Meet the Governors
What do we do?
Millfields Governing Body is made up of volunteers who are committed to ensuring that high standards are achieved and maintained throughout the school. We are ultimately responsible for the success of the school, including the appointing of the Headteacher who reports to us and attends all board meetings.
Our governors are either a parent of a pupil in school, a member of the local community, a member of staff or are appointed by Hackney Education.
Parent and staff governors are elected and every governor is expected to serve a four year term.
The full Governing Body meets once every 4-6 weeks. The meetings cover general business, including scrutinising reports from the Headteacher, other school leaders and looking at feedback from visits that Governors and other outside agencies, all make to the school. We discuss the progress children are making, new approaches to teaching and learning and consider both local and national initiatives and issues such as how to ensure the Pupil Premium is used to best effect. There is also time in the meeting to audit and develop skills and reflect on how we can best help the school to achieve excellence.
In addition, our meetings have a focus led by the committees to discuss specific issues in depth. The Resources committee, as the name suggests, overseas the school finances, personnel and premises. The Curriculum and Well-being committee looks at the curriculum and standards in the school, as well as ensuring that Millfields is a safe, inclusive environment equally supportive of parents and the local community. The MAG team meet termly, outside of full GB meetings, usually near the beginning of each term, to discuss the previous term's progress and attainment in all areas -personal development, behaviour and welfare, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, effectiveness of early years provision, effectiveness of leadership and management and outcomes for pupils.
As part of our duties, we all have an area and/or a Year Group of the school that we are supporting as Link Governors. This may include a specific curriculum area, a specific year group/cohort, behaviour, health and safety, leadership and management, attendance, teaching and learning, extended schools and how we reach out to and support parents. This means that we can often be found visiting the school, joining in with assemblies, meeting with staff or speaking with children in class, as well as collecting feedback at Parents' Evenings.
Governor Virtual Attendance Policy
Who are we?
The governing body is made up of 12 volunteers.
Co-Chairs: Ben McMullen and Joe Walker
Vice‐Chair: Damian Holt
Resources Committee
Chair: Mark Greatrex, Jane Betsworth, Damian Holt, Sandy Stanton, James Sherbock-Cox and Steffi Antoniazzi.
Curriculum and Well-being Committee
Chair: Gordon Murray, Jane Betsworth, Theo Hinz, Joe Walker, Ben McMullen and Chris Belgrave
MAG/COVID Response team (Millfields Attainment Group)
Chair: Ben McMullen, Jane Betsworth, Debi Cookhorn, Gordon Murray, Mark Greatrex and Joe Walker.
If you have a question or suggestion:-
If it’s to do with the everyday running of the school, you should speak to the class teacher, Deputy Head or Head teacher.
If it’s about the school overall – its ethos, what we’re trying to achieve, how well the children are doing generally – you can speak to any one of us personally or email us via the chair:-
chair@millfields.hackney.sch.uk
Or you can also write to the Chair – just leave your letter at the main school reception.
Local Authority Governors:
Damian Holt - Vice Chair of FGB, Member of Curriculum Committee, Resources Committee, Millfields Attainment Group
LINK GOVERNOR: Attendance, Health & Safety, Behaviour
I have been a governor in Millfields since 2013, originally as a local authority governor, and more recently as a co-opted governor. I initially joined through an initiative at work to connect business with the local community, which meant I was appointed a governor at a Morningside Primary School, a school which we still have links to. As a result of a lot of intensive work at Morningside, the Learning Trust asked if I would be interested in representing the local authority here in Millfields. Having worked with Jane for over a year I jumped at the chance. I’m from a state school background myself; my father an electrician and my mother owning a market stall, in a town just north of Manchester, and I was the first person in my family to go to university and that fostered a strong belief in the power in education. I had initially wanted to work in school, I trained as a teacher around 20 years ago, and then was offered a place on a graduate traineeship at M&S, so my career moved to Human Resources, and I’ve worked in HR ever since, currently I've taken a sabbatical and studying my MSc at UEL. So when the opportunity arose to support a school it seemed like a nice link back to my original focus.
Co-opted Governors:
Gordon Murray - Chair of Curriculum Committee and Millfields Attainment Group
LINK GOVERNOR: Literacy, Religious Education
I have been a governor for over 5 years, originally a parent governor and now a co-opted governor. I am Senior Lecturer at the University of Winchester. My interest as it relates to my professional field is the creative curriculum and how it is and can be utilised at Millfields. I have been chair of Curriculum and Wellbeing Committee for 2 years and I am a member of the Millfields Attainment Group (MAG) which scrutinises the statistical information that relates to progress and achievement at Millfields.
Mark Greatrex - Chair of Resources Committee and member of Millfields Attainment Group
LINK GOVERNOR: Finance and Resources
I joined the Governing body in September 2018. I have worked in education for over 15 years and am passionate about supporting children to get the best start in life. Starting my career as a civil servant in the Department for Education gave me an insight into the then Governments drive for better standards of education through the academies programme and London Challenge - two programmes that Hackney Schools have benefited from hugely.
Since May 2015, my role as the Chief Executive of a small academy trust, with seven primary schools across London has provided an understanding of schools at a local level. All schools are Good with two being judged Outstanding by Ofsted in the past three years. I hope to bring this experience to Millfields and also learning for a passionate and experience staff and governor team.
Sandy Stanton - Member of Resources Committee and E-safety Steering Group
LINK GOVERNOR: Safeguarding including E-safety and Child Protection, SEND
LINK GOVERNOR: Safeguarding including E-safety and Child Protection
I have served as a governor at Millfields Community for 3 terms, so I am now in my 8th year. I was originally appointed as a Community Governor and most recently as Co-opted Governor.
I have worked at Hackney Community College for 39 years and as PA to the Principal for the last 20 years. Included in my role as PA, I am a Safeguarding and data protection administrator; I interview staff, using safer recruitment guidelines; have taught typing, keyboard and computing skills and have carried out safeguarding training. I carry out many other functions, including being the first 'port of call' for any requests from the Police; many of these skills contribute to my role as a Link Governor for safeguarding and e-safety.
I was previously a governor of the adult education institute in Hackney and was vice chair of governors at my children's primary school. I was also the chair of the PTA of that school. I have worked, in the past, voluntarily in a children's home and as a manager of a youth club. I have very little spare time, but the little I have is spent with my grandchildren, who are mainly of primary school age. I enjoy going to the theatre and ballet and I attend a weekly Zumba class!
I joined the governing body in February 2019. In my day job I manage resources on technology projects at Santander, and I am proud to be able to use my finance skills to contribute to Millfields. I joined Millfields because it is a school that embraces inclusion and creativity, and as a long term Hackney resident I want to dedicate as much as possible to helping the community.In my spare time I play the guitar and rugby.
LINK GOVERNOR: Spanish
I am a co-opted governor and Maths link, having joined the governing body at the beginning of 2016. I live in Clapton and have one child at Millfields. I have been a primary school teacher since 2003 and am currently Head of School at Ashburnham Community School in Chelsea. I have been a governor of four schools, beginning in 2008. Millfields is a fantastic place; it is a privilege to be a part of such a vibrant and inspiring community school.
Chris Belgrave -Member of the Curriculum Committee
My name is Chris Belgrave, and I am the Lead Behaviour Professional at Millfields Community School. I often liaise with the parents if they need to talk about any issues with their child, or need help with a range of issues related to school. I have run for two terms as Staff Governor at Millfields Community School, since 2010 until present. I find my role as a governor rewarding and fulfilling, as I am encouraged to have a say and make a difference for the school and the community around.
I am a single parent, and I like to build and repair computers in my spare time. I am also a part-time radio station DJ and love to ride my bike nearly everywhere I go.
Shermain Phillip -Member of the Curriculum Committee
During the Summer term 2021 I was voted in as a Parent Governor.
I work as an Artist and Illustrator with over 25 years experience in Arts and Cultural production.
I have had the opportunity to work with many great organisations, including JUSTICE, where I created illustrations for their children’s summary of a report addressing the racial disparity in the criminal justice system; and Essex Council who organised for one of our children’s books (who’s story line and illustrations were created in partnership with the children and member of The Multi Schools Council to raise awareness for children and young people with Special Educational Needs) to be placed in every school in Essex.
I was also recently commissioned for a project in partnership with Westmnister, LSE and UCL Universities to illustrate the pathways to justice surrounding SEN decisions.
I believe that the work I do will help me to raise the voice of the diverse school community; Ensure we are all represented and all children are safeguarded well and can reach their full potential regardless of their background , special educational needs or abilities.
Faraaz Samadi
I joined the governing body in June 2022 and am looking forward to supporting the team at Millfields. I have been a practising lawyer for over 15 years and hope my experience from the workplace can benefit the school. I have been a Millfields parent since 2016 and believe hugely in the ethos, spirit and sense of community that staff and pupils have fostered. My personal focus will be on making sure Millfields gives local children the best possible start in life and enables them to explore opportunities ideas beyond the school gates. The school plays a critical role in the local area and as a long-time resident and local parent, I want to lend my skills and efforts to keep the school at heart of the community whilst striving to deliver better educational and extra-curricular outcomes for the children each year.
Theodor Hinz - Teacher Governer
