Governors
About the Governing Body
The Governing Body at St Paul’s comprises 15 members including the Head and a staff Governor. Most Governors have been appointed since the new model of provision was created in 2019 and bring a breadth of knowledge and skills to the school. This diverse and enthusiastic group are committed to securing high quality education for children and their families as well as creating a quality place of work for staff. Over the last 4 years Governors have worked with the Head on specific strategic challenges to accelerate the plans the Head has for the school.
Governing bodies have a statutory role and responsibility to support & challenge the school to raise academic achievement and promote pupil welfare.
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
- Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils and the performance management of staff
- Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent
Christian Distinctiveness monitoring is the responsibility of the Vicar as the Ex- Officio Governor and also the Foundation Governors who are appointed by the Diocese of Ely.
The Headteacher presents a report at each Governing Body meeting, commenting on the life of the school in general and progress in relation to the targets laid out in the school’s development plan.
You can find out more about the work of the Governing Body by reading the minutes or you can contact the chair through:
The school office: office@stpauls.cambs.sch.uk
Direct email: Chair@stpauls.cambs.sch.uk
We are always keen to hear from parents. You can contact the Governing Body via the Chair - by letter or email to the school office or direct to chair@stpauls.cambs.sch.uk. Alternatively, you can contribute your views about the school via the ParentView website.
Meet Our Governors!
Beverly Jones
Foundation (Diocese) Governor
Responsibilities: Chair of Governing Body,
Strategic Direction, ethos, values and Vision,
Performance Management of Staff and Headteacher, Early Years
Joined the Governing Body in October 2016
Beverly Jones commenced her term as a Governor, Autumn Term 2016. She moved with her husband Derek into the St Paul’s catchment area in 1993 and has been a member of St Paul’s Church since then. Her three sons are millennials who attended St Paul’s whist she was Principal at Chesterton Community College. Since then her career has included acting as the Government lead for Education in the East of England and becoming a Director of Parkside Federation Academies, leading the improvement at Coleridge for three years. She now works part time as an Education Adviser developing Culture and Arts Leaders for Schools and Academies, supporting Headteachers as well as working as a Director of www.caring4eldersuk.org.uk.
Alex Smith 
LA governor
Responsibilities: School Improvement Plan, Educational Performance of the School and it’s pupils, Sports Premium, Fox class link governor
Joined the governing body in April 2020
I have a daughter in Year 5 and a son in Year 2. I have been involved for a year in the PTFA as a class rep and really enjoyed the interaction with parents and other staff. Applying to be a governor in 2020 was a natural next step.
I have been working in the publishing industry for 25 years and have been the editor of a magazine for a large engineering institution for eight years. I co-ordinate a team of academics, journalists and commercial managers to produce engaging, technical content on the delivery of low carbon buildings. I am passionate about good design, sustainability and the effective communication of information to relevant audiences both in print and online. I am also keen on virtually all sports – particularly football and cycling – and am keen on social and architectural history and the great outdoors. I am very pleased that my role as a link governor for activities outside the classroom encompasses all these interests.
Suranga Chandratillake
Co-Opted Governor
Responsibilities: Vice-chair of governors, Financial Performance
Joined the Governing Body in 2019
My name is Suranga and I have been a governor since 2019. I have two children at St Paul's (in Year's 2 and 6) and, as a governor, I am particularly interested in the school's work on quality of education and its new, comprehensive, multi-year curriculum. I also sit on the Finance and Personnel Committee and am involved in efforts to fund raise for the school and its projects. In my day job, I am a venture capitalist, investing in technology start-ups across Europe and hope to use my network to help the school continue to build support from the strong, local technology industry in Cambridge.
I've been an active in the school's community since my eldest child started there six years ago. After Mrs Darrell, the current head, joined, I was inspired by both her vision for the school and the team she was building to deliver on it and, seeking to be more involved, joined the governing body.
Simon Jarvis
Foundation (CSOC) Governor
Responsibilities: Christian Distinctiveness, Educational Performance, Pupil Premium, Otter class link
Joined the Governing body in July 2020
Simon lives in the parish of St Paul’s and joined the team as a Foundation Governor in July 2020. He studied for a PhD in physiology at Cambridge University which led to a research career in Canada and then the UK focussing on the development of new therapies for cancer and parasitic diseases. He later moved into university senior management where his wide-ranging responsibilities included ensuring academic excellence, teaching and learning, improving student success and the management of change. He retired from his role as a Deputy Vice-Chancellor in September 2019.
Simon believes passionately that education is about transforming lives and ensuring every pupil reaches their full potential. He looks forward to working with the governors and staff to develop and improve the school.
Jonty Roland
Foundation (Diocese) Governor
Responsibilities: Christian Distinctiveness, Financial Performance,
Squirrel class link
Joined the Governing Body in April 2022
I am a former pupil of the school (with many happy memories there) and now live close by, with a daughter starting in Reception in September 2022. We are also members of St Paul's church's sister church St Barnabas on Mill Road.
Professionally, I'm an independent consultant supporting universal health coverage reforms in many different countries around the world, working to ensure that everyone gets the care they need regardless of who they are. At home, I'm a dad of two daughters and enjoy exploring all the fun and opportunities of bringing up a family in Cambridge, after many years away.
As a governor, I hope to combine my local roots and global experience to help the school continue its fantastic trajectory of success for many years into the future.
Andrew Blake
Associate Governor
Responsibilities: Educational Performance, Hedgehog class link
Joined the Governing Body in April 2020
Professor Andrew Blake is a research scientist in Artificial Intelligence. Over his career, he has spent equal amounts of time as a researcher and teacher in universities, and in companies. In his research he has invented new ways of getting computers to see, using video cameras as eyes. He has worked with robots, autonomous cars, and applications of image processing in photography and video games. As a teacher he taught students in computer science and in engineering. More recently he has directed three research institutions, including Microsoft Research, the Turing Institute and Samsung AI, setting up the last two from scratch.
He is currently chair of the Computer Science subject committee of the Royal Society – the UK’s national academy of science. He is particularly interested in STEM subjects, and recently joined the Royal Society’s review of maths teaching in schools.
Sarah Abrey
Staff Governor
Responsibilities: Governor Training and monitoring
Joined the Governing Body in October 2018
After beginning my job in September 2018 as a class teacher at St Paul's the request went out for a staff governor. I was interested in joining this role to gain more experience and understanding in the background, but key, role the governing body takes. I am glad to bring a staff voice to the governing body to help link between staff and governors.
I am Cambridge born and bred. I attended Milton Road Primary and Chesterton Secondary, before moving to Hills Road Sixth Form College. After this, I moved to the south coast for a 3 year Primary Education and QTS degree with a specialism in French. Upon graduating, I returned home and have been teaching since 2015. The 3 years prior to joining St Pauls I taught Y5 and Y1 at Stapleford Community Primary school. I saw a wonderful opportunity to join the team at St Paul's in 2018 and as I love working in smaller schools where I feel part of a tight team and community I was delighted to be given this opportunity. This coincided with me moving out of my family home and into my own place in Cambridge which I share with my other half and our dog Biscuit, she is a wonderful reason to enjoy our wonderful city some more! Aside from teaching I am a passionate Harry Potter fan and enjoy baking - of which many end up in the staffroom!
Helen Darrell
Headteacher
Joined the Governing Body in January 2019
I have been Headteacher at St. Paul's Primary School since January 2019.
I have been a teacher for the past 25 years, having taught in the midlands, London and a variety of schools in Cambridgeshire. Having grown up in Cornwall and being a Guide leader, I love the outdoors, cooking on an open fire is always a great joy. I have 2 children at secondary school and 2 older stepdaughters in their twenties and love to bake for the family.
Russell Re Manning
Foundation (CSOC) Governor
Responsibilities: Christian Distinctiveness, Pupil Welfare and wellbeing, SEND, Headteacher performance management
Joined the Governing Body in September 2017
I became a Parent Governor in 2017 and now have two children at St Paul's. I served as Chair of Governors in 2018 and 2019.
I am a Reader in Religions, Philosophies, and Ethics at Bath Spa University in beautiful North East Somerset. My teaching and research focuses on issues in the philosophy of religion and Christian theology. I enjoy spending time at our allotment, reading, and walking far and wide.
Liam Kelly
Associate Governor
Responsibilities: Financial Performance
Joined the Governing Body in January 2020
I took on the role of Associate Governor when my son entered Year 2 at St. Paul's. I now have two children attending the school and will form part of the finance and personnel committee.
During the work week I am a financial analyst for an asset management company based in London. I spend most of my time working on risk management solutions for pension clients, although have had experience as part of other co-operative committees based in Cambridge. I hope to be able to use my mathematical background to aid the school over the coming years.
Kate Sharkie
Foundation (Diocese) Governor
Responsibilities: Christian Distinctiveness, Facilities,
Robin class link
Joined the Governing Body in July 2020
Raised in Melbourne, Kate holds her degree in Building and Construction Management from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, and worked for many years as a quantity surveyor and project manager in the construction industry, in both Australia and the UK. She and her family moved to the St Paul's catchment area in 2007, and her two children received their primary education at St Paul's. A keen community activist she served as a Trustee of St Paul's Church for three years, and chaired the Parent Teacher and Friends Association at St Paul's School for 18 months. During her tenure she established the successful Second Hand Uniforms shop at the school, and helped initiate the Christmas Tree Fundraising Scheme, which have raised thousands of pounds for the school.
Sharon Geva
Parent Governor
Responsibilities: Hedgehog class link
Joined the Governing Body in November 2020
I have a son in Year 3 and a daughter in Year 1. In the past two years, I have got to know the school community, and was inspired by the diversity of backgrounds, professions, and interests among the children's parents. I’m particularly interested in issues related to diversity and inclusion in school day-to-day activities.
I am a neuroscientist, interested in language and memory. I worked with adults and children for many years, studying literacy, language development, and language disorders. Both personally and professionally I have a deep interest in child development and education.
