Meet our Governors

Jo - Ann Taussig Chair of Governors Co-opted Governor	"I have been a governor at the school since 2009. I have had 3 children go through the school so I feel I know it well and have seen it go through many changes. Over the years I have been involved in looking after the health, safety and premises issues of the school and looking at literacy as part of the curriculum committee. I have a background in medicine (clinical and research). I become a governor because I was interested in education policy and delivery and wanted to support the school".
Janet Berry Headteacher	"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".
Kathryn Moore Vice Chair of Governors Co-opted Governor	"I became a governor in 2011. I work as an actuary which currently involves forecasting profits for an insurance company, interpreting financial regulations and reviewing governance processes. These are all skills which are used within the Finance Committee when reviewing the school financial statements and budgets and the wider governor role of overseeing the school policies".
Becky Buckley Parent Governor Chair of Community, Children & Safeguarding Committee	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.
Tom Glossop Co-opted Governor Resources Committee	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 LEA Governor Resources Committee	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 Staff governor Curriculum and Standards Committee	"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".
Di Kill Associate Member Curriculum and Standards Committee	Having been involved with Coombe Hill Infants for its whole 50 years I am , of course, very keen to keep updated with everything that goes on. I have had the privilege of teaching many of Coombe Hills children for over 20 years, and as the Early Years lead feel that our Key Stage must be represented on the Governing team. It has been a pleasure to work along side different people from our community who have the school best interests at heart.
Sue Jakob Associate Member Curriculum and Standards Committee Children, Community and Safeguarding Committee

Naim Moukarzel Co-opted Governor Children, Community and Safeguarding Committee	My daughter started at Coombe Hill Infants in 2019. From the first visit we were really attracted to the way the school approaches education in its fullest sense, and I was particularly drawn to the sense of community. Professionally, I spent over a decade in the British Army fulfilling a variety of strategic and operational leadership and staff roles. Since leaving the Army I have worked for England’s largest social programme for teenagers. We focus on developing confident, connected and caring citizens. My role means I work closely with leaders from across education and youth policy at a national level. In the past I have also had responsibility for managing a complex safeguarding system in both residential, community, and digital settings. As a governor I hope that I will be able to leverage that experience to support the SLT and the work they do for the children in our school
Catherine Amulen Associate Member Children, Community and Safeguarding Committee	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 Associate Member Resources Committee

Jo - Ann Taussig
Chair of Governors

Co-opted Governor

"I have been a governor at the school since 2009. I have had 3 children go through the school so I feel I know it well and have seen it go through many changes. Over the years I have been involved in looking after the health, safety and premises issues of the school and looking at literacy as part of the curriculum committee. I have a background in medicine (clinical and research). I become a governor because I was interested in education policy and delivery and wanted to support the school".

Janet Berry
Headteacher

"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".

Kathryn Moore
Vice Chair of Governors

Co-opted Governor

"I became a governor in 2011. I work as an actuary which currently involves forecasting profits for an insurance company, interpreting financial regulations and reviewing governance processes. These are all skills which are used within the Finance Committee when reviewing the school financial statements and budgets and the wider governor role of overseeing the school policies".

Becky Buckley

Parent Governor

Chair of Community, Children & Safeguarding Committee

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.

Tom Glossop

Co-opted Governor

Resources Committee

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

LEA Governor

Resources Committee

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
Staff governor

Curriculum and Standards Committee

"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".

Di Kill

Associate Member

Curriculum and Standards Committee

Having been involved with Coombe Hill Infants for its whole 50 years I am , of course, very keen to keep updated with everything that goes on. I have had the privilege of teaching many of Coombe Hills children for over 20 years, and as the Early Years lead feel that our Key Stage must be represented on the Governing team. It has been a pleasure to work along side different people from our community who have the school best interests at heart.

Sue Jakob

Associate Member

Curriculum and Standards Committee

Children, Community and Safeguarding Committee

Naim Moukarzel

Co-opted Governor

Children, Community and Safeguarding Committee

My daughter started at Coombe Hill Infants in 2019. From the first visit we were really attracted to the way the school approaches education in its fullest sense, and I was particularly drawn to the sense of community.

Professionally, I spent over a decade in the British Army fulfilling a variety of strategic and operational leadership and staff roles. Since leaving the Army I have worked for England’s largest social programme for teenagers. We focus on developing confident, connected and caring citizens. My role means I work closely with leaders from across education and youth policy at a national level. In the past I have also had responsibility for managing a complex safeguarding system in both residential, community, and digital settings.

As a governor I hope that I will be able to leverage that experience to support the SLT and the work they do for the children in our school

Catherine Amulen

Associate Member

Children, Community and Safeguarding Committee

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

Associate Member

Resources Committee