Governors

Doctor Mary Short, BA (Lond), Ph.D (Cantab) joined the Governing Body in 2015 and has been Chair since 2022.  She was Headmistress of St Helen’s School until her retirement in 2019.

She began her career teaching History at Francis Holland School (Regent’s Park) before moving to  City of London (Boys) School. Having led the history department at St Paul’s Girls’ School for nine years, she moved to Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls as Pastoral Deputy Head before taking up the headship at St Helen’s in 2011.

Mary is currently the governor with responsibility for Safeguarding. She is also a governor of the Francis Holland Schools Trust  and Chair of the NFL Trust, as well as being a Fellow of the Girls’ School Association.  Mary’s interests include modern literature, history, and gardening.

Mary can be contacted via the Clerk to the Governors at the school address.

Colin Hayfield, Joined the Governing Body in 1999 and was Chairman from 2007 to 2022. He is a chartered accountant with forty years experience in the financial management of preparatory schools.

Colin has been Chairman of Governors at High March School in Beaconsfield since 2011; he is a director of Keen & Toms Holdings Limited, the Hypnos bed group, and a Trustee of numerous charities, including The Pace Centre in Buckinghamshire and Prior’s Court Foundation in Berkshire.

Michael Andrews, BSc (Hons) MRICS is a qualified Chartered Surveyor and is married with a daughter and a son who both attended Orley Farm.

He gained his degree at Reading University and has worked and held various roles in the property industry for over 30 years.  He is now Head of Commercial Property at the Duchy of Lancaster.

He is a keen sportsman who regularly cycles and enjoys watching rugby, cricket and football when not spending time with the family.

Carol Cliffe, BEd, taught Maths in both Prep schools and Senior schools for over 30 years as well as having a period in industry as a Systems Analyst.

Having recently retired after 12 years at Orley Farm School (Assistant Head Academic), Carol is now a volunteer in London museums.

She has three grown up children who still keep her busy from afar. Passionate about all sport, she plays golf regularly and follows Liverpool FC avidly. Other interests include travel, reading and theatre.

Alastair Land, Head Master of Harrow School, read Natural Sciences at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was President of the College’s Students Union.

After completing his PGCE at Cambridge, he began his career at Eton as a teacher of Biology. There he became a Deputy House Master and held several extra-curricular responsibilities. Alastair then spent nine years at Winchester, where he became Master in College and a member of the Senior Management Team.

Alastair was Deputy Head Master at Harrow for three years from 2012, before he moved to Repton as Headmaster. He returned to Harrow as Head Master in April 2019.

Alastair has three children who all attend Orley Farm.

Anil Sofat is an on Old Orleyan, who went on to Merchant Taylors’ School and then read Management Sciences at UMIST.

He is a Commercial Director in his family owned Tour Operation business specialising in holidays to Africa and India.

He is married with a son and a daughter, who both attended Orley Farm, and have now moved on to leading senior schools.  Anil enjoys watching and playing sports, especially cricket and squash.

Leena Malde, BA (Hons), is married with two children, Shubh and Ishwari, who both attended Orley Farm School before respectively continuing onto Harrow School and Millfield School. Shubh continued his education at University of Chicago, USA and is now a Co-founder of a start-up business in USA.

Leena is Executive Chair of Wealmoor Ltd, a privately owned family agri-business, where she is responsible for strategic growth and development of their vertically integrated food group.  Fifty years in UK fresh produce, the business currently employs over 900 UK based employees.

Leena is also a designate partner in various farming partnerships in UK & EU, Managing Director for Radville Farms Ltd in the Gambia, and Vice-President for COLEACP – a not-for-profit association whose main purpose is to support the development of sustainable and competitive agriculture and agribusiness.

Leena enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, travelling and exploring philosophy, culture and values.

Anjali Kothari, FCCA, DChA, qualified as an accountant in 1997 with Macintyres who were specialists in advising and auditing charities and independent schools.

She is currently one of 63 partners at Kingston Smith, a top 20 Accountancy Practice based in the City of London where she has continued that specialism for almost 20 years in the same firm.

She has a particular affiliation to the independent school sector having attended Haberdashers Askes School for Girls and continues to be involved with her former school as an Old Girl Committee member.

In addition, Anjali sits on the Executive Board for Kingston Smith and is an executive member and treasurer of the Charity Law Association.

Anjali’s family life also keeps her exceptionally busy; being a mother to a teenage girl and twins means that there is never a dull moment.  Her interests outside of work are dominated by sports including running and swimming.

Tulsi Rajkumar (BA) is a local resident who has been part of the Orley family for over 13 years. She is married with two boys, both of whom attended Orley Farm School.

As Chairperson of the OFA, and a Form Rep, Tulsi worked closely with the school community. She currently volunteers in local schools as a Reading Helper through Coram Beanstalk, a literacy charity.

In the past, she spent 13 years as a Financial Analyst, and a Global Initiatives Manager for GE Capital. Tulsi enjoys the outdoors, is part of two book clubs and is most likely to be found by a cricket pitch watching her boys play.