School governors work on a voluntary basis and are central to the life of the School. The Governing Body is made up of parent governors, staff governors, Local Authority governors and community governors.
The governors meet on a regular basis to discuss such things as finance, personnel issues and matters relating to the use of the school premises. At all times the Headteacher and the Governors work closely together.
Our governors are…
|
Name |
Designation |
Term of Notice |
Committee |
Specific Area of Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Emma Leach |
Headteacher (Staff) |
01/09/2023 to ongoing |
|
|
|
Kathryn Gorman |
LA |
17/03/2025 to ongoing |
|
|
|
Charley Eriksen |
Co-opted |
7/12/2020 to 6/12/2028 |
|
|
|
Paulius Gailiunas |
Parent |
01/09/2022 to 31/08/2026 |
|
|
|
Ben Conolly |
Co-Opted |
01/10/2023 to 30/09/2027 |
|
|
|
Debra Howell |
Co-Opted |
01/10/2023 to 30/09/2027 |
|
|
|
Antonia Ractliffe |
Co-Opted |
01/10/2023 to 30/09/2027 |
|
|
|
Marie Donegan |
Associate |
01/12/2023 to 30/11/2027 |
|
|
|
Judith Waiting |
Parent |
01/09/2024 to 31/08/2028 |
|
|
|
Harry Ogden |
Staff |
|
||
|
Michelle Sharma |
Parent |
24/09/2024 to 23/09/2028 |
|
|
|
Manali Desai Patel |
Co-opted |
17/03/2025 to 16/03/2029 |
|
You can contact the governing body, either by writing to them care of the school or emailing governors@westfieldprimary.herts.sch.uk. Your email will be forwarded on to the relevant governor.
Minutes of Governor meetings are available on request either by calling the school office on 01442 862729 or emailing admin@westfieldprimary.herts.sch.uk.
Kathryn Gorman (Chair)
LA Governor and Chair since 17th March 2025
Charley Eriksen
Parent Governor – December 2020 – 2024
We joined the Westfield community in March 2019 and I joined the governing board in December 2020. I have two children in Westfield School and we are very thankful to have found such a welcoming and wonderful school. I am a chartered accountant and have years of experience of finance in schools and nurseries in both the UK and abroad. I hope my skills will help the board with their decision making and look forward to working with the entire team to ensure Westfield School continues to provide an excellent education for our children.
Paulius Gailiunas
Parent Governor – September 2022 – August 2026
I have joined the Westfield family in 2020, when my son started reception here, and began my role as a school governor later in 2022. I have a huge passion for learning new things and it allowed me to have a rather diverse career, that included teaching music, running a small recording studio, working as a photographer, and managing an electronics lab. I currently work as a software engineer. I think my diverse skills and perspectives
transfer well to assist the board of governors, particularly in relation to health and safety, which is my current focus. I am very excited to be working with the governing body and the school to ensure Westfield continues to be a safe and enriching space for our children.
Ben Conolly
Co-Opted Governor October 2023 – September 2027
I joined the governing board at Westfield in October 2023. I have two young children and live in Berkhamsted. I am a chartered accountant by trade and hold a BSc in mathematics from the University of Warwick, and now work in the insurance industry where I lead financial planning and performance management for a global specialty (re)insurance company. I am passionate about education and the opportunities in life it brings; and I wish to positively impact Westfield with my input to the governing body.
Antonia Ractliffe
Co-Opted Governor October 2023 – September 2027
I was appointed to the Westfield governing body in 2023. I have lived in Berkhamsted for several years and have 2 young children. I currently work in financial services in a senior management position and have experience working in tax and human resources. I believe education plays a crucial role in a child’s development and I am excited to be able to use my skills to work with the governing board and help children grow into well-rounded individuals.
Judith Waiting
Parent Governor since 1st September 2024
I have recently been appointed as a parent governor, I currently have two children at Westfield and we are delighted to be part of such a warm and welcoming school. I have been a primary school teacher for 15 years; I have a teaching degree and Masters in Education and I have taught a range of age groups across KS2 and KS3. I am currently Head of PSHE at an independent school and I am so passionate about helping to give children the best possible start in life through a rounded, inspiring and supportive education. I am pleased to be on the governing board and working alongside the staff team at Westfield.
Debra Howell
Marie Donegan
Michelle Sharma
Parent Governor since 1st September 2024
I was delighted to be appointed as a Parent Governor in September 2024. My son, currently in Year 2, has been with Westfield since Nursery. My professional background is primarily in legal and governance within the corporate sector, and I have served as a Company Secretary for the past decade. Although I have limited experience in the field of education, as a parent, I place the utmost importance on education. I look forward to collaborating with the school and fellow governors to support Westfield’s journey.