Snowflake School Team
Trustees
Faryaneh
Akhavan
TRUSTEE
Faryaneh Akhavan (faryaneh@snowflakeschool.org.uk
Faryaneh has a BA in Business with area on concentration in Finance. When her son was diagnosed with autism, she closed her company importing furniture and started home schooling her son and four years later started working on establishing a charity, and opening a school for children with autism. The Snowflake School has been up and running since 2008, with 42 pupils across two sites.
Shahrokh Bagerzadeh
TRUSTEE
Shahin Bekhradnia
TRUSTEE
(Shahin.Bekhradnia@snowflakeschool.org.uk
Shahin has been a magistrate for the past 32 years on the adult crime & youth bench, and more recently in family courts, and a trustee of several charities including one helping the homeless & substance misusers. After founding a still-thriving 6th form college and having a child, she resumed academic studies with a postgraduate degree in Anthroplogy from St Antony’s college, Oxford. She has worked extensively with re-settled Afghans refugees & as an expert witness for Iranian Zoroastrian asylum seekers. She is deeply concerned with environmental issues and stood as a Green Party candidate in a past General Election & recently attended the UN Ocean conference in Nice. As a new trustee at Snowflake she is interested in career and further development opportunities for Snowflake graduates.
Simon
Cheetham KC
TRUSTEE
Simon Cheetham KC (simon.cheetham@snowflakeschool.org.uk)
Simon is a barrister and has been a trustee of Snowflake School since October 2012. He has more than 30 years’ experience of employment and discrimination law, both in the public and private sectors, and also specialises in issues around data protection. Simon is an experienced mediator and has been a part-time judge for over 20 years. He is married and has four adult children and he lives in London. At Snowflake, he takes a particular interest in staffing and welfare issues, as well as the School’s data protection and privacy obligations. Before coming to the Bar, he qualified and worked as a teacher.
Ardavan Farmanfarmaian
TRUSTEE
Ardavan Farmanfarmaian (ardavan@snowflakeschool.org.uk)-
Ardavan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics (Brandeis University), a Master’s degree in Business Administration (Babson College), a Post-Graduate diploma in Law (University of Westminster) and a Master’s degree in Law (University College London).
Ardavan has been involved with several non-profit organisations in different capacities. He is a founding Trustee of Snowflake School for Children with Autism (London) and Board participant of the British Iranian Chamber of Commerce. He was a long-time board member of the British Iranian Business and Professional Society (Anjoman), acting as its chairman for several years, and a long-time managing director of the UK Charity Iranian Business School (IBS) Project.
Ardavan is a keen sportsman and mountaineer, having scaled some of the highest mountains in the world, including the Everest
Amin
Manzouri
TRUSTEE
Amin Manzouri (amin.manzouri@snowflakeschool.org.uk)
Amin has served as a trustee at Snowflake since 2020. He and his wife are actively involved with a number of charities contributing to various causes focused on helping underprivileged children and supporting the arts. Professionally, Amin is a principal at the private equity firm Motive Partners. He holds a degree in economics and an MBA from the London Business School. In his spare time, Amin enjoys tennis, skiing, running, and cycling. He also prioritizes spending quality time with his family
Senior Leadership Team
Sumen Starr
Sumen started her career in Hillingdon, at a school that shaped her into the educator that she is now. Sumen first thought education was a process of imparting knowledge on to the children. As she started her teaching career, Sumen quickly realised that her job would not just be sharing of knowledge with the pupils. She needed to be their champion, their most adoring fan, and without a failure everyday her face would need to light up as they walked into her class. Even, now as a headteacher and with over 30 years of senior leadership experience in education, on the toughest days, Sumen gives reminders to the whole school community of how they are champions for every child in Snowflake School.
Thank you for choosing Snowflake School where every adult is a champion and will never give up on a child.
Tara Morgan
Tara has been at Snowflake School since 2014. Initially starting as an ABA/VB tutor she progressed to Supervisor, Senior Supervisor and Assistant Head. Tara was awarded a distinction in her Masters in Applied Behaviour Analysis from Queens University Belfast. Tara was accredited as a Board Certified Assistant Behaviour Analyst (BCaBA) in 2021 and has since achieved her certification as a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA). Tara is passionate about supporting individuals to develop functional skills which will enable them to gain independence and achieve a high quality of life.
Leah Dhote
Leah joined Snowflake School in 2013 as a tutor and has since held various roles, progressing from supervisor to senior teacher, and currently, Assistant Head.
She holds a Masters in Special Education from the Institute of Education and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education. Leah has completed her National Professional Qualification in Leading Teacher Development.
She feels passionate about empowering our pupils to take an active role in their education and fostering a love for learning.
Central to her philosophy is the strong belief in nurturing creativity, encouraging innovation, independence and exploration.
David Beezadhur
David has been in the teaching profession for over 23 years, which includes 15 years in Senior Leadership. Child development and ensuring inclusivity for children is what motivates him every day, and he is delighted to be a part of the Snowflake family, where we provide our children with nurture and guidance, getting them ready for those all-important next steps.’
Conor Tannam
Conor joined Snowflake School in 2025. He has a background in a wide variety of schools including state, independent and SEN. He studied at University College Dublin where he was awarded a BA in English and History, an MA in Social and Cultural History and completed his teacher training. Conor is passionate about literacy and language development and supporting young people’s communication needs. One of his core beliefs is that all pupils learn differently and that we must build a culture where their needs are supported in order for them to thrive and achieve their full potential.
Middle Management Team
Alison Murphy
Maria Fernandez
Maria achieved qualified status as a teacher from the Complutense University in Madrid, Spain. Maria holds a BA Honours degree in Drama from Murcia University, Spain. She has experience working in secondary mainstream and SEN schools in the UK as a Subject Curriculum teacher.
Maria has an interest in Autism SEN teaching and is expanding her formation with CPD’s related to this subject. Maria is passionate about providing the students with skills and tools to solve problems to achieve a high quality of life.
Laura Waldron
Laura studied in University for four years in Ireland and graduated with a BA Honours degree in Child, Youth and Family. Laura has worked at Snowflake School for three years. Laura began as a 1:1 tutor at the Secondary site and progressed into a lead tutor role. She is currently working as a trainee teacher in Snowflake Primary School. This journey has been filled with invaluable and rewarding experiences so far.
Laura has enjoyed learning from each challenge that every day brings and watching the curiosity and growth of each student. She has embraced the diverse teaching methods and is learning the individual needs of the students.
Natalia Stepien
Natalia completed her Postgraduate Certificate of Education at the University of Warwick. She first joined Snowflake School as a 1:1 ABA Tutor, where her work with pupils inspired her to become a teacher. After gaining valuable experience in mainstream schools, Natalia decided to return to Snowflake to continue her passion for supporting children with SEND. She is committed to helping pupils grow in confidence, achieve their potential, and celebrating their successes along the way. Natalia is excited about the opportunities ahead and dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of her pupils.
Henna Choudhury
Henna is a trainee teacher with a background in Psychology. She has always been passionate about understanding how children think, feel, and learn — and she is especially inspired by the amazing potential of students with additional needs. Her psychology studies have helped her develop a compassionate, patient approach to teaching, where every child’s unique strengths are celebrated. She loves creating a classroom environment that feels safe, supportive, and full of curiosity, where students are encouraged to explore, grow, and be themselves every day.
Samual Starky
Sam is currently undertaking a BA in Education Studies with the Open University with a focus on child psychology and SEN. Sam began working in person centered care roles at 16 and has now found his calling working with children with SEN. Since starting with Snowflake in January 2025 Sam has taken on the role of Team Teach Lead and Class Lead at the secondary school
Kyungmi Oh
Celine Mohsen
Heinie Calunod
Heinie is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) with a Master’s in Applied Behaviour Analysis. For the past six years, Heinie has worked in the field of ABA across a variety of settings, including an early intervention clinic, home programs, supported living, and residential homes.
Heinie has had the privilege of supporting individuals across all age groups, from early intervention to adolescence and adulthood helping them develop new skills, gain independence, and enhance their overall quality of life. She is deeply passionate about ABA and the positive, lasting impact it has on both individuals and their families.
Kathy Stanley
Kathy is the ABA Class Lead at Snowflake School, bringing a background in supporting pupils in education and adults in supported living. She holds a master’s degree in Analysis and Intervention in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities from the University of Kent and is currently working towards MY certification in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) with the goal of becoming a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA).
Doga Reis
Doga is currently a Trainee ABA Class Lead at Snowflake School. She holds a BSc in Psychology and an MSc in Clinical Psychology, and she’s on the path to becoming a qualified Behaviour Analyst through the International Behaviour Analysis Organisation.
With four years of experience working with children with SEND in various primary school and clinical settings, Doga is passionate about supporting children in developing essential skills, fostering independence, and enhancing their overall well-being.
Doga is proud to be part of the Emerald Class team at Snowflake School and is deeply committed to helping each child reach their full potential through evidence-based approaches in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA).
Aisha Aajakia
Wenjia Zhang
Therapy Team
Ramsha Naveed
Kaya Forcellini
Kaya joined Snowflake School in January 2025 as a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant working in both sites, Primary and Secondary. She has a BSc in Psychology and a MSc in Speech and Language Sciences with a focus on Language Development. She has experience working with children in mainstream educational settings in the SEN department as a 1:1 Teaching Assistant and as a private carer for children with Asperger’s Syndrome. During her time studying she wrote her dissertation researching language development in autistic bilingual children, where she found her passion. She believes that every child is different and unique, and this uniqueness should be celebrated and nurtured, she believes that every child should have their voice heard and at Snowflake School she strives to help each child to be able to express themselves, developing educationally but especially personally.
Elizabeth Esma
Elizabeth is a dedicated Occupational Therapist with over 6 years of specialized pediatric experience in both the UK and the Philippines, working extensively with children on the autism spectrum in clinics and schools. Passionate about making a meaningful difference in the lives of children and their families, she takes a holistic and collaborative approach to therapy—empowering each child to reach their full potential while supporting teachers and families every step of the way. Her cross-cultural experience has shaped a compassionate, flexible, and child-centered practice that values communication, inclusion, and long-term impactElizabeth is a dedicated Occupational Therapist with over 6 years of specialized pediatric experience in both the UK and the Philippines, working extensively with children on the autism spectrum in clinics and schools. Passionate about making a meaningful difference in the lives of children and their families, she takes a holistic and collaborative approach to therapy—empowering each child to reach their full potential while supporting teachers and families every step of the way. Her cross-cultural experience has shaped a compassionate, flexible, and child-centered practice that values communication, inclusion, and long-term impact.
Ariaan Pereka-Owens
Ariaan (Ari) has recently graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy in New Zealand and is now registered to practice in both the UK and NZ. Before beginning her studies, Ariaan worked as a teacher’s aide in a school for children with disabilities and learning difficulties—an experience that sparked her passion for pediatric occupational therapy within educational settings.
Throughout her training, she gained valuable experience across a range of practice areas, including schools, clinical orthopedics, vocational rehabilitation, adult disability services, and mental health. These diverse placements deepened her commitment to creating tailored, inclusive environments that empower individuals to thrive, participate meaningfully in their communities, and fully engage in education and daily life.
Administration Team
Sandra Wright
Siddiqua Hassan
Siddiqua joined Snowflake School in 2010 as an ABA/VB tutor. Having worked in home programmes and Rainbow School previously, she decided on a career change in 2015. Since then she has been working as the Administrator at the Primary site. Siddiqua is an approachable, helpful and highly organised Administrator.
sarah Roberts
Sarah works as School Administrator.
She has been working at Snowflake school since November 2024 and is really enjoying getting to know all the pupils, parents, careers and staff at both sites.
She is very proud to be part of such a great team and watch each pupil grow.
She is a hardworking and driven individual who isn’t afraid to face a challenge. She is very passionate about her work and she is very keen to future her career opportunities in the future.
She would describe herself as an open and honest person who is very organised in the office