Parents Students

Meet the Team

Executive Principal

Tony Segalini
Tony Segalini

I am an experienced Principal and senior leader. My role is to support the Principal and leadership team in the strategic direction of the Academy. I have a wealth of experience in education and leadership with over 25 years of service.

 

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A keen Historian and outdoor education specialist, I love to watch young people develop and grow in their learning and personal development.

Nova is a fantastic Academy and my role is to ensure that it remains a first class learning establishment for all students.


Leadership Team

Mr Harding-Mbogo - Principal
Mr Harding-Mbogo - Principal

I studied physics at the University of Exeter and then taught in Birmingham and London for 15 years before moving back to the South West.

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It is an enormous privilege to be Principal of a school. I am driven to work here every day by the desire to ensure that students at Nova get the best possible chance of success.

I think drive is hugely important, nothing great was ever achieved without hard work.

My job is interesting as I get to spend each and every day with a fantastic bunch of staff and students.


Ms Hendra - Senior Vice Principal Culture
Ms Hendra - Senior Vice Principal Culture

I studied English at the University of Southampton and after a brief time working in theatres and for educational charities, I decided to complete my PGCE at UCL Institute of Education in London. My first teaching experience was teaching English as a foreign language in Madagascar for a summer which was quite an adventure! I started my teaching career as an English teacher in North-West London and have since taught in schools in Swindon and South Gloucestershire. I have held a range of leadership roles from Head of English to Senior Leadership roles leading on Raising Standards, Literacy and the Curriculum.

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Prior to joining Nova Hreod, I was working as a Vice Principal at a secondary school in South Gloucestershire where I had the opportunity to join the first cohort of West 100, a leadership programme focused on creating 100 leaders in the West of England over the next 5 years who are committed to eradicating educational disadvantage.

As Senior Vice Principal leading on Culture, I believe that all students whatever their background can achieve beyond what they think is possible. At Nova, we want students to thrive and achieve so they leave secondary school with the qualifications, experiences and character they need to have a happy and successful future.


Ms Unwin - Senior Vice Principal
Ms Unwin - Senior Vice Principal

I studied Medicinal and Biological Chemistry at the University of Nottingham. I went on to work as a formulation scientist for Boots creating Soltan suncreams before doing Teach First and becoming a teacher.

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I became a leader at Nova as I passionate about supporting staff to be the best they can be in order to give your people the best chance of success as they move from Nova into the wider world.

I think to have drive is exceptionally important. Drive is what takes scholars from being passive receivers of information to committing to know how to use and understand the information to be successful in their educational journey.

My job is interesting as I get to visit lessons across lots of different subjects. I get not only to see how different teachers engage and instil a passion for learning in our scholars but I also get to learn lots of interesting new facts across a wide range of subjects every day.


Mr Delap - Vice Principal - Teaching & Learning
Mr Delap - Vice Principal - Teaching & Learning

I studied French and Spanish with Literature and Linguistics at Manchester Metropolitan University. I spent the third year of my course split between L'Université de Bretagne Occidentale in France and La Universidad de Murcia in Spain. I funded part of my university career by working as a chef - and continued with this career for a few years after leaving full time education, prior to signing up for teacher training.

The fundamental building blocks of successful educational practice are what inspire me to stay in education - knowing which key elements of culture, curriculum, pedagogy and assessment are most likely to rapidly improve learning and literacy for all scholars - both in terms of quality and longevity - in each of the different subject disciplines is a key driver for me. At Nova, I know this is a focus for all of us who work here, whatever our subject or role might be.

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I am a big fan of the DISC values. They stand for a lot and cover every aspect of education in schools whether on the field, in the studio, treading the boards, in the dining room or in the classroom. These values make sense. Drive, for me, exemplifies what might most naturally lead to success in each of these scenarios, but it makes more sense in combination with the other values to bring happiness and balance along with it!

The ability to speak another language has opened up doors to different cultures and experiences in ways I could never have imagined as 15 year old revising for my GCSE speaking exam. Offering the potential of those opportunities to other young people through education is very exciting.

 


Dr J Clapp - Assistant Principal - Scholarship
Dr J Clapp - Assistant Principal - Scholarship

I studied biochemistry and genetics at the University of Leicester before completing a PhD in human genetics at the University of Nottingham. I then worked in a lab for six years researching the genetics of disorders such as muscular dystrophy and Huntington's disease. During that time I got to travel to conferences in America and Europe to present my findings to the science community and hear about the latest breakthroughs other people had been making.

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Dr Clapp

I was placed at Nova for my teacher training in 2014 and feel incredibly lucky to have found such a great school to work at. I am very proud of the work we do to show Nova students how inspiring science is; it is a pleasure to see students find science as interesting as I did when I was at school. What makes my job interesting is that there is always something different to do, a new group of students to work with, a new trip to plan, a new experiment to try out and lots more besides so there is no time to get bored. What makes my subject interesting is that science is in action all around us all the time and by understanding science we can begin to understand the World around us a little better.

I think all of our DISC values are important but perhaps the most important one for me is drive. I believe that if we are ambitious, work hard and endeavour to always do our best (not only in school but in our lives in general) then we will be able to achieve whatever we want.


Mr Gordon - Assistant Principal Raising Standards
Mr Gordon - Assistant Principal Raising Standards

I attended the University of Sheffield where I studied History and I also have a Masters in Education. Before relocating, I began my teaching career at the school I attended as a pupil in Chingford, London and spent eight years there, being the Assistant Principal for Teaching and Learning in my last three. I have also contributed chapters in four educational books.

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The values at Nova embody my belief about schools and education. I am privileged to work with young people in my role with Year 11 and this really allows me to support and inspire the next generation to achieve their best and to aid in creating exciting opportunities for their future. I have a very keen interest in educational research and the science of learning exploring the most effective ways to teach students in the classroom.

I strongly believe in high expectations and that there is no ceiling on anyone's potential. To be ambitious is to strive to be the very best version of our ourselves and to drive on through challenges and obstacles.

I love that every day is different in school and seeing the 'lightbulb' moment in students when they really understand something you have spent time teaching them.


Ms Green - Assistant Principal - KS3 Raising Standards & PP Lead
Ms Green - Assistant Principal - KS3 Raising Standards & PP Lead

I studied Human and Physical Geography at The University of Reading. I spent the first part of my career teaching at schools in Shropshire and have been teaching in Swindon for the last 9 years. I have held various roles in different schools from head of humanities to head of 6th form.

I joined Nova to take up the post of Assistant Principal responsible for raising Key Stage 3 standards and leading on pupil premium. It is so important that children make a good start to their secondary education, and I am in a privileged position to help scholars develop outstanding learning habits and to ensure that they make accelerated progress in their lessons so that they are set up for a bright future.

 

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I think scholarship is very important. Teachers can always learn and improve just like scholars.

The world needs geographers...To tackle the impacts of climate change, to understand the risks posed by earthquakes, to create town centres that are vibrant and have a strong sense of community and much more! I find the topical nature of geography very interesting!

 


Mrs King, Assistant Principal - Student Support
Mrs King, Assistant Principal - Student Support

I studied at The Kings School Ely and then trained at the Surrey School of Childcare as a Montessori teacher, working first in nursery and primary education. 

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Mrs King

I am responsible for students' well-being and I support those that need additional care and guidance outside of the classroom. I lead the team of House Managers who are the people students get to know best as they work with students individually in order to support their social, emotional, and health needs.  We also look after students in reflection, helping students get back on track with their learning as soon as possible. I am devoted to creating an environment in which students feel safe and valued, and where they will flourish both academically and personally.  

I have 3 wonderful sons, who make me proud every day. I have tried to teach them the value of integrity, the benefits of hard work and instil a drive for making the most of every opportunity that is offered. Most importantly, I have brought them up to be kind, polite and considerate, as I think these characteristics will help them become happy and successful adults.


Mr Unwin, Assistant Principal - Character Education
Mr Unwin, Assistant Principal - Character Education

I studied as BSc in Geography at Swansea University where I spent most of my degree on the beaches of The Gower Peninsula studying coastal processes and landforms. I have a deep passion for the outdoors and the sea so a degree where I could do both was perfect. I completed a PGCE at the university of Gloucestershire following which I worked in London for 12 years, most recently as Head of Sixth Form in Dulwich.

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I was attracted to working at Nova because of the emphasis they place on ensuring that each student gets to fulfil their potential both in and out of the classroom.

Each student at Nova is given the opportunity to lead and contribute and these qualities are invaluable in preparing students for life after Nova.

The most interesting part of my job is getting to see students thrive in a variety of environments, not just in the classroom.


Mr T Watkins - SLT Data, Assessment and Numeracy and Head of Maths, Computing and Business
Mr T Watkins - SLT Data, Assessment and Numeracy and Head of Maths, Computing and Business

I studied a BSc in Mathematics at the University of Portsmouth, followed by a PGCE at London Southbank University and an MSc at Oxford University.

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I am lucky enough to be head of the Mathematics, Computing and Business faculty at Nova. This is an amazing role as I get to shape how the entire school learn mathematics and how this links in with the GCSEs we offer. Maths is a subject all about problem solving, which is an invaluable skill regardless of what path you take in life. There are so many reasons why my job is interesting - the three main ones are: the fascinating subject matter, the exceptional team of teachers I work with and the incredible students we teach.

All of our DISC values are incredibly important, but I think perhaps the most important is integrity. Communities thrive when they are full of people who have a strong sense of integrity - people who can be trusted and who do things not just because they have to, or because they want to impress others, but because it is who they are.


Mr Wilkinson, Assistant Principal - Inclusion
Mr Wilkinson, Assistant Principal - Inclusion

I am honoured to fulfil my role as SENCo alongside teaching PE at Nova Hreod. I am lucky enough to work within two excellent team who want to teach and support all students. This role allows me to incorporate the aspects I love from sport such as the need to be responsive and think quickly to overcome challenges on a daily basis, just like students face at school.

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The role of SENCo is as equally challenging as it is rewarding. What is most interesting is I never know what to expect. I like the fact that even the predictable is unpredictable. I get to work with some exceptional people in teaching such a diverse population of students.

For me, all of our DISC principles are important. However, without a sense of drive and the determination to succeed, the possibility of falling short is high. This I feel is a principle that got me to where I am today. Having faced a number of challenges along the way, I was able to surpass expectation with the drive to do better.  


Ms Unsworth - Associate Assistant Principal SEND in Classroom, Faculty Leader English
Ms Unsworth - Associate Assistant Principal SEND in Classroom, Faculty Leader English

Mrs Jadeja, Strategic Director of Finance & Business Support
Mrs Jadeja, Strategic Director of Finance & Business Support

BSC (Hons) Accountancy at Cardiff University. I am a Chartered accountant by trade qualifying with PriceWaterhouseCoopers and then spending two years with them in their Vancouver Office, where I had a great time working hard but also playing hard.  11 years as a Regional Finance Director for Compass Group, contract caterers before starting my career in education. Firstly as a Bursar of a private school but for the past 6 years as Business Director of the Swindon Cluster.

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The most important thing to me is the feeling of being part of an organisation that really makes a difference to our students' lives, so although my areas of responsibility are not all student facing they need to be the best that they can be to drive the Academy forward. All of the DISC principles are important to as one without the others doesn't make the whole Nova vision or the best that I as an individual can strive to be.With my role you honestly never know what you will be involved in from one day to the next and I love the excitement and challenge that brings. 


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