About us
Staff, Governors and Trustees
Our specialist staff are dedicated, inspirational and they love their work. Relationships between the staff and girls are supportive, proactive and warm. We pride ourselves on managing the balance between offering challenge and supporting each girl to be the best version of herself that she can be.
Staff are supported by a Senior Leadership Team whose work is overseen by the Head.
As a part of the GDST, the school’s performance is also overseen by the Directors and CEO of the Trust.
Our local Governors offer guidance, advice and a critical oversight, bringing expertise from their varied areas of specialism. We are extremely fortunate to benefit from the support of such a committed and capable team.
One of our current members of staff writes about their experience teaching here:
“Croydon High’s way – and the GDST way – is so exactly representative of an ideal workplace, in my mind. The way Croydon High is concerned for mental and physical wellbeing of pupils and staff, the way you’re open to change, the way you’re welcoming to everyone from any and all backgrounds, the way you encourage healthy discussions around accountability and how to make progress and improve… Working in this kind of environment is a dream.”
Governors
The Chair of Governors can be contacted via the PA to the Head and Clerk to the Governors at:
Croydon High School
Old Farleigh Road
Selsdon
South Croydon
T: 020 8260 7502
E: head@cry.gdst.net
Trustees
The Trustees of the school are the Trustees of the GDST, details of whom can be found on this page of the GDST website. The Chair of the Trustees, Vicky Tuck can be contacted via Lucy Colegate at the GDST office – l.colegate@wes.gdst.net
Work with Us
Please see all opportunities here.
Meet the Senior Leadership Team
Ms A Davies - Head
Miss S-J Pendleton
Miss Pendleton has led the Junior School since March 2023 and, over the past three years, has made a profound impact on its warmth, culture and sense of community. She has carefully embedded the school’s values into daily life, ensuring that every girl feels known, supported and inspired to thrive.
A graduate with a first-class honours degree, Miss Pendleton brings a wealth of expertise and experience to her role. Prior to joining Croydon High, she was Head of a highly regarded Church of England primary school in Sydenham for seven years, and before that served as Deputy Head of an Outstanding school in Lewisham. She has also worked as a National Strategies School Improvement Literacy Consultant for Lewisham LEA.
Miss Pendleton is a longstanding member of the GDST community, having previously served as a governor at Sydenham High School for five years.
She continues to lead the Junior School with clarity and care, building on its strong foundations while shaping its future with ambition. Under her leadership, the school nurtures confident, curious girls who flourish academically and personally, and who develop a deep sense of belonging and pride in the Croydon High community.
Mr D King
In his role as Deputy Head (Pastoral), Mr King has played a central role in shaping the pastoral care and wellbeing provision at Croydon High over the past ten years. He works closely with Heads of Year, the Director of Pupil Wellbeing and the nurse/counselling team to ensure that every pupil is known, supported and guided throughout her time at the school.
He studied Experimental Psychology at Oxford University, before completing an Open University Mathematics Diploma at the start of his teaching career. He began in mathematics departments within boarding schools, where he was also closely involved in sport and boarding life, developing a broad and hands-on understanding of school communities.
Mr King also greatly appreciates a Dad joke, the worse the better.
Mr B Rew
Mr Rew joined Croydon High School in 2019 as Head of Mathematics and was subsequently appointed Director of Academic Studies, before taking up the role of Deputy Head (Academic) in April 2023. He has over twenty years of experience as a teacher, and his career includes two leadership positions in previous schools.
He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Bath in economics and politics, and a master’s degree in educational leadership, from the University of Warwick. Mr Rew continues to learn every day, and is delighted to work in a school where students learn in a supportive, innovative environment.
Away from Croydon High, Mr Rew can often be seen out running, if not injured, and is still far too competitive for his own good!
Ms A Gilmour
Since joining the school, she has strengthened the Sixth Form experience, supporting students through both academic challenge and personal development, and fostering a culture of ambition, independence and self-belief.
Prior to Croydon High, Ms Gilmour was Head of Diploma and Teacher of Physics at Trinity School. She has also held a range of leadership roles in both state and independent schools within Science and Sixth Form settings.
She studied Physics and Sports Science at Loughborough University and has completed a Master’s degree in Science, focusing on the impact of mental illness on adolescents’ academic progress and achievement and Level 7 Apprenticeship in Senior Leadership.
Outside of school, she is an enthusiastic rugby supporter and occasional player, and enjoys spending time with her family, including making the most of London’s cultural life and wider travel experiences.
Mrs E Smith
Mrs Smith joined Croydon High School in September 2010 as Head of Art & 3D Design, after being Director of KS3 and teaching Art & Design for 10 years at Cornwallis School in Maidstone.
With a first-class degree honours in Fine Art, Mrs Smith is passionate about creativity in all parts of the curriculum, and has led many co-curricular projects, including our annual Arts Week, where the whole school rewrites the curriculum for a week and where pupils are encouraged to think differently. Mrs Smith was instrumental in leading the school’s application to achieve the Gold Artsmark, which we were awarded in 2022, and is currently in the process of renewing the award.
Mrs Smith has been a Director of Teaching & Learning at Croydon High School since 2020. She loves being in lessons with teachers and pupils, experiencing the incredibly diverse curriculum that Croydon High has to offer and watching our pupils thrive through their individual passions, whatever they may be.
Mr G Cowie
Mr Cowie joined Croydon High School in September 2021 as Head of Year 7 and was subsequently appointed Director of Academic Studies, before taking up the role of Assistant Head (Director of Studies) in April 2025. He has over fifteen years of teaching experience and has worked at leading international schools across the Gulf region as well as a range of outstanding schools in the UK.
Mr. Cowie is passionate about supporting each and every pupil to achieve their individual best and maximise their academic and broader potential. He oversees our assessment and reporting processes, supporting pupils to make continual improvements in their outcomes while also fostering each individual’s wellbeing and broader growth. Mr Cowie recently completed a master’s degree in education, from the University of Bath, with a particular focus on pupil transitions into new learning environments.
Away from school, he is a keen sportsman who enjoys running and cycling and can often be seen gracing the five-a-side pitches of South West London.
Mr K Murphy
In 2022, Mr Murphy joined Croydon High School as Assistant Head (Digital Strategy) from Latymer Upper School in West London. Prior to this, he had worked at leading international schools in Egypt, China, Thailand and Germany. After gaining his PGCE in 2007, he worked at the secondary school he had attended as a teenager in Rochdale, before starting his teaching career internationally. He has held numerous roles, from classroom teacher through to Assistant Head, where his focus has been to develop and establish good practice around the use of technology.
Mr Murphy recognises the significance of technology and how it is permeating almost all aspects of our society, and feels it is important for our young people to be equipped with the skills needed to utilize, rather than be controlled by, the advancements they have at their disposal.
He loves problem solving, and as a keen coder he is always working on new projects, such as making smart devices to use in his home. From his travels, Mr Murphy has developed a love of international food and can often be found, with his wife, researching and planning dishes in the kitchen – though he still enjoys the consumption far more than the preparation!
Mrs N Crossfield
Mrs Crossfield joined Croydon High Junior School in 2019. She brought her passion for teaching and a range of leadership and other essential skills from both her work in education and her previous career as a dispute resolution lawyer in London.
Mrs Crossfield’s aim is to help the pupils aspire to, and achieve, their very best – in an academic and a personal context. She embraces the fact that Croydon High was founded by a suffragette and works to instil self-understanding and belief in the Junior pupils. Mrs Crossfield leads the Junior School’s pastoral care and is dedicated to developing the pupils’ wellbeing alongside the other aspects of their education.
Away from the classroom, Mrs Crossfield loves reading, walking her dog, watching and scoring cricket, and riding the emotional rollercoaster that is being a Spurs fan!
Mrs F Cook
Mrs Cook’s degree in Psychology from the University of Southampton led her to a career in advertising and marketing on both the agency and client side. It was a wonderful learning environment and an exciting place to work, but it was only when she joined Croydon High in 2010 that she felt she had truly ‘come home’ in terms of real job satisfaction.
Her role has adapted over the years and she now oversees our Marketing, Admissions and Alumnae Relations activities and recently took on responsibility for developing our philanthropic aims as a school – something she really feels passionate about.
Out of school, family, football, travel and theatre are on her favourites list – not always in that order.
Mr J Nelson
Mr Nelson joined Croydon High School in February 2018 as Joint Director of Finance & Operations with Sydenham High School GDST.
After gaining a BA Accounting at Napier University in 1986, he moved to London from Edinburgh to join J Sainsbury as a trainee accountant. After qualifying as a Chartered Management Accountant he pursued varied careers in Retail, Logistics and Waste Management before joining G4S in May 2000 as Head of Decision Support. He progressed to other roles in eighteen years with G4S as firstly Finance Director and then Managing Director in G4S international Logistics, finally returning to G4S Cash Services as Finance Director.
Mr Nelson’s passion is football although as a season ticket holder at Crystal Palace, following Hibernian in Scotland and being Scottish no one can accuse him of being a glory seeker!
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Name Role Mrs C Gulliver Chair of Governors Ms N Fraser-Haynes Deputy Chair of Governors / Safeguarding Mrs S van den Aardweg School Governor Baroness G Bertin School Governor Mrs J Bowden School Governor Mrs R Broyd School Governor Professor R Cook School Governor -
Junior - Teaching Staff
Name Subject/Year Group Miss M Atkinson PE Mrs C Bird Art Mrs A Botham Head of Junior School PE Mrs K Bower Mrs N Crossfield Deputy Head of Junior School Mrs A D’Aranjo EYFS Lead Miss S Delany Music Mrs J Harrison Assistant Head of Junior School Mrs A Johnson Head of Junior School Maths Mr D Johnston Assistant Head of Junior School (Co-curricular & Operations) Mrs C Kirkby Drama Mrs M Krishnamurthy Head of Junior School Enterprise Technology Mrs C Male Ms S Mannooch Languages Mrs J Monaghan Head of Junior School English Mrs N Moorhouse Mrs E Nathanael Mrs C Nembhard Nursery Mrs S Newlands Mrs J Payne Head of Junior Academic Support Mr A Wilks Mrs E Wragg
Junior - Teaching Support Staff
Name Responsibility Mrs M Bass After School Care Supervisor and Breakfast Club Supervisor Miss R Bass Teaching Assistant Mrs J Bullock Teaching Assistant Mrs W Butler Lunchtime Assistant Mrs C Connery Teaching Assistant Mrs S Grinham Teaching Assistant Mrs J Henry After School Care Playworker Mrs L Khan Lunchtime Assistant & After School Care Playworker Mrs K Redmond Teaching Assistant & Junior School Librarian Mrs K Suggett Teaching Assistant
Junior - Admin Staff
Name Responsibility Mrs S Garrett PA to Junior Head & Junior Office Manager Mrs J Young Admin Assistant -
Seniors - Teaching Staff
Name Subject Additional Responsibilities Mrs M Aitken Humanities English, Geography, History, REP Mr E Baker PE Head of Year 7, Head of House (Curie) Miss N Baptist Biology, Chemistry Year group 8/9 Support Mrs A Barnett Art & 3D Design Mrs S Beck PE Head of Community, Year group 10 Support Mrs G Brickley Classics Head of Classics Miss N Buckingham Music Mrs A Burgess English Miss T Butler PE Mrs R Conrad Biology Head of Science, Form Tutor Mr C Cordes Physics Head of Year 10/11 Ms A Cotton English Head of English, Form Tutor, Director of Teaching & Learning Mr C Daws Chemistry Mrs P M Diez Spanish Year group 8 Support Mrs E Eminson English Ms K Fenwick History, Politics Head of History, Assistant Head of Year 12/13 Mrs K Ferguson-Burke Biology, Physics Assistant Head of Year 8 Mr G Flower Latin and Classical Civilisation Form Tutor, Head of House (Garrett), Assistant Head of Year 10/11 Mrs K Gavin Religion, Ethics & Philosophy Head of Religion, Ethics & Philosophy Mrs V Gent German Mrs S Gower Geography Ms K Harvey Religion, Ethics & Philosophy Ms L Head PE Director of Sport, Year group 9 Support Mr A Holdsworth Computer Science 2iC Computer Science Mr B Holmes Music Director of Music Mrs H Howgego Chemistry Head of Chemistry, Form Tutor Miss C Howie English Second in Charge, Head of Academic Scholars Ms N Jalali English Form Tutor Mrs K James Biology STEM Universities Coordinator, Year group 11 Support Ms N James Psychology, Sociology Head of Psychology & Sociology, Director of Pupil Wellbeing Mrs C Jijin Mathematics Mrs L Jones French Head of French Mrs A Karteepan Physics Head of Physics, Form Tutor Mr B Kazi Mathematics KS3 Mathematics Coordinator Miss S Kermani Mathematics Yeargroup 7 Support Mrs C Felton PSHE Head of PSHE Miss N Kreinczes Progression & Futures Head of Progression & Futures Mrs A Kugathas Biology, Chemistry Form Tutor Mrs S Leppala Chemistry Form Tutor, Innovation and Enrichment Lead (Science), Head of House (Evans) Mr J Loveday Religion, Ethics & Philosophy, Politics Head of Politics, Assistant Head of Year 7, Form Tutor Mrs L Miller PE Assistant Head of Year 8/9, Head of House (Seacole) Mrs L Morgan-Collins Drama Head of Drama Mrs M Murphy Mathematics 2iC Mathematics, Head of Year 12/13 Mrs M Murray History Head of Year 8/9 Ms N Neoh Physics / Chemistry Mrs J Newbery PSHE / Sociology Teacher of PSHE and Sociology Mrs L Palmer Art, 3D Design Form Tutor Miss A Paris French Year group 9 Support Mrs K Pauling Biology Ms H Richards Business, Economics Head of Business & Economics Mrs L Ridgway French Form Tutor Ms R Scott-Jupp Physics Head of Physics Miss R Seal Mathematics Head of Mathematics, School Timetabler Mrs N Ruggins EAL, SEND Mrs H Sharples Academic Support & Neurodiversity Ms R Sigusch German, French, Spanish Head of MFL Miss P Simmonds English & Drama Head of Year 10/11 Mr E Smith Art, 3D Head of Art & 3D Design Mrs C Tooke English Head of Year 8/9 Mr K Watson Geography Head of Geography Ms G Whittingham Classics Head of Classics Mrs P Wood Spanish Head of Spanish Mrs Y Zhen Mathematics Head of Year Upper School (10&11)
Senior - Teaching Assistants & Technicians
Name Responsibility Mrs D Arun Science Technician Mr P Coley Science Technician Ms C Duncan Art & 3D Design Technician Mr D Mooney Theatre/AV Technician Miss A Rolle Learning Resource & Information Hub Manager Mrs H Shonpal Academic Support & Neurodiversity Teaching Assistant Mrs L Tapsfield Learning Resource & Information Hub Manager Mrs N Waller Academic Support & Neurodiversity Teaching Assistant Miss E Wicks Science Technician Miss T Yam Art & 3D Design Technician
Senior - Language Assistants
Name Responsibility Mrs M Maquieira Spanish Mrs A Mitropoulos German Mrs C McMullen French
Senior - Support and Premises Staff
Name Responsibility Mrs L Alpin Marketing & Communications Coordinator Mrs L Bastyan Alumnae Relations Manager Miss M Bellarby Deputy Manager (Sports Club) Miss S Wallace School Nurse Mr L Butler Caretaker Mrs B Congram Administration Assistant Mrs S Corcoran Minibus Driver Mrs E Decambre Receptionist/Administration Assistant Ms K Dickson Cleaning Supervisor Mrs H Elkins Receptionist/Administration Assistant Mr C Grimwood Sports Club Manager Mr M Gunstone Caretaker Mr S Haridasan ICT Technician Miss L Houghton PA to Head Mrs K Lee Head of Marketing & Communications Mrs G Lewis Examinations & Assessment Officer and Data Manager Mr A Lubinski Caretaker Mrs L Martin Assistant Exams Officer & Assessment and Data Coordinator Mrs L McHardy Minibus Driver Mrs R Milne Finance Assistant Mrs N Moore Head of Admissions Mr L Mutti Premises Manager Ms A Phillips HR and Compliance Officer Mr M Rackauskas Premises Traffic Attendant Mrs V Reeve Finance Manager Mrs K Reynolds PA to Senior Leadership Team Mrs C Smith School Counsellor Mrs S Smith Admissions Registrar (Senior School) Mr M Taylor Facilities & H&S Manager Mr A Tomczyk IT Operations & Development Manager Ms S Vaughan Office and Events Manager -
Charlotte Carr Zoe Fulker Lara Moore -
Name Responsibility Ms S Boyd Singing Mr D Cox Clarinet/Saxophone Mrs J Cox Flute Mrs H Dennis Oboe Miss R Dyer Piano/Harp Mr B Ellsbury Piano Mrs D George Double Bass Mrs K Karelis Singing Mr C Kimber Percussion Mrs E Martin Piano/Violin Mrs E Mavromoustaki Piano Mr A Moore Guitar Miss L Nagioff Cello Mr M Payne Brass Mrs V Smith Violin Mrs S Warwick Violin
