Peter Williams
Co Chair of Governors and Health and Safety Governor
peter@kingswood.herts.sch.uk
I serve as Director of the Family Education Trust (a charitable research institute) and as a Media & Communications Advisor for the Anscombe Bioethics Centre in Oxford, having devoted just over a decade of my career to working as a human rights campaigner, specialising in the right to life. I have lived nearby for over thirty years, attending St Michael’s Secondary School when I was younger and started out there as a second Caretaker before and during university, before going into sustainable construction at the Building Research Establishment in Bricket Wood for almost three years.
I discerned that serving as a School Governor would be a great opportunity to ‘give back’ to the local community, and so love supporting the brilliant school team and helping to further the flourishing of the children for whom they work so hard.
Mick Martindale
I have been a local resident for many years and have been in the roofing business for half a century. My own daughter attended Kingswood Nursery in 1995 and this was a very happy time for her.
I have been a Governor since 1989. I joined by accident! I have always tried to be involved in the local community and I was asked to come to a meeting to make up the quorum. Since that day, I have attended every meeting and have worked with three Head Teachers at Kingswood. I particularly like to support the centre with health and safety issues and my ladder skills come in handy!
Samantha Howarth
Co Chair of Governors and Governor for Teaching and Learning
samh@kingswood.herts.sch.uk
I am a mummy to two girls who have both attended Kingswood Nursery School. I joined as Parent Governor when my eldest was in nursery.
Before having my children, I worked in childcare for many years, mostly working as a Private Nanny for many families with different backgrounds and needs. I then was lucky enough to be a stay at home mum for 3 years, before returning to work last year and I now work in the Head Office of a large Nursery chain, overseeing training of staff across 75 nurseries.
Having lived on the Kingswood estate my whole life and also attending Kingswood nursery myself as a child, I felt my knowledge and experience could contribute to helping Kingswood continue to be a great place for children to learn, play and grow in a safe and secure environment. The staff at Kingswood work so hard to ensure the children thrive, and I want to ensure that feel fully supported by us as governors.
Benedicta Apeh-Odiase
Safeguarding Governor
benedicta@kingswood.herts.sch.uk
I am a dedicated parent with three wonderful children of which two are currently attending this school, and I am deeply committed to ensuring the best possible educational experience for all pupils. My background in paediatric nursing has instilled in me a passion for safeguarding and promoting the well-being of children.
As a parent governor, I aim to advocate for policies and practices that prioritise the safety and welfare of every child in our school. I am committed to serving the best interests of our school and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential in a safe and nurturing environment.
It is my aim to promote diversity and inclusivity within the school community, advocating for initiatives that celebrate different cultures, backgrounds, and abilities. I believe I can foster open and transparent communication between parents, staff, and governors, ensuring that everyone feels heard and valued in the decision-making process.
Susan Parritt
SEN and Equality Governor
susanp@kingswood.herts.sch.uk
I am a local resident having lived on the estate for over 30 years and both my children and grandson attended Kingswood. They loved their time here, so I know that children that attend this nursery have a great start to their development and education.
I am now retired but I had a 36 year long career in the civil service where I gained a wealth of experience in a variety of roles. I have worked on the front line where I dealt with the public and managed operational teams. I also have a lot of experience in Human Resources including in organisational welfare support and mediation and as a business partner helping managers with planning and recruitment. More recently my experience was in Organisation Design and Corporate Governance.
I wanted to become a governor at Kingswood to give something back to my community and support the great work of the Head Teacher and staff at this school, enabling the children here to grow and learn in the best environment. I hope that all my experience will be useful in that role.
Akhlaq Shah
Co Opted Governor
Finance, Website, GDPR and Wellbeing
akhlaq@kingswood.herts.sch.uk
I am a CPFA qualified accountant, having previously worked as an auditor of local government and NHS organisations for a number of years. I currently work in a regulatory environment in the public sector. I have spent much of my career in scrutiny and quality related fields and have found providing independent advice and assurances on risk management, corporate governance and quality control processes extremely interesting and rewarding. I have experience of both drafting and reviewing organisational risk registers, corporate plans and strategy documents as well as considering the governance arrangements within organisations.
As a parent of three young children and husband to a teaching assistant I have a keen interest in doing what I can to support the Headteacher and staff with the challenges they face, ensure every child has the best possible opportunity to realise their full potential, encourage positive relationships with parents and carers, and provide a safe setting. I believe that my background will support and add to the development of Kingswood as it looks to its future.
Julie McLennan
Staff Governor
admin@kingswood.herts.sch.uk
I have been a Key Person at Kingswood for a year, was previously a Deputy Manager in a Pre-School, and I have over thirty years of experience in Early Years. I am a qualified NNEB and have a BA(Hons) in Education and Early Years. I have one son who currently attends Parmiters School.
I feel that all my years of experience in Early Years is beneficial in my role as a Staff Governor, and helps me in fulfilling my role to the best of my ability.
Clare Macdonald
Headteacher
admin@kingswood.herts.sch.uk
I have over twenty years of teaching experience, mainly based in Early Years! The uniqueness of this phase of education has always been a passion of mine. I am very privileged to be the Headteacher at Kingswood and to be working with such a committed group of staff, governors and parents, who represent our community. Observing the progress children make, and how practitioners and families encourage this, is delightful. I am also a parent of two boys, and observe first hand how their Early Years experiences continue to impact their learning, even in the secondary phase of their education!
I became a Governor when I joined Kingswood in January 2021, however I was previously a Governor at another school as I believe it is important to support your community in whichever way you can. We are lucky to have some dedicated members of our Governing body, and I am committed to growing the members of the Governing team in order to achieve the strategic aims of our school.