Our Governors

When becomming an Academy in April 2012 our Board of Governors were elected for a 4 year term, with a rolling 1 year term of office being set at the November Governors Meeting where each governor serving a mimimum of 1 year in an elected role. Those roles include Chair of Governors, Vice Chair of Governors, Chair and Vice Chair of Finance/Premises and Curriculum/Personnel. Additionally Governors will then take on more specific duties those being Responsible Officer, SEND, Safeguarding and Link.

LH Register of Business Interests 2022.23

LH-Register-of-Business-Interests-2023.24

Mrs Rachel Pritchard

Headteacher

Appointed by Academy Trust - April 2012
Governor Meeting Attendance 2020/2021 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2021/2022 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2022/2023 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2023/2024 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2024/2025 - 1/1

Mr Peter Stafford

Deputy Headteacher

Appointed by the Board of Governors - June 2014
Governor Meeting Attendance 2020/2021 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2021/2022 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2022/2023 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2023/2024 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2024/2025 - 1/1

Mr Andrew Smith

CEO of Learning Pathways Academy Trust

Mr Darren Cross

Chair of The Governing Body

dcross@lyonshall.org.uk

Miss Olivia Dudley Smith

Teacher/Staff Governor

Governor Meeting Attendance 2023/2024 - 2/2

This will be my third year at Lyons Hall as a KS2 class teacher and although I am at the beginning of my career, I have quickly developed an enthusiasm for the job. I am passionate about ensuring children of all backgrounds and abilities fulfil their potential and hope to grow my role within Lyons Hall to help as many students as possible do this. I have taken on the subject of music and am looking forward to supporting the teaching and learning of this across the school. I am excited to join the governing body as a Key Stage 2 Staff Governor and to widen my understanding of the Lyons Hall community.

Governor Meeting Attendance 2023/2024 2/2
Governor Meeting Attendance 2024/2025 1/1

Mrs Rosie Down

Teacher / Staff Governor

I joined the governing body as Key Stage 1 Staff Governor in June 2020, having been a class teacher at Lyons Hall for 9 years. Since joining the school, I have taught across Key Stage 1; three years in Year 1, five years in Year 2 and leading an Early Years ‘bubble’ during the Covid-19 pandemic. I am embarking on my fifth year of teaching in Year 2, as well as supporting the teaching and learning of Maths across the school and being an ECT mentor. I have a passion for teaching and seeing children of all abilities progress each year is the most rewarding part of my role.

Appointed by the Board of Governors - June 2020
Governor Meeting Attendance 2020/2021 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2021/2022 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2022/2023 - 2/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2023/2024 - 1/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2024/2045 - 0/1

Mrs Kara Birch

Teacher / Staff Governor

Governor Meeting Attendance 2023/2024 1/2

I started my role as Senior Teacher at Lyons Hall in September 2022, after qualifying as a teacher in 2012. I have worked in several Essex primary schools, and I am now extremely proud to be part of such a forward thinking and innovative school! Since starting at Lyons Hall, I have taught in Year 2; I also oversee Years 3 and 4 and lead RE.
I have two teenage children, one of whom has just completed her first year of a Primary Education degree. This, coupled with mentoring numerous student and early career teachers throughout my career, has led me to passionately believe that we need to nurture and support fledgling teachers to develop their expertise and to stay within the profession.
I have been given this opportunity at Lyons Hall and along with mentoring two newly qualified teachers within our school, I have taken on the role of Induction Tutor. This means that I coordinate the induction programme for our early career teachers and carry out assessments and progress reviews. I have also recently taken on the role of Visiting Fellow for Ambition Institute, which gives me the opportunity to deliver face to face and online conferences and clinics for teachers in the first two years of their careers.
I am very much looking forward to taking on the role of staff governor and supporting our wonderful school as much as I can.

Governor Meeting Attendance 2023/2024 - 1/2
Governor Meeting Attendance 2024/2025 - 0/1

Mrs Jessica Ballard

Teacher / Staff Governor

Governor Meeting Attendance 2023/2024 - 1/2

I started my career at Lyons Hall, over 9 years ago, as a KS1 class practitioner. Since then, I have taken every opportunity to continue developing my own practice. I now have a range of responsibilities across the school (Assistant Head Techer, KS1 Lead and Phonics Lead) and work collaboratively with other schools across Essex, as a Literacy Specialist. I am passionate about improving educators’ practice and have coached numerous educators throughout my time at Lyons Hall. I am proud to now join the governing body as a Key Stage 1 staff Governor.

Governor Meeting Attendance 2023/2024 1/2
Governor Meeting Attendance 2024/2025 1/1

Mrs Samantha Ambrose

Parent Governor - Curriculum/Safguarding

sambrose@lyonshall.org.uk

My name is Samantha Ambrose and I am a parent governor for Lyons Hall Primary School. I am a teacher myself, specialising in secondary Physical Education and it is therefore fitting that my role as a governor relates to the curriculum matters of the school. I am proud to be part of such a fantastic school where it is obvious the students happiness is of paramount importance.

Appointed by Board of Governors - November 2017
Governor Meeting Attendance 2020/2021 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2021/2022 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2022/2023 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2023/2024 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2024/2025 - 1/1

Mrs Lelia Berkeley

SEN & Safeguarding

lberkeley@lyonshall.org.uk

I am delighted to have been recently appointed as Governor for SEND and Safeguarding.

I started my career in Education 35 years ago. following completion of a Batchelor’s Degree in Education and Psychology at the University of Warwick University, and a PGCE at Goldsmiths College in Lewisham. I have led three schools as Headteacher in Inner London and Essex, and I hold a Master’s Degree in Leadership and Management. In my last Headship I was also the SENCO and very much enjoyed this role.

During my teaching career I have been passionate about supporting education beyond my own school; working as an Advisory Headteacher with other schools, mentoring new Headteachers, and joining the Colchester Teacher Training Consortium’s PGCE tutoring team.

Throughout my career, I have been a passionate advocate for Inclusion and more recently I trained as an Accredited Attachment Lead leading training for schools on Trauma Responsive approaches to challenging behaviour in schools. These approaches align with the principles behind the GROW unit at Lyons Hall.

I currently work as the Early Career Framework Lead for the Professional Learning Network based at Lyons Hall. I also support the Lyons Hall Leadership Team with the DFE Behaviour Hub Lead School Programme.

I am a strong advocate for the power of training to support all children and staff to deliver the very best education and ultimately enhance life chances for the pupils in our care. Historically I have always valued the momentum at Lyons Hall where the staff are provided with the very best Professional Development opportunities to develop their expertise.

I believe my experience will serve me well as SEND and Safeguarding Governor at Lyons Hall.

Appointed by the Board of Governors - June 2023
Governor Meeting Attendance 2022/2023 - 1/1
Governor Meeting Attendance 2023/2024 - 1/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2024/2025 - 1/1

Mr Roy Clarke

Parent Govenor - Finance

rclarke@lyonshall.org.uk

I joined Lyons Hall School as a Governor in March 2022, I am a Chartered Management Accountant and father of three past and present Lyons Hall students. I am the Chief Finance Officer of an NHS Foundation Trust with 25 years of healthcare experience in primary, secondary and tertiary services and Hospital Development.

Appointed by Board of Governors - March 2022
Governor Meeting Attendance 2021/2022 - 1/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2022/2023 - 2/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2023/2024 - 1/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2024/2025 - 0/1

Mr Anthony Panayi

Parent Governor - Equality

apanayi@lyonshall.org.uk

I joined the governing body in June 2023 as the Equality Governor and I currently have two children attending the school.

I have a wealth of experience in management and finance as well as experience as a diversity and inclusion manager for a large corporate company.

I currently work supporting children with disabilities across Essex and London, regularly visiting special educational school across the county.

I pride myself on integrity and personal values. I will do all I can to insure all the children in the school feel included , supported and safe throughout their school journey.

Appointed by the Board of Governors - June 2023
Governor Meeting Attendance 2022/2023 - 1/1
Governor Meeting Attendance 2023/2024 - 2/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2024/2025 - 1/1

Mr Mark Evans

Parent Governor - Personnel

mevans@lyonshall.org.uk

I am delighted to have been recently appointed as a Parent Governor at Lyons Hall with a responsibility for helping the school’s personnel management.

Up until November 2021, I was a Primary Head Teacher in Essex, a post which I held for two and a half years in another Academy Trust. Due to a change in my personal circumstances and the growth of my football business over the last few years, I decided to leave education to focus on these other areas. As education has always been a passion of mine, I am thrilled to still have a chance to share that passion and experience to help make a positive contribution to primary education, in a school that has been so good for my own children. Prior to my role as a Head Teacher in Essex, I was a Deputy Head Teacher in the London Borough of Redbridge in two different schools and an Assistant Head Teacher in two other schools before that. I was also specialist leader of education in Assessment and Safeguarding and was often seconded to schools who needed support in those areas.

I currently have one son in Year 1 and one daughter in Year 6 at the school. My eldest daughter is now in Year 10 at secondary school who also came to Lyons Hall. I also live a stone’s throw away from the school too. As a Head Teacher, my school values were: that every child has the right to a stimulating, exciting, engaging and rewarding time at school and that we should see every child as a wonderful individual. We should do all we can to make sure that our children are safe and happy, and that they can achieve their full potential. This is something I hope to support Lyons Hall in doing.

Appointed by the Board of Governors - November 2021
Governor Meeting Attendance 2021/2022 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2022/2023 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2023/2024 - 1/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2024/2025 - 1/1

Mr Matthew Juma

Parent Govenor - Premises

mjuma@lyonshall.org.uk

I joined Lyons Hall school as a parent Governor in November 2021. I have been in construction for over 20 years and work for a main contractor that was responsible for several new build schools and extensions as part building schools for the future (BSF) programme in Essex. I have two daughters at the school and take an active interest in their education and the Schools teaching ethos. I have been nothing but impressed with the schools all round approach to teaching and child safety with a special mention to Special Educational Needs (SEN) support which one of my daughters require.

Appointed by Board of Governors - November 2021
Governor Meeting Attendance 2021/2022 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2022/2023 - 2/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2023/2024 - 3/3
Governor Meeting Attendance 2024/2025 - 1/1

Mrs Eutecia Jegede

Parent Govenor - Wellbeing

ejegede@lyonshall.org.uk

I am so pleased to have joined the governors as a parent governor for Wellbeing. I have 2 children 1 currently in Year 1. I am extremely passionate about education and strongly believe for children to have the best start in education they need to have the right support emotionally, mentally and physically as their wellbeing is of vital importance. My 1st degree was in Early years education and obtained a masters in Mental health and both sectors are definitely areas I am passionate about. I am definitely honored to have joined the team of the school governors and look forward to working to support the children’s wellbeing.

Appointed by Board of Governors - June 2024
Governor Meeting Attendance 2023/2024 - 1/1
Governor Meeting Attendance 2024/2024 - 0/1