Governors

Vanguard School is part of the National Autistic Society Academies Trust. The Trust is responsible for three free schools. More information about NASAT can be found here. NASAT delegates numerous functions to the schools local governing body.

Vanguard School governors (also known as the local governance body or 'LGB') are made up of representatives from the local area and cover a number of governor roles. School governors have a key role in setting the strategic direction of a school, ensuring the accountability of teachers and staff, and thinking critically about the welfare of a school.

Download our Local Governing Bodies Terms of Reference.

Download our Membership of the Local Governing Board and Register of Business Interests 2019/20.

Download our Membership of the Local Governing Board and Register of Business Interests 2020/21.

LGBs provide feedback to the EQD and National Autistic Society board, via the link trustees who chair them. For further information, see our Scheme of delegation.

LGBs function

support the principal and senior management team in the delivery of the school’s mission and vision
provide constructive criticism
monitor the wellbeing and safety of pupils
monitor the educational achievement of pupils
represent the school to the local community, including the business community
support the development of the school as and when opportunities arise.

Our Governors

Fleur Bothwick, Chair

Fleur is the Director of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) for the EMEIA Region at EY, which is made up of Europe, Middle East, India and Africa with 98 countries and 105,000 people. Her role entails developing, driving and embedding an integrated diversity strategy across this large multi-disciplined matrix organisation. Fleur is a regular conference speaker and contributor to articles and research in this field. She has co-authored a book entitled Inclusive Leadership.

She is currently a Director of the National Autistic Society Academies Trust and Chair of Governors of the National Autistic Society Vanguard School. She has three sons. Her youngest son is autistic with significant learning difficulties. In the Queen’s 2013 New Years Honours List, she was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in recognition of her contribution to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Ali Angus

Ali is a born and bred South Londoner where she has spent all her life working and raising her five children. She is mother to a curren pupil at Vanguar. Ali has worked in Community Development for 20 years winning an award from Wandsworth Council in 2012 for her work in the borough. She is currently working as a Pastoral Care Lay minister at a local Church and is a Senior Support Manager for an Almshouse Charity.

Both roles bring her into contact with some of the most vulnerable people in the community and she has a track record of working across age groups and sectors, working in prisons, starting a Crack Cocaine programme and a playgroup, a portfolio of interfaith projects, and she regularly designs and delivers groupwork with both young people and seniors.

Ali passionately believes that education has the power to transform lives and has seen the truth of that for Ben who has flourished since leaving mainstream schools for Vanguard. She says, ‘I am a Governor at Vanguard because I am ambitious for all it can achieve for all the children and young people who enrolled here.’

Michelle Crespo

I am really excited to have joined the National Autistic Society Vanguard School governing body. I am a parent of a child currently attending the Vanguard School. I became a parent governor as I want to support the school in being the best it can be in assisting our children to achieve their potential, in a school where they feel valued, they can develop self-esteem and confidence, so that they can excel both academically and creatively.

I have a degree in Hospitality and Hotel Management and I have completed several specialist training courses for parents including: Hanen training course with the National Autistic Society in the North of England as my child was none verbal, training for parents of autistic children with the National Autistic Society, I have done a short training in Makaton and PECS and I am trained in first aid.

I bring a wealth of experience from the corporate sector. I have worked in the hotel and aviation industry and these jobs have enabled me to work directly with people where I’ve learnt the value of being kind and direct as well as being held accountable for my decision making. I think these skills will help me to become an approachable parent governor who takes into account other parent’s views and wishes. In the past I have also enjoyed getting involved with school trips, fundraising activities and assemblies during my daughter’s primary school years.

Education and good family values are paramount in my whole outlook on life and I feel that these are important to all children. I look forward to playing an active role in helping the school grow from strength to strength.

Jack Dunmore

Jack is a Strategic Estate Manager for the NHS. He is currently overseeing the primary and community capital investment programme in East London alongside the strategic positioning of clinical services within their community settings. Previously providing estate, financial and legal design set-up to luxury residential developments.

Alongside Jack's main role within the NHS, he also participates in several professional work streams, including Workforce Race Equality Standards (WRES) and Climate Taskforce. Jack discovered Vanguard on his commute to work and living locally to the school, seeing the project develop over a number of years.

Rabia Lakhani

Rabia is a data and analytics professional with cross-sector experience in the consulting industry. She has a background in chemical engineering and has been the recipient of an Engineering Leadership Scholarship from the Royal Academy of Engineering. Rabia has used this platform to advocate for Women in STEM through attending international conferences and through active participation in mentoring and development programmes.

She is passionate about social mobility and has previous work experience as the Director of Communications & HR for a not-for-profit education social enterprise aiming to increase higher education enrolment in Pakistan.

Shehnaz (Naz) Tharia

Naz is a freelance education and training lecturer and her current portfolio includes being a personal academic tutor for the Teaching and Learning Institute. She has a rich background in education which includes lecturing and teaching science in schools and universities including the University of Greenwich and within Lambeth, Hitherfield Primary School and Lark Hall Centre for Autism.

She was an external examiner for Teach First and the University of Northampton ITE department, which included scrutiny of course content and student achievement. Naz has a B.Ed. (Hons) and an M.A. in Education and is a mental health first aider trainer.

Olivia Wybraniec

Olivia is an Associate Barrister practising in commercial litigation at Mishcon de Reya LLP, prior to which she was in self-employed practice for five years. She has represented numerous families of children with special educational needs in appeals to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Tribunal, acting pro bono. Olivia is an active professional mentor and committed to widening participation. She holds an LLB from King's College London and an LLM from University College London.

Find out more

If you would like to find out more about the LGB or are interested in becoming a governor, please email get in touch.

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