What is the Governing Body?
School Governors are the school’s Board of Directors. The purpose of the Governing Body is:-
The governing body must ensure that in delivering its responsibilities, it promotes and safeguards the welfare of children.
Our responsibility is for overall policy. The day-to-day business of organising children’s learning and of managing time, space, staff and resources is for the professional team led by the headteacher. Along with the professional staff at our school we try to provide the best possible education for all the children.
What do the Governors do?
Working in Committees, Governors make decisions about the running of the school. The whole Governing Body meets once a term and the following sub-committee meetings are also held at least termly:
These committees are responsible for:
Name of Governor | Relevant business interest and financial interests | Governance roles in other schools | Relationships with the school staff including spouses, partners & relatives |
Julia Hutton-Squire | None | None | None |
Richard Burr | None | None | Spouse is Governor at Deansbrook Junior School |
Carole Catley | None | None | None |
Anna Brown | None | None | None |
Jade Cheung | None | None | None |
Brenda Lamptey | None | None | None |
Nick Mailer | None | None | None |
Flaviana Manta | None | None | None |
John Parnaby | None | None | None |
Hugh Rayner | None | Annunciation Junior School | None |
Judith Suissa | None | None | None |
Nikki Simon | None | None | None |
Meet the Governors
![]() Carole Catley (Headteacher)
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![]() Julia Hutton-Squire (Co-opted Governor - Chair) Start date – 2014 End date – 2018 Committees - Finance & Premises Pupil, Parents & Community |
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All our children deserve the best start that the school can give them, and I am committed to supporting the school in delivering that. I was originally elected as a parent governor in 2010 when the eldest of my four daughters was in reception, and have been Chair of Governors since 2012. My third daughter is currently at Deansbrook Infant School. I am a senior manager at Accenture, with a background in selling and running multi-million pound IT projects, so I bring relevant experience in HR, finance and procurement. Prior to taking on the role of Chairman I was also a trustee of an Indian Children’s educational charity for which I had worked as a volunteer in South India. While my children have been at Deansbrook I have helped with setting up our successful PTA. |
Start date – 2015 End date – 2019 Committees - Finance & Premises (Chair) Curriculum, Attainment & Standards |
I am Vice Chairman of the Governing Body, and Chairman of the Finance and Premises Committee at Deansbrook Infant School with an additional role as Pupil Premium Governor. I currently work in Local Government and I am a member of the local community involved in the life of Deansbrook Infant School since 2008. My aims as part of the Governing Body include:
I hope your child will be happy and successful and enjoy their time at Deansbrook Infants. |
![]() Richard Burr (Parent Governor) Start date – 2015 End date – 2023 Committees - Curriculum, Attainment & Standards Finance & Premises |
I became a parent governor in 2015 when my eldest daughter was in Year 1. She is now in Year 3 and my middle daughter is in Reception at Deansbrook Infant School. I am a fourth generation builder working for my family business in Mill Hill, where I have lived most of my life. I am also a baker, having reached the final of the Great British Bake Off in 2014 and then publishing my first recipe book, B.I.Y. Bake It Yourself, in 2015. I am passionate about wildlife and achieved a first class degree in Biodiversity & Conservation from Birkbeck College in 2012. I work regularly with Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Zoological Society of London to promote their charities and fundraise. |
![]() Nick Mailer (Parent Governor) Start date – 2015 End date – 2019 Committees - Curriculum, Attainment & Standards |
I co-founded and run an Internet services company, including our green-energy datacenter in Cambridgeshire. I had always been fascinated by computers, but my degree was in English and Philosophy, with particular emphasis on the Philosophy of Education. My interests combined when I wrote the UK School Internet Primer in 1993, the first book on the subject published in the UK. A good school is a well-functioning organism which combines philosophy, technology and performance to sharpen the heuristic and social toolkits of young minds. As soon as my daughter was accepted to Deansbrook, I knew I wanted to be a part of helping the school to continue to be that well-functioning organism. |
Flaviana Manta (Parent Governor)
Start date – 2017
End date – 2021
Committees - Pupil, Parents & Community
My name is Flaviana Manta and I am a mother of two daughters. My youngest child is a pupil of Deansbrook Infant School, while my other daughter is studying at Secondary School. I was introduced to Deansbrook Infant School nearly 12 years ago, by one of my best friends and loved the school straightaway. I decided that when my first daughter was old enough to go to school, Deansbrook Infants would be my first choice for her. Even when my husband and I bought our house, we aimed to live close to Deansbrook Infants. We managed to be just about 1.5 miles away from the school, but that was not an impediment in starting our children’s education at this wonderful school. I was first elected as a Parent Governor when my eldest daughter was a pupil here, but decided to later resign, as my child progressed into the Junior School. I thought it was best for a parent with a child in the school to have the opportunity to be part of the Governing Body. Today, I am again proud to be part of the Deansbrook Infants’ Governing Body, supporting the school in achieving its vision, aims and values. In terms of my own career; I have been working in UK's education sector for over a decade. My educational background includes a PGCE in Early Years, completed at Middlesex University. I have also achieved Qualified Teacher Status and the Early Years Professional Status. Previously, I studied Philosophy and Journalism in Romania and have a degree in Philosophy from the University of Bucharest. The combination of philosophy and journalism helped me create theoretical knowledge with a practical approach towards the realities of today’s world. I strongly believe that working together, all of us, parents, practitioners, leaders, members of the Governing Body, we can help create a strong school with strong community bonds, a stimulating and exciting place where we motivate our children to learn and develop.
Shabaz Dar (Parent Governor)
Start date – 2019
End date – 2022
Committees -
I am a principal Consultant specialising in central government IT projects. I have 19 years of business experience in programme and project management and team management, including mentoring and coaching. I am heavily invested in the success of the school for the long term, as a parent of a former pupil, with one child in reception and another expecting to join in three years time, and as a local resident.
I would be delighted to exploit my skills in helping the school contribute positively to its students’ lives. I would use my abilities in analysis, research and problem solving to achieve the optimal outcome for the school in an informed and objective manner. That could be in encouraging a growth mind set in pupils (indispensable in helping them navigate a changing world full of disruption), or promoting the school in the wider community, in addition to current and emerging challenges.
Caroline Winston - Clerk
Pupil Premium Governor – Jade Cheung
Designated Governor for Child protection - Brenda Lamptey / Jade Cheung
If you are interested in finding out more about the governing body, or even becoming a school governor yourself please contact the Chair of Governors, Julia Hutton-Squire, through the school office.