Term of office ends:

 

31/08/2018

 

Committees:

 

Achievement & Community Committee

 

Full Governing Body

 

Why did you decide to become a Governor at Horsenden Primary School?

 

I had been looking to do something voluntary outside of my main career for a couple of years. In my 20s I had worked as a US Camp Counsellor teaching watersports and as a Junior High School teacher in Japan, so the education sector was of interest.

 

When my son started in Reception at Horsenden in 2011 I was keen to understand how he would be educated and how I could get involved with the school as a parent. It was therefore an obvious option for me to apply for one of the Parent Governor roles when they came up.

 

What do you think that Governors can bring to Horsenden Primary School?

 

I think the Governors are invaluable for bringing an additional external perspective to the running of the school. This can be through some of us being parents of the children who attend Horsenden and thus having a view as recipients of the school services. However it can also come from the skills and opinions we bring from our day jobs and careers.

 

I think the strength of the governor team comes from the diversity of backgrounds of its members and their willingness to see Horsenden succeed. I see my main role as getting under the bonnet of how the school is run, listening to the school leadership team on a regular basis, and asking critical questions if necessary to ensure the needs of the students are met.

 

What are your interests in Education?

 

To be honest I am interested in all aspects of how Horsenden is run, from the way the annual budget is put together to the nature of the school syllabus to the recruitment of new staff.

 

I have a particular interest in Child Protection and Safeguarding Trust, Numeracy and Literacy skills, and how Sport is taught in primary schools following Team GB’s success at the 2012 Olympics.

 

Brief history of your career, life and background

 

I have worked at the BBC for 10 years in various business support roles. I currently work as a Commercial Manager in BBC Operations where I manage contracts with BBC third party IT suppliers such as Atos and Red Bee Media. Prior to the BBC I worked for 5 years as an Executive Recruitment Consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers.

 

I originally graduated from Exeter University where I studied Psychology, and from there I travelled to Japan to work as an English Teacher in Junior High Schools for 2 years. From there I travelled extensively in SE Asia for 9 months before starting my career in London.

 

I am originally from Reigate in Surrey but have spent the majority of my working life living in and around West London with my family. I have a personal interest in travel and sport and the benefits they can bring to people. I successfully completed the London Marathon in 2010 and 2012 and I was recently a volunteer performer in the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony.