Governors

Overview

Garden Fields has a committed team of governors who play an important role in the strategic leadership of our school. We are unpaid volunteers (save for our Headteacher who is also a governor) and are either appointed or elected to serve a four-year term of office. Our Governing Body reconstituted on 15th December 2020 under the School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2012 and comprises:

a. 2 parent governors
b. 6 co-opted governors*
c. Our Headteacher
d. 1 staff governor
e. 1 local authority governor

* co-opted governors are appointed by the governing body, on the basis of our regular skills audits, because they have the skills required to contribute to the effective governance and success of the school.

What we do

Our task is to govern the school, providing strategic leadership and focussing on the following core functions:

Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and
Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.

Once appointed or elected as governors, we must operate in the best interest of pupils, not as representatives to lobby on behalf of any particular constituency, whether parents, staff or other. We all have equal rights to participate in the work of the governing body and to state our own views, but we work as a team and are bound by the collective decisions of the team.

How we work

We work in partnership with our Headteacher who, in addition to his role as governor, is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school with the support of his senior management team. We are supported in our work by the clerk to the governing body.

How often we meet

We meet as a full governing body at least once each term. There are two committees, dealing with curriculum and resource issues, which meet regularly and report to the full governing body. We have at least one governors’ day per year when governors attend classes, experience other aspects of a typical school day and meet to discuss strategy and/or other current issues. Governors regularly spend further time in school and participate in small ‘working party’ meetings in order better to understand the issues the school is facing and to inform decisions on policy and strategy.

How to contact us

If you would like to contact the governors you can do so by either emailing governors@gardenfields.herts.sch.uk or addressing any correspondence in a sealed envelope for the attention of the Chair of governors, Garden Fields JMI School c/o the School Office.

If you have any concerns about any aspect of school life, please raise them in the first instance with the appropriate member of school staff or with a member of the school’s senior management team.

Interested in becoming a School Governor? Visit the Herts Direct website, www.hertsdirect.org to read more.

OUR GOVERNORS

Nicola Dale

Positions Held: Chair of Governors, Child Protection & CLA Governor
Previous positions: Governor 27 Sept 16 – 25 March 20
Governor Category: LA Governor
Appointing Body: LA
Dates: 27 Sept 16 – 22 Sept 24
Committee: Curriculum, Resources & Pay
Attendance 2019/20: 12 out of 13
Attendance 2018/19: 8 out of 10
Attendance 2017/18: 9 out of 10
Attendance 2016/17: 8 out of 10

Register of Interest

Self employed consultant. Parent of child at GFS.

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Nicola has two teenage children who were at GFS and are now both at University and a younger child in year 5 at GFS. She is a retired police officer after 30 years of service in London deployed in many operational roles and more recently held management roles including Strategic Lead for Youth, Head of Training School and Head of Professional Standards. In 2009 she was made MBE for Services to Policing. Prior to retiring she held a national remit for talent management as well as still undertaking operational duties. Since retiring she is working as a contractor for leadership recruitment and also a panel member for the NMC. In her spare time she likes to keep busy with numerous sporting activities and is a Run Director at the St Albans Park Run.

Tolu Airede

Position Held:
Governor Category: Co-opted Governor
Appointing Body: Governing Board
Dates: 18 September 2019
Committee: Resources
Attendance 2019/20: 11 out of 12
Attendance 2018/2019: N/A

Register of Interest

None.

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Tolu Airede is a CIMA qualified finance professional specialising in managing finance and accounting functions. Originally from Nigeria, she moved to the UK over 11 years ago after a few years working in the banking industry and now resides in St Albans with her husband and 2 children. She has since worked for various higher education providers in the UK and currently works at a university in London where she business partners a number of service units and is responsible for capital expenditure and costing. She holds a BSc in Economics and MSc in Finance. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family, listening to music and working out.

Kate Cohen

Position Held: Chair of Resources
Governor Category: Parent Governor
Appointing Body: Parent Election
Dates: 15 March 2018 – 14 March 2022
Committee: Resources
Attendance 2019/20: 11 out of 12
Attendance 2018/19: 9 out of 10
Attendance 2017/18: 3 out of 3

Register of Interest

Self Employed Consultant. Two Children at GFS.

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Kate has a degree in Business Studies with Marketing Management and spent 14 years working in the Media and Communications industry. Her work was primarily with large consumer accounts focusing on the strategic placement and efficiency of advertising spend. In 2016 Kate retrained as a Children’s Sleep Consultant and now focuses on helping families address their sleep issues. She has two children at Garden Fields. Her main passions outside of sleep are spending time as a family, horse-riding and playing the Oboe in a local wind band.

Alex Craig

Position Held:
Governor Category: Co-opted Governor
Appointing Body: Governing Board
Governing Body Dates: 24 March 2021 – 23 March 2025
Committee:
Attendance 2019/20: N/A

Register of Interest

None.

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Alex attended Durham Uni studying Criminology and obtained an MSc in Information Security at University of London, Royal Holloway. After graduating, he went on a gap year teaching English and coaching rugby in rural Tanzania and South Africa. He did officer training at Britannia Royal Naval College before switching careers and now works as a data and technology consultant at KPMG. Outside of work, he enjoys travelling, volunteering, audiobooks, skiing and fitness.

Claudine Dicks

Position Held: Clerk to Governors

Register of Interest

Communications Manager at GFS School.

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Claudine has worked at Garden Fields for 13 years having first worked in the classroom as a Learning Support Assistant. Over the years she has worked in a number of roles and now works full time in the front office. When she’s not working she loves spending time with her family, reading, pilates, baking and meeting with friends.

Andrew Farrugia

Position Held: Headteacher
Governor Category: Staff Governor
Appointing Body: N/A
Dates: Ex Officio
Committee: Resources & Curriculum
Attendance 2019/20: 16 out of 16
Attendance 2018/19: 14 out of 14
Attendance 2017/18: 14 out of 14
Attendance 2016/17: 8 out of 8
Register of Interest: Headteacher of GFS school.

Register of Interest

Headteacher of GFS School.

Paul Greatorex

Position Held:
Governor Category: Co-opted Governor
Appointing Body: Governing Body
Dates: 18 September 2019 – 17 September 2023
Committee: Resources
Attendance 2019/20: 12 out of 12
Attendance 2018/19: N/A

Register of Interest

Self employed barrister. Owner of Think Barrister Ltd. Parent of a GFS child.

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Sunny Grewal

Position Held:
Governor Category: Co-opted Governor
Appointing Body: Governing Body
Dates: 22 Nov 2016 – 22 Sept 2024
Committee: Resources
Attendance 2019/20: 11 out of 12
Attendance 2018/19: 8 out of 10
Attendance 2017/18: 10 out of 11
Attendance 2016/17: 3 out of 7

Register of Interest

Proprietor of Jasi Investments LLP, Chalfont Investment Ltd and Lye Green Development Ltd. Parent of 2 GFS children.

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Sunny gained his Bsc and Msc in Accountancy at the University of Liverpool.. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant (ACCA) in 2011, and has worked mainly in the Sports and Entertainment sector with the likes of David Beckham and the England Football Team. He is now focusing on his role as a property developer. Sunny moved to St Albans in 2009 from South London, and has 2 children in the school in years 4 and 1. When he finds time away from his family he enjoys ‘playing’ golf and is a keen member of the Men of Fields (Mof) cricket dads! His aim as a governor is to try and help the school with any skill-set deemed valuable and to give back to a community in which his kids will hopefully flourish.

Dominic Jones

Position Held:
Governor Category: Parent Governor
Governing Body Dates: 15 January 20 – 14 January 24
Committee: Resources
Attendance 2019/20: 9 out of 9

Register of Interest

Employed by Axis Communications. Parent of two children at Gardenfields.

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Dominic has two children at Gardenfields school. Dominic studied for a degree in Communications Audio Visual Production and has subsequently worked in various marketing positions primarily within the technology industry. Outside of work he is an enthusiastic but slow runner!

Su Kemp-Robertson

Position Held:
Governor Category: Staff Governor
Appointing Body: Parent Election
Dates: 27 June 19 to 26 June 2023
Committee: Curriculum
Attendance 2019/20: 12 out of 12
Attendance 2018/19: N/A

Register of Interest

Employed by GFS.

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After obtaining a BSc(Hons) Psychology Su completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). After several years class teaching in London, and then in Hertfordshire, she paused her career to bring up her three children who all attended Garden Fields JMI between 2000-2012. During that time she trained to become a specialist in Specific Learning Difficulties (completing a Level 7 Diploma in SpLD in 2004). She then worked as a tutor and lecturer for Partners in Education, training teachers. She currently works at Garden Fields JMI teaching small groups, identifying how to best support pupils, and advising staff

Joanna Lockwood

Position Held:
Governor Category: Co-opted Governor
Appointing Body: Governing Board
Dates: 24 March 2021 – 23 March 2025
Committee:
Attendance 2019/20: N/A

Register of Interest

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Jo is currently a Senior Bid Coordinator at an international real estate organisation. She has experience in all areas of marketing and business development, now focusing her skills on writing winning proposals and presenting to clients. She has a law degree from Nottingham Law School and is a member of the Association of Proposal Management. Living locally in Harpenden, Jo loves to walk her dog Larry around the common and local trails and enjoys going to the theatre in London.

Sean Moran

Position Held:
Governor Category: Co-opted Governor
Governing Body Dates: 27 January 21 – 26 January 25
Committee: Curriculum
Attendance 2019/20: N/A

Register of Interest

Employed at Lyon Park Primary School.

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Sean is currently an Assistant Headteacher at a large four-form primary school in Brent. He holds the National Professional Qualification of Senior Leadership and has a passion for improving educational opportunities and ensuring that all children achieve their full potential. Using both his educational background and leadership experience, he is committed to supporting with the strategic leadership of the school.

Outside of school he is a keen golfer, however, this is very much a work in progress.

Governors (no longer in appointment) who have served in the last 12 months

Rebecca Veitch

Position Held: Chair of Curriculum
Governor Category: Parent Governor
Appointing Body: Parent Election
Dates: 16 Nov 2016 – 15 Nov 2020
Committee: Curriculum
Attendance 2020/21: 1 out of 2
Attendance 2019/20: 12 out of 12
Attendance 2018/19: 9 out of 10
Attendance 2017/18: 8 out of 10
Attendance 2016/17: 7 out of 8

Register of Interest

Employed by The Law Society and a governor at Sandringham School since September 2019.

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Rebecca joined the governors in November 2016 as a parent governor. Professionally she works in policy, currently at the Law Society. Rebecca has an interest in stakeholder engagement, policy and project evaluation, and volunteering.

Gary Kellett

Chair of Governors 18 Sept 19 to 25 March 20
Chair of Resources Committee, co-Vice Chair of Governors 1 June 16 to 18 Sept 19
Governor Category: Parent Governor
Appointing Body: Parent Election
Dates: 1 June 16 – 31 May 20
Committee: Resources
Attendance 2019/20: 8 out of 12
Attendance 2018/19: 10 out of 10
Attendance 2017/18: 11 out of 11
Attendance 2016/17: 9 out of 10
Attendance 2015/16: 1 out of 1

Register of Interest

Parent of GFS students. Employed by Cundall. Governor and Member of Beaumont Academy since 5 February 2013.

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Gary has lived in Hertfordshire since 1996. Gary has one son at Garden Fields Gary went to school in Colchester and completed a MEng in Civil Engineering at Surrey University. He is currently a Chartered Civil Engineer and works in St Albans. His outside interests are participating in and watching a range of sports. His main sporting focus is now competing in triathlons from sprint distance up to ironman distance.