The Governing Board

At Barnes, the governing board is made up from a diverse group of individuals whose role is to provide strategic leadership and accountability for the school.  We work closely with the Sue Jepson (Head Teacher) and the Senior Leadership Team to:

• Oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure money is well spent
• Make decisions that directly affect the education and well-being of the children
• Ensure the clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction for the school

Cycle of meetings and committees

The full governing board meets 5 times a year with an additional strategy meeting usually held in January.  The governing board then has several committees who meet to look at individual aspects of the school’s operations:

• Finance – keep oversight of the school’s budget
• Premises, health and safety – are responsible for the school’s buildings, grounds and health & safety
• Teaching, learning, access & inclusion – look at the delivery of education and progress against the related performance indicators
• Pay & personnel – have oversight of the pay and conditions arrangements for all staff
• Safeguarding working party – ensures that the school has in place policies and procedures which keep children safe in education

Requests 

If you’d like to request any of the following:

• Approved and signed minutes
• Agendas
• Papers considered at the meeting 

Please contact clerk@barnes.richmond.sch.uk 

Governors in school

Governors are frequent visitors to the school:

• • We meet school leaders (often virtually) to discuss the business of the committees throughout the year
  • The chair meets regularly with Sue Jepson (Head Teacher)  and the Senior Leadership Team to stay in touch with the most important items of business
  • Governors take part in key stage reviews and attend the major school events throughout the year
  • Members of each committee make regular visits during the year to do site walk-arounds, review the budget and ensure all staff and children have a safe place to be

If you’d like to contact a member of the governing board, the best place to start is probably with the chair and/or vice-chair:

Contacts:   Chair of Governing Body    ARussell@barnes.richmond.sch.uk
Vice Chair of Governing Body                AShephard@barnes.richmond.sch.uk
Clerk to Governing Body                         clerk@barnes.richmond.sch.uk    

Governors

We have a wonderful set of governors, please scroll down and click on the images below to learn a little bit more about them.

Register of Interests and Attendance

Every year the governors complete a register of interests which is an up-to-date register of business and pecuniary interests of the governors and the headteacher. This is to make sure our board is transparent and open in all decision making.

• • • 2023-24 Register of Interests Oct 22

The governing board can’t function without good attendance, so we publish the members present at each meeting.  This ensures we are transparent about the decisions made and that these have the correct level of scrutiny and oversight.

• • • 2022-23 Governing body register of attendance

Select category

• Chair of Governors
• Governors

Chair of Governors

Alexander Thomas Lee Russell

Chair of Governing Body

Alexander Thomas Lee Russell

Chair of Governing Body

As a parent of two children at the school I’m passionate about the wonderful environment for learning that Barnes Primary provides. My background is in Computing and Broadcast Engineering and I am a Chartered Engineer and STEM Ambassador.  I have worked in broadcasting since I left University, initially for the BBC, then Siemens and now for Digital UK who are responsible for the technology behind Freeview and Freeview Play. I’ve been a resident of Barnes living a few doors away from the school since 2006 and I love the community of Barnes and the area that the school serves.

Alexandra Tamsin Shephard

Vice-Chair of Governing Body

Alexandra Tamsin Shephard

Vice-Chair of Governing Body

I am passionate about family, food and travel and am a parent of Emily who left the school in the summer of 2019. I have lived 6 doors down from the school for over 12 years and like to keep things local by running a corporate training consultancy and drinks consultancy from an office in Mortlake.

Governors

Alexandra Redpath

Safeguarding Governor & Wellbeing Governor

Alexandra Redpath

Safeguarding Governor & Wellbeing Governor

Alexandra works in South West London, as a Advanced Nurse Practitioner. Her specialty field is Paediatrics and Emergency Medicine. She has always had an interest in Safeguarding, is the Link at work, and SG Governor at her other nursery school and is looking forward to joining the team at Barnes. She spends her free time walking her rescue Boxer dog Tara, going to the ballet (watching not performing!) or on duty at various sporting events across the UK, as Finish Line Medic or Match Day nurse at Twickenham. She has been teaching First Aid skills to the Barnes staff for some years and was very flattered to be invited to join an amazing team and school.

Antonia Elizabeth Lord

Governor

Antonia Elizabeth Lord

Governor

Prior to joining the school, I spent nearly 30 years in asset finance and asset management. Both my children attended Barnes Primary, a wonderful foundation for their transition to secondary school. Now they are teenagers, I enjoy debating concepts such as freedom, trust and responsibility, torturing them on long weekend walks and messing about on our boat.

Cllr. Gemma Stockley

LA-nominated Governor & Safeguarding Governor

Cllr. Gemma Stockley

LA-nominated Governor & Safeguarding Governor

About me I have lived in Barnes/ Mortlake for over 10 years. I was elected as a Councillor for Mortlake and Barnes Common in 2010 and have been the LA Nominated Governor for Barnes Primary School since then. Professionally I am a Sales Director for an independent film company. I enjoy running, food (hence the running), skiing and watching rugby.

Darryl Evans

Governor

Darryl Evans

Governor

About me I have lived in Barnes for over 30 years and now run my own legal practice from there, specialising in employment law. Before setting that up 10 years ago I was a partner in the legal practice of PwC. I have two children who are now at university, although neither attended Barnes Primary so I have no prior connection to the school. I am also a governor of a primary school in Ealing and aim to use the knowledge sharing that permits for the benefit of both schools. The remainder of my time is spent watching (football, cricket, rugby) and playing (tennis, golf, cycling) sport, and taking advantage of the access we have to theatre, art galleries and other cultural opportunities in our great city.

Dolly Sedman

Governor

Dolly Sedman

Governor

Elizabeth Baggaley

Governor & Safeguarding Governor

Elizabeth Baggaley

Governor & Safeguarding Governor

About me I am a retired teacher. The greater part of my teaching career was spent in the Richmond borough, most recently as a Deputy Head in the independent sector. I have two grown up children and four grandchildren, two of whom attend a local authority London primary school. I am a regular theatre goer, read obsessively and enjoy gardening, the outdoors and the natural world. I am a keen walker.

Harry Satterthwaite

Staff Governor

Harry Satterthwaite

Staff Governor

Harry Satterthwaite trained as a teacher through St Mary’s University via the Schools Direct route – with Barnes Primary School as his host school. Prior to teaching, Harry graduated with a BA in Business Studies from Liverpool University, then worked in HR/ Recruitment for 6 years. In 2016 he decided to follow a long-term desire to pursue a career in teaching and spent a year working as a teaching assistant at a primary school in Kensington and Chelsea. He has also enjoyed working as a football coach during school holidays. In September 2020 Harry started his third year as a Year 3 teacher at Barnes.

James Lawless

Governor

James Lawless

Governor

Jeremy Thomas Rees

Governor

Jeremy Thomas Rees

Governor

About me A Sheen resident since 1992, I’m a former Barnes parent, having seen my two boys pass happily and successfully through the school. I’ve sat on the Governing Body since 2003, spending five as Vice Chair. With the Site Manager, I conduct the annual Safe Places review of the school premises. I’m a Chartered Engineer and work as the managing director of a technology company in the broadcast sector so I have a natural interest in the teaching and learning of science and technology at Barnes. When not working, I spend my spare time watching, coaching and refereeing rugby at London Welsh RFC. As a result of participating in a charity rowing trip down the Mississippi River in 2014, I’m a late convert to the sport of skiffing.  

Jonathan Chapman

Governor

Jonathan Chapman

Governor

About me Whilst my three children have all left Barnes Primary now, I still find the challenges of school governance an interesting alternative to my day job in advertising and media. I was Chair of Governors between 2008 and 2014 and was Chair of the Headteacher Performance Management Committee from 2008 to 2019, as well as being on the Finance Committee and Pay and Personnel Committee. Outside of work and apart from being the kids’ Uber, I go to watch Chelsea as often as possible, play a bit of 5-a-side and enjoy the local cinema.

Matt Dunn

Governor & Link Governor for Children Looked After

Matt Dunn

Governor & Link Governor for Children Looked After

I have lived in leafy Barnes with my family for 6-years, and my son will attend the the nursery later this year. I work for a pharmaceutical company where I lead an organisation in global clinical development, using my background of Clinical Pharmacology to help bring rare disease medicines to patients. Much of my career has been spent managing change, projects, risk, and people. I enjoy running on the river and spending time on Barnes pond and the parks. As governor I want to support Barnes Primary in providing a safe, inclusive, fun, and supportive learning environment for our community.       

Natasha Mold

Parent Governor

Natasha Mold

Parent Governor

I have always been passionate about education and ensuring all children, irrespective of their backgrounds and needs, receive the best opportunities.  I work as a teacher in a local primary school and supervise trainee teachers at the University of Roehampton.  I am fortunate to live in Barnes and have two children currently at Barnes Primary School.  I believe in inclusion, community, creativity and making learning fun.  I am committed to playing an active role in ensuring Barnes Primary maintains it's exceptionally high academic standards as well as maintaining children’s wellbeing and happiness.  

Neil Hempsall

Governor

Neil Hempsall

Governor

About me With my wife Annie, I am a parent of one son, Guy, in year 6, and one daughter, Riva, who is now at Gordon’s, having completed her amazing education at BPS. We have lived close to the school here in Barnes since 1991. My career in commercial and operational leadership positions with a Global organization, includes roles of responsibility for Environmental Health & Safety [EHS] over an 8 year period. Through Barnes RFC, I help create the floodlit tag rugby events. Passionate about all things BPS!  

Scarlett Lionis

Parent Governor

Scarlett Lionis

Parent Governor

I have lived in beautiful Barnes for over four years, and have two children who attend Barnes Primary School. I am a Senior In-House Counsel at an international law firm, and prior to that I was a corporate finance lawyer. I am keen to ensure that Barnes Primary School continues to be an inclusive and aspiring place where children can thrive in learning and feel safe and supported at the same time. Apart from the busyness of being a working mummy to two young children, I am a massive foodie and cook, love long countryside walks and travelling!

Sue Jepson

Head Teacher

Sue Jepson

Head Teacher

Sue Jepson was appointed Headteacher in September 2019. Prior to this, Sue started work as the Deputy Headteacher at Barnes Primary (formally Westfields) in January 1999. At that time the school had one form of entry. A number of families in the local area around the school didn’t send their children to Westfields. During her time at the school she has worked closely with three Headteachers to ensure that the school has become a very successful, thriving and flourishing two form entry school. Sue passed the National Headteachers Qualification and has an MA in Education. Prior to working at Barnes Primary school Sue worked in Thailand for six years at Bangkok Patana International School. Bangkok Patana was a large school with seven forms of entry. It catered for pupils from Nursery (aged 3) to International Baccalaureate (aged 18). During her time there she had several significant areas of responsibility. At Barnes Sue leads on strategy and direction; standards and quality assurance; appointments and personnel; assessment and data analysis and the school budget. She teaches Year 6 pupils for five sessions...