Meet Our Governors

Lammas School and Sixth Form / Staff Handbook / Governors

Meet our Governors

Ted Cooke –Chair of Governors

I became Chair in September 2013 prior to this I was Vice Chair since the setting up of the temporary governing body for what was then referred to as the new South Leyton Secondary School way back in the last century!

I am local born in Upper Walthamstow Road, and attended schools in the borough before going off to train as a teacher at the time in preparation for the raising of the school leaving age and that was from fifteen to sixteen. My home and heart has always been in the London Borough of Waltham Forest and I now live in the leafy corner of Chingford. I have three grown up children and one grandson whilst my partner, a Councillor in Leytonstone, has two children and four grandchildren. I taught first in the old ILEA and soon became involved in special education and following taking an advanced dip in special educational needs and educational psychology I moved to Newham where I was first a Deputy Head of a school for maladjusted secondary aged pupils and then the Head of a school for children with complex learning difficulties. Being a dyslexic and dyspraxic this seemed a natural choice but at the same time I also appreciated the positive needs of many special needs pupils to be in mainstream schools and took part in the early debates on inclusion and the closure of special schools. Indeed I oversaw the integration of my special school into three mainstream schools before spending some time as an advisory Head working on such new things as IT and LMS for special needs and assisting in the integration of a school for physically handicapped children into mainstream schools. In 1995 I moved to Waltham Forest Education and headed up what was then the new Integrated Special Needs Mainstream Support Service thinking that all the teachers that had taught me had now retired or gone on, little did I realise that two of my Sixth Form teachers were now Heads of secondary schools! I used my talents in a number of ways over the next few years including an eight month stint as Acting Head of William Morris School as well as working closely with Social Services, Educational Psychology and senior management in the borough until I was able to take early retirement.

I have also worked with young offenders and even taught at adult evening classes for a time where incidentally I met my ex-wife. I am an active and committed member of the Church of England, having been a Church Warden for a number of years at Ss Peter and Paul’s Church in Chingford, was a Foundation Governor for over twenty years for Chingford CofE Schools serving spells as both Chair and Vice Chair of Governors and Chair of their finance committee. I am a member of Waltham Forest CofE Deanery Synod and represents them on Waltham Forest Standing Advisory Council for Religious education – I also Chair of WF SACRE.

Like Paul Redcliffe, Vice Chair, I have been involved with our school since it was a twinkle in the minds of the planners in education and was asked to join the temporary Governing Body with a brief to ensure that the school really was accessible to all. Due to my involvement with education I have played an active role in the development of the school including having been part of the selection process for nearly all the senior members of staff in the school and have promoted the values and aspirations that the school so clearly demonstrates. For a number of years I have been retired and have been able to organise things so that I can get into the school during the school day and have taken this as my role as Chair of Governors to be one of the regular faces of the Governing Body seen around the school.

Lammas School and Sixth Form / Staff Handbook / Governors

Paul Redcliffe – Vice- Chair of Governors

I became Chair of Governors when the first temporary Governing Body met back in July 1999 to plan for a new secondary school in Leyton. In September 2013 I decided to step down from Chair and was appointed Vice-Chair. I began work in libraries but moved to IT doing support work in Councils, a hospital, university and a further education college. I currently work for Enfield Council as a Business Analyst.

I first became a Governor shortly after I moved to Leyton through the Labour Party which wanted volunteers for Governing Bodies. I then got more involved in education as a Councillor particularly on the Education Committee. I have been a Governor on a number of schools: infant and junior, primary, and a special school. I became involved with Lammas arguing for the new school, during the Council's school building programme in the 1990s pushing for the funding, a site, approving a design, and seeing the building go ahead. I continued to be involved once the school was set up and I stood down from the Council.

I have the same basic duties as other Governors: to assist in the oversight of the school's policies, its proper running, and approving and monitoring the school’s finances. The Governing Body tries to be familiar with the operation of the school, meet the staff, students, and their parents but as most Governors work and may be parents it is sometimes difficult to do this as much as they would like. Governors are all volunteers and although they may have different levels of involvement and different roles and interests they stay involved because they want to support the school and students and see them succeed.

I want to see the school provide for both students and the local community to meet their educational and recreational needs. Qualifications are important to obtain good jobs and a secure future so the school must have high aspirations for its students; but this is not the only purpose. It was planned as both a high quality school and a centre for Adult Education and recreational classes. I want to see local children and adults, as well as the staff, do well at the school, and move on to good careers and achievement.

Patricia Gough – Co-opted Governor

I was invited to be part of the temporary Governing Body when the school was first discussed. I am Chair of the Finance sub-committee, Literacy Link Governor and the Governor Representative on the ICT Steering group.

I was a teacher in a Junior School, a Brownie and a Guide Leader. I have experience in teaching, chair, leadership in education and guiding. I belong to a variety of groups in the local area such as Leyton and Leytonstone Historical Society, Trefoil Guild, Townswomen’s Guild and Civic Society. I am also a Trustee of the Henry Green Scholarship Fund.

I believe that all children have a right to an education and endeavours to ensure this happens.

Andrew Lock – Co-opted Governor

I have lived in Leyton for 20 years with my partner Julia. I originally come from North Devon and came to London in 1985 to study Economics at Queen Mary College, University of London. I have work in Finance for Turner Broadcasting in central London near Oxford Circus. Turner Broadcasting produces cable TV channels, CNN, Cartoon Network, Boomerang and TCM. I was a Councillor in Waltham Forest from 1994 to 2002. After I left the Council, I studied for an MBA at the Open University.

Lammas School and Sixth Form / Staff Handbook / Governors

I see my role as representing the community as an LEA Governor and being a critical friend to the Head and staff, and the Governing body. I was involved as a Councillor in planning and building the school. My name appears on the foundation stone which was laid in 2000. It was an honour for me to be involved at this stage of a new secondary school for Leyton.

I like to play my part as a Governor in helping the school continue to be a great asset to the community and helping build a tolerant, diverse and respectful society. I hope my experience as a long term resident of Leyton, former Councillor and active citizen gives me some experience to help the Governing Body support a successful school.

Tony Faulkner – Co-opted Governor

I am a Community Governor which means that I represent the whole community including children and parents in the performance of Lammas. I was one of a group of Governors serving on the Governing Bodies of various schools in the Borough who became involved in the foundation of Lammas School.

I want to help Lammas to become an ever more effective and high performing school, with my experience as a Governor of various schools for some nineteen years I can help to achieve this. My professional background is in banking and financial services.

Neil Gascoigne – Co-opted Governor

I have been involved in education for most of my life: as a student (with various interregna) until the age of 31; as a university lecturer since that time. Somewhat uncommonly, I qualified as both a Scientist (BEng) and a Philosopher (MPhil, PhD) and even managed to fit in time in the mid-1980s to train as, first, a Kremlinologist and then a Management Consultant.

I have travelled extensively (on most continents and on restricted budgets) and taught in the US and NZ as well as at various institutions in the UK. In addition to having managed departments of up to 30 staff, I have a genuine intellectual interest in education and its role in the formation of persons capable of happy and happily productive lives. I am, for example, a member of a group of academics who have formed an interdisciplinary group researching the connection between the acquisition of practical skills and theoretical knowledge, and recently published a book that touches, amongst other things, on how so-called 'know-how' is transmitted. Unsurprisingly, that interest took on a more practical dimension with the arrival of my own children (still young) and with them the recognition of the importance of early stage education.

I am sociable and like to work cooperatively, though usually take on the role of 'ideas generator'. I became a school Governor because my intellectual and practical abilities may help to improve an institution with which I have affiliated and through that both the life opportunities of the children there and the society of which they form part. I feel that if one can make such a contribution one should.

Aalekh Srivastava – Co-opted Governor

I became part of the Governing Body in October 2016 and this is my first experience as being a Governor. I am an Engineer with an MBA and currently pursing my Management Accounting Accreditation (CIMA). I am a Management Consultant by profession managing contracts and projects in the global infrastructure industry.

I used to work as the General Manager of the PFI project at Lammas when I was informed about the Governor’s role. I was looking for a way to be more involved with the local community and this came as the perfect opportunity.

Lammas School and Sixth Form / Staff Handbook / Governors

Being new to the Governor role, I aim to provide all the duties required from a Governor (strategic leadership, operational monitoring, staff review and accountability). Simultaneously I also aim to learn and train myself to grow in the Governor’s role.

I strongly believe that children deserve the best education and support to follow their dreams. A good school is the best way to help realise this and my reason to be part of the Governing body.

Lammas is a PFI project and with my experience in the PFI sector, I hope to assist the school in achieving the best value from the PFI arrangement.

I have worked with various schools including SEN schools as part of the operations team managing the building contracts. I have also worked at Lammas and other Waltham Forest PFI schools as part of the private sector delivering the service.

Hassan Raza – Co-opted Governor

I joined the Governing Body as a Co-opted Governor in February 2016. I was born and grew up in Pakistan and one of the first cohorts to study at Lammas. I studied Mathematical Economics at University. I now advise on corporate finance issues in the City of London.

Having witnessed first-hand the great teaching Lammas provides. I am incredibly grateful for the individual care the teachers gave and their willingness to go above and beyond to invest their own time to ensure my development. I genuinely credit Lammas with giving me both the grades and the motivation to grow my potential. I am passionate about the opportunity to contribute back in the same way.

I hope to use my skills to actively contribute to school life, sharing my experiences to help students make informed decisions about their subjects. I am keen to inspire our students to work hard and make prudent choices about higher education and careers.

Outside of work I enjoy running along the Hackney marshes behind the school and spending time with my family.

Babs Pierre – Parent Governor

I joined the Governing Body as a Parent Governor in March 2016 when my son started in Year 8. I now have two children at Lammas. I live in Newham, which like Waltham Forest, is a diverse borough, culturally, economically and socially. I qualified as a Youth and Community worker and subsequently worked in many diverse communities in Manchester. I went on to do a Social Science degree and then I moved to Bristol and completed a Post Graduate diploma in Housing Studies. I have worked extensively with young people from 0-18yrs, I was a Homelessness Officer working with vulnerable families and young people for a number of years and now I run a building maintenance business.

I feel my role is to bring to the school a perspective of Parents in decision making that will affect school policies. Having been a Parent Governor over a 10 year period in nursery, primary and now secondary training, I have developed a clear understanding of how diverse those needs can be and I feel that helps me to carry out my role with more insight and more constructively.

I feel the best way that I, personally, can be involved in school life as a current Parent is to be a Governor. I feel that my work experiences at grass roots level have provided me with important skills and knowledge to transfer to a policy level in decision-making.

Lammas School and Sixth Form / Staff Handbook / Governors

The most important aim of the Governing Body is to be a school that caters for all its students and I want to be part of the process that strives to continue to do this. Education is going through a great process of change right now and it is important for parents to be involved in the progression and to continue to be a voice.

Sadaf Hussain – Parent Governor

I have Masters Degree in Computer Networks from Middlesex University London. I am a full-time Mother and give all my time and energy to my 5 children. My eldest daughter is in Year 8 at Lammas and my other children are in primary school. Now that all my children are going to school and the school is playing a very great and big part in our lives, I wanted to get fully involved in the school and thought of becoming a Parent Governor.

I have interaction with different teachers of my children and at the same time interact with so many parents. As a parent I always used to listen to other parents views and concerns. I always talk to teachers as well so I know the views from both sides so I think I can voice their views clearly in the meetings. I am honest, very friendly and a straight talking person. I can bring fresh ideas and energy.