Governors
What Does The Governing Body Do? The school governors play a key role in the life of Nightingale Primary School. The governing body is drawn from the school’s various stakeholders including parents, staff and the local community. It has important legal powers and has strategic oversight of the school and its activities. The role of the governing body includes:
• Promoting high standards of achievement
• Providing robust monitoring and evaluation of the School’s performance
• Overseeing all aspects of school governance
• Ensuring that the school's finances are managed and impact upon learning
• Offering support and challenge to the Head teacher and staff
• Involvement in senior level staffing and building matters
Governance Structure
The governing body meets twice a term. One of these meetings will take place during a governor day. Governors are nominated to areas of the school improvement plan. There is a Finance Committee which meets four times per year and a Pay Committee which meets annually. In addition two governors are allocated to the statutory roles of Finance and Safeguarding.
Meet the Governors
Cllr Jo Blackman - Local Authority Governor - Chair
I joined the governing body at the start of 2019. I am a councillor for Wanstead Village ward and have borough wide responsibility for the environment and civic pride. As well as being a councillor, I have run global environmental campaigns, as well as local campaigns and fundraising to improve play facilities, outdoor activities and educational provision for children. I have 2 children who attend a local primary and secondary schools.
Marigold Inanc – Parent Governor - Vice Chair and Vice Chair of the Finance Committee
I currently have two children at Nightingale and I joined the governing body as a parent governor in December 2021. I am an Assistant Head Teacher of an outstanding primary school in Newham where I oversee early reading and the curriculum. I am also a member of our schools training programme where I teach and mentor trainee teachers.
Mr Julian Porter – Co-Opted Governor – Chair of the Finance Committee
I joined the governing body as a co-opted governor in 2022 and am the Finance Committee Chair. I am a chartered accountant beginning my career in audit with a Big 4 practice before moving into industry. I now work in corporate finance for a large, multi-national hospitality company with a focus on treasury and investment management. I have two children who attend another local primary school.
Ms Kate Dingle - Co-Opted Governor - Safeguarding Governor
I have been a Co-Opted Governor at Nightingale since February 2023. I am currently Safeguarding Governor due to my experience as Designated Safeguarding Lead at a number of educational Settings. Outside my role as governor, I am Head of Primary at an Outstanding all through school in North London. I have considerable experience in education and wanted to bring that to Nightingale and its community.
Mrs Julia McFall – Co-Opted Governor – Co-opted Governor
I have been chair of the governing body since 2019 and a governor since 2017, originally as an elected parent governor, now co-opted. I am the link governor for leadership and development and I am on the finance committee. I have had two children go through the school, both now at local secondaries. In my professional life I am a solicitor and have worked in the City and locally.
Dr Jaspreet Marway - Co-Opted Governor
I joined the governing body as a co-opted governor in February 2021. I live locally and wish to contribute to the local school and the community it serves. I also have two children who attend a local primary school. Professionally, I work as a doctor in the NHS and have worked in multiple large NHS trusts. I have vast experience in medical teaching, as well as being an interviewer for a leading medical school. I hope to bring the skills and experience I have acquired through my career to this role and I am looking forward to serving as a governor.
Mr Simon Todd - Co-Opted Governor
I became a Co-opted Governor at Nightingale Primary School in February 2023. My career background is technology consulting, with a specialism in data architecture and governance. I am currently on a career break and working as Head of Operations and Projects for Holy Trinity South Woodford where my wife is the vicar. My wife and I are registered foster carers with Redbridge and, at time of writing, we have one child in our care who attends another local infant school.
Charlotte Harris - Co-opted Governor
I joined the governing body as a Parent Governor in February 2020. Currently one of my children attends Nightingale Primary School. Professionally, I work as a Senior Educational Psychologist for a London Borough where I use my psychological knowledge to provide advice and support to children, schools, and families on how best to meet the educational, social, emotional, and developmental needs of children and young people.
Mrs Megan Wang - Parent Governor
I joined the governing body as a parent governor in December 2021, and I have two children at Nightingale Primary School. My professional background is in education and policy research, primarily as a teacher of children with special education needs, and I am currently working in the NHS as an assistant psychologist. It is a pleasure serving the school community as a governor.
Emily Whitehead - Parent Governor
I joined the governing body as a parent governor in February 2024 and currently have 3 children in Nightingale. I'm a senior civil servant in the Department for Education, where I have worked on teacher recruitment, safeguarding, school food, behaviour, SEND and children's social care and am currently in charge of improving before and after school clubs.
Mrs Sinead Culora – Staff Governor
I have been a staff governor since November 2018 and am currently an Assistant Headteacher in the school. I joined the Nightingale Primary School Governing Board as I feel they should reflect the school community in its entirety. My role has given me a greater insight into the decision-making processes within schools and an understanding of school life outside the classroom.
The Head Teacher, Clare Lynam, is automatically a member of the Governing Body.
Ms Jushna Chowdhury – Co-Opted Governor
Jushna's Term as a Governor ended in October 2024
I’ve been a co-opted school governor at Nightingale Primary School since 2015.
Professionally, I am a civil servant and have a wide range of experience in both policy and project roles across several including Department of Education, where I worked on policies relating to adoption, children in care and faith schools’ policy. My role in department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). where I worked renewable heat policy towards government ambition towards Net Zero. My current role is working on fire policy as a senior policy advisor for the Home Office.
Zaheed Patel - Co-Opted Governor
Zaheed's term as a Governor ended in March 2023
I joined the governing body as a co-opted governor in March 2019 and am the lead governor for Safeguarding at the school. I currently work as a Solicitor for a US tech company and have lived in the local area since 2012. I have been involved in a number of volunteering projects helping students from low income backgrounds gain experience and understanding of working in corporate environments.
Governor Information and Attendance 2023-24
Governor Information and Attendance 2022-23
Governor Information and Attendance 2021-22