Governing Body
If you would like to contact any of the school governors please contact the school.
Merry John
Headteacher
It has been a privilege to lead Stanborough since September 2018. I have an unshakable belief in every student, each with their own gifts, talents, challenges and aspirations. My team share an educational philosophy which promotes the highest expectations and consistent pastoral care. Our core aim is to nurture enquiring minds and to inspire our youngsters to pursue their dreams, leaving our school ready to excel in a future which has limitless possibilities.
I am a Mathematics graduate from Lancaster University and have 23 years’ experience working in schools. I have been educated in three countries; a secondary school experience in Nigeria, followed by A-Levels in India and a Mathematics degree in the UK. My educational experience in three countries has enabled me to appreciate various cultures and backgrounds but has also provided me with an insight into the positive differences in the education system in these countries. My principles, values and ethos as an educational leader have been shaped by these experiences.
I am a mother of three children and have been happily married for 22 years. In my spare time, I enjoy long distance running and have taken part in a number of competitive races.
Guya Persaud
Chair of Governors
I have recently retired after 36 years in the teaching profession having served as a senior leader for 20 years performing duties as a deputy and a head teacher.
Both my sons attended Stanborough School and my wife also worked here. I am passionate about education and would welcome the opportunity to use my experiences and knowledge in supporting the Headteacher and all members of the Stanborough family in realising their vision of becoming outstanding.
Adam Wadley
Vice Chair of Governors, Finance & Resources
I am a qualified chartered accountant and have previously worked in various finance, strategy and corporate development roles in the retail and payments industries.
I currently split my time between working as part-time Finance Director for a sports inclusion charity called Access Sport and my own independent consultancy business.
As the husband of a teacher and the father of three children, I constantly see the powerful impact that education can have. I am delighted to be able to make whatever contribution I can to support the staff in their mission to provide the best possible education for every student at the school.
Neil Hounsom
Member
Following a career in banking operations and business change management in the City, Neil changed career to operations and financial management in education and has had experience in both the state and independent sectors. Neil has 15 years of experience as a governor of Stanborough, six as Chair. Neil remains on the Members Board.
Sarah Halliday
Member
As an Information Manager in Library and Computing Services at the University of Hertfordshire, my areas of responsibility include online resource provision, diversification of collections, and user-experience driven improvement of services and spaces.
I have 3 children aged 13 – 25 and have been a Stanborough parent and supporter for over 14 years. My strong belief in the importance of education led me to serve on the governing body for 6 years, and I have recently changed role to become a member.
Andy Beale
Member
I work for HM Government in IT. I have over 20 years experience in technology. Before joining HM Government I was the Technology Director for the Guardian.
I became a parent governor to offer some support and contribution to Stanborough as two of my children have now joined the school.
Peter Miles
Chair of Finance and Resources Committee
Peter Miles has been a governor at Stanborough for the past 24 years. Peter started his governor role as a parent governor and is now a community governor and the chair of the finance and resources committee.
Melanie Western
Vice Chair Finance and Resources Committee
My background is in corporate sales. In particular putting sales pitches and presentations together during formal bids and tender processes. I have worked in the IT industry for 10 years and the hospitality industry for the past four, I am currently in a senior sales effectiveness role for a global business travel agency. I’m tasked with leading the strategies for new business campaigns and coaching sales managers from many different countries in Europe through the pre-sales and negotiation stages of a campaign. My skills and experience lend themselves to being an ambassador for the school and I am keen to share my experiences in business and putting together a winning pitch.
My son has just started in Year 7 and being our eldest child, secondary school is all new to us! It’s felt like a big leap so far, although he has settled well and had a very positive experience. To help him make the most of his time at Stanborough and to get the very best from all the wonderful opportunities coming his way, I felt it important to become part of the school and gain further insight into the secondary school process.
I hope to be able to drive more improvements through this already well-established school and bring an even greater positive experience to Stanborough students and teachers.
Jonathan Hickey
Finance and Resources Committee
After obtaining an MSci & PhD in Chemistry from Cambridge University I founded a business in China prior to working as a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Co.
This provided a foundation for the last 10+ years of my career where I have held commercial, strategy and product leadership roles in technology companies in the US and UK. These include eBay, Elsevier and most recently Moonpig.
I see secondary school as having been the most important part of my education. So as a parent governor I want to contribute my experience to support the school and staff delivering the best possible education for all the students at Stanborough.
Jane Cranham
Chair of Standards and Achievements Committee
I have worked in education for all of my career, first as a secondary English teacher and then for a local authority, starting in advisory work and gathering a range of education related responsibilities. Over the years I have had the opportunity to work alongside headteachers and school leaders from all phases and have seen first-hand the difference they have made to opportunities and outcomes for the young people in their care.
I fully support the ambition of Stanborough School’s leadership. I have been a Stanborough parent for over 6 years and I believe it is an exciting time to join the governing body and to help to contribute to the school’s future.
Geoff Mossman
Vice Chair of Standards and Achievements Committee
I have worked at a Bank for over 30 years – Over the last 7 years I have been involved in Digital Banking, and 1 am a changed professional with a passion for Technology and how we interact with the world.
My daughter recently joined the school, and I am hoping my son will join in 3 years’ time! As a senior manager within a large organisation, I want to share the best practice with the school to help it develop into a world class education centre.
Lax Hirani
Vice Chair of Personnel Committee
When I was growing up, my ambition in life was to become a Horticultural Engineer. It didn’t quite pan out that way, instead I am a Software Development Consultant. It all changed for me during secondary school in a life changing moment.
My elder daughter attends Stanborough and my second daughter is looking forward to joining next year. As a parent, we have been to visit and have compared various local secondary schools as we have been considering options for them. Stanborough has the potential to provide all the options we are looking for and that potential is what persuaded us to choose Stanborough and I decided, given the opportunity, I’d like to be part of that team, that strives to help Stanborough continuously improve. I have no doubt it will become one of the best local schools in the coming years. I look forward to serving at Stanborough and making a positive difference to the staff and students, to help get the best out of every student, both academically and non-academically, whilst always keeping in mind and supporting them through some of the challenges they might be going through at home.
Jenny Bone
Standards & Achievements Committee
I work full-time as a change and transformation professional within the Energy and Facilities Management sectors. I am passionate about change management and delighted be to able to support the school in its journey to becoming outstanding.
I have a strong education background with a 1st Class honours degree in Business Management, along with over 20 years’ work experience in large Blue-Chip organisations. I am a certified Lean Six Sigma Blackbelt, Agile Practitioner and Prince 2 certified Project Manager; Skills I hope will be of value to the school.
Debz Johnson
Staff Governor, Standards & Achievements
I am enjoying my second year at Stanborough school as a geography teacher and a year leader. It has been fantastic to join a great community of teachers and students and I would like to be more involved in school by being a staff governor.
I am particularly passionate about the students and families I work with, striving to support all students reach their potential and develop an effective work ethic. I look forward to supporting Stanborough move forward and progress towards the vision of outstanding.
Cathryn Smith
Personnel Committee
After graduating with a Biology degree I joined the pharmaceutical industry where my current role is Ethics and Compliance Director at a global company. Whilst accountable for Corporate Compliance I’m also part of the UK Senior Leadership team with a broader role in developing, adapting and executing against organisational strategic priorities. I have extensive experience in leading transformational change and enabling for an organisational culture where individuals feel they can flourish.
I’m married with two children, one of whom joined Stanborough in 2019 and another who hopes to join in 2023. I am passionate about our local community, and looking forward to translating this and my professional experience into the governor role where I’ll bring energy, enthusiasm and add value as the school strives for it’s ambition.
Shelley Taylor
Personnel Committee
I have two sons at Stanbrough in Years 7 and 8. I have worked in Public Health in Hertfordshire for the last 13 years. Nine years working on children and young people’s projects such as child weight management and mental health supporting schools. For the last four years I have worked on adult suicide prevention, currently leading the Suicide Prevention Programme for Hertfordshire and West Essex ICS.
I have a MA in Criminology and a MSc in Health Psychology, and I will be starting my Doctorate in Health Psychology in October.
Being a new governor, I am looking forward to supporting the school as best I can over the next few years.
Jacqueline Broderick
Personnel Committee
My family and I moved to Welwyn Garden City in 2017. This was not our original intention, but once I had an opportunity to spend time here while house hunting, I knew this was where we would be happy. We settled in quite well and we were very pleased that our daughter was accepted to Stanborough. Knowing how important education is, we felt our daughter would get the best learning opportunities at Stanborough.
I’m a Finance Systems Manager for a Global Mobility Tech company and previously spend the bulk of my career in consulting. My experience draws on over 20+ years of HCM, Finance, Payroll, and Time Tracking, working with top software companies in the industry. I’m passionate about building strong teams and have been able to work with and build teams across the globe.
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