Governor Information

The governors are parents, teachers and people who live in our wider community.

Look out for regular contributions from the Governors in the school newsletter which can be found on the Newsletter page.

These contributions are a good guide to the work of the governing body to support and challenge the school so it can progress further.

Governors Contribution to School Newsletter

This image shows you our current governing body profile:

 

 

 

 

This image shows the governing body’s attendance for 2016-17:

 

 

This shows our current register of interests:

Our governing body code of conduct is here: Ashmead Governors Code-of-Conduct May 2017.

Below are photos and brief information about the governors.

 

 

 

Jane Bickley, deputy head, adviser to GB, attends CFC and C&A Committees

Since joining Ashmead as Deputy Head in January 2011 I have been privileged to be part of the Governing Body in an ‘advisory’ role. This enables me to have an input to the governance of the school as well as day-to-day and strategic impact. I sit on two of the three committees, Children, Families and Community (CFC), which aims to analyse and improve how we build links with all our stakeholders and Curriculum and Achievement (C&A) in which we look at groups of children across the school, their progress, attainment and achievements and assess the impact of funding, for example pupil premium. I am proud to be part of a hard-working and dedicated team of governors who are passionate about ensuring that our children and families receive the very best from their time at Ashmead.

 

Sean OFlynn, headteacher, attends all committees

Sean has been the headteacher at Ashmead since September 2011. Prior to that he was the deputy head of a school in Tower Hamlets where he attended all governing body meetings.

 

Sean says: “As the headteacher I want to provide the governing body with the information it needs – for example, our analysis of key performance data – so that they are able to challenge and support us to help provide an excellent education for all of Ashmead’s

 

Dean Johnstone, co-opted governor, Chair of Governors, member of C&A Committee

“My motivation is aimed at ensuring all children succeed, especially those who face additional barriers to learning”

 

Dean is Senior Manager at Place2Be, the leading charity for mental health support for school children. Dean works with partners to deliver mental health training across the children’s sector. Previously Dean worked in Leadership Development at Teach First and was a former Chair of Governors at a primary school in Leeds.  Dean is the link governor for those children who are eligible for the “Pupil Premium”, additional money from central government for children from families with the least financially.  Dean joined the governing body in January 2014.

Harriet Becher, c0-opted governor, Vice-Chair of governing body and Chair Resources Committee

Harriet has been a parent governor since November 2012 and has a daughter in the school. As well as being vice-chair, she also chairs the Curriculum and Achievement Committee, which oversees children’s learning and progress. Harriet works in central government, in the Department for Education, where she is currently an assistant director in the Qualifications and Curriculum Division.

Harriet writes: “I try to bring the learning and insight I get from my day job, to help Ashmead stay one step ahead of national policy changes and do the very best it can for all our children. If you have any views or questions about what the new national curriculum will mean for Ashmead, (or anything else!) please do talk to me – I am in the playground for drop-off and pick-up every Monday and Tuesday.”

 

Carolyn Mumby, adviser, CFC Committee

“As part of our strategic planning we have reflected on what we hope to provide for the Ashmead child. The phrase that best captures this for me is that we want children to feel both loveable and capable at the end of their time with us.”

 

Carolyn was a parent governor for four years before becoming a community governor and then chair of governors in 2012. Her two children have both gone through Ashmead School, which has given them a wonderful foundation for secondary school and beyond. Carolyn has a background in youth work, counselling and organisational development. She has her own Coaching business providing training for therapists who want to become coaches, coaching individuals and working with teams in organisations.

 

“Our vision for the Governing Body is to have a fully engaged and effective team, focused on strategic direction and on monitoring effectiveness. We aim to have an overview of all the areas of our responsibility but each have particular areas of specialism so that we are well informed to support and challenge the school leadership team, for the benefit of the children in the school”

Kevin Jeffrey, co-opted governor, Resources Committee

Kevin joined Ashmead Governing body in the autumn term of 2013 and prior to this has been a governor in Lewisham for many years and has served on the governing bodies of primary, secondary and special schools as a Local Authority and Parent governor. He is also involved in delivering training for Lewisham governor support services.

 

Kevin writes: “Lewisham is a great place to be a school governor with lots of support from governor services and all schools and children are making progress. I joined Ashmead in the autumn term of 2013 as a Local Authority governor. My first impressions are that the school is very ambitious for the children to make progress and gain high attainment. There is a real sense of teamwork and partnership between the governors and the senior team at the school and transparency in the schools progress and areas for improvement.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harriet Knight, co-opted governor, CFC Committee

“I currently work within the Advertising and Marketing Industry with the likes of Debenhams, Dove, Costa Coffee, B&Q, Wilkinson Sword and Rimmel London; leading campaigns across the UK, but also Globally. I feel my day-to-day job equips me to bring a voice and perspective on ‘communications’ for the school.

 

I cherished my own education and the supportive environment in which I grew up and see it as a privilege to have the opportunity to be involved in shaping that environment for the children at Ashmead. I have a passion for the development of children after working at an American Academic Summer Camp several years ago. Afterwards, I pursued this interest through mentoring at local primary schools and more recently; I have taken an active role in raising awareness of the Advertising industry amongst local schools as well as organising the company annual children’s events.

 

I’ve been impressed with the ambition of the management team and the vision for the school and look forward to working more closely with the team of Governors to help grow the prospects of our city’s talented youngsters.

 

I look forward to meeting some of you soon!”

Richard Smith, associate Governor, Resources Committee

“I became a governor at Ashmead to ensure every local child got a fair chance and the best education we can give – in all its ways – and that remains my ambition for Ashmead”.

 

Richard has been on the governing body at Ashmead for several years, and was the previous chair of governors. He continues to give his time and experience as a community governor, which means he is appointed by other governors to provide an external view and an independent perspective on the school.

 

Richard writes: “The most important job for any governor is appointing the head teacher and I am immensely pleased to see Sean’s success since his appointment. Perhaps second to that has been the success of our new building. It seemed optimistic when governors first suggested to Lewisham that the solution to a leaking roof was a new building, but after many years of pressure and hard work we eventually got the fantastic building we now have.”

 

Laura Jolly, co-opted governor. Resources Committee.

 

Laura is a Liquidity Manager at Legal & General, a FTSE 100 company whose products include pensions, life insurance, general insurance, retail savings and investment management. She is also an Associate Chartered Management Accountant and Chartered Global Management Accountant through the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and is preparing to sit Level III of the Chartered Finance Analyst Program in June 2016.  Laura brings skills in finance and data analysis to Ashmead’s Governing Board. Over the next year Laura wants to develop a greater understanding of the impact of government policy on the funding and management of Ashmead and input into the strategic direction of Ashmead amid upcoming challenges and opportunities.

 

Laura attended her first full governors meeting in October 2015 and was co-opted in March 2016.

Rachel Snow, Associate Governor, Curriculum and Achievement Committee

“I want to help Ashmead children face the future with happiness and confidence, so each one can make the most of their unique potential.”

Rachel is global head of communications for HSBC’s trade finance division; the largest trade bank in the world. She has extensive business experience and currently sits on the trade finance managing committee, covering everything from strategy, to budgets, business performance and HR. Over the last two decades Rachel has advised leaders across politics and finance on communicating clearly and effectively, having worked in media relations, political and speechwriting roles. Her most important job is being Mum to three Ashmead pupils. Rachel is looking forward to learning more about how the new curriculum works in practice and how achievement measures can help the school to put in place the right strategies to support all children. She is also looking forward to supporting governing body work on ‘the loveable child’. Rachel joined the governing body in March 2016.

Emma Dodsworth, teacher Governor

 

Emma has worked at Ashmead since September 2013 and joined the governing body in April 2016.  Her role as a teacher and NUT rep means she has a good understanding of the successes and also the challenges facing teachers at the school.

“I am very excited to be able to be gain a better understanding of how the school is run and be part of the future of the school, overcoming challenges with strong communication between staff, governors and parents.”

 

Jon Clements, parent Governor

Jon has been a parent governor since February 2016 and has a daughter and son at the school. A former journalist and TV reporter, Jon is now a director at a consultancy which advises businesses, charities and public sector bodies involved in criminal justice and policing how to think, speak and act with clarity. He is currently helping the school implement the OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) Project and a member of the Curriculum and Achievement Committee.

 

Jon says: “I’ve spent years asking questions, sometimes tricky ones, to try to understand what is going on and why and then explain it to other people. Being a parent governor will let me to put this to good use, particularly as the school faces a period of change. If you’ve questions, points or ideas for me, please try to find me at drop-off or email me”.

 

Email: clements_jonathan@rocketmail.com

Jon was elected as a parent governor in February 2017.

 

Gerri is a journalist who has covered politics at Westminster and beyond for 17 years. After working at national newspapers, she is now freelance and developing several projects. Her experience in grilling politicians on a daily basis means she is ready to challenge authority and stand up for Ashmead whenever the need arises. She had a globe-trotting childhood, being a political refugee at age five, before eventually settling in New Zealand. She has lived in London for 18 years and has two children at the school. Gerri said: “Having often been the new kid in the class, I am passionate about making sure every child reaches their potential, no matter what their background. English only became my main language at age eight and I went on to build a career on the back of it. If I can do it, anyone can with the right support.

Gerri was elected as a parent governor in November 2017

Anna Ward was elected as a parent governor in November 2017

Joy was elected as a staff governor in January 2018.