GOVERNANCE

Alison currently works as a Programme Manager in the Cambridge Partnership for Education, part of Cambridge University Press and Assessment and is responsible for the management of programmes of work in Kazakhstan, Ethiopia and Pakistan. She has been employed by this part of the University for 10 years and works closely with assessment and curriculum experts to deliver complex education reform programmes with many stakeholders (including Ministries of Education, UNICEF and the World Bank).

In her early career, Alison spent many years in the information technology sector as a consultant and project manager in ERP and management information, working with large companies across Europe. She also worked for Warwickshire County Council, managing Early Years training programmes, such as safeguarding, and career promotion.

Andy is a parent governor living in Cambridge with his son and mum. His background is in biological sciences and he has worked in medical research and clinical support. Andy now works as a consultant in the drug development industry and has served at small and large pharmaceutical companies in a career spanning over twenty years. Over that time, Andy specialised primarily in processes and contracts.

His spare time mainly revolves around family life, but he also enjoys reading (and writing) fiction and some occasional fine dining.

Chris’s career has been in education and quality assurance. He was originally a geography and environmental Science teacher.   He is now an Assistant Principal at Long Road Sixth Form College and leads 160 teachers and technicians.  He have full responsibility for all student outcomes.  He is experienced with working across levels 2,3 and 4 in education. He works closely with Cambridge University Faculty of Education at the postgraduate level and is also currently engaged with pedagogical research with ARU around developing expert practitioners.  He is the chair of the AOC eastern curriculum group. He also works with the Turing scheme and later this year will be taking students to Denmark for 3 weeks. This year he will be attending the Said Business School at Oxford University. Outside of work, Chris enjoys going to the gym, reading and watching football.

Ben Kingsley was a pupil at Bottisham until 1992 and went on to have a career in commercial legal practice in the City, eventually serving as a partner at the law firm Slaughter and May for 14 years.  Having moved back to the Cambridge area, Ben left commercial legal practice in 2022 to become a campaigning lawyer.  In that new role Ben coordinates advocacy and strategic legal actions for campaigns concerned with the wellbeing, health and educational rights and interests of children.

Simon has worked in IT for over 25 years, managing technology and teams in the private sector. He has previously chaired a pre-school committee, been a parent volunteer for the ‘Men in schools’ group and run a village parish council magazine for 3 years. He is an active member of the Bottisham community, belonging to the neighbourhood planning committee and vice chair of the Bottisham Swimming club as well as organising events such as community litter picks. Simon is also a parent of a child with SEN and an EHCP and is keen to lend his experience and skills to support schools, ideally around digital innovations to empower students with success.

Alan is a qualified accountant and finished his career with working 22 years for HM Prisons & Probation Service as a Senior Finance Manager.

Alan is an elected member of Cambridgeshire County Council, representing the Bottisham division, which includes Bottisham and an elected member of East Cambridgeshire District Council. Alan is a governor of Burrough Green Primary School.

Layla Skinns is a Trust-appointed governor who joined the Local Governing Body in February 2025, having previously been a parent governor at Fen Ditton Community Primary School (2018-22). She currently has one child at BVC and her second child will join in 2026.

She is a Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice in the School of Law at the University Sheffield, which she joined in 2010 after having previously worked and completed her PhD at the University of Cambridge. Her research focuses on the use and misuse of police powers, particularly in police detention, in England and Wales and other parts of the Anglophone world. Over the last 20 years, she has led a number of large research projects on these topics and has published widely in the fields of policing and criminal justice.

Aside from being an academic and parent, she is a keen runner, baker and reader, who loves the great outdoors.

Louise is currently the Head of Dance and Drama at BVC, having been a part of the team since 2012.

Neil is originally from north east England and moved to Bottisham in 2011 via Denmark, China and Kent. He is a graduate of Sheffield University and Fellow of Engineering, with over 40 years of experience in BioPharma. In the past an occasional Engineering Lecturer at Imperial College, Newcastle and Lancaster Universities. Neil was previously a Scout Leader, Vice Chair of Bottisham Parish Council and a Trust Governor at BVC. Neil’s daughters both went to BVC.

Stuart is an experienced clerk to the Local Governing Body and also has the same position in three other schools within the trust as well as other schools around the Cambridge and Ely area. During his career, he has also been a TA in a primary school for several years.

He is married with two teenage children and in his spare time enjoys days out with my family, reading and the cinema.