Who We Are, What We Do
Governors are the largest volunteer force in the country. Every school has a governing body, made up of members of staff, members of the local community, parents of children at the school and people appointed by the local authority. At Henry Cavendish, as with every school in the UK, we need to be aware of what’s going on in the school, what’s working and should be encouraged and, perhaps more importantly, what isn’t working and needs to change. Our role is to support and challenge Mr Apsley and his senior leadership team. We’re not there to rubber stamp decisions, and we have to ask difficult questions and discuss issues so that we arrive at sensible and constructive outcomes which will help Henry Cavendish maintain its high standards and continue moving forward. It is important we get things right. How we do our job affects the interests of pupils, staff morale and how the school is seen by parents and others in the community.
We are legally required to:
- Set strategic direction, policies and objectives
- Approve the school budget
- Review progress against the school’s budget and objectives
- Appoint, challenge and support the Headteacher
We are not responsible for the day-to-day running of the school. That is entirely down to the Mr Apsley and his Senior Leadership Team.
If you have a question or a problem you should first talk to your child’s class teacher, the office staff or the Headteacher. If you don’t feel able to talk to any of the school staff and have something that’s on your mind, then please do contact us. You can send us an email to gbody@henrycavendish.co.uk.
From June 2014 the Governing Body consists of 15 members and include:
- 4 parent governors – elected by parents of children attending Henry Cavendish Primary School
- 1 LA governor – appointed by the London Borough of Lambeth
- 1 Headteacher – ex-officio
- 1 staff governor – elected by school staff
- 8 co-opted governors – elected by the Governing Body
Meet the Governors - Statements
Charlaine Nkum | I am a Human Resource Advisor, currently specialising in Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion. I currently work in the Public Sector. As a governor, I aim to support the Pupil Premium agenda, ensuring that we close gaps where possible and continue to make resources accessible and inclusive for every child within our school. I am currently a member of the National Association of Schools and Clerks.
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Gay Wenban-Smith | I am an economist working in the energy sector and live in Clapham. I am an experienced school governor, and I am active in trying to improve governor understanding and input in support of pupil achievement and wellbeing. Currently I am a member of Lambeth Schools Forum, an observer on the Lambeth Schools Partnership Board, and Chair of the Lambeth Governors Forum Executive.
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| Halema Askar | I have two children at Henry Cavendish and also attended the school as a child. I have gained knowledge from my line of work, involved in initiatives to support Diversity, Equality and Inclusion, and as a parent governor, feel empowered to utilise this, to help children with their personal development, academic attainment and overall school experience. In addition, I work in the financial services business and can therefore also bring my professional experience to the Governing Body.
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| Jack Jervoise | I work in small businesses and start-ups, leading Finance teams, and have lived locally for 9 years in Clapham and Wandsworth. I am excited to bring what I’ve learnt in the world of SMEs, and as a chartered accountant, to support the school in providing every child with an outstanding education. |
| John Donnelley | I am a lawyer working in the finance sector and live locally in Streatham. I joined the governors in summer 2023, and I am able to use my legal training to understand the framework within which the school operates and the duties and responsibilities of both the school leadership team and the governors. |
Lorna Burg | I have worked at Henry Cavendish for the last 25 years and both of my sons attended Henry Cavendish. I was part of the recruitment panel for the last 2 headships. I enjoy being a governor and supporting the strategic direction of our school. I believe that every child should have the best start to their learning journey.
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| Mark Hayhurst | I work in property development solving complex issues, driving efficiencies and embracing new methods of working making use of modern technologies where necessary to achieve this. I have two boys at Balham and am the Governor lead on Health and Safety. I am passionate about the school environment, its buildings and the positive impact on those who attend the school. Key to this is providing everyone with a fantastic environment to allow teachers and children to focus on delivery and learning.
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Matthew Apsley | My career experience is varied: I have taught the vast majority of primary year groups and have extensive Headship experience, including leading both private and maintained schools. I believe we are all learners and should be constantly looking to develop and improve what we do and what we offer.
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| Matthew Bacon | I am Management Consultant working in the Energy Sector, focusing on efficiency and performance of large organisations and live in Brixton. I have a keen interest in coaching and mentoring working with a number of charities to support children in unlocking their potential. I am passionate in ensuring that HC provides a solid platform for all our children as they start their journey through the education system. |
Ruth Knox | I am a parent of two Henry Cavendish children, and have seen them grow up through the school from Saplings to Year 6. As a Governor, I help the school reflect the views and values of parents in their decision making. My particular interests lie in how the school supports children, parents and carers with Year 6 transition and I was delighted to see more help coming from the school this year.
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| Samantha Tanner | I live locally in Balham and both my children attend Henry Cavendish. I am a parent governor who works in the insurance sector. My day to day job involves quantifying and managing financial risk and performance which is useful practical experience I can bring to the school governing body. I am passionate about supporting our wonderful school community by giving voice to parts of the school with their distinctive needs and ensuring effective communications between the school and parents. |
Governors Terms of Office
Headteacher and Staff Governor | Parent Governors | Local Authority Governor | Co-Opted Governors | Associate Members |
Matthew Apsley, Headteacher, | Halema Askar Term: 8 November 2022 to 7 October 2026 | Elinor Hull Vice Chair Chair of Resources Term: From 18 October 2021 as LA Governor to 11 June 2025 | Gay Wenban-Smith Chair of Governors Term: From 19 May 2022 to 18 May 2026 | Michelle Raistrick |
Philippa White Term: 30 November 2023 to 29 November 2027 | Lucy Williams Term: 8 November 2022 to 7 October 2026 |
| Lorna Burg Term: From 19 May 2022 to 18 May 2026 | Jennifer Livens |
| Samantha Tanner Term: 11 March 2024 to 10 March 2024 |
| Matt Bacon Term: 4 January 2023 to 3 January 2027 |
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| Ruth Knox Term: 23 April 2020 to 22 April 2024 |
| Charlaine Nkum 1 November 2021 to 31 October 2025 |
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Mark Hayhurst 26 June 2023 to 25 June 2027 | ||||
John Donnelly 26 June 2023 to 25 June 2027 | ||||
Jack Jervoise 5 February 2023 to 4 February 2027 |
Governing Board Committees
Most of our formal work is done in full Governing Body meetings, held once a term. We also have four small sub committees.
Performance Management Committee
The Performance Management Committee meets to set targets for the Head and leadership team and assess their performance against them. The Committee makes recommendations to the Pay Committee.
Pay Committee
The Pay Committee supports the Governing Body in fulfilling its statutory obligations regarding pay. Its members include the members of the Performance Management Committee plus one or two other governors, and its duties include putting into effect the school’s pay policy, recommending the annual pay budget and keeping abreast of developments in the field. It will also agree the pay progression for the senior leadership team of the school.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee meets at least once a term to review and approve the annual budget. They also look at long term financial plans for the school, reflecting school priorities including staffing plans and plans relating to the repair, maintenance and development of the premises and to recommend action on these plans to the Governing Body.
Governing Body Business Interest – Updated December 2023
Governor Type | Nature of Pecuniary Interest | Term of Office Ends |
Parent (4) | ||
Samantha Tanner | Chief Actuary at CFC Underwriting Ltd | March 2028 |
Ruth Knox | London Borough of Merton Head of Opposition Leader's Office | March 2024 |
Helema Askar | Mortgage Advisor - NatWest Group | October 2026 |
Lucy Williams | Senior HR Administrator - Anchor Tutors | October 2026 |
LA (1) | ||
Elinor Hull | Post Office Ltd – Chief Operations Officer | June 2022 |
Headteacher (1) | ||
Matthew Apsley | No interest to declare | Ex Officio |
Staff (1) | ||
Philippa White |
| November 2027 |
Co-opted (8) |
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Gay Wenban-Smith | Self Employed Governor at King's Avenue School | May 2026 |
Lorna Burg | One interest declared Governor at Henry Fawcett Primary School | May 2026 |
Matthew Bacon | Management Consultant - Ernst & Young LLP | February 2027 |
| Charlaine Nkum | Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea | October 2025 |
| Mark Hayhurst | Property Develpment - Hayhurst Estates Ltd (Director) |
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Associate Members (2) | ||
Michelle Raistrick | One interest declared | NA |
Jennifer Hanks | No interest to declare | NA |
| Mark Hayhurst | Property Develpment - Hayhurst Estates Ltd (Director) | |
George Morley - co-opted governor, resigned in July 2023
Rebecca Mwilla - staff governor, resigned in November 2023
Reena Virdee - co-opted govenor, end of term in November 2023
Alice Evans - parent governor, end of term February 2024
Governing Body Minutes of Meetings
September 2022 to July 2023
September 2021 to July 2022
September 2020 to July 2021
September 2019 to July 2020
September 2018 to July 2019
Attendance - Full Governing Body Meetings