Tim Sandford

"I was elected a parent governor in 2021 when my eldest was in year 1. I have a second son joining in 2023 and am looking forward to seeing them both sail though this wonderful school.

I became a governor to give something back to the school. I have been in education for most of my life, as a secondary music teacher, facilitator and most recently leading the Kingston Music Service. I believe that the education of our children is so very important, especially at this early age, so being able to support our amazing team of teachers, TAs and support staff however I can is an absolute pleasure. 

As chair of the governing body, if you see me at school, please say hi. I'd love to hear how your children are enjoying life at CHI".

Janet Berry

"The role of the governing body is absolutely key to the effectiveness of our school. I am very grateful to all our governors who voluntarily give up their time and skills and help us to continually raise school standards". 

Mark Bennett

I was recently elected to support CHI’s fantastic governing board in 2023 as an associate member. 

My eldest daughter is now in Y1, and my second and third daughter (yes, I’m one of those lucky dads with 3 girls!) will (hopefully) join CHI in 2024 and 2026, respectively. Professionally, I have over 15 years of experience in the UK’s energy market, working on Net Zero propositions. Knowing how much the school will invest in my family over the coming years, it seems only fair that I try to contribute back to the school and the community where I can. For me, getting governance right is important because of its significant impact on the quality of educational provision and the opportunity and life chances of CHI's children.

Becky Buckley

"I joined the governing body in 2018 as a parent governor, having had children at the school for three years already at that time. With another joining next year, I will be around for a while yet! I used to work in the courts as a stenographer, and before that in subtitling for film and TV, but I have been a full-time parent for around seven years now. I felt it was time to focus my energies on some of the behind-the-scenes work of a school rather than the courts. I am now the Chair of the Children, Community and Safeguarding committee. I really appreciate having the opportunity to offer practical support to this incredible, nurturing school".​

Jessica Birchall

"Our daughter joined CHI in June 2022 and we have felt very lucky to join such a welcoming community. She is thriving and making great friends in our local area. I have become a parent Governor to support the school and their wonderful teachers in developing the learning environment and creating the best outcomes for all the children. 

I am a qualified teacher and have a special interest in teaching children who present with Dyslexia and Autism. I have worked in specialist settings, mainstream and independent primary schools as a consultant to directly train teachers who need support in delivering a differentiated curriculum to children with SEND in their classes. 

This skill set and experience will enable me to support Coombe Hill to encourage the best results for all our children at this brilliant school". 

Tom Glossop

"I became a governor after my daughter joined the infants school and I became fully aware of the amazing job our teaching and administrative staff do for us as parents and especially for our children. I wanted to support this as much as possible and to see if my professional skills could help the development of the school and our children's experience. I work for the Home Office and deal with Ministers and MP's every day. Prior to that I worked in management positions across the private sector most notably for KPMG, PwC and Accenture".

Gaylyn Coskey

"I joined as a new governor in September 2019 as I wanted to get involved with voluntary work that would benefit children. I am a chartered accountant with many years of audit and advisory experience leading teams within a Big 4 professional services firm and mainly in the financial services sector.  My experience includes areas such as finance, accounting, data analysis, internal controls and governance processes within business environments, and therefore my primary focus is with the CHI Finance Committee.  It has been a great learning experience so far and I am grateful for this opportunity".

Jack Morris

"I have taught at Coombe Hill Infants' since 2012 and have steadily taken on more responsibility each year, providing me with a wider understanding of what makes this school special. Leading science and then maths alongside leading Year 2, and more recently joining the Senior Leadership Team, has given me the opportunity to make an impact across the whole school and a greater impact within my class too. I am grateful to have the chance to learn more and continue to add value wherever I can". 

Sue Jakob

Chiara Marcelline

"I am an ex-Coombe Hill pupil myself and now have two children attending the Infants school, so becoming a Governor seemed like a great way to be able to give something back to a place that has special meaning for me.

Every day I’m blown away by the passion, dedication, kindness and professionalism of the team at the school and it’s a privilege to play a small part in helping to support its success.

I’m a communications and corporate affairs professional with a broad experience of navigating large organisations, leadership, stakeholder management, synthesising complex information and strategic decision making, which I hope I can bring to bear in my role as a Governor. Most importantly though I’m enthusiastic, love learning new things and keen to get stuck in to work that will benefit our children and community!”

Catherine Amulen

"My son started at Coombe Hill Infants in 2019 and he loved it.  I became a governor to support the school in achieving its objectives and development plans, as these have a direct impact on the children’s learning and growth.

Professionally, my experience is in leadership and performance management, public protection, risk assessment and management , safeguarding, community engagement and development. Being a school governor has enabled me to have my say, it has given me the chance to influence on areas that matter in our children’s schooling. Part of being a governor is being a ‘critical friend’ , supporting the school but also holding the leadership team to account for the delivery of outcomes and performance. I have seen the amazing work that the leadership team and all staff put into the school, they go above and beyond to make the children happy and to help them learn.

The school values diversity and inclusion which are key priorities  to me. I respect and value people from all backgrounds and experiences, bringing in a different point of view to the governing board and the school. I am grateful for this opportunity and I am very passionate about supporting the school and enjoy seeing the impact of our work. As a governing board we are approachable and welcome input / feedback from the wider community".

Peter Sebastian

"I started as a governor in 2020 when my eldest daughter started at the school. I now have two daughters in the school and they both love it! I have seen first-hand the commitment and kindness of the teachers and staff and I wanted to help them, in whatever way I could.

I have worked in public sector finance for years, lately as an accountant for a council, and I hope that my skills can be helpful for the school. I also have experience in housing and regeneration projects and I’m trying to bring some of that experience to the Health & Safety / Premises committee, as well as supporting the Finance Committee".