Mr Austen Hindman
Head Teacher
I trained as an English teacher at the Institute of Education in London and began my career in Newham, East London. I have since worked exclusively on the south coast: at Mayfield School in Portsmouth, Hove Park School in Brighton and Hove and then as Head Teacher at Peacehaven Community School. I have held most of the key roles in school leadership at one time or another, including leading Teaching and Learning at Hove Park School and two stints as Business Manager.
I have always attended my local Anglican church, so have experienced the breadth of the Church of England. I presently worship at St Mary’s Church, Pulborough.
Mr Stuart White
Deputy Headteacher - Curriculum & Progress
I obtained a Degree in Chemistry and trained to be a teacher at Southampton University. I began my career in Havant and stayed there for 13 years, progressing from NQT to Assistant Head via Head of Science. I have always been involved in the curriculum and assessment areas of the schools I have worked in, focusing in particular on how data can allow us to ensure students make the progress they are capable of.
Mr Stephen Williams
Deputy Headteacher - Launchpad
Having graduated in Product Design, my teaching career was initially in schools in Bristol and Gloucester where I became a middle leader. As a senior leader my roles in a school in Portsmouth and West Sussex involved working with the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency as part of a small number of schools exploring the development of Personal Learning and Thinking Skills. During my career I have been seconded to support schools in challenging circumstances. As Deputy I have enjoyed the opportunity to develop partnerships across the local area. I have been actively involved in the churches I have attended over the years both as a member of the PCC in Anglican Churches, and playing drums in various worship groups. In the past I was very involved with Scripture Union Camps. We currently worship at Holy Trinity Bosham and The Gathering.
Mrs Olivia Basurto
Assistant Headteacher - Head of Support & SENDCo
After completing a degree in Modern Foreign Languages at Leeds University, I spent 10 years working in Financial Services in London. In 2010 I retrained to become a teacher and have never looked back! I have taught in primary and secondary schools in Hampshire, West Sussex, France and USA.
I was brought up in a trilingual home by my Spanish mother and Syrian father in Wales. I learned English when I started school, therefore from a young age I learned the importance and value of inclusion in school and the wider community. Inclusion has always been a focus in my teaching and roles within schools.
I was raised respecting the Catholic and Islamic faith, and continue to practice my faith.
Mrs Julie Collins-Ballands
Executive SENDCo - Bishop Luffa Learning Partnership
After several years of working in London I decided to go back into education to train to be a teacher. My first teaching roles were in primary and secondary schools in Kent. I then taught in a Dyslexia Unit in a large independent school in Somerset, before coming to West Sussex to teach at Bishop Luffa. My subject specialism is English, and I am an examiner with AQA for GCSE English. I am also a qualified level 7 assessor for exam access arrangements. I have experience in TEFL teaching. I very much enjoy my role as SENCO, there is so much variety in it.
Mr Tim Brown
Assistant Headteacher - Teaching & Learning
I moved to Chichester in 1993 to study Sports Science at the West Sussex Institute of Higher Education. I then went on to complete my PGCE in Physical Education in 1998 at the re-named University of Chichester. Since qualifying as a teacher, I have taught solely in faith schools building up my experience in both Catholic and Church of England education establishments in and around West Sussex and South East Hampshire. These are St Philip Howard Catholic High School, Oaklands Catholic School and more recently here at Bishop Luffa. Over the past twenty-three years I have gained familiarity of number of Pastoral and Curricular leadership roles, this includes seventeen years of experience as a Head of PE.
Having been brought up in a Christian family I continue to practice my faith and am a member of Chichester Baptist Church. As a parent of four children who have all been educated at Bishop Luffa I have witnessed the caring guidance and quality of education that the school has afforded to them.
Mr Andrew Jackson
Assistant Headteacher - Student Behaviour & Ethos
I trained as a Physical Education teacher at West Sussex Institute of Education and started my teaching career at Springfield School in Portsmouth where I was Head of PE. I then worked at a school in Fareham as an Assistant Headteacher. Since joining Bishop Luffa I have been a Faculty Coach, Head of House and had responsibility for Key Stage 4. I have also trained as a Maths teacher. I attend St George’s Church in Waterlooville. I can often be found at Hayling Golf Club!
Mrs Louise Watson
Assistant Headteacher - Designated Safeguarding Lead & Wellbeing Strategy
I trained as an English teacher at Southampton University and, other than the two years I spent in an independent Prep School in West Sussex, have worked in large secondary schools. I have been Head of English in three schools, and have also been Professional Tutor and co-ordinator for Teacher Training and Head of Key Stage 4. My role now focusses on the school’s wellbeing strategy.
Mr Jamie Saunders
Assistant Headteacher - Head of Sixth Form
After completing a degree in English with Media Studies at The University of Sussex, I took a TEFL qualification and taught English as a Foreign Language on the island of Crete for two years. It was here that I caught the teaching bug and in turn returned to The University of Sussex to undertake a PGCE in English and Media Studies. My first job was as an A-level Media and TV Production lecturer at a Sixth Form College in Hampshire. In 1999 I was appointed as Team Leader for Media Studies at Bishop Luffa, in turn growing the subject at A-level and introducing the GCSE. I was promoted to head of the newly formed Arts Faculty in 2007, leading the arts team to achieve Artsmark Gold status in 2014. During this time, I also worked for AQA as an A-level Media Examiner. I was subsequently appointed as a senior examiner, coursework adviser and a paper reviser and finally made it to the dizzy heights of Principal Examiner in 2008. I was delighted to be made Assistant Headteacher/Head of Sixth Form in 2014. Married with three happy and successful children I still really enjoy this role today and am now in my 24th year of teaching at Luffa.
Mrs Katie Faulkner
Assistant Headteacher - Head of KS4
After completing my degree in Sociology and Social Policy at Southampton University in 2001, I went on to pursue a career in Human Resources in London. It wasn’t long before teaching started calling me and in 2003 I began my PGCE in Secondary RE at Chichester University. I am passionate about pastoral care and for many years have worked in church leadership alongside my previous role of being Head of House at Bishop Luffa. In 2021 I was promoted to Assistant Head Teacher and I now oversee Years 10 and 11. I am married to a teacher and we have three children who all attend Bishop Luffa.
Mr Neil Topley
Assistant Headteacher - Transition and Induction
After declining an offer to sign for Walsall FC, I realised my dream of studying Mathematics at Southampton University! I graduated in 1993 and worked briefly in Corporate Pensions before studying for a PGCE at University of Chichester. My first teaching job was at Felpham Community College in 1997 and I made the short journey to Bishop Luffa in January 2000. I became an Advanced Skills Teacher in 2001 and worked for the LEA, supporting other Maths teachers in the area. My passion has always been pastoral care and I became Head of King House in 2006. Promotion to Head of Key Stage 3 in 2011 enabled me to stay at the school and I have more recently been appointed Assistant Head in 2017. My most rewarding (and challenging!) role has been in the last four years when I became a father – I now have two girls.
Mrs Angela Smith
Assistant Headteacher - Christian Ethos & Distinctiveness
Following on from a joint degree in Theological and Religious Studies and History at Southampton University, I completed my teacher training in Durham. I greatly valued gap year experiences with Fegan’s Residential Child Care in Sussex and previously with Christian Unions in Hampshire Sixth Form colleges. Prior to joining Bishop Luffa School in 2004, I taught for fourteen years in Portsmouth/Hampshire schools as Head of RE and most recently as Head of Humanities. Reflecting Bishop Luffa School’s outward looking ethos, alongside my work in school as Assistant Headteacher (Christian Distinctiveness) and RE teaching, I work approximately two days a week supporting wider schools work with the Church of England, the RE Quality Mark (REQM) and Christian Aid. I am vice-chair of the West Sussex committee who oversee RE locally (SACRE). I am privileged to be married and carry out my teaching vocation underpinned by my husband’s enabling, along with being part of our local church family. We have two adult children, one of which was able to benefit from being a Sixth Former at Bishop Luffa.
Mr Mark Nicholds
Business Manager – Director of Resources
After a career of 20 years in Banking and then teaching Accounts and Management at Chichester College I joined the school in 2005 as Business Manager. My qualifications and experience meant I was well placed to help guide the school through to Academy Status in 2013 and help establish the Bishop Luffa learning Partnership – Multi Academy Trust in 2020. Working closely with colleagues on the Leadership team and the school’s finance department I am continuously looking for ever more efficient ways to support student progress and enrich their experience at school.