Governance
Ifield Community College is part of The Collegiate Trust.
From 1st June 2025, the Directors of the Trust delegated the oversight and leadership of Ifield Community College to the Local Governing Committee (LGC) of Ifield Community College.
The Governing Committee at Ifield Community College
All Governors including Angela Daniels, Chair of Governors can be reached by using the following contact details:
Ms C Brown
Clerk to the Governing Committee
C/O Ifield Community College
Crawley Avenue
Crawley
West Sussex RH11 0DB
Email at [email protected]. Alternatively letters can be posted to ICC where they be forwarded on to the Chair.
The Role of the Local Governing Committee
School governors are the strategic leaders of our schools and have a vital role to play in making sure every child gets the best possible education within a safe, stimulating and highly professional environment.
To ensure effective governance we focus on three core strategic functions:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
- Holding the Principal to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff.
- Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
The governing committee also:-
- Provides a strategic view of the school by establishing a vision and setting the purpose and aims of the school within an agreed policy framework. It appoints and performance manages the Principal, agreeing the school development plan which includes setting targets with supporting budgets and staffing structures
- Monitors and evaluates the work of the school by reviewing the performance of the Principal, the effectiveness of the policy framework, progress towards targets, and the effectiveness of the school development plan
- Reviews the school self-evaluation process and actively participates in the school development plan and any Ofsted reports. In addition, it holds the Principal to account for the performance of the school and ensures that parents are involved, consulted and informed as appropriate, with information to the community being made available when required
- For governors gain knowledge of how the school operates they need to receive training, by attending meetings, and by getting to know the school community, for example through visits to the school during the school day
- Governors work together as a team, under the leadership of the Chair of the Governing Committee. All of our governors are required to adhere to the TCT Code of Conduct.
The Governing Committee
The Local Governing Committee (LGC) consists of 10-12 Governors:
- 1 Principal
- 2 Staff Governor
- 4-6 Trust Governors
- 2 Parent Governors and
- 1 Local Authority Governor
There are six meetings throughout the academic year, with additional meetings as necessary.
Gathering this data will allow the board to reflect on its gender diversity and the extent to which this offers a healthy difference of perspectives.
| Gender | Number of Board Responses (/10) |
|---|---|
| Female | 3 |
| Male | 7 |
| I prefer not to say | 0 |
| Other | 0 |
Gathering this data will allow the board to reflect on its age diversity and the extent to which this offers a healthy difference of perspectives.
| Age Groups | Number of Board Responses (/10) |
|---|---|
| 18 to 40 | 2 |
| 41 to 60 | 5 |
| 61 and over | 3 |
| I prefer not to say | 0 |
This data will allow the board to reflect on how its composition reflects the communities it serves and society as a whole.
| Ethnic Group | Number of Board Responses (/10) |
|---|---|
|
English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British |
8 |
| Black, Black British, Caribbean or African | 1 |
| African Background | 1 |
This data will allow the board to evaluate which faith groups are represented among its membership and where additional support and insight may be needed.
| Religion | Number of Board Responses (/10) |
|---|---|
| Christian (including Church of England, Catholic, Protestant and all other Christian denominations) | 4 |
| other | 1 |
| No religion | 5 |
This data will allow the board to evaluate the needs of governors who self identify as having a disability.
| Disability | Number of Board Responses (/10) |
|---|---|
| I have a disability and require additional support and/or adjustments in order to fully participate as a member of the governing board | 0 |
| I have a disability but require no additional support and/or adjustments in order to fully participate as a member of the governing board | 1 |
| I do not have a disability | 9 |
Survey taken September 2024. The survey was completed by all members of the governing body.
Meet The Governors
Angela Daniels, LA Governor – Chair of Governors
Link Governor to Senior Assistant Principal, Mr Laundon, Safeguarding
My name is Angela Daniels and I have been a School Governor since 1993, initially at a primary school and then for the last 23 years at Ifield Community College. There are various categories of Governor, and I am currently the Local Authority Governor, as I also work for West Sussex County Council. I am the Vice Chair of Governors after standing down from being Chair in 2023, due to ill health at that time. My responsibilities also include being the Safeguarding Governor.
I attended Ifield School, as it was known, from 1966 until I left after completing ‘O’ Levels (the older version of GCSE’s) and was in the first cohort when the School changed from Grammar to Secondary Modern. This was at a time when the first two years were in the building which is now the Mill Primary School and the remaining years in the older two buildings closer to the shops in Ifield. My son, who is now 38, also attended ICC and this was a decision that we made based on the support available and the good behaviour of pupils, even though he had not attended a feeder primary school. We never regretted our choices for either of us and surprisingly when I became a Governor at ICC, initially as a Parent Governor, I was pleased to recognise some of the staff who had taught me all those years previously.
As you can imagine I am passionate about education and recognise how important it is for young people to reach their individual potential. Of course, mainstream education is not suitable for all pupils without additional help. I am pleased that ICC have such a vast range of additional support for pupils, both provided by the school but also that they are able to offer information, advice and guidance and signpost to external agencies. I know that this is something that ICC excel at, and I appreciate the care and compassion shown to the pupils. I am aware that the staff really care about the welfare and emotional wellbeing of the pupils as well as their academic progress. I believe that students leave ICC with the necessary skills to assist them in the next stage of their academic journey.
I do not have any family members currently as pupils at the School so if any parent would like to make contact with the Governors, it is easy to do so through Caron Brown, who is our Clerk to the Governing Committee. She is also employed within the School so is an excellent point of contact.
I hope to be able to continue as a Governor and to make a difference, in a strategic way, to the lives of the students who attend ICC.
Dan Conlon, Principal
Having worked as a senior leader in three schools across South London I joined ICC as a Deputy Headteacher in June 2022 responsible for the Quality of Education. Straight away I was amazed by our school’s culture of positivity, inclusivity and how determined our staff are to achieve the best outcomes for each and every child. I was appointed Principal of ICC from September 2024; it is a true privilege to lead our ICC community on the next stage of our journey of improvement.
I am motivated by the concept of ‘fairness’; it troubles me when young people are not given a fair opportunity to fulfil their potential due to factors outside of their control. Our support staff, classroom teachers and school leaders work tirelessly to address this inequality and help our students to embody our vision statement, ‘To Live. To. Learn. To Grow’. I am honoured to be able to steer ICC forward to realise our aims and strategic ambitions.
Toni Styles, Staff Governor
I was elected staff governor in July 2024. I am a maths teacher and started at Ifield Community College as an NQT in July 2015. I have recently returned to ICC after a briefly working at other schools. The experience of being able to see how other schools run has really shown me how lucky the students and staff at Ifield Community College are.
I believe that Ifield Community College is a school that strives for the best in all its students and staff and strives for all students to learn and grow and become the best of themselves, as have my own children who are currently going through the school. As a staff governor I want to actively contribute to shaping our school’s future and create a positive change.
Chris Nutton, Parent Governor
I left ICC as a student in 1999, pursuing a career in IT which ultimately led to management in a FTSE-250 company, where I was involved in strategic governance, risk and compliance activities, particularly around cyber security. In 2023 I gave it all up for a new challenge and now work for a government-funded organisation, where my role includes liaison with the UK’s emergency services, attending major incidents as a bronze commander and assisting with crisis-planning.
With my son now a student at ICC (and daughter soon to follow!), I became a Parent Governor because I want to contribute to the continued success of a school community that helped to shape my life and career. I believe that I can play a vital role in bringing a family perspective to the governing body’s work. My wife is a teaching assistant at a local primary school, so I am acutely aware of the challenges faced by the education sector in the current financial climate.
I am committed to ensuring strong educational outcomes, safeguarding the wellbeing of every student, and upholding the principles of fairness, inclusion, and high expectations for all pupils, regardless of their background or ability.
Mike Latham, Parent Governor
My daughter has just started ICC, and my son has just left, I was born in Crawley and have lived here my whole life. I left school in 2002 at the age of 16, and went on a very hard and determined journey within the British army, to achieve goals I thought I never would.
I left the regular Army and joined the army reserves, where I still serve now in a specialist operations Group.
In my civilian job, I am a regional manager within the automotive industry. I love to be challenged and definitely being tested above my abilities; I hope to bring many skills to ICC and want to make sure the school continues to improve.
Lastly my ethos I have gone by my whole career:
- The unrelenting pursuit of excellence
- Discipline, in particular self-discipline
- A classless society
- Humility and humour
Yan Simpson, Trust Governor – Vice Chair
I was elected to become a Parent Governor in July 2024.
I am a proud father of 2 children, born and raised in the local area, who represent the 3rd generation of my family that will attend ICC.
Professionally, I have worked across multiple retailers in a leadership capacity, and in the last 10 years have had the privilege of sitting on the SLT and board for a large FM services provider catering mainly to the world of Social Housing and Local Government.
My primary focus is on safeguarding pupils and maximizing their development during their secondary school education. I am committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment where every student feels valued and supported. By supporting comprehensive safeguarding policies and fostering open communication, I will ensure that students’ well-being is always a top priority.
In addition to safeguarding, I am passionate about promoting academic excellence and personal growth. I strive to inspire an establishment that challenges students, encouraging them to reach their full potential both inside and outside the classroom.
Kim Costin, Staff Governor
I was elected as Staff Governor in October 2025 having been Head of PE here at ICC for the past 3 years, prior to which I lead PE in three schools across London. I aim to use my experience in a range of schools to contribute positively to ICC as Staff Governor, ensuring that staff voices are represented in strategic discussions and that decisions made at governance level are informed by practical classroom experience. I am particularly interested in supporting initiatives around health and wellbeing, inclusion and raising aspirations, as I believe these are central to ensuring positive outcomes for our young people.
I am keen to give back to the community of Crawley. I grew up in Horley, went to Oakwood school and played national league basketball for Crawley at ICC. Becoming a Staff Governor gives me this opportunity to give back to the community that I am proud to be a part of. Our school sits at the heart of Crawley, and I want to play a role in strengthening that connection — ensuring that our students, families, and staff feel supported.
Zacc Gesto, Trust Governor
I am a civil servant currently working as an advisor to the government, bringing experience in policy, analysis, and strategic decision-making. My professional background includes working with Ofsted on Early Years education, where I contributed to work exploring the balance between pedagogy and curriculum, giving me a strong understanding of education standards and outcomes.
I have a long-standing connection to ICC, having attended the school from 2010 to 2018, including three years at sixth form. During my time there, I served as Head Boy, which developed my leadership skills and commitment to representing the student voice.
As a care leaver, I am particularly passionate about improving outcomes for disadvantaged children and young people. I have a strong interest in SEND and inclusive education, and I am motivated to support schools in creating environments where every student can thrive, regardless of their background or needs.
I bring a combination of professional insight, lived experience, and a deep commitment to the school community to the role of governor.
Reese Fraser, Trust Governor
I attended ICC as a student between 2009 and 2016, so I have a strong personal connection to the school. My time here played an important role in shaping my education and development, which is one of the reasons I wanted to give something back as a governor.
I now work as a Senior Analyst at the Department for Education, where I focus on school attendance. My role involves using data and research to better understand the challenges facing schools and pupils, and to support decision-making at a national level. I have also previously worked on early years programmes, which has given me a broader perspective on how early intervention can shape outcomes throughout a child’s education.
I became a governor in March 2025. I am particularly interested in attendance and in how schools can use data effectively to proactively identify issues and provide the right support to pupils. I am passionate about ensuring that all young people have the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background, and I believe schools play a vital role not just in academic achievement, but in supporting the wider wellbeing and development of pupils.
I hope to contribute in a strategic and constructive way to support the school in continuing to improve and achieve the best possible outcomes for all students.
Governor Details
Governor Vacancies
Thank you for your interest in being a governor at ICC, at present there are two Trust Governor vacancies on our governing committee.
For more information if are interested in becoming a Governor, please see the following links.
Loca Local Governing Committee Meeting Dates, 2025-26
Full Governors’ Meetings |
Autumn | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursdays 5:30pm | 25th September 2025 | 29th January 2026 | 14th May 2026 |
| 4th December 2025 | 19th March 2026 | 25th June 2026 |
Business and Financial Interests
The register of interests for Governors across The Collegiate Trust, can be found HERE and Annual Reports and Financial Statements can be found HERE.
Information about the Directors of The Collegiate Trust can be found at www.tct-academies.org.
