Staff Governors are elected by school staff and can be teachers or support staff. Co-Headteachers William and Rebecca are staff governors by virtue of their office.
William Dean
William is a Co-Headteacher of Highgate Primary School and therefore also a governor. At our meetings we hold him to account and keep him on his toes by asking challenging questions. He reports back to governors regularly on the curriculum, budget, resources and progress against the school development plan. When he’s not in school or at governors meetings he’ll either be in his garden, walking Horace, watching cricket or, if he’s really lucky, in his caravan.
Rebecca Lewis
Rebecca is a Co-Headteacher of Highgate Primary School. After a first career as a lawyer, she retrained as a teacher 17 years ago. She has worked at the school for over 9 years, first as a class teacher, and then as the SENCo and Head of Inclusion. She was Deputy Head for 3 years. She is a passionate supporter of the school’s inclusive ethos, and believes that if children are inspired and enriched at school, through exciting and engaging lessons, their attainment and progress will naturally follow. When not focusing on the provision for the school’s more vulnerable pupils, Rebecca is a keen runner and wild swimmer.
David Calvert
David is a class teacher in Year 4 and is subject leader for history. He has been based in Highgate Primary School since his training with the UCL Institute of Education. Prior to teaching David moved to the UK from his childhood home in Tennessee, USA, to obtain an MA in International Relations at the University of St. Andrews. Following this he worked in music, singing in Ely Cathedral Choir where he also mentored the boy choristers.
Associate Members are not full governors but are appointed by the GB for their expertise in particular areas.
Liam Frost
Liam has lived in Highgate for over fifteen years. He has two children at Highgate Primary and strongly believes in schools being the heart of the community. He completed his PGCE in Primary Education in 2005 and has worked at a Primary School in Islington ever since, currently as a Deputy Headteacher. He is really interested in fun, creative, and memorable educational experiences that nurture a lifelong love of learning.
Local Authority Governors are not elected, but are appointed by the local authority.
Liz Morris
Liz Morris has lived in Highgate for almost 20 years and has been a local councillor in Highgate for 8 years (2014 – 2022). During this time she was her group spokesperson for children and education and Leader of her council group. She is a strong advocate for inspiring children to learn in a nurturing and inclusive environment and believes that the ethos and culture of a school plays an important part in a child’s personal development. Liz has been on the governing board for 10 years and currently chairs the school’s Safeguarding Committee. She is also a Trustee at Hope in Haringey (HIH), a charity that delivers targeted programmes to young people in areas of social deprivation, and is a HIH employability mentor. She has recently become the Co-chair of the Highgate Society’s planning committee.
Co-opted Governors are appointed by the GB to represent community interests.
Jonathan Carr-West
Jonathan is Chair of Governors and has been a Highgate Primary parent since 2016 and has one child in Year 3. The whole family has loved being part of this incredible school community. Professionally, Jonathan works with local government bodies in the UK and around the world to help them with governance, public service reform and organisational development. He hopes to bring this skill set to the board of governors to help them to provide the mix of scrutiny and strategic insight that will support the school as it goes from strength to strength.
Julie Bland
Julie was appointed a governor in 2019. Her son attended Highgate Primary School. She sits on the Curriculum & Standards and Co-Chairs the Communications & Fundraising and Community Services Committee. Julie runs an Arts, Culture & Music Communications Agency in London and has done for over 20 years. In recent years, she has dedicated herself to working closely within the school community. Additionally, she works within the Inclusion/SEN team and is a passionate advocate of the school’s inclusive principles. Furthermore, she is committed to promoting equality in schools and believes that a diverse, innovative curriculum incorporating a focus on enrichment will result in positive attainment in all our children. Recently Julie has taken on the Communications and Fundraising role for the school.
Parent Governors are parents or carers of children at the school who are elected by other parents and carers.
Leona Asamoah
Leona became a governor in 2019, she is now the BAME lead and is also a member of the school’s new Diversity and Inclusion team. Leona sits on the Resources Committee and is Co-Chair of the Communications & Fundraising and Community Services Committee. She has worked in the live music industry for 20 years and has side stepped into the finance department. Prior to that she was involved in musical theatre. She firmly believes art and music in schools benefit children immensely and that a representational curriculum could help bridge the gap of achievement. She is a keen baker and currently has a daughter in Year 1.
Sue Cheung
Sue became a Parent Governor in 2020 and sits on the Curriculum and Standards Committee. Originally from Toronto, Canada, she is proud to be part of the large international Highgate Primary community, and has three children at the school, in Years 5, 3 and 1. As a dedicated yoga teacher, she believes that helping children to better understand the mind-body connection can be a powerful tool for building their confidence, resilience and self-awareness.
James Green
James became a Parent Governor in 2020. He has a daughter in Year 4 and a son in Year 2 . James fell in love with the school the first time he saw it and is excited about supporting its work as a governor. James works in social innovation, supporting people to work together to develop new ideas that tackle big community challenges.
Grace Wilson
Grace recently joined as a Parent Governor and has a son in Year 2. She is the Chair of the Curriculum and Standards Committee. Grace is the Director of Studies at a school in Hampstead, responsible for most things teaching and learning related. She completed her NPQ in Senior Leadership and then Headship at the IOE at UCL, giving her a strong overview of the inner workings of a school. Grace also grew up in Haringey and is alumni of two local schools. She is committed to the ethos of Highgate Primary and proud to be part of the vibrant School Community.
Alisa Gerrard
Alisa became a parent governor in 2023. She has two children in the school in Years 4 and 1. She sits on the Communications & Fundraising and Community Services Committee and the Curriculum and Standards Committee. With 15 years experience in the charity sector, she looks forward to exploring options to support the school with its fundraising needs. Since moving her children to the school in 2020 she has become passionate about the education and enrichment that the school provides and looks forward to learning more. Alisa also has a keen interest in the SEN provision at the school, as well as the wellbeing of all staff and children.
Javier Sajuria
Javier Sajuria has been a parent at the school since 2021, and has a kid in Year 5 and another in Year 3. Professionally, he is a Reader in Comparative Politics at Queen Mary University of London, and a Deputy Dean for Education at the same institution. He is particularly interested in issues around curriculum improvement, safeguarding, and inclusion. He is also a fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has specialised in student support and engagement.
Scott Freedman
Scott has been a parent at the school since 2018 and became a governor in 2023. He sits on the Resources Committee. He has been working in investment management for almost 20 years and has a background in finance and accounting. Scott is excited at the opportunity to apply his experience and support the school.
Alexandra Wrightson
Alex became a parent governor at the end of 2023. She has a son who has been at the school since nursery and is now in Year 2. Alex has lived in Highgate for about 15 years, having grown up in east London and attended a comprehensive state school. At the moment, she is taking a career break from being a criminal lawyer and is looking forward to bringing her enthusiasm and ideas to the school. She also likes to listen to other people’s views and suggestions, as she feels that we should all strive to improve and learn from each other. Alex is also an avid cold-water swimmer and Formula One fan.
