Staff Governors are elected by school staff and can be teachers or support staff. Headteacher William is a staff governor by virtue of his office.
William Dean
William is 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.
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.
Emma Judge
Emma started volunteering at Highgate Primary School in 2012 as a teaching assistant and a school governor. Very quickly, she realised that she loved supporting children with their learning, and that she had found both her vocation and her second home. Previously a family lawyer, she retrained as a teacher in 2013 and then joined the HPS staff as an NQT. She has loved coming to work ever since, and she is now Deputy Headteacher and our Designated Safeguarding Lead. As well as a teaching qualification, Emma has a CPD in Law and a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford. She loves learning too! Her other passions are drinking very high-quality coffee and immersing herself in the wild beauty of Cornwall as often as she can.
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.
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 5 and a son in Year 3 . 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.
Local Authority Governors are not elected, but are appointed by the local authority.
Liz Morris
Liz Morris is Vice Chair, 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.
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 2.
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.
Parent Governors are parents or carers of children at the school who are elected by other parents and carers.
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.
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.
Catherine Hopper
Catherine has been a parent at Highgate Primary since 2016 and currently has two of her children at the school in Years 6 and 1. Catherine is a professional Opera Singer and Singing teacher in primary and secondary schools. She has long been a supporter of HP’s wonderful music and creative provision and attitude towards the Arts, as well as the school’s holistic and caring approach towards its pupils. She is excited to be joining the board of Governors and learning more about how she can support the school.
