Governors' mission statement

It is our job to support and challenge the school in its aim to maximise its pupils’ potential in all subjects as well as to prepare them with the skills they will need to cope with a fast-changing and complex future. 

Aims: to assist and provide support to the school in its mission to be even more than an outstanding school, with an equally aspirational governing body. To work closely with and be a ‘critical friend’ to the Senior Leadership Team

Equality statement: 

To celebrate our cultural diversity and an understanding of all the groups within it. We see all learners and their parents and carers as of equal value:

• whether or not they are disabled
• whatever their ethnicity, culture, national origin or national status
• whatever their gender and gender identity
• whatever their religious or non-religious affiliation or faith background
• whatever their sexual identity. 

Linking Governors to subject areas

Governors are linked to specific subject areas. We believe this is an excellent way of giving individual governors a regular opportunity of seeing the ‘school in action’ while expanding their awareness and knowledge of each important area in greater detail. 

Schools Financial Benchmarking

https://schools-financial-benchmarking.service.gov.uk/

Governor Biographies:

Dylan Bourguignon (Chair of Governors)

Link: Broad Curriculum

Having been fortunate to benefit from the power of education, Dylan is passionate about the ensuring everyone has those same opportunities. He has been school governor in primary schools since 2003 and in his previous school he took on several roles including Chairing the Finance Committee and supporting transitions (doubling pupil intake and from Local Authority school to independent Academy). When he moved to Southfields he was keen to support a local primary school and was thrilled to be co-opted by Sheringdale in 2018.
Dylan is founder of SO-SURE, an insurance provider focused on creating win-win solutions for consumers. Prior, he was a strategy consultant and private equity investor. When not working, he is found on tennis courts or with his wife and daughters.
 

Duncan Roberts (Vice-Chair)

Link: PE/PHSE/Sports Premium and H&S

Duncan Roberts has lived in Southfields for over 30 years. He is married and has two children, one who is in Yr 10 and one who has just started Yr 12: both attend local Wandsworth schools.

Duncan has worked in education all his life and he was the Headteacher of Honeywell Junior School for over 20 years before he retired in January 2020. The Honeywell schools, both Infant and Juniors, worked with Sheringdale on some projects in the past and Duncan is therefore aware of what a highly successful and highly regarded school Sheringdale School is. He hopes to be able to use his experience in education to help and support the school and Duncan will use his skills in educational management, the curriculum and teaching and learning to develop Sheringdale and prepare it for future challenges. Duncan also anticipates that as a local resident he will be able to support the school in other ways.

Duncan enjoys sport, films, music and he monitors current affairs with interest. He has stated that he relishes “family time” and he is keen for his two boys to be active and discerning members of London’s vibrant community.

Duncan has stated that he excited to become a member of the Governors and he looks forward to meeting the wider school community in the near future.
 

Debbie Lawrence

Link: Safeguarding, Equalities, SEND, Pupil Premium

Debbie is a Local Authority Governor and has been on the board since her son James started in Reception in 2015. She has filled roles as chair of the Finance and Premises meeting, vice-chair to the FGB (Full Governing Board) and was recently elected as Chair. She is also the Safeguarding Governor. Debbie has done a fair amount of fund raising for the school in her time on the PTA organising 2 Summer Fairs and selling Christmas Trees.

Debbie works full time for Refinitiv (previously ThomsonReuters) as their Chief Data Officer and brings her strong Financial, Commercial and communication background to the Governing Board.

Sarah Jones

Sarah has been Headteacher at Sheringdale since 2015. Previously she was a Headteacher for 5 years at a school in North Kensington where she also chaired the Headteacher’s Consultative. She has served as an Ofsted Inspector since 2015. During her teaching career she has taught from Nursery to Year 6 and in a variety of leadership roles. Sarah is passionate about excellence in Public Services and providing a high quality, inclusive, creative and caring education for all children.

 

Tom McElroy  (Chair of F&R committee)

Link: Maths - Standards and Assessment

Tom is a chartered accountant working in the financial services sector. Having been brought up in a family of teachers, he has observed some of the challenges faced in education. He joined the Governing Board in 2017 with the aim of applying some of his financial experience to benefit the school.  Tom is eager to help ensure the pupils of Sheringdale have the best foundation for success regardless of their background.

 

James Goode

Link: English - Standards and Assessment

James is a Parent Governor, who is married with two boys at Sheringdale in Year 2 & Year 4.  James served for five years as a Governor at Paddock School in Wandsworth, and was previously a member of the Sheringdale PTA.  Professionally, James is a chartered accountant, and is the Chief Financial Officer at PA Media Group, the national news agency for the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.   James is keen to support the continued high standards of teaching, learning and opportunities for Sheringdale’s current and future pupils.
 

Amal Bhaimia

Amal is a co-opted governor who joined the board in November 2023.  She is a Government lawyer, who has advised several UK Government departments during her career as a civil servant.  This included a number of years advising the Department for Education on a variety of legal issues relating to maintained schools, including during the Covid-19 pandemic.  She is passionate about education and improving the educational attainment and wellbeing of children.  She is enthusiastic about working with the rest of the board to support the learning, development and wellbeing of the pupils at Sheringdale.

Amal lives in Wimbledon and has two children, also in primary school. She spends the scintilla of free time available to her reading, learning to knit and cooking. 

 

Fatima Khawaja

Fatima currently works at NHS England developing policy for the oversight and assessment of commissioners and providers of healthcare services. She has vast experience in the civil service and the charitable sector across the UK, Canada, and Pakistan. Fatima is passionate about education and is currently pursuing her forth academic degree in Healthcare Leadership from the University of Birmingham. She also has a bachelors in Education acquired from Canada and is keen to support the growth and development of Sheringdale Primary School by bringing in a different point of view to the board of Governors. Fatima is also a Sheringdale parent and can bring in lived experience of her child currently attending the school.

 

Michael Fink

Michael is the Staff Governor for Sheringdale and has been a teacher here for four years, teaching in Year 1 and Year 6. He is currently one of the Year 5 teachers. He previously taught for five years at St Michael's CofE Primary in Southfields, teaching in Year 1 and Year 3, as well as teaching PE to EYFS, KS1 and KS2. Michael is passionate about making Sheringdale the best school is can be for the pupils and staff that go here.

 

Governing Board meeting dates of 2024-25 meetings

Strategy meeting
Thursday 19 September 9.30am

CSS
Thursday 10 October 8-10am
Thursday 30 Jan 8-10am
Wednesday 25 June 8-10am

F&R
Thursday 26 September 8-10am
Thursday 13 March 8-10am
Thursday 5 June 8-10am

FGB
Thursday 28 November 8-10am
Wednesday 26 March 8-10am
Final budget online Thursday 22 May 8-8.30am
Wednesday 9 July 8-10am

Pay Committee
Wednesday 9 July at 10am

Benchmarking

School's financial benchmarking service