About Highshore’s Governing Body

Governing bodies oversee the work of the school and make sure it provides a good quality education for its pupils. More specifically we:

  • Appoint the headteacher, who has day to day responsibility for everything that happens in a school
  • Agree how the school’s money is allocated
  • Agree policies about the way the governing body and the school work
  • Ensure new initiatives and guidelines from the Department for Education and the local authority are put in place

Highshore is a community school. Our governing body is made up of parents, community governors, staff representatives, and local authority appointed governors. The full governing body meets once a term. We also have sub-committees, which also meet once or twice a term to look at things in detail, in the following areas:

  • Curriculum
  • Finance and Premises
  • Personnel

You can contact the governors through the school office. If you are interested in becoming a governor at Highshore, please speak to the Head about upcoming vacancies.

 


Emily Luke – Chair of Governors, Co-opted Governor, Safeguarding Governor

I first met the students and staff of Highshore in 2018 through the school’s holiday club. Inspired by my mother’s work as an Occupational Therapist, I was excited to volunteer with such a wonderful programme. Over time, my passion for the Highshore community grew, and I decided to become a Governor to further my involvement and contributions. As current Chair of Governors, it’s a privilege to contribute towards the ethos and aims of Highshore. Watching our young people develop their communication, social, and independence skills as they contribute to society is truly rewarding!


Gün Akyuz – Co-Opted Governor
(Curriculum & Resources Committee)

My son Louis joined Highshore’s sixth form in September 2013 following five very happy years at his previous school. Louis loved his old school, but Highshore was everything we expected and so very much more, including its enlightened approach to the role therapy plays in supporting students, and also its lead in establishing links with local businesses and work experience opportunities for Highshore students. Following his three years in sixth form, Louis has emerged a confident, outgoing young man, ready to take on the next phase of his life, starting with college.

Outside of my work as a journalist, I’ve been involved in a number of locally developed parent/carer-driven community initiatives, including a local charity called Down’s South London and Southwark’s Parent Carer Council. As the parent of young person with a disability, I’ve witnessed the enormous changes to our education, disability rights, social care and how they’re funded. Understanding how these changes affect young people and children with additional needs is key to their life-chances and schools play a pivotal role in that process. As a parent governor I’ve also had the privilege to support and witness how and why Highshore makes a difference to its students and the local community it serves, and I’m extremely proud to be associated with such a committed school.

 


Karen Turner – LA Governor

This is my first time as a school governor, with four children in different schools and as an adoptive parent having adopted two children via Southwark Social Services I have a son who is currently in year 9 at Highshore. On first visiting the school as a prospective parent with my son he was immediately at home and we knew he would flourish in this environment. I have worked in arts charities for more than 25 years in fundraising, business planning and management and am a strong supporter of the benefits and value of a creative education for everyone. I am Vice Chair of local charity, Peckham Platform, with experience as a charitable trustee also formerly of Creative and Cultural Skills Council. I am also Executive Director of the National Youth Theatre, a Charity that is dedicated to supporting young people developing talent and progressing into backstage technical or acting careers in the arts.

 

Herty Oppong – Co-opted Governor

I have been a Parent Governor at Highshore School for four years and am also on the Curriculum Committee. My elderest son Andre aged 16 transferred to Highshore in year 9. He has an Autistic Spectrum Disorder. His youngest brother aged 8 attends a mainstream primary school. I work part time with a Pharmaceutical Company and am also a voluntary member of the Southwark Parent Carers’ Council. In addition, I network with a handful of parents with children on the spectrum sharing ideas, techniques and generally supporting each other. I thoroughly enjoy my involvement with Highshore and consider it a real pleasure to be involved with the school and its future as well.


Rebecca Wyer – Co-opted Governor
(Chair of Resources Committee)

I was first introduced to Highshore through volunteering with the Holiday Club. I was so impressed with the pupils and staff that I met through this experience and wanted to know how I could become more involved with the school. Becoming a governor seemed like the perfect opportunity to do that. I have 15 years experience over a number of roles in Finance and Technology and currently work as the Head of Identity and Access Management at NatWest.

If you are a customer of NatWest and use any of our digital services you will be logging into your account using technology provided by my team.

 


 

Alex Patrick  – Co-opted Governor

My daughter started at Highshore in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic. We are proud to be part of this happy, nurturing and ambitious school and I look forward to being more involved as a Governor.

 

I have worked in formal and informal education for over 30 years as a secondary school teacher, EFL teacher and have run education programmes with the BBC, BFI, Media Museum, Science Museum, Horniman Museum and others. I am committed to inclusion and am a member of the Lambeth parent forum and a parent member of the SEND strategic partnership in Lambeth. In my spare time, I enjoy pottery, film, music and walking my badly behaved dog.

 


Stephanie Dannet – Parent Governor

My son joined Highshore School (year 7) in September 2017 and I was a parent governor as well as the SEN link governor of his previous school.I have been involved in parent supporting groups and organizing special events too. It is a privilege for me to be part of the governing body and will use my previous experience to support the school the best I can.

I believe Education makes a lasting difference to our children’s lives and trust it is one of Highshore’s achievements.


 

Alie Kallon – Parent Governor


I feel honoured and privileged to be part of the Highshore’s School Governing Body.

I hope to work closely with the Governors, Staff and Pupils to build on what is currently being achieved.

 

 

Amy Belcher – Staff Governor

I have worked at Highshore for about 10 years and it is a privilege to be able to serve as Staff Governor. I first started at Highshore working as a Teaching Assistant and haven’t looked back! Highshore is such a welcoming environment and I have been lucky to work with some amazing colleagues.

My BA and Masters were focused on English Literature and Language, with my dissertation having a particular focus on Autism in fictional literature. I was also fortunate to be able to complete my PGCE while working at Highshore.

I am currently a teacher mainly working in a Complex Needs KS3 class and I am passionate about the well being of the students and the school.  Outside of Highshore I enjoy reading, watching films and spending time with my extended family