GOVERNORS & STAFF
The three schools are led by a Board of Governors, known as The Council, made up of 16 members who bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the non-executive leadership of the schools.
MRS KATHARINE WOODCOCK
Head of Francis Holland Regent’s Park
Mrs Woodcock joined Francis Holland Regent’s Park as Head in September 2022. She was previously Head of Sydenham High School GDST, and prior to this held a number of senior leadership positions elsewhere, including Head of Sixth Form and Senior Deputy Head.
Mrs Woodcock read French and Russian at Bristol University and taught abroad before completing her PGCE at St Mary’s, Twickenham. Mrs Woodcock comes from a long line of teachers, and her first teaching post was as a languages teacher and resident tutor at Oakham School, Rutland, where she later became a Housemistress.
Mrs Woodcock is a governor in two schools, including Hurstpierpoint College. She is a member of the HMC Professional Development Committee, sits on the Independent Schools Teacher Induction Panel (ISTip) and is Co-Chair of the 11+ Consortium. Mrs Woodcock is married with two grown up children and in her spare time enjoys running, travel and spending time with her family.
Our Senior Leadership Team
Amelia Slocombe
Senior Deputy Head
Amelia began teaching in 1995 and taught French and Italian in two London day schools before re-training and working in the city as a banking regulatory lawyer for 10 years.
She returned to teaching in 2011 in the Modern Foreign Languages department at Francis Holland Regent’s Park and subsequently held the positions of Director of Higher Education and Head of Sixth Form until becoming Senior Deputy Head in 2016.
Madeleine Copin
Interim Deputy Head (Academic)
Madeleine Copin joined as Interim Deputy Head Academic in November 2025.
Previously Deputy Head Academic at Notting Hill & Ealing High School, she oversaw the improvement of academic outcomes and developed a range of flagship academic programmes. Prior to this, she was Head of Mathematics, Director of STEAM, and Director of the International Baccalaureate at North London Collegiate School. She has taught at Harrow School and Winchester College, where she was a boarding house tutor and a member of the CCF.
Madeleine holds an MA and MMath in Mathematics from Trinity College, Cambridge, and a BA in History of Art from the Open University. She is a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, and is currently completing the National Professional Qualification for Headship. Alongside Mathematics, she has taught History of Art, French, and programming for the British Informatics Olympiad.
Madeleine believes that the academic life of a school should be a source of energy and inspiration, and that this helps pupils achieve highly.
Outside school, Madeleine enjoys long-distance cycling in Europe with her family.
Colette Mahieu
Deputy Head (Pastoral and Safeguarding)
Colette holds a Bachelor of Education in Human Movement and Health Education from the University of Sydney and a Master’s in Sociology of Education with Distinction from University College London (UCL). Her master’s research focused on adolescence and social media, with a particular emphasis on sexual harassment and teenage girls.
As Deputy Head Pastoral, a role that Colette has been doing since 2012, she is dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for all pupils. Her approach to pastoral care is rooted in understanding the unique challenges faced by adolescents today, and she is committed to promoting their well-being and personal growth.
Outside of her professional life, Colette continues to play competitive tennis and enjoys the lively challenge of keeping up with her two toddlers, who help her to stay fit and energised!
Sarah Hack
Assistant Head (Co-curricular and Operations)
Sarah studied Geography and Economics at Portsmouth University, before undertaking her PGCE at Southampton University. Now in her 26th year of teaching, she has been at Francis Holland Regent’s Park since 2007, before which she taught at state schools in Oxfordshire, Tooting and Enfield. Having previously been Head of Geography at Francis Holland for ten years, Sarah was appointed as Assistant Head (Operations and Co-curricular) in 2017. Her role is varied, including Health and Safety, Trips and Visits, and the day-to-day logistics of the school.
She oversees the co-curricular provision which currently runs at 90 clubs a week. In her free time, Sarah enjoys the outdoors, being an avid golfer and birdwatcher.
Nick Gridelli
Assistant Head (Head of Sixth Form)
With a First Class Honours degree in Modern Foreign Languages from Bologna University, a PGCE from the Institute of Education, and a Master’s in Leadership in Education from UCL/IOE, Nick brings academic rigour and deep experience to his role. He joined Francis Holland Regent’s Park in 2010 as Head of Italian, later becoming Head of Modern Foreign Languages, before moving into pastoral leadership in 2017. As Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL), he has extensive first-hand experience in safeguarding and student wellbeing.
Nick is passionate about girls’ education and empowerment, and a strong advocate for mental fitness, a growth mindset, and the values of diversity and equality. Known for his empathy and good sense of humour, he believes deeply in the power of human relationships and open dialogue, and considers it a privilege to support students during this crucial phase of their education and personal development.
In his free time, Nick a wellbeing and nutrition enthusiast, former volleyball player, and keen traveller who enjoys putting his language skills into practice wherever he goes.
Emily Morgan
Assistant Head (Teaching & Learning) (maternity cover)
Emily joined Francis Holland Regent’s Park in 2019 and was appointed Head of Mathematics in 2021. Prior to this, Emily has taught Mathematics in Cambridge, Bristol and for a short time abroad, at Yale University. Emily is currently Acting Assistant Head Teaching & Learning, where she oversees the Oxbridge provision and Academic Stretch & Challenge.
Emily studied Natural Sciences at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge and then completed an MSci in the Psychology of Education at the University of Bristol. Her Masters explored growth mindset, self-efficacy and motivation in Mathematics Education. Emily is passionate about empowering females in STEM.
In her spare time, Emily loves the outdoors and is an avid ultra-marathon runner. She also enjoys bike-packing across Europe, reading and camping.
Jo Dawes
Assistant Head (Teaching & Learning) (maternity cover)
Jo has been a member of the school community since 2013 and currently serves as Assistant Head of Teaching and Learning, alongside her role as Head of Geography, a position held since 2017. Jo holds a BA in Geography and Economics from the University of Nottingham, a PGCE from the Institute of Education, and a Master’s degree in Geography in Education from UCL.
As the school’s Environmental Lead, Jo is passionate about sustainability and about instilling strong leadership qualities in pupils. Outside of school, Jo enjoys spending time with her two daughters and playing netball socially.
Eleanor Chapman
Assistant Head (Teaching & Learning) (Maternity Leave)
Eleanor joined Francis Holland Regent’s Park in 2020 as Head of English, following her tenure at Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith. She was appointed to her current role in January 2025, bringing with her a deep commitment to academic excellence and staff development.
Eleanor holds a BA in English Literature with a minor in Art History from Newcastle University, a PGCE from the Institute of Education, and an MA in English in Education from King’s College London. Eleanor is passionate about empowering teaching staff to continually refine their practice and has played a key role in mentoring Early Career Teachers and PGCE students through a robust induction programme.
Outside of school, Eleanor enjoys spending time with her son, reading, cycling and exploring art galleries.
Stephanie Lamb
Chief Operating Officer
Stephanie is a former Tax Partner at EY, with over 25 years of experience in the professional services sector. She is a qualified Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Advisor. Over the course of her 16-year tenure as Partner, Stephanie undertook a variety of senior leadership roles in parallel with her client service responsibilities, including serving as a member of EY’s Global Tax Executive, the body responsible for setting the strategic direction of the global tax practice.
Passionate about the transformative power of education to enable individuals to achieve their ambitions, Stephanie brings extensive expertise in leadership, communication, operational transformation, and delivery excellence. She is committed to applying this experience to ensure the continued sustainability and growth of the Francis Holland Schools Trust and, in so doing, supporting and enabling the next generation for success.
Vanessa McKinley
Director of External Relations
Vanessa heads up marketing, communications and admissions across the Francis Holland Schools Trust and is a member of the Francis Holland Schools Trust Executive Committee. Vanessa was a school Governor for nine years in the maintained sector, chairing the Curriculum Committee and has three grown-up children. She joined the independent sector in 2008 following a career in various marketing and advertising agencies where she handled a variety of B2B and B2C clients in retail, financial and FMCG at Board level. Her favourite was Bombay Sapphire gin – so much so that she named her cockapoo Bombay Saffy!
Vanessa holds a BA in Business Studies and started a graduate scheme in accountancy until she got lured into London agency life. Vanessa is passionate about education and believes genuine emotional connections are key to the power of telling compelling brand stories. She is ably supported by effective in-house marketing and admissions teams who are united in their focus and able to operate at the fast pace of our busy schools.
Matt Britland
Director of Information Systems
With over 20 years of experience in education, Matt has worked across both the maintained and independent sectors. His journey in independent education began in 2010 at Kingston Grammar School, followed by roles at The Lady Eleanor Holles School in 2014 and Alleyn’s School in 2018. In 2023, he joined the Francis Holland Schools Trust, continuing his commitment to excellence in teaching and learning and the implementation of technology across all parts of school life.
Matt is passionate about the transformative role of technology in education and its potential to empower all staff and students. Beyond the classroom, he has a keen interest in collecting trainers and vinyl records. Music is a significant part of Matt’s life and he enjoys mixing and producing music in his spare time, blending creativity with technical skill.
His diverse interests reflect a lifelong love of learning, innovation, and culture.
Tom Robertson
Director of Development
As Director of Development, Tom leads on fundraising and engagement strategies. Tom has over 15 years’ experience in the independent school sector, previously heading up development for the Alpha Plus Group, working with 12 independent schools and three sixth form colleges in the UK and overseas and before that at Bradfield College, Berkshire.
Passionate about widening access to independent education, since joining the Trust in 2021 Tom has launched endowment campaigns for transformational bursaries at both Francis Holland Regent’s Park and Francis Holland Sloane Square. He also serves as a Governor of Elstree School in Berkshire. Outside work, Tom enjoys walking, travelling, and playing real tennis.
Ben Taylor
Director of HR
Ben holds a BA in Management and Human Resources from the University of Hull and is a Chartered Member of the CIPD. He joined the Francis Holland Schools Trust in September 2023, and has 7 years’ experience in the education sector, prior to which he held roles in local government, travel leisure and tourism. Ben’s focus is to provide efficient and effective HR systems and processes to support our colleagues to achieve their very best.
Ben enjoys the theatre, dining out and travelling and was fortunate enough to be able to travel the world with work in one of his previous roles.
