Andrew Willshire (Chair of Governors)

I have over 20 years’ experience working in Communications, Public Relations and Marketing across commercial, charitable and public sector organisations, as well as four years running my own business.

I bring a wide range of skills to the Governing body including data analysis, stakeholder relations and project management.

I have two children, one at secondary school and the youngest in KS2, both of whom started school in the Nursery at Penwortham.

I have been a Governor at Penwortham since 2013.

Ross Dalgleish

I am a co-opted Assistant Governor, with a focus on Finance. I have nearly two decades of experience working a variety of regulated functions in the asset management and banking sectors. This has given me skills in people management, corporate governance and financial risk management that I can bring to the Governing body. I moved to Furzedown in 2012 and my three children currently attend the school.

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Halima Aboobaker

I joined the Penwortham Governing Body as an Associate Governor in Summer 2019. Currently, I am a Head of Science in a secondary school. I have been teaching for 13 years where I have led on projects with primary schools and Imperial College, ran CPD’s for local primary schools, initiated transition meetings from KS2 into KS3 and ran many Saturday masterclass sessions for KS2 and KS3 students. I have lived in Furzedown for 12 years and have always thought highly of Penwortham School. Being in Education myself I was able to get a better insight into the School and all it has to offer when my son started in 2015. I always wanted to be a part of Penwortham not just as a parent but as someone who could give back to the community – and here I am!

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I have lived in Tooting for around 15 years. My background is in law (with a particular interest in education and social welfare issues) and I currently teach at a university and also investigate employment disputes. I became a co-opted Governor in autumn 2018 because I wanted to be more involved in our amazing local community. I immediately felt welcomed by everyone at the school and I have been so impressed by your commitment, enthusiasm and shared values. I am currently the Vice Chair of the Governing Body, the Link Governor for Special Educational Needs, and the chair of the Curriculum and Standards committee.

Tanya Easter

I was voted Parent Governor to start September 2023. I have children in Year 2 and Year 4.

Over the course of 24 years, I have worked as an Acting headteacher, Deputy Headteacher, Assistant Headteacher, Subject leader, and Class Teacher. I have been a SENCO for 15 years across a Southwark and Lambeth school. Ima proud to be supporting the school as part of the Children & Families and Curriculum & Standards committees.

Alan Biddiscombe

I was delighted to be able to join the Governing Body at Penwortham as an elected Parent Governor in Autumn 2020. I have worked as a Secondary School teacher since 2004, and since 2008 have worked at a large comprehensive school in south London. In 2011 I joined the leadership team at my school and have been a member ever since. I have been responsible for several different parts of the school in this time which has given me an overview of the challenges that can be faced by schools both Primary and Secondary. I have also seen the hope, ambition and nurture that a successful school can provide for its students and wish to help Penwortham continue its path of combining a rigorous academic education within an inclusive and caring environment. I have two children both currently at the school in Nursery and Year 2.

Hayley Tate

I am delighted to be part of the Penwortham Governing Body as a co-opted governor.  I have a background in Primary Education working as a class teacher for 18 years.  My last role was Head of Early Years and as well as serving on the Senior Leadership Team. I currently work for a charity, EPEC (Empowering Parents Empowering Communities) and work in family centres providing parenting courses for parents of babies and toddlers.  I'm keen to use my experiences to help in my role as governor and to see the school continue to be a nurturing, creative, safe community where all our children can flourish and be happy and confident .  I have 4 children, 3 of whom are at Penwortham in Nursery, Year 2 and Year 5.  My other child is in secondary school in Year 10 at Saint Cecelias but he was previously at Penwortham and really thrived during his time in Penwortham.

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Stella Macaulay

I retired in September 2020 after working for 47 years in child care and children’s safeguarding related fields. I worked in LB Wandsworth for 30 years across the Education Welfare Service and Children’s Safeguarding Service. I was lead for safeguarding in schools (working with all schools in Wandsworth) and involved in designing and delivering child protection and safeguarding training for Designated School Leads and school staff. I worked closely with the multi-agency networks and was a member of the Wandsworth Safeguarding Children Board and a variety of sub committees. I also worked with the Pan London networks in relation to safeguarding in schools, attendance related matters and specialist educational issues (eg EHE, CME etc)

I have previous governor experience having been a parent governor at her daughters’ school for 5 years. I have 3 adult daughters and two grandchildren.

Malcolm Lewis

I joined the Penwortham Primary School Governing Body as an Associate Governor in Autumn 2022 where I have two daughters in the school, one who has special educational needs . My interest in becoming a governor was particularly regarding how those children with a breadth of needs are catered for which the school has often shown itself to be adept at. 

Professionally I am a chartered surveyor and Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors where the majority of my career (22 years and counting) has been spent working on major infrastructure programmes such as the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, Crossrail (Elisabeth Line) and for owner operators such as Transport for London and Heathrow Airport. I am currently a deputy commercial director for NHS England where I am involved in the construction of new hospitals across England. In working in this sphere, I have experience working in highly regulated environments, with public scrutiny where contractual and construction matters are to the fore and doing so in a safe and timely manner. I sit on the resource committee and will become the Link governor for Health and Safety.

Steven Britton

I have been working for Wandsworth Council for 15 years, initially as a learning mentor and then as an Education Welfare Officer (EWO). For 8 of those years I have been the schools EWO and during that time I have seen the school establish long lasting and positive relationships with parents, business and external services which I feel has made the school such a integral part of the Furzedown community. My experience of working with the school and understanding the schools vision places me in an unique position to offer advice, critique and encouragement that may help the school continue to meet the educational and social needs of the pupils and the families they support.

Sara Griffin

I joined the governing body in 2022. My background is in accounting, I am currently Director of Finance and Resources at Royal Trinity Hospice, based in Clapham. I am responsible for the management and governance of the finance, IT and facilities teams. I am a member of the resources committee and the link governor for maths.

I have two children at Penwortham in years 2 and 4.

James Bromley

I am currently teaching in year 4 and have been the staff governor since September 2022. I have been teaching for five years and have been at Penwortham for three of those, having previously taught at a school in Lambeth. As an active class teacher, I am able to provide real insight into how the school’s policies and priorities are implemented on a day-to-day basis. Aside from my main role as a class teacher, I am also the music lead at Penwortham and I’m always looking for ways to raise the profile of music and, by extension, the school in the local community.

As staff governor, I am able to represent the interests of the school's teaching staff and communicate any issues from their perspective. I am proud to act as a voice for the views of the teaching staff, ensuring the well-being and professional development of the staff are always a priority.