Governors

Welcome from TSF Governing Body

Trafalgar Infant & Junior Schools are community schools belonging to Trafalgar Schools’ Federation (TSF).

Greetings from the Governing Body of Trafalgar Schools Federation. We are proud to play our part in supporting two vibrant schools where every child is valued, encouraged, and given the best chance to succeed.

Our Governing Body is made up of volunteers from a variety of backgrounds and professions, bringing together different skills and perspectives. Some of us are parents or staff within the Federation, while others have no direct connection but share a commitment to education and to making a positive difference for our pupils and our community.

As governors, our role is not to run the day-to-day life of the schools — that is the responsibility of the Headteacher and the senior leadership team. Instead, we work alongside them to provide strategic direction, ensure accountability and to monitor and evaluate performance. Our responsibilities are wide-ranging but include; helping to shape education development plans, setting targets, reviewing performance, overseeing staff appointments, handling complaints, and making decisions about how the budget is spent. In all of this, our aim is simple: to provide an environment where every pupil has access to the highest standards of education and care.

Our Board and various governing committees meet every term but also visit the schools’ regularly to see learning and wellbeing in action and review first-hand how the schools’ vision is being brought to life. We also set up Working Groups to address specific areas where necessary. Working together, we aim to uphold the values of the Schools’ Federation, celebrate successes, and continue to look for ways to improve so that every child can reach their full potential.

Our Chair of the Governing Body is Sophie Riley.

Our Vice Chair of the Governing Body is Laura Jennings.

If you wish to contact the governors, please email governors@trafalgarfederation.org.uk.

If you would like to join our Governing Board we will share vacancies and how to get involved here.

Our Committees

The three key roles of the Governing Body are; setting strategic direction, ensuring accountability, and monitoring and evaluating school performance. We meet as a Full Governing Body at least four times each year, but most of our work is carried out through our committees.

Each of these deals with a specific area of the schools’ organisation, planning and management.

Teaching, Learning and Assessment (TL&A): In partnership with the Headteacher, this committee monitors and evaluates the school’s progress, ensuring that the school is providing every learner with the full statutory curriculum and monitors the outcome of the targets set.
Finance & Resources (F&R): This committee is tasked with effective management of the financial budget, financial, physical and human resources in accordance with its statutory duties, ensuring that the school provides a safe environment for learning and abides by the school’s Health and Safety policy.
Pay Committee: meets once a year and then as required to apply the School Pay Policy.
Pupils, Parents & Community (PPC): This committee ensures the safeguarding of pupils. It monitors the schools’ engagement with pupils, parents and carers and the wider community.

Governing Body

Cllr Piers Allen - Local Authority Governor

Nominated by the LA and reappointed by the Governing Body on 28/09/2021 for a term of 4 years. Piers serves on F&R and Pay Committees and is currently Chair for both.

Declaration of interests:

Local Authority Councillor and Lead Member at the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames
Convenor (Chair) for Richmond Place Partnership
Chair of Twickenham & Richmond Liberal Democrats
LA appointed member of the Council of Governors for the Kingston & Richmond NHS Foundation Trust
Shadow spokesperson for Health & Care, London Councils; Member of the London Health Mission Board
A member of Friends of Kneller Gardens; FORCE; Friends of Twickenham Green
Trustee for Lincoln Avenue Estate Residents Association (LAERA)
Trustee for The Mulberry Centre
Trustee for Richmond upon Thames Voluntary Fund

Spouse is Lead Cancer Nurse at Guy’s & St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust and former Churchwarden of All Saint’s Church, Campbell Road

Jane Burton - Co-Opted Governor

Reappointed by the Governing Body on 12/10/2021 for a second term of 4 years. Jane serves on TL&A and PPC Committees.

Declaration of interests: Is a member of school staff.

Kevin Chung - Co-Opted Governor

Appointed by the Governing Body on 29/09/2020 for a term of 4 years. Kevin serves on TL&A and F&R Committees and is currently chair of TL&A.

Declaration of interests: Employed by Dukes Education whose clients include schools in the LBRuT. Has children who attend TSF.

Vicky Greenaway - Co-Opted Governor

Appointed by the Governing Body on 19/11/2024 for a term of 4 years. Vicky serves on PPC Committee.

Declaration of interests: Is employed by Royal Holloway University.

Roger Hutchins - Co-Opted Governor

Appointed by the Governing Body on 21/03/2023 for a term of 4 years. Roger is our Safeguarding lead and serves on TL&A Committee.

Declaration of interests: None registered.

Rafina Iqbal - Staff Governor

Elected by the staff of the two Trafalgar Schools on 11/10/2021 for a term of 4 years. Rafina serves on PPC Committee.

Declaration of interests: Is a member of school staff.

Laura Jennings - Parent Governor

Elected by the parents of both schools on 07/12/2021 for a term of 4 years. Laura is Vice Chair of the FGB and also serves on PPC Committee.

Declaration of interests: None registered

Sarah Keefe - Ex-Officio

A member of the Governing Body as Ex-Officio by virtue of being Headteacher, having joined the Federation on 01/09/2021. Sarah serves on TL&A, PPC, F&R and Pay Committees.

Declaration of interests: Is a member of school staff, is the Welfare Officer at Richmond Volleyball club and her husband provides volleyball coaching at Trafalgar School for the before school club.

Terry Plews - Co-Opted Governor

Appointed by the Governing Body as Co-Opted Governor on on 19/11/2024 for a term of 4 years. Terry serves on F&R Committee.

Declaration of interests: None registered.

Sophie Riley - Co-Opted Governor

Appointed by the Governing Body as Co-Opted Governor on 03/03/2022 for a term of 4 years. Sophie is Chair of the FGB and also serves on TL&A Committee.

Declaration of interests: None registered.

Suzie Robinson - Parent Governor

Elected by the parents of both schools on 10/10/2022 for a term of 4 years. Suzie is serves as Co Chair on PPC Committee.

Declaration of interests: None registered.

Maddie Row - Co-Opted Governor

Appointed by the Full Governing Body on 13/02/2023 for a term of 4 years. Maddie serves on F&R Committee.

Declaration of interests: None registered.

Emma Taylor - Co-Opted Governor

Appointed by the Governing Body as Co-Opted Governor on on 30/11/2023 for a term of 4 years. Emma serves as Co Chair on PPC Committee.

Declaration of interests: None registered.

Jun Xue - Co-Opted Governor

Appointed by the Governing Body as Co-Opted Governor on on 30/11/2023 for a term of 4 years. Jun serves on TL&A Committee.

Declaration of interests: None registered.

Aleks Dyrka - Associate Member

Appointed by the Governing Body as Associate Member on 22/04/2025 for a term of 4 years. Aleks serves on F&R Committee and is the School Business Manager.

Declaration of Interests: Is a member of school support staff.

Debbie Staynes - Associate Member

Appointed by the Governing Body as Associate member on 05/12/2021 for a term of 4 years. Debbie is the Federation Secretary and serves on PPC Committee.

Declaration of interests: Is a member of school support staff..

Mary Doherty - Clerk to the Governing Body

Appointed by the Governing Body on contract from April 2025 and ratified annually. Mary provides clerking services for all the Committee and Full Governing Body meetings.

Declaration of interests: Clerk to Governors at Kew Riverside Primary School, Owner of Create7 providing marketing, website and social media support.

Governors who have left in the last 12 months

Jamie Allen was Deputy Head and an Associate Member of the Governing Body with voting rights. Jamie's term of office ended on 25/07/2025

Richard Castle was appointed by the Governing Body on 09/03/2021 for a 4 year term of office. Richard's term of office ended on 08/03/2024.

Buki Braithwaite was reappointed by the Governing Body on 28/09/2021 for a 4 year term of office. Buki resigned on 27/09/2024.

Simon Bradley was reappointed by the Governing Body on 28/09/2021 for a 4 year term of office. Simon resigned on 12//09/2023

Harry Owen was reappointed by the Governing Body on 21/10/2022 for a 4 year term of office. Harry resigned on 12/09/2023.