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Governors Profiles

Thorpe Lea Primary School, Governing Body

 

Caroline Wright, Chair of Governors

Caroline has been a Governor in Surrey since 2012 when she was elected as a parent governor and became a Surrey Local Leader of Governance in 2015. As such she is deployed to schools to help strengthen and improve governance and also to act an independent governor in panel hearings.

Before having her daughters, one now a journalist for a national newspaper and the other at university studying Biomedical Sciences, Caroline was a Senior Forensic Scientist for the Forensic Science Service giving expert evidence in court on a range of evidence types.

Caroline was asked by Surrey County Council to join the board at Thorpe Lea for a year in 2019 as an additional governor. She has enjoyed working with the school so much that, with the support of the Governing Body, she became a full member of the board as the Governor appointed by the Local Authority and has begun a second term of office in 2024.

Caroline is passionate about children receiving an education that allows them to achieve their academic potential whilst enjoying their time at school in a safe and nurturing environment.

 


                                  Adam Collin, Headteacher 

Adam began his Thorpe Lea journey in 2019 as Year 6 teacher and took on the Key Stage 2 Standards Leader later that year.  His leadership journey continued when he assumed the role of Deputy Headteacher and SENCO in September 2022 and subsequently was successful in his appointment as Headteacher in April 2024.

Adam is passionate about the school and its community, and is honoured to be in a position to help the school move forward in the next phase of the journey - ensuring that all children at Thorpe Lea are nurtured and supported, so that they can achieve their full potential.

 

 

 


Natalie Jefford, Staff Governor

Natalie is a staff governor who was appointed in September 2024

Natalie has been a Primary School Teacher and has primarily taught in Key Stage Two for almost ten years. Originally, she lived in Hertfordshire and taught in a two-form entry junior school. In 2021, she moved to Surrey and since then, became a proud member of the Thorpe Lea community. 

She has experience in mentoring Early Career Teachers (ECT) who have gone on to become successful and confident teachers. She has ran a variety of after-school clubs such as dance, British Sign Language and Maths.

Natalie is committed to her role in providing a positive and supportive environment for the children. To ensure quality first teaching she is motivated to learn and grow her knowledge as she embarks on her NPQSL journey. 

Recently, she has been appointed the role of staff governor. She is enthusiastic about being an advocate for her colleagues and being a part of strategic planning for the future goals of Thorpe Lea.


Alan Gardner, Co-opted Governor

Alan is a co-opted governor who was appointed in July 2019

Alan, in addition to being a Co-opted Governor of Thorpe Lea Primary School appointed in July 2019, is a Director/Trustee of Bowles Rocks Trust Ltd an experiential learning centre for young people. He previously worked for BT both nationally and internationally and then ran his own business consultancy. Alan has been a school governor for 16 years and is a Surrey Local Leader of Governance (LLG). He has previously been deployed as an Local Leader of Governance to several Surrey schools including on Interim Executive Boards.

Alan’s motivation to be involved in school governance is that education opened many doors in his life enabling social mobility and he wants to help the next generation of children to be well educated to increase their opportunities in life. In addition to family life, he plays tennis, golf and bridge and is interested in astrophysics; in particular, the characteristics of black holes.


Karla Hanna, Co-opted Governor

Karla is a co-opted Governor appointed in June 2022.

She is a mother of twins in Year 9 (boy and girl) and a 19-year-old stepdaughter attending University. She’s lived in the area for 8 years with her husband Leigh.

Karla works in the private sector as a Commercial Director for a Global mailing and distribution company and has held various senior management roles including Customer Services, IT and Projects Manager.

She has a keen interest in education and giving back to the community. She held the position of Chairperson of Manorcroft Primary School PTA (Sep 2017 – Oct 2021) and has been a Parent Governor at The Magna Carta School since March 2022.

Karla is really pleased to be a part of the governing board of Thorpe Lea and enjoys contributing to such a great school.


Fiona Shepherd (she/her), Co-opted Governor 

Fiona is a co-opted governor appointed in December 2023, her first governor role. Having previously attended Royal Holloway University of London, Fiona is familiar with the area. In 2021 she moved back to Egham with her partner and later adopted a beautiful rescue cat called Orion.

Fiona is a Civil Servant currently working in “futures”, which looks beyond the immediate to long term trends. Fiona has worked across a variety of Civil Service roles, beginning as a statistician, before covering various crisis responses, and moving onto central delivery roles. She is eager to utilise her experience in data and delivery to improve the children’s attainment and experience at school.

Fiona is excited to join the governing board, sit on the Children and Learning Committee, and be the link governor for PSHE


Ian Downer, Parent Governor

Ian is a parent governor appointed to the Governing Body of Thorpe Lea Primary School in October 2020.

Ian's children attended Thorpe Lea Primary School.

Ian has many years’ experience working within HR, he currently is working within the Group HR function of The Lampton Group as Group Talent Acquistion Manager. This was Ian’s first role as a governor and he has enjoyed getting to know all the staff and pupils ensuring that the vision and values of the school are being met.

 

 

 


Rhys Hayward, Parent Governor 

Rhys has one child in the school in key stage 1. Rhys works in the NHS as a Physiotherapist with many years’ experience. He is head of professional development for rheumatology physiotherapy within the United Kingdom and sits on two other national committees. His passion is development of all children, particularly ensuring there is fair access and opportunity across the school. This is his first governor role; he is working toward understanding the school to ensure the standards and visions are upheld.

 

 

 


Sam Harvey-Brewin, Co-opted Governor

Sam taught maths in London secondary schools for 8 years before moving into the charity sector. He is now curriculum director for Axiom Maths, working with secondary schools to promote a passion for maths especially with those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

 

 

 

 

 


Silvana Mazzaschi, Associate Member

Silvana has been a Primary School SENCo for over 6 years. Originally, she lived in Ealing and taught in a three-form entry school in Waltham Forest before moving to work in two different four-form entry schools in Wembley. Silvana joined Thorpe Lea Primary in September of 2024 and is very proud to have been appointed as Deputy Headteacher and SENCo.

Silvana is passionate about every child being given what they need to succeed and in looking at how teachers can change the way they teach to enable all children to learn.

 


Lynette Davies, Clerk to Governors

Lynette is the professional clerk to the Governing Body. Her role is to provide advice to the governing body on governance, constitutional and procedural matters, ensure the board is properly constituted, to provide effective administrative support to the governing body, and to manage information effectively in accordance with legal requirements.

Lynette has lived in Surrey for over 30 years and was a governor for 17 years, starting as a parent governor when her youngest daughter started junior school and then moving on to be a co-opted governor when she left.   She served on various committees, held a number of different governor positions and was responsible for child protection and safeguarding.

Lynette started working as a clerk in 2005 supporting a governing body in a struggling school, using the experience she had gained from being a governor.  In addition to Thorpe Lea Lynette now clerks two other schools - a CofE primary school and the school and Trust Board in a diocesan MAT.

She has seen the role of the clerk and the governors change and evolve over the years and enjoys the challenge this poses.