Hereford Sixth Form College

Darren Baysting

Appointed as a Parent Governor in July 2023. 

After recently completing a 27 year Military career, including extensive overseas service, and subsequently joining the Civil Service Darren is now Operations Lead for the Delivery of Support Information Systems managing several Prime Contracts, with a worldwide footprint.  His previous military service includes several technical Command and Staff positions with a particular focus on leading and developing Service Police specialist and information capabilities. 

Underpinned by gaining four University Degrees in his career (BSc(Hons), 2 x Computer Science MSc and an MA in Defence Studies), he is very experienced with working with uncertainty, rapid operational planning, technical leadership and Programme Management.  Also, as both a child of a military family, where he had several schools growing up and in turn, having children who have also moved across several schools due to his worldwide service he and his family are familiar with the effects that educational disruption can have on a student. He hopes that both his professional, personal and wider familial experiences can help make him an effective, supportive (and listening) Governor and parental representative. 

Catherine Brearey

Catherine became Principal of the College in March 2023 after a period as Acting Principal. 

First appointed at HSFC in September 2002 as a Maths Teacher, Catherine has a degree in Physics from Imperial College London and a PGCE in 11-18 education from King’s College London. She has held various posts at the College including Further Maths co-ordinator, Head of Maths, Teaching and Learning Co-ordinator, Director of Quality, Vice Principal: Curriculum and Quality and now Principal.

Trish Donnelly

Appointed as a Staff Governor in December 2023

Trish joined the College as it launched its new Pastoral Team Model and has been a Personal Tutor, Lead Personal Tutor and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead. She graduated from King Alfred’s College in Winchester in 2000 with a BA in Primary Education with English and was a teacher in Warwickshire in both Mainstream Primary Schools and a Private Special Needs School before moving to Hereford in January 2019.

Trish served as a Trustee and Safeguarding Lead for TREC GB, the national governing body for the equestrian sport of TREC which tests rider navigation and the horse’s ability to tackle different terrain. Trish is also a national and international judge, trainer of judges in the UK and serves on the committee of Central TREC Group, a riding club which she helped to build and contributes to by organising competitions and events, including the English Championships in 2023.

Emma Finch

Appointed as Governor in June 2023 

Emma graduated from Gonville & Cauis College Cambridge with an MA in History of Art and spent her early career in publishing and the arts. After starting a family in the late 1990’s she joined her husband’s business and with him has built a decorative lighting business selling to designers and architects across the globe and via a network of showrooms in the USA.  She has three children, two of whom have attended HSFC and runs her business from Herefordshire and London.

Rob Gorle

Appointed as Governor in October 2022 

Rob worked as a teacher for several years during which time he enjoyed the opportunity to work with many talented people in a variety of cultures.  He co-authored a book, raised funds to build an outdoor drama space and led the English Department at The Hills Grammar School in Sydney.  

He left teaching to follow interests in personal development, publishing, property and justice. Having experienced both success and failure in life and in business, Rob is interested in exploring how responses to success and failure influence learning, development and quality of life.  

As a Governor he wants to listen and learn about the College.  In particular he wants to understand the College community's hopes and aspirations so that when possible he can help to facilitate their achievement.  

Rob has a BEd from Sydney University and an MLitt from the University of New England (NSW Australia).

Robert Gorman

Clerk to the Governors appointed in 2013.

Robert is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants. After many years working in practice and commercial corporations, for UK and overseas companies, he moved to an FE college as Head of Finance & Administration for 3 years, before finishing his career with the LSC and SFA for 11 years as Head of Finance Gloucestershire and then Provider Financial Support Manager South Division. Work at the Funding Agencies included financial health monitoring, college recovery, mergers and major capital projects.

Martin Jones

Appointed as Governor in November 2022

Martin, a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, has been a professional engineer since qualifying in 2008 and has worked as the Head of Estates in the NHS in Herefordshire and Worcestershire for over 20 years. A large proportion of his time was spent managing the sites of Herefordshire County Hospital and Worcester Royal Hospital. Recently he has moved to a new role as Head of Estates managing the team responsible for the mental health and community properties within Herefordshire and Worcestershire.  

Martin has managed large teams and led large scale projects within the estates, buildings and infrastructure of many of the local hospitals. One of his key interests is the NHS's impact as an anchor institution and specifically sustainability of the buildings and systems within the estate.    

As a father himself of three children, he has a vested interest in the longevity of youth education, with his eldest child due to transition from secondary school this summer. Martin says he is a driven individual, striving to further his professional knowledge and understanding.  He is due to embark on a Masters qualification in Business Administration later on this year. One of his passions is mentoring and coaching early qualified staff into their roles and supporting them through education and training. 

Christopher Law

Appointed as a Staff Governor in December 2023

Chris has been a teacher of History for over 30 years and joined the College as Head of History in 2007.  Chris has a BA in History from Cambridge University and MA in International Affairs from King's College, London.

Chris has taught in a number of UK Secondary schools and spent a year teaching in Pebble Beach, California. Chris has extensive experience as an Examiner in A Level History for OCR examination board and as an organiser of overseas visits for students to locations including France, Germany and Russia.  

Chris is a keen runner and has been Chairperson of the Ledbury and District Harriers and Race Director for numerous events. 

James Miller

A College Governor since 2009 and Chair of the College's Governing Body.

James has spent his career teaching in the independent sector with 17 years at Winchester College, as Head of Economics; five years as Headmaster of Framlingham College in Suffolk; and 14 years as Headmaster of Newcastle Royal Grammar School. James also found time to be a governor of a 16-19 comprehensive, another sixth form college and four independent schools. James also had spells as a Winchester City Councillor (including three years as chairman of one of the main service committees), a school inspector (ISI), a member of the Newcastle Education Commission and a board member of the Durham University Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring.   

Chandra Rao

Appointed as Governor in November 2022

After qualifying in Medicine from India, Chandra undertook Orthopaedic training at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic hospital, Oswestry, Shropshire, UK. He was awarded the Fellowship of Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh in Trauma and Orthopaedics and holds a Master’s degree in Orthopaedic Engineering from Cardiff University.

He was appointed as Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Hereford County Hospital and Nuffield Hereford hospital in 2010. His Orthopaedic surgical expertise includes total hip replacement, total knee replacement, ACL reconstruction, total ankle replacement, knee and ankle arthroscopy, surgeries for ankle and foot arthritis and sports knee and ankle injuries.

Chandra has published original articles in journals of international repute on hip and knee replacement surgery.  He has presented in international conferences on hip, knee and ankle surgery. His current research interests include outcome of ankle and foot surgery.

His interests outside of work include playing and watching Cricket and Tennis, Psychology, Theology and Eastern philosophy.

Rev Kina Robertshaw

Appointed as a Governor in January 2021. 

Kina is an associate vicar in Bromyard Benefice. She is married with four children, and has a Masters in Christian Theology from the University of Durham. She is an international speaker, host of Conversations with Christian Entrepreneurs, and a passionate advocate for racial and social justice.  She co-authored "A Voice to Be Heard" Christian Entrepreneurs Living Out Their Faith.  

An Angolan refugee who grew up in Zambia, Kina previously owned businesses in Zambia and South Africa. She is also the founder of Bookbuddies Africa, a charity working to help establish a reading culture in Zambia. Kina and her family moved to Herefordshire in 2016. Her daughter was a student at the College, who went on to read German at Unversity of Oxford. 

Beth Rudolf

Appointed as Parent Governor in May 2020.

Beth started her first company when she was 18 years old with the help of a government scheme.  Although not a storming success, the courses she attended as part of the scheme gave her new insight into the possibilities of learning, and she went on to spend a year developing her sales skills as an estate agent before becoming a residential property lawyer.  Beth says she is proof positive that there are lots of routes to education having not gone to university but instead achieved 2 degree level legal qualifications as well as a diploma in psychology, certificate in sport and having attended a myriad of financial and marketing courses …her latest being behavioural economics.  

Beth is now a self-employed legal consultant, regularly delivering professional training and presentations and working for clients like the Conveyancing Association in the residential property industry to improve the home moving process.  After moving to a small holding on Bromyard Downs in 2015 both of Beth’s sons attended the College, and the College’s ability to adapt to their very different learning styles inspired Beth to apply to be a parent governor.

Danielle Thompson

Appointed as a Governor in October 2018.

Danielle started her career at National Grid on their graduate scheme after completing a Management degree at Loughborough University and after 8 years, she moved to work for an electricity transmission and distribution company in Perth, Australia. Danielle now runs her own business which is focused on helping business leaders to execute strategic change and implement associated projects. She has completed a MBA from Warwick University Business School specialising in strategic marketing and value proposition development.  

Catriona Ward

Appointed as a Governor in October 2018.

Catriona is an Icon Accredited Conservator who has worked in the heritage field in the UK and Australia for over twenty five years. She has worked in public sector organisations including the NSW Government, Herefordshire Council and the National Trust as well as in the private sector including International Conservation Services and is currently the Conservator for Ward & Co (Building Conservation) Ltd. She has also worked as a freelance Conservator. Her specialisms are Project Management, Preventive Conservation and Conservation Management. She has managed many individual collections conservation projects, provided training in care of collections and has been a Project Conservator on several large historic building re-servicing projects in the UK for the National Trust. Catriona has always been active in the conservation profession including several years as the Treasurer for the NSW Australian Institute of Conservation (AICCM) and as member of the NSW National Trust Cemeteries Committee. She provides training locally and abroad and has presented papers at national and international conservation conferences.