Welcome to BSA Group

Caroline has worked in international education for 30 years. As Caroline Nixon Education, she has worked on many successful projects including helping UK schools to establish new overseas branches, advising an international school opening in the UK, assisting an educational group to set up a guardianship agency, and advising schools on academic and pastoral provision for their international students.

Before becoming a consultant, Caroline was Principal of Taunton School International and set up a new school for international children aged 8-14. She was also responsible for the international marketing of, and admissions into, Taunton School.

Caroline is also a member of the British Council International Education Advisory Group, and a member of the advisory group to the British Government’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Students.

Claire is Director of Safeguarding, BSA Group and Director, SACPA and leads on the provision of safeguarding advice and support to members and the development and delivery of CPD and safeguarding consultancy services. Claire is a safeguarding specialist and leader with a background in education welfare, youth justice, and early help contexts which have involved a strong focus on diverse and collaborative partnerships, professional development and supervision of front-line safeguarding colleagues, and leading multi-disciplinary teams and projects. Since 2006, Claire has been involved with Luton Safeguarding Children Board as a lead multi-agency safeguarding trainer, developing and delivering single and multi-agency safeguarding training, pieces of bespoke consultancy work, and providing a range of safeguarding consultancy on a freelance basis.

Gaelle is Head of Research Services and Inclusion and joined the BSA in January 2023. She is an experienced senior leader and has worked in a range of state and independent schools. She is a qualified SENCO and holds a Masters Degree in Inclusive Education. Prior to joining the BSA, Gaelle was Deputy Head Pastoral, DSL and Head of Boarding at an all-girls independent school in the South-East.

Nicola joined the BSA Group in September 2024 as Head of Marketing Communications, having previously worked for a global educational charity in various event management, business development and marketing roles. During this time she worked closely with several schools – both independent and state – to help young people access a career in financial services. She is passionate about effective communication and lifelong learning.

Liz McDonald has been with the BSA for ten years and is responsible for the coordination of the Group Accredited Training Programme. Liz is a former financial services professional, and relishes any opportunity to help and assist boarding staff with their training needs and continued professional development.

Danielle joined BSA Group in September 2020 and is responsible for providing finance and membership across BSA Group.

With previous roles at an accountancy practice, a sports governing body and in local government, she brings considerable experience of a range of business sectors and specialist expertise in payroll, admin, pensions and benefits.

Neil joined the BSA team in January 2022, bringing a wealth of sales and recruitment experience to the role. Having served with the Army Air Corps, Neil left the armed forces and pursued a career in sales and recruitment, helping ex-forces personnel find work within the civilian market in a variety of sectors.

Neil has worked in various publishing companies on a variety of titles within the military and school sectors becoming a sales director. He is married with four children.

Lottie joined the BSA Group in February 2022 and is Communications and Engagement Manager for BSA Group. Having worked in busy marketing offices within both the state boarding and independent school sectors for over eight years, Lottie brings excellent communications experience to the role and manages the provision of digital communications across the group.

Claire is the Business Support Manager at BSA Group. Claire joined the group in 2021 and has extensive financial and administrative experience making her well-placed to support core business functions and projects across the group.

Lily joined BSA Group in October 2022, as Communications Executive. Providing communication and administrative support across the group. Lily worked in the HNW financial industry for four years in the Channel Islands and UK, as Communications and events coordinator. Achieving her CIM Level 6 Diploma in Digital Marketing in 2022, Lily is highly organised and efficient when it comes to communicating and supporting the group.

Jess joined BSA Group in April 2022, taking up the role of Senior Business Support Executive. Prior to that, she spent nine years in the entertainment industry working on cruise lines, holiday parks and television, and enjoyed a spell as an Administrator for a golf signage company.

Emily joined the BSA Group in March 2023 as Finance and Administration Executive. Emily has a background in finance, administration and early years education, making her well placed to support our members.

T. +44 (0)20 7798 1580 E. rebekah.hayward@bsagroup.org.uk

Rebekah is Research and Inclusion Officer and joined the BSA in April 2023. She is a qualified Primary School Teacher and holds a Masters in Education: International Development and Social Justice. She is the Co-Founder of ‘Increasing Black Representation’ a mentoring scheme for students and sits on the Diversity Board for the Health Tech company Medito. In her previous roles Rebekah has worked in Ed Tech analysing research and creating diverse curriculum content for schools. She has also worked with IESE reviewing literature and resources to ensure they promote equity, diversity and inclusion.

Leigh joins BSA Group as Immigration Executive for BSA Group Legal Services Ltd. Having previously held the position of Registrar at an independent boarding school, Leigh has a deep understanding of the intricacies of sponsor licence compliance. Through her expertise, Leigh ensures that member schools are supported in all areas of UKVI sponsor licence compliance, including the intricacies of sponsor duties, CAS management and international student visa support.

Laura has joined BSA Group and is deeply dedicated to the field of education, boasting a distinguished career spanning over 17 years in educational sales. Her expertise lies in cultivating strategic partnerships, adeptly managing relationships, and orchestrating substantial commercial sales initiatives. Throughout her career, she has been instrumental in equipping educational institutions with the essential resources required to enhance the educational experience that positively impact the lives of students.

Megan joins BSA Group as Immigration Executive for BSA Group Legal Services. Since graduating from university with BA (Hons) in Spanish, Megan has worked as an Immigration Caseworker at an immigration practice and as a Visa Compliance Officer at a London university. Through her experience in immigration and passion for helping others, Megan strives to ensure that member schools and their students are supported in all areas of student immigration including CAS management, UKVI sponsor licence compliance and Child Student route requirements.

Iratxe joined BSA Group in September 2024 and is responsible for supporting BSA Group’s professional development services. With previous experience in the education sector and roles focused on learning and development, Iratxe brings expertise in designing and coordinating training programs and employee development initiatives.

Laura joined BSA group in June 2024 as a Business Support Executive, providing vital support across the group. Laura has previously worked within Higher Education environment and has years of administrative experience that brings unique skills to the BSA group. Laura has a diploma in Business Administration level 3 and has a HE Cert in Psychology which both are valuable assets to the team and her career.

Joining BSA in August 2024, Sophie comes from a background in education, spending ten years as a primary teacher both in the UK and in New Zealand. In her previous role at an international boarding college, Sophie was in charge of admissions and compliance where she thoroughly enjoyed liaising with families, both within the UK and abroad, to support them with visa queries and settling in to the college. Sophie has also spent time in administrative roles such as a personal assistant, exams officer and receptionist; giving her a wealth of experience to bring to her role as Business Support Executive at BSA.

Sarah was elected BAISIS Chair in January 2022, having served as Deputy Chair since November 2020.
She started her career in education at an international school in Rome, Italy and then returned to the UK to take up a post at King’s Ely where she later became Director of King’s Ely International. Since 2014, Sarah has worked at The Mount, Mill Hill International as the founding Headteacher.

Mary is former Head of St Mary’s Ascot. Prior to St Mary’s, Mary was Head of Physics at Eton College and taught at Wellington College and the Abbey School Reading. She has served as a governor at six schools, and is a Member of the Charters School Board. She has been a member of the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA) Inspections Committee and Boarding Committee, the Committee of the Catholic Independent Schools Conference (CISC) and the National Committee of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC).

Gavin is Head of Millfield Schools. Gavin joined Millfield from Worksop College, where he delivered academic turnaround. His earlier career included working in schools in Sri Lanka and Argentina before he returned to the UK as the Deputy Rector of The Glasgow Academy.  Gavin has worked in senior management in the maintained, independent, and international sectors.

In his time at Millfield, Gavin’s passion for encouraging students to be disruptors for good has resulted in students taking on active roles in multiple school, national and world-wide issues.

In his own words, Gavin took on the role at Millfield as the school is, ‘distinctively different and not shackled by tradition. It has the resource, the attitude and the capacity to lead the way and define education in the UK, now and in the future’.

Gavin was educated at a boarding school as the recipient of an assisted place and bursary. He believes this education transformed his life chances, for the better! He sees first-hand the positive transformative impact of boarding on lives at Millfield and across the sector.

In addition, Gavin is a member of the Board of Governors, and Chair of the Education Committee, at another leading independent school.

Chris Wheeler has been Principal of Monkton Comb in Bath since January 2016. He was elected Vice Chair of HMC for 2019-20 and has served on HMC’s Inspection Sub Committee. He previously served as Principal and CEO at Hillcrest International Schools in Kenya, Headmaster at St Christopher’s, Hove, and has variously been Deputy Head, Housemaster (day and boarding) and Head of English.

In addition to his work at HMC, he is an ISI Team Inspector and a trustee of the Lywood Colley Academy Trust. He has previously served as a Trustee with the Palladian Academy Trust, a member of the Court of the University of Bath, an examiner at GCSE and A-level for both English and Literature and often speaks at churches and chapels across the country.

Educated at Newcastle Royal Grammar School, Andrew then studied chemistry at University College Oxford. He went on to join Barclays Bank, where he qualified as an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, and worked for fifteen years in a number of positions, including in corporate management, change management, and, latterly, in operational strategy in Barclays Africa.

Andrew moved on from Barclays and spent three and a half years as a management consultant within the financial services sector.

Formerly living in Wimbledon, Andrew moved to Radley in August 2008 following his appointment as Bursar at Radley College and is responsible for the financial and operational aspects of the College and the management of the non-teaching staff.  Andrew also serves on the governing body of Shiplake College.

A keen follower of cricket, an occasionally active runner, and an enthusiastic real tennis player, Andrew is married to Jillian and has one son, Philip.

Nick Wergan is Global Education Director for Inspired Education Group, based out of London, United Kingdom. Nick joined Inspired after six years as Headteacher at Steyning Grammar School, and was elected Chair of the Boarding Schools’ Association in 2019. He was appointed a National Leader of Education by the UK Department for Education, and founded the Pavilion and Downs Teaching School Alliance.

Following a successful international career in Investment Banking (leading Emerging European Equity teams at US, UK and European investment banks, including Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch and HSBC), Nick trained as a teacher at Pembroke College, Oxford in 2004. Nick is an elected fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, UK National Teaching Awards Winner in 2007 and received an MA in Education Studies from the University of Sussex.

Nick is an Advisory Board member of the Safeguarding and Child Protection Association. Determined that exceptional safeguarding and child protection practice should be embedded in the culture of all organisations, Ofsted (November 2018) described student welfare at Steyning Grammar School as ‘the beating heart of the school…staff are tenacious in their approach to keeping students safe’.

Mark Lauder took over from Andrew Rattue as interim BSA Chair from 1 September 2022.

Mark was born in Scotland, and educated at Hermitage Academy in Helensburgh. He studied at the University of Aberdeen, before moving to St Edmund Hall, Oxford, where he became Junior Dean of College.

Mark brings with him excellent experience in a boarding environment. He began his teaching career at Shiplake College in Henley-on-Thames, where he was Head of the History Department, Resident Tutor and Master I/C of Rowing. He then headed back to Oxford in 1999, to become Head of History at St Edward’s School, as well as a Housemaster. While there, he continued with his rugby refereeing, coaching U16s rugby and U15s rowing, and ran the naval section of the CCF.

In 2007, Mark was appointed Deputy Headmaster and Head of Boarding at Felsted School in Essex, where he maintained his coaching and teaching roles. It was from there, in 2010, that he headed north, to take on the role of Headmaster at Ashville College in Harrogate, an HMC co-educational day and boarding school with 870 pupils. He has also been an ISI team inspector and a school governor and is now in his fourth year as Headmaster of Strathallan School.

Mark is married to music teacher Caroline, and has two teenage sons. In his spare time, he enjoys wild camping in the Scottish islands and walking in the hills.

Chris Pyle is Chair of the State Boarding Forum. He has been Head of Lancaster Royal Grammar School since 2012.  The school has grown significantly over that period and has welcomed Sixth Form girls as boarders and day students. It has been judged Outstanding in all categories in three successive Ofsted boarding inspections.

Chris was previously Deputy Head of the Perse School, Cambridge. Before becoming a teacher he completed a PhD in Geography at Cambridge University and also worked in the water industry.

He holds the NPQH, is currently studying for the NPQEL in school leadership, and is Executive Lead of the NNW Maths Hub. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and regularly writes resources for schools on natural hazards and environmental change.

Robin Fletcher, MBA, MPhil is CEO of BSA Group, comprising the BSA (Boarding Schools’ Association), SACPA (Safeguarding and Child Protection Association) and BAISIS (British Association of Independent Schools with International Students). Robin was a journalist, editor and communications director before joining BSA in 2014.

As BSA CEO, Robin is a member of the Department for Education’s Systems Partnership Oversight Board. Outside BSA, he is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, an Honorary Fellow of Cardiff Metropolitan University, a Governor of Rugby School, President of the Rugbeian Society and a non-executive director of the national trade body Make UK.