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    Governors

    Welcome to the governors’ section of the Camden School for Girls website.

    The School

    Camden School is a voluntary aided foundation school within Camden Local Authority. This means that the charity, The Camden School Foundation of Frances Mary Buss , owns the school site and all the school’s buildings and has delegated control over their use to the Governors of the school. It also means the school has other responsibilities including employing its own staff and providing a 10% contribution towards the cost of almost all building work.

    The role of the governing body

    The school governing body includes governors appointed by the Foundation, the local authority, parents and staff.

    Their role is to help shape the overall direction of the school, monitor progress and standards, review and approve the budget, appoint and support the Head and senior staff, review policies and procedures and ensure the school fulfils its statutory duties.

    Governors meet regularly and non-staff governors also keep in contact with different departments of the school, have responsibility for specific policies and attend events and performances. We also hold regular meetings with parents to provide a forum for communication.
    There are two permanent committees of governors that consider detailed matters within their remit and report to the full governing body. They are:

    Curriculum and Staffing Committee 

    Chair - Maria Kambouri

    Vice-Chair - Tom Engel

    Finance and Premises Committee 

    Chair - Dick Tyler

    Vice-Chair - Alison Minto

     Other committees are convened as necessary to consider other matters such as disciplinary issues, fundraising and appeals.

    Key priorities

    The school has a long tradition of promoting opportunities for girls. At sixth form level it admits boys to its roll. The school aims to create a social and physical environment which combines security and care with challenge, stimulus and the highest expectations, where staff and pupils work together with the understanding and support of parents/carers. It is the policy of governors to sustain and to promote the school’s ethos, heritage and philosophy within the contexts of public policy, social trends and educational need.

    Amongst our key priorities are: improving the quality of students’ learning; narrowing the gap between the achievement of the most disadvantaged pupils and other pupils; raising attainment at KS4; taking action to secure the quality of education provided by the school despite budget cuts and maintaining our exceptional pastoral care and high educational achievements.

    You can contact us by emailing governors@csg.school.

    Amena Amer - Foundation Governor
     

    I am currently a Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Greenwich where I teach social and cross-cultural psychology, as well as qualitative research methods. I am also a member of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Task Force at the University of Greenwich. Prior to joining the University of Greenwich in 2020, I completed my PhD in Social Psychology at the London School of Economics and Political Science. My research interests focus on identity and belonging with an emphasis on experiences among minority and marginalised groups. I have recently been awarded a British Academy/Wolfson Fellowship for Early Career Research to pursue a research project exploring identity negotiation and feelings of belonging among Muslim women in British universities.

    I have previously worked in the third sector drawing connections between my academic research interests and its real-world application and impact. I have developed and facilitated workshops in schools and communities across the UK exploring issues of identity and belonging with a focus on the experience of young Muslim girls and women. I have also designed and delivered workshops for secondary school teachers on positionality and reflexivity.

    Flora Cornish - Parent Governor 

    I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Methodology at the London School of Economics & Political Science, where I teach research methods to students across the social sciences, and lead research on community responses to public health crises and disasters. I have worked in a wide range of UK Higher Education environments, including the University of Cambridge, Glasgow Caledonian University, and LSE, and work in collaboration with colleagues in universities and crisis-affected communities around the world. I am a passionate teacher and educational leader, and have led the development and improvement of our curriculum in qualitative research methods for many years. I have had numerous administrative roles in departmental leadership, planning, exam boards, recruitment, mentoring, etc. In short I have a rich understanding of the Higher Education environment and skills in educational leadership.

    I am passionate about the role of schools as lynchpins in their communities, cultivating inclusion, valuing diversity, developing a sense of place, mutual respect, fondness and responsibility. I have been privileged to be a parent governor for 4 years at Eleanor Palmer Primary School, where I chaired the 'Pupils, Parents & Community' committee, during which time we progressed important topics such as de-colonising the curriculum, supporting parents of children with SEND, and normalising talk of mental health. My daughter is thriving at CSG, and I am honoured to have the opportunity to contribute to the school.

    Tom Engel - Foundation Governor 

    Co-Vice-Chair & Vice-Chair of C&S Committee

    I work as BT Group’s Director of External Communications & Responsible Business, having held a similar role at the education company, Pearson. I have held corporate communications leadership positions at the UK Departments for International Development and Work & Pensions, as well as the Natural History Museum.

    My career began in the world of politics. After a spell as a parliamentary researcher, I worked in the South African parliament, where I established a scheme to train MPs and young parliamentary staff from groups previously excluded from such roles. Back in the UK, I served as Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Education and Employment. Consulting roles, including a six year stint in Hong Kong, have seen me work for a wide range of clients, from pop groups to the Premier League, multinationals to Amnesty International. I have two daughters, one CSG alumna and one in the sixth form.

    Julia Gibson - Staff Governor  

    I've been an English Teacher for ten years, completing my training in the Midlands under the Teach First scheme, and joining the staff at Camden School for Girls in 2012. During my career I've taken on a range of roles: Literacy Coordinator in my previous school, Head of Year and interventions coordinator for the English department. During my first couple of years at CSG I completed a Masters in Education at the University of Warwick, researching how best to close the attainment gap between disadvantaged students and their more affluent peers, which has informed and catalysed my interest in the issue. Prior to starting my career, I completed another Masters in American Literature at King's College London, and an undergraduate degree in English Literature at the University of Oxford.

    Tanvi Gokhale - Foundation Governor 

    I have spent over 20 years in financial services management consulting and banking. My work has spanned strategy development, transformation and customer journey improvement to create better solutions for customers who are looking for banking made easy. I am passionate about gender inclusivity and cultural diversity in the workplace and champion these causes actively. I am also a Trustee for English Heritage. I attended North London Collegiate School, where I experienced first-hand the benefits of an inspired education, with Frances Mary Buss being a strong role model and pioneer for women’s education. I have two young daughters in primary school and try to teach them every day that access to a sound education opens up a world of possibilities and empowers them to become contributing and productive members of society. I have an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and a BSc in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science

    Manuela Grayson - Foundation Governor 

    Safeguarding Link

    I attended Camden School from the age of 11 till 18 in the 1970s and I am delighted that my daughter is now in the sixth form here. I believe that where a person is educated absolutely shapes them for life and I am very honoured to have joined the Governor body to help support the school in its endeavours to instil its unique values in this and future generations of pupils.

    I am a lawyer and currently work as a Tribunal Chair for a number of professional regulators; but for the most part my full time career has been as current affairs TV programme maker at the BBC.

    I am also Chair of Trustees of Camden Community Law Centre and have been a Camden resident for decades.

    I hope that my general legal knowledge and experience of regulation and governance in various organisations, will enable me to make a positive contribution to CSG’s ability to make a difference, as has been its tradition, to its pupils’ lives and future prospects, in whatever ways they are passionate about.

    Sally Hodgkinson - Parent Governor 

    My daughter joined CSG in 2018 and I have been actively involved as a parent volunteer in the school’s community association, CASCA, since then. My professional background is in fundraising and communications for charitable organisations in the US and UK. I am also a writer and, since March 2020, have focused primarily on freelance content management and copywriting for small businesses and social change organisations. This is my first school governor role, and I feel fortunate to be able to offer my time and energy to support the school in finding solutions that offer lasting improvements for both students and staff at CSG.

    Bob House - Chair - Foundation Governor  

    Chair of Governors

    I spent the first 25 years of my career in management consulting, and then moved into the charity sector where I was chief executive of a charity providing teacher training in philosophical thinking skills. I now work with a number of educational organisations and charities in the UK and abroad as a consultant and pro-bono advisor. I was, for 5 years, treasurer of HomeStart Camden, a charity which supports families with young children in the borough. I have lived in Kentish Town for nearly 30 years My two daughters completed their entire secondary education at Camden School for Girls, and my son did his sixth form years here. All went on to excellent universities and are now in interesting jobs. They benefited enormously from their time at Camden. My wife was a former chair of CASCA. Consequently, I have been involved with the school one way or another for many of the last 15 years.

    I hope to use my business skills and more recent educational experience to help Camden School for Girls remain the outstanding school that it has been for so long, in what are undoubtedly challenging times for the education sector.

    Maria Kambouri - Foundation Governor  

    Chair of C&S Committee

    Having completed my secondary education in Greece I decided to come to study at the University of London. After a few years travelling in Europe and the US I settled here and spent over two decades at the Institute of Education researching and teaching in higher education and as educational consultant in schools and further education colleges. My main interest is in how to support teachers to expand their skills to teach, particularly those learners who face difficulties in learning, through new ways of teaching and how technologies can be used in that context. I visit schools regularly to form partnerships for knowledge exchange.

    I am also the mother of two young adults who were educated in the French state school system in London and in a north London sixth form independent school and who are now studying at university. I stayed close to their school life as class rep, as editor of the school magazine and as parent governor learning from the challenges each school faced.

    When I heard from colleagues about a recent call to join this board of governors, I jumped at the opportunity to join and support Camden School for Girls. I look forward to sharing my experiences and get to know this school as I hope to bring a different perspective and encourage positive change by listening to staff and parents to best serve the students.

    Kateryna Law - Headteacher 

    Vaishali Londhe - Staff Governor 

    I have been a staff member at CSG since 2005 in the capacity of Art Teacher, 2ic, Acting Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and I am currently a Sixth Form Head of Year. I have also worked as an A Level Visiting Moderator for Pearson Edexcel and been a Parent Governor at my child’s primary school. I have a very good understanding of our school’s educational ethos and drive to deliver an aspirational programme of learning for all. I also have direct experience of the impact that the policies, procedures and budgets have on a school’s working practice.

    Prior to teaching I had completed a BA degree in Fine Art, an MA in Printmaking and was an Attached Artist at the ICA. I went on to complete a research project at the Government of India’s Weavers Service Centres. Following this I set up and co-ran an open access Textiles Print Workshop in Scotland, patronised by designers and small businesses. We also designed and manufactured our own range of customised giftware. The experiences gained in running a creative business continue to inform my working practices today.

    I currently have a daughter at CSG.

    Angela Mason CBE - Local Authority Governor 

    Co-Vice-Chair & Link  Governor for SEND

    I am a Camden Councillor for Cantelowes ward and a Cabinet Member for Children covering schools and children's services. Previously, I was Executive Director of Stonewall and Director of the Women and Equality Unit in government. My daughter was a pupil at the school.

    Alison Minto - Foundation Governor 

    Vice Chair of F&P Committee

    I am a working parent, with a background in architecture and the built environment, currently working for the London Borough of Islington. I bring the skills of my experience to support the school in decisions around the school buildings. I have worked within both the public and private not for profit sectors. Much of my work over the last few years has been as a client working to get the best solutions from each project.

    I am an experienced local school governor. I have been a parent governor in Gospel Oak Primary school, including several years as Chair, for over 10 years. Having gained a substantial working knowledge of governance in the primary setting and the current issues affecting schools, teachers and our children’s education, bringing this to the secondary sector at CSG seems a logical next step. l have witnessed the changes to the national curriculum, impact of the reduction in education funding, and the challenges for staff in pivoting during covid these changes are challenging for all schools, and the consequences for our young people are significant. I am proud that my family is part of this community; my daughter is in year 10 at CSG. I also have a child at university and another in year 5.

    Ceri Smith - Parent Governor 

    I have a daughter in CSG, a son at William Ellis and a son at primary school, and I became a parent Governor in the summer of 2021.

    The pandemic meant some parents have not had the chance to connect with the school as well as they might have done in previous years. A strong parent voice, alongside a strong student voice, can help support the school in providing excellent outcomes for our children; I would be pleased to hear from parents about their experiences and thoughts about the school.

    For my ‘day-job’ I am a Director-General in the civil service, and have sat on a number of boards of Government bodies, helping ensure they are effective and efficient in delivering public services. I have previously been a trustee of the MS society (I have MS) and a Governor at Acland Burghley.

    Daisy Srblin - Foundation Governor 

    I joined the Board of Governors at CSG in September 2023, and joined Young Camden Foundation as Chief Executive Officer in May 2022. YCF is a registered charity and works with 130+ member organisations across, to support Camden’s children and youth sector, via fundraising, training and capacity building and infrastructure support. In this role I also serve on Camden Council’s Youth Justice Service Board.

     I was previously CEO of the national youth social action charity Million Minutes, and have worked across campaigns, policy and advocacy at Christian Aid, Child Poverty Action Group, and Gingerbread, the single parents’ charity. I also have experience working in national politics, and worked as a Parliamentary Researcher to a London MP and as a Research Fellow at the Fabian Society. I was the first person in my family to go to university, and I hold First-Class BA and MA degrees in Modern British History from Durham University (University College) and Queen Mary, University of London, where I was awarded a full academic scholarship.

     I was born in Camden, grew up just off Camden Road and attended Hawley Infants’ School (as it was then known) and New End Primary School (as well as the Croatian Supplementary School), before joining CSG in 2002, where I remained through to sixth form. I was elected Head Girl for the 2008/09 academic year and took a keen interest in CSG’s music scene.

     I am of Croatian and Lebanese heritage, and was raised by my mum in social housing in the borough. My academic and social education at CSG, coupled with Camden’s incredible opportunities, helped me to get to where I am today, and I am passionate about promoting equality of opportunity for all children and young people, both in our borough and across the UK.  

    Dick Tyler - Foundation Governor 

    Chair of F&P Committee

    I have two daughters who have completed their education and are now pursuing their careers. My mother, aunt, brother and sister-in-law are/were all teachers. I practiced as a solicitor for 30 years and performed a number of leadership roles in one of the large City law firms. I went to a state school myself and led the social mobility initiatives in my own law firm and in conjunction with other firms. I am now an executive coach and work one-to-one with business leaders and with their organisations on a range or strategy, leadership and governance projects.

    I hope that the combination of my commitment to providing the best education and greatest opportunities to pupils of all backgrounds, the work I do with business leaders to help them become the best version of themselves and my experience of both the nuts and bolts of business and the importance of managing relationships with a variety of stakeholder groups equips me to make a meaningful contribution to the life and performance of CSG.

    Esther Windsor - Parent Governor 

    I am a parent and Senior Lecturer and Researcher at Birmingham School of Art. I am passionate about changing lives through learning and have lived in Camden for 30 years. I’ve been involved in local politics, including housing, gender and environmental issues. I’m interested in: more parent/school contact at CSG, to support our children’s homework, exams and wellbeing; new funding streams; initiatives for mental health and awareness of neurodiversity.

    I’ve worked in programming and funding public art galleries and would like to make relationships for students to local art organisations, to enhance education, including STEM/STEAM. I volunteered at the Anna Freud Centre, on a steering group for child mental health services and use their research for Schools and Universities, in my teaching. I sit on my University, Equality Diversity and Inclusion group and am privileged to use my experience to support CSG and student progression.


    Please click here to see the attendance record at governing body and committee meetings for the past 12 months, click  here here to see the members whose term has expired or have stepped down in the past 12 months.

     

    There is currently 1 vacancy on the governing body.

    Nomination Form and information about who is eligible to stand for a Parent Governor are available below: