Welcome to our Governors’ section.
Please find below details of how our Board of Governors is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.
The Board of Governors
The school governors play a key role in the life and running of Park Walk Primary School. The board is an elected body 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.
Other roles of the Board of Governors are to:
*promote high standards of achievement
*act as a ‘critical friend’ to the school
*provide robust monitoring and evaluation of school performance
*oversee all aspects of school governance
*ensure that the school's finances are managed properly
*offer support and challenge to the Headteacher and staff
*get involved in higher level staffing and building matters
The Board of Governors meets once a term - Autumn and Spring and twice a term during the Summer. Additionally it has two sub-committees which meet twice-termly during the Autumn and once-termly during the Spring and Summer with a focus on: Curriculum & Standards and Finance, Premises & Personnel. Governors are often delegated to perform specific roles or get involved in school projects with a strategic or organisational dimension, for example major building projects. They are always keen to hear from school stakeholders, and very much enjoy meeting them at the various school events. If you wish to raise a particular matter with the Board of Governors you can write to Alison Mould, Chairman of the Board of Governors, care of the school, but please remember that the Headteacher is responsible for the day-to-day running of the school.
Current Board
Alison Mould – Chair
Link Governor for Leadership and Management – with responsibility for vision, strategy, staff continued professional development, engaging parents, well being and mental health of all and governor training and succession planning.
Link Governor for Seedlings and Early Years Foundation Stage - with responsibility for ensuring that the curriculum implementation provides both emotional and academic success for all within the EYFS.
I joined the Board of Park Walk in 2012 as an Associate Member and was elected as a Co-opted Governor by Board members in February 2013. I have been the Chair of Governors since 2020. I chair Board meetings, the Pay Committee and the Headteacher’s Performance Review Panel and sit on each of the Finance & General Purposes and Curriculum & Standards Committees.
Both of my parents were teachers and so when I learnt that I could become a governor even though I don't have children I jumped at the chance. I retired from being a property solicitor in 2022.
I am a Governor of Guys & St Thomas' Hospital Trust and a director of Opportunity Kensington. I live locally.
Carl Allen – Vice Chair
Chair of the Finance & General Purposes Committee
Link Governor for premises and budget – with responsibility for health and safety, asset register, budget setting and review
I joined the Board of Park Walk in September 2015 as an Associate Member and was elected as a Co-opted Governor but the Board in May 2017. I am Vice Chair of the Board and Chair of the Finance & General Purposes Committee. I also sit on the Head teacher’s Performance Review Panel.
I am qualified as a solicitor and work in an international law firm headquartered in the City. I have over 13 years' experience specialising in the finance sector in the UK and abroad (Australia). Through my work I have also had experience dealing with finance matters relating to further education and higher education institutions. In my spare time I enjoy sailing and running (mostly chasing my young family around the local park).
Nick Chandler - Vice Chair
Chair of the Curriculum & Standards Committee
Link Governor for Safeguarding – with responsibility for safeguarding, child protection.
Link Governor for Seedlings and Early Years Foundation Stage - with responsibility for ensuring that the curriculum implementation provides both emotional and academic success for all within the EYFS.
I joined the Board of Park Walk as a Co-opted Governor in May 2015 having been elected by the Board. I am Vice Chair of the Board and Chairman of the Curriculum & Standards Committee and sit on the Head teacher’s Performance Review Panel.
I was born nearby in Earl's Court and went to a school very much like Park Walk in Fulham. I now live in West London with my wife and teenage daughter. I have recently retired as a partner in a large global law firm where I specialised in aviation. I am a firm believer in the benefits of a good education as a way to allow each child to fulfil their potential. I hope to play my own small part in giving the children at Park Walk the best possible start in life.
Catherine Brooks - Parent Governor
Link Governor for Inclusion – with responsibility for pupils: with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, with English as an Additional Language, who are eligible for Pupil Premium, who are Looked After and who are More Able or talented.
I joined the Board of Park Walk in October 2015 as a Parent Governor elected by the parent body, and serve on the Curriculum & Standards Committee.
I am a former Deputy Head of English in a secondary school in Tower Hamlets so have valuable experience working in a central London school. I am very familiar with school policies, curriculum and standards, strategic planning and target setting which enables me to make valuable contributions to the Board of Governors. I have two children of my own at Park Walk school, and so I particularly enjoy seeing the school continue to improve, year on year.
Emily Caldwell - Headteacher
Jessica Rae – Staff Governor - elected by the staff
Link Governor for Website Compliance
Mary Shen
Link Governor - fundraising
I joined the Board of Park Walk in May 2021 as an Associate Member, and became a Co-opted Governor, elected by the Board, in 2022. I serve on the Finance & General Purposes Committee.
Maximilian D'Arche
Link Governor for Key Stage 1 – with responsibility for ensuring:
Katherine McLoughlin
Link Governor for Key Stage 2 – with responsibility for ensuring:
Sinead O'Leary - Assistant Headteacher (attends meetings as an observer).
Kimberley Ray - School Business Operations Manager (attends meetings as an observer).
Amanda Sayers was elected as a Local Authority Governor by the Local Authority in 2012 and retired as a Local Authority Governor in December 2023
Lynden Easton was elected as a Co-opted Governor by the Board in June 2015 and retired as a Co-opted Governor in December 2023
Eliot Pallot was elected as a Co-opted Governor by the Board in July 2019 and retired as a Co-opted Governor in July 2023
Kris Egan was elected by the parent body as a Parent Governor in October 2020 and retired as a Parent Governor in July 2022.
Ali Jalilsani was elected by the parent body as a Parent Governor in December 2022 and retired as a Parent Governor in May 2023.
All governors serve for a term of four years, but may be re-selected by their appointing body. The Headteacher may sit on the Board for the entirety of his or her appointment.