cycling and athletics. He is a qualified children’s athletics coach. Calvin is a passionate gender advocate and is training as a well being councillor. He was promoted as an MBE for leadership on a humanitarian operation in the Philippines in 2013 and completed a second Masters at King’s College in 2017. Calvin remains a Pilot and senior officer in the Royal Air Force, presently employed at the Ministry of Defence in Security Policy and Operations. A previous local primary school governor, Calvin looks forward to the challenge of governance once again.

Ms Nathalie Collister

Parent Governor

Born and graduated in France with a Masters’ degree in Business & Foreign Languages, Nathalie moved to England for her first job at the age of 23. She has 3 children at St John’s: a daughter followed by twins. With a background in Project and Programme management in IT for large blue chip companies, she has now been a consultant project management trainer for over 10 years for many organisations both in the private & public sectors. As a trainer in Further Education, she has a sound grasp of Ofsted & Safeguarding principles. Her hobbies are cooking, running and taxiing children to a myriad of activities!

Mrs Rachael Foy

Parent Governor

Rachael lives locally with her husband and two daughters, the eldest of whom started at St Johns in 2018. She graduated from Newcastle university with an Animal Science degree and followed it up with a PhD. Following a career in higher education including time at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester she has recently switched direction and is now a Programmes Manager for the Natural Environment Research Council in Swindon. As well as a love of the natural sciences, she has a background in learning theory, online curriculum design, graduate employability and science communication. In her spare time she enjoys horse riding, reading and getting outside to enjoy the great outdoors with her family.

Mrs Alex France JP MCIPS Chartered

Community Governor

Born in Hampshire and now living locally, Alex has accomplished a highly successful Career becoming a Chartered professional. After a decade in private industry leading global teams in Commercial Exploitation, Contract Management, Dispute Resolution and Complex Negotiations, she made the move to serve in a senior leadership position within the Civil Service which led her and her family to relocate to Wiltshire.

Wife of a British Army Officer and Mother to a St John’s student, Alex is passionate about a life of service, as such she sits as a Magistrate on the Wiltshire Bench. She is delighted to be taking up the challenge of Community Governor at St John’s to give further valuable contribution to the development journey of our children.

Alex enjoys the great outdoors and can often be found on the coast kayaking or Paddle-boarding. She has developed an emerging passion for cooking during the pandemic which has continued to further progress, much to the delight of the family!

Mr G Knight

Community Governor

Gary has lived in Wiltshire for over 25 years, and is currently HR Director at the British Standards Institution, where he has worked, for the last 5 years supporting global commercial teams, and leading the Wellbeing agenda. He is also a certified Mental Health First Aider.

Prior to his commercial career Gary was a Captain in the British Army, serving in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, and spent 2 years based in Scotland with the Royal Marines carrying out duties in Norway, the Mediterranean and Brunei. He has worked for GlaxoSmithKline, Cisco as well as within the Mining industry working across Africa, Australia, Finland, and Panama.

Gary is married to Georgina and has two adult children, a son who is a musician and a daughter at University in Brighton studying Fashion & business. He is a passionate rugby supporter, having played in his younger days for the Army, Combined Services and semi-professionally for Moseley and Newbury, but he now spends his downtime cycling, golfing, or raising money for Charities.

Ms E Pearce

Parent Governor

Emma was born and grew up in Hampshire before completing her BA Hons degree in secondary teaching. She started her first teaching job in Swindon before moving across to a school in Newbury, where she has been for the last 18 years taking on roles relating to improving enrichment activities and curriculum subjects on offer. She is passionate about the curriculum being fit for all pupils to attain the best they can.

Her family moved to Aldbourne in 2016, and now both sons are at St Johns, so she is looking forward to serving over the next 4 years while they are both there, focusing on personal development of the staff and pupils using her extensive expertise from working in similar secondary school.

Mrs N E Edmondson BA (Hons) NPQH

CEO Excalibur

Originally from Hereford, Nicky graduated from the University of London with a degree in English and began her teaching career in Gloucester. With over 25 years’ teaching experience, Nicky has had a number of different roles in comprehensive schools including two Headships prior to taking up her role as Principal at St John’s.

Mr A Henderson, B.A. (Hons), PGCE

Principal, St John’s Marlborough

Alan Henderson joined St John’s Marlborough as Principal in September 2023. His 25-year career in education began as a History teacher and St John’s is his third Headship, including four years at John O’Gaunt Hungerford and four years at Melksham Oak. A family man, Mr Henderson is married with two children age 16 and 21 and two cocker spaniels. He lives in Salisbury and enjoys skiing, running, and watching sport, especially rugby and cricket.

Mr M V Whittaker BA (Hons), PGCE, NPQH

Vice Principal

Born and bred in North Yorkshire, Miles began his teaching career in York after a Business Hospitality Management degree. After living and cheffing in Australia, he returned home and set up and ran his own outside catering company in Cardiff. Miles has had a range of roles in state schools both north and south and his three children have all attended St John’s.

Mrs. S Wilson BSc (Hons), PGCE

Vice Principal

Sarah has fulfilled a variety of different roles in schools in the South West including being in senior leadership since 2012. After completing her degree in Biological Sciences with honours in Microbiology from the University of Edinburgh she worked briefly in science and business before completing her PGCE. Out of school Sarah enjoys mountain biking, windsurfing and snowboarding.

Mr D P Rogan BSc (Hons), PGCE

Assistant Vice Principal

Mr Rogan has been teaching Maths at the school since 1996 and has been a member of the senior leadership team for many years. He is in charge of the systems used to monitor and report on student progress, examinations and the school timetable.

Mrs R Haig-Williams BA (Hons), PGCE, MSc

Assistant Vice Principal, Director of Sixth Form

Rachel has worked in four secondary schools in Wiltshire, working her way up through a variety of roles including Head of House, Head of Humanities, Head of Sixth Form and Assistant Head. She has a degree in Theology from Exeter University and a MSc and Level 7 Apprenticeship in Educational Leadership. Rachel’s role at St John’s is to lead and manage the Sixth Form.

Miss M McNeill BSc (Hons), PGCE, NPQH

Excalibur Safeguarding Officer & Pupil Premium Lead

A science teacher with a Geology background, Maeve has taught in Wiltshire schools for 20 years. Current responsibilities at St John’s Marlborough are as our Designated Safeguarding Lead and Pupil Premium champion.

Mr T Nicholls BA (Hons), PGCE, MA, NPQH

Assistant Vice Principal – KS4

After gaining a BA(Hons) in Sport Science Tom then qualified as a PE teacher at Exeter University and enjoyed many years in this role, progressing to being the Director of Physical Education at St John’s. Further development followed through an MA in Educational Management and completion of the NPQH and a number of different roles have been fulfilled. Tom has recently moved to the pastoral system working directly with the Heads of Year and Key Workers, overseeing all areas of Student Welfare within the College system.

Mrs C  Holman BA Hons, PGCE, NPQSL

Assistant Vice Principal – Curriculum and Student Engagement

After graduating from Royal Holloway, University of London with a degree in English Literature, Christina completed her PGCE with her first placement at St John’s. Christina has worked at St John’s since 2010 and since then has assumed various roles, most recently as Head of Faculty. She has two young children and enjoys reading, travelling and the theatre. Christina oversees the curriculum and student engagement, working directly with Heads of Faculty.

Mrs C. Williams BA (Hons), PGCE

Assistant Vice Principal – KS3   From 1 September 2023

Claire graduated with Honours in Educational Psychology in 2004 at Cardiff University and completed her PGCE at Bristol University shortly after. Claire has since worked in five schools where she has been a Head of Faculty for Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as Head of Year for both Key Stages in two Wiltshire schools. In her current role she oversees the pastoral system at KS3 and Alternative Provision, working directly with Heads of Year and Key Workers as well as teaching Psychology at A Level.

Mrs B Jones

School Business Manager

Brigid joined St John’s in 2004 as PA to the Senior Leadership Team having worked for a local charity supporting pre-school providers in the area.  Following a move to Administration Manager, Brigid became the Excalibur Academies Trust Admissions Officer in 2012 providing strategic level support on admissions to Excalibur Directors and all schools within the Trust.  Her move to School Business Manager brings her focus back to St John’s.  Brigid has two grown-up children, who both went through the school, and two young grandchildren!

Mrs J Lillywhite

PA to the Principal, HR Lead

Jo has worked at St John’s since February 2019 and as well as PA to the Principal, she works closely with the Head of HR on all aspects of HR for the Academy.