Mr Gary Griffin

Chair of Governors

Sponsor – RBKC

Gary has had a 40 year career in education and is a former graduate of Exeter University and the London University Institute of Education. He started as a History and Politics teacher at the City of London School and gradually moved up through internal promotions, including pastoral positions, Assistant Head, Senior Deputy Head and, from 2017 to 2021, Head Master of Immanuel College in Hertfordshire. In addition, he has served on a number of governing bodies in both the state and independent sectors. Currently, he is on the Board of Directors at the Pegasus Academy Trust in Croydon and a Trustee on the Board of Management at the Royal Alexander and Albert School in Reigate. Gary joined the Chelsea Academy Board of Governors in April 2022.

Mrs Mariella Ardron

Principal

Mariella became the Principal in September 2020 having spent the previous 25 years working in three Hounslow secondary schools.  She has extensive leadership experience gained from working in urban schools that all served disadvantaged communities. Mariella is passionate about excellent teaching and learning and the transformative power an outstanding education has on improving the life chances of young people, whatever their demographic or background.  As a practising Anglican Mariella was delighted to be appointed to lead a CoE academy and in particular to further develop the unique and distinct Christian ethos at Chelsea Academy. She lives with her husband near Richmond and has three daughters; one currently studying at university, the other enjoying a gap year and her youngest daughter is currently studying for her A Levels.

Mr Roy Blackwell

Chair of Human Resources Committee

Sponsor – RBKC

Roy started his working life as a teacher, after which he became Education Officer for a Local Authority before spending ten years in the civil service which led to him travelling around Europe negotiating bi-lateral and multi-lateral treaties for HM Government. Between 1999 and 2019, Roy was Clerk to the United Westminster Schools/Grey Coat Hospital Foundation. In January 2020, he was appointed interim CEO of the Challenger Multi Academy Trust which had primary and secondary schools in Bedford and Essex. He is currently Chair of the VOCES8 Foundation, a charity dedicated to music education; a Director of the City of London’s Academy Trust; Vice Chair of the City of London Academy Trust; and Chair of Governors of Highgate Hill Academy. He was also an inaugural member of the City of London’s Education Board; chaired the Independent Schools Pension Scheme committee and was a board member of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. He is Vice Chair of the Confederation of School Trusts and represented it on the Independent and State School Partnership group. More recently, he joined the board of BrainCanDo which is looking at the development of children’s brains and how neurological research can influence teaching and learning. In June 2021, he was installed as Master of the Worshipful Company of Educators.

Mr Stuart Blakley

Chair of Students and Curriculum Committee

Sponsor – LDBS

Stuart is a Chartered Town Planner who has worked in the Civil Service and the semi-state sector, and now works in the private sector. After gaining a Business Studies degree at the University of Ulster he completed a Masters in Town Planning at Queen’s University Belfast. Over the years, Stuart has been involved in various Church of England activities from giving pro bono advice on a property portfolio, to helping at a homeless shelter and youth club. He is a Trustee of the Irish Georgian Society and Change for Good, a charity supporting ex-prisoners to rebuild their lives. In his spare time, Stuart writes and photographs for various design publications and is a fan of classical music. He is very pleased to have joined the Governing Board of Chelsea Academy from 1 September 2023.

Mr Mark Grey

Sponsor – LDBS

Mark graduated with a BSc in Biochemistry from Chelsea College just before it was absorbed by King’s College, London. His early career in the armed forces saw him serving as a commissioned officer in Northern Ireland, Central America and Africa where he reached the rank of Major.  After leaving the forces he qualified as a photographer and currently runs a commercial photographic studio in Central London. He has an MBA from Henley College and an MA in the History of Photography from London University. For recreation he enjoys listening to music at the Cadogan Hall, enjoying theatre and visiting art exhibitions. 

Ms Hazel Hughes

Sponsor – RBKC

Following a childhood spent in a rural Cheshire village, Hazel studied in Bristol and York before moving to start her teaching career in West London. From the outset, she was passionate about special educational needs (SEND) and the agenda around inclusion. She also gained experience in the many aspects of school leadership and was employed in a variety of leadership roles over thirty years. Although recently retired, she continues to be involved with two secondary academies. While new to the role of school governor, Hazel has regularly attended governing body meetings as a senior leader. She is married with two adult children and particularly enjoys walking and time spent outdoors.

The Revd Dr Daniel Inman

Sponsor – LDBS

The Reverend Dan Inman is currently on leave from the CoE and therefore likewise from governor duties (November 2025).

Ms Laura Malkin

Vice Chair and Safeguarding Governor

Sponsor – LDBS

Laura’s career has been in education, beginning as a teacher in a bilingual classroom and eventually moving into management, executive and advisory roles.  She holds various positions with institutions from primary through post graduate levels, in the UK and the US.  She is an experienced school governor currently serving on the governing body or advisory boards at Ashburnham Primary School, Alleyn’s School, Noble & Greenough School, Wellesley College and Harvard University.  She serves on the Bursary Panel of the Thomas’s Foundation reading applications, conducting home visits and supporting families once in the school.  

Miss Alison Mould

Chair of Finance and Audit Committee

Co-opted

Alison retired from being a Property Litigation Solicitor, after 36 years, to concentrate on voluntary work. She joined the board of the Academy about 3 years ago and is currently the Chair of the Finance & Audit committee. 

Alison is the Chair of Governors of the Fox Federation, a group of 5 local primary schools, of which two schools are feeder schools for the Academy. She has been a primary school governor for about 15 years.

She is Deputy Lead Governor of Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital Trust (which includes the local Brompton Hospital) where she is the governor representative on various committees including the Evelina (St Thomas’ children’s and women’s hospital) and the Transformation and Major Projects committee

Socially Alison enjoys the theatre,  especially ballet – watching not performing!

Tim is an accomplished professional with over forty years of experience gained in both the corporate and academic sectors. He graduated with a degree in Physics from Pembroke College, Oxford, before embarking on a thirty-year career in IT and Management Consulting. Starting in development at IBM, Tim later became a Partner at Accenture, where he led large global programs for blue-chip clients and served as the UK lead for the Automotive practice. He made a career change to education, joining Chelsea Academy where he completed his QTS and became a Teacher of Physics and Computer Science. Whilst there he set up The Access Project and ran the elite university program for ten years. Tim joined Ark Academy Wembley to become the Head of Sixth Form in 2019 for two years before returning to Chelsea Academy where he mentored and trained over ten PGCE/ECT Physics teachers and served as the KS5 Pedagogy Lead for four years before his retirement in July 2025.