Central Support
The Finance Team
Rachandeep Nandra- Head of Finance (On Leave)
Rachandeep has had a decade of working in the financial sector having worked in a multi-academy trust, most recently as a Finance Manager in Big Education. She is a confident, hardworking individual who pays close attention to detail, with a flexible working approach and excellent organisational skills. She is an all-round team player as well as someone who can use her own initiative. She is always seeking opportunities to expand her and other’s skills, to support school and Trust improvement, to innovate and streamline Trust processes for the betterment of the children.
Carmen Tang - Interim Head of Finance
Carmen joined the Trust as Interim Finance Lead in March 2026. She has over 15 years of finance experience in the education sector and beyond. Although she is not directly employed by the Trust, Carmen will lead the Strive4 finance team for a period of one year while the permanent Head of Finance is on leave. The Trust has sought and received approval from the Department of Education for this temporary arrangement.
Riddhi Parekh- Finance Officer
Riddhi brings over 15 years of diverse experience in accounting, budgeting and financial operations, including more than five years as Finance and HR manager at a multi-academy trust. She is a part qualified Chartered Accountant with a proven record of delivering accurate financial reporting and managing budgets. She combines her financial know- how with a really friendly, people-first approach.
The Operations Team
James Morgan - Head of Operations
James is a values-led strategic leader with over a decade of experience in education and youth development. He joins us from the international youth charity Fight for Peace, where he led a cross-functional team and oversaw operational excellence across an academy supporting more than 1,200 young people each year.
James brings a rich blend of expertise spanning operations, organisational development, communications, teaching, and safeguarding. His early career took him to Colombia and Brazil as an English teacher, and in recent years he has contributed to the Mayor of London’s Violence Reduction Unit youth advocacy strategy. He has also worked with Sport England to create a Youth Leadership training programme and has coached junior athletes as a qualified England Boxing coach.
Fresh from completing his MSc in Organisational Development, James is passionate about building effective systems, strong organisational cultures, and high-performing teams. Above all, he is driven by excellence, integrity, and a deep commitment to helping organisations and the young people they serve thrive.
Nazneen Choudhury - Operations Manager
Nazneen is an experienced operations and governance professional with over 18 years of experience in project management, compliance, business improvement and organisational change. With a background spanning healthcare and education, she is passionate about operational excellence, strengthening compliance, and supporting teams to deliver effective and sustainable outcomes. Her collaborative and practical approach helps organisations operate safely, efficiently and in line with regulatory standards.
Charlotte Gaspard - Recruitment Officer
Charlotte has several year’s experience working in school administration positions and has a passion for supporting pupils, particularly with SEND, to excel. She fully understands the pivotal role that high quality recruitment and support has in ensuring the best possible practice at school level. Charlotte oversees Trust admin, admin for the recruitment of staff and liaises with finance, payroll and school leadership.
Khalique Miah - Estate & Sites Manager