Alton School

Our Governance

OUR LOCAL GOVERNING BODY

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Claire Gilbert  

Chair of The Alton Local Governng Body

Cllr Wandsworth Council
 

Term of office: 10 Mar 2109 - 9 Mar 2024

I am very pleased to have been appointed as a Governor at the Alton School. I have worked in Roehampton since 2018, and have lived in Wandsworth for over 10 years. I am also an elected Councillor for the Roehampton & Putney Heath ward of Wandsworth, sitting on Wandsworth Council. 

I became a Governor because I am very interested in young people and in the families living in Roehampton. I have 3 primary school aged children myself. I very much enjoy the fun and discovery which comes with teaching and learning, and I have been very lucky in my own education and where it has taken me in the world.  

I went to state schools in a small town in Northern Ireland, where the education system is rather different to the one in England. When I left school I worked for a year to earn some money, and then I was very fortunate to go to University in Cambridge to study law. As part of my law degree, I also spent a year in a University in France studying French law. After graduating, I went to work in California for a year as an intern in a law firm. I then studied for a Masters in Labour law at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Finally, I had to take the Bar Vocational Course to become a qualified barrister. I have been a practising lawyer since then, working various courts and offices, including for the government and for the NHS. I now work for legal advice centres helping individuals in very difficult times in their lives, some of whom qualify for Legal Aid, and some of whom are helped "pro bono".

As a Governor at the Alton School, I am kept informed of issues and standards at the school by the Chair of Governors and the Headteacher. I very much enjoy visiting the school, particularly when I am able to interact with the wonderful children about what they are doing. 

If you would like to discuss anything with me, I can be contacted via the school's office.   

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Liz Stoyel 

Co-opted Governor
Vice Chair of Local Governors
Trustee of Q1E Academy Trust 

Also Trustee of the Quality First Education Trust since August 2017

Term of office: 30 June 2015 - 30 June 2023

Link role: Children with Special Educational Needs and DisabilitiesAttainment and Progress, RAISEonline and the Data Dashboard.

I am currently the Vice Chair of the Board of Governors. I joined the Alton School Board of Governors in 2008.  I have lived in Roehampton for 23 years and, before that, in Battersea for 9 years.  I became a governor because I wanted to give something back to the community in which I lived.

When I left school, I went to the University of Southampton and studied for a degree in Geology.  Afterwards, I worked for a number of IT companies as a technical writer, a software developer, a business analyst and in sales support.  Recently, I took a degree course at Kingston University in Health, Exercise & Nutrition and was involved in a number of after school clubs teaching children and their parents about a healthy lifestyle.

As Vice Chair of Governors, I speak to the Headteacher almost every week during term time.  I try to visit the school regularly and, during my visits, I love speaking to the children about what they are learning at school.

If you would like to discuss anything with me I can be contacted care of the Alton School.

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Geoff Morris      

Co-opted Governor

Safeguarding Governor
Also a Trustee of the Quality First Education Trust since November 2017

Term of office 30 June 2015 - 30 June 2024

I grew up in Evesham in the Midlands where my father became the chair of governors of my primary school the year I left, a post he still holds 31 years later. It is mainly the fulfilment that he has gained from his role which inspired me to join a governing board myself. 
I have worked within the education sector for over eight years and have a good understanding of the realities of running a school in the 21st century.
I currently work as an estate agent in the borough and feel I am part of the community in Wandsworth now. My wife and I have lived in Wandsworth for the last 10 years and now see it as home. In my free time I enjoy rugby, cycling and going to the cinema.

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Lewis Halsey

Co-opted Governor 

In 2007 I started my career as an academic, at the University of Roehampton.

Moving close to my place of work, the Alton estate has been home since 2014. As a professor in the Department of Life Sciences, each day I support students during the final years of their state education, helping them develop their skills for entering the world of work.

It is an honour to also be supporting our community’s children who are just beginning their education at The Alton. I am well positioned to bring insights and innovation from the university sector to the school sector, and vice-versa, helping to continue the development of Roehampton’s fine institutions of learning for all age groups.

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Adam Watson 

Governor
Co-opted Governor
Chair of Resources Committee

Term of office: 30th June 2015 - 30th June 2024

Working in the banking industry for 15 years and being a qualified accountant mean that I am comfortable with the business and finance side of things and having 4 children at primary school means that I understand a lot of the issues and challenges that the school, staff and children face.

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Katherine Pymont

Co-opted Governor 

I have two young children and in starting to navigate the education system realised that I wanted to play a part in it myself as a school governor and in doing so contribute to the local community. I started my career in the media and I am now a practising solicitor specialising in Dispute Resolution. I live in Wandsworth.

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Rebecca Smith

Staff Governor

Having been a TEFL teacher since I was 19 and teaching children from all around the world, I always knew I wanted to become a primary school teacher. I have had a wide range of experiences such as teaching in

Bulgaria to South Korea, where my mother is from, as well as other primary schools on the outskirts of London. These unforgettable experiences have given me an insight into how to improve my teaching skills and become a better practitioner.

I joined the Alton in 2018 and have been a governor since September 2019. I believe it is important to have a member of staff on the Governor's panel to give an understanding of the school's ethos and culture. I really enjoy working at the Alton and feel it to be my second home!