Governance

John has over 15 years’ experience of school governor roles. He is currently Chair of Governors at St Johns C of E Primary School, an outstanding primary school in Shirley, and was for a number of years, Vice Chair of Governors at Ark Oval Primary School. John has been designated by the Department of Education as a National Leader of Governance and mentors a number of other chairs who are either new to the role or facing challenging situations. John regularly delivers training for Governors and teachers, both for the local authority and independent education organisations.

John has a long association with the local area. His great-great grandmother was once the oldest publican in Croydon! John is senior partner of a local firm of Chartered Surveyors and a director of a number of other companies. He is involved in two local projects to support the homeless and also sings in a number of local choirs when time allows.

John is passionate about the opportunities that first rate education can give every single child and has enjoyed working with Ark for the last eight years as he feels they share that same passion. John feels it is a huge privilege to lead the Local Governing Body at Ark Blake and hopes to make a positive difference to every student who attends.

Alia is an experienced corporate lawyer, having worked at a “Magic Circle” law firm, global Big Four professional services firm and in-house at a global technology company. Alia has a long-standing interest in education and its ability to transform lives. Since its foundation, Alia has been keen to get involved with Ark Blake Academy and was pleased to present an assembly during the first year of the school on being a student at Cambridge University, with the hope of demonstrating to the children that such elite higher education institutions are for them as much as for anyone else.

Ramona is mother to a current pupil of Ark Blake Academy who is passionate about the education of young people its impact on their lives. She believes it is important that children are equipped with the necessary tools and opportunities to meet their full potential. Ramona has been a Croydon resident for more than twenty years and works for the NHS.

Dann has 20 years experience working as a Finance professional in the City. He currently works for the National Citizens Service whose mission is to inspire generations of citizens through shared experiences that develop character and bridge social divides. He is passionate about enrichment activities, social action and commercial ability to support young people in being work ready and world ready. He is keen to bring his experience of finance, governance, risk & commercial to support the Ark Trust and Ark Blake Academy in his role as governor.

Julie is a recently retired HR professional who has worked in Education for the past 16 years. She has also been involved in Scouting for over 20 years and is an active member of her local church, helping in a host of roles including the youth church, when needed. She feels the school’s vision and values are something she holds close to her heart, with respect, diversity, equality, inclusion and safeguarding being core aspects of school life. Julie is passionate about education and believes that in a supportive, learning environment, each child will have the opportunity to succeed and excel.

Ruby works in higher education policy at University of the Arts London. Previously, she worked at the Sutton Trust, a charity which works to improve social mobility. Ruby has also been involved in work with the Oak National Academy and the National Tutoring Programme, both developed in response to the impact of the pandemic on education. She is committed to working with her local community to ensure that young people of all backgrounds are supported and able to achieve the best outcomes possible.

Loney is a teacher of science and Head of Year 9 at Ark Blake Academy. He holds a Bachelor of Education: Science, and a M.Sc. in Occupational, Environmental, Safety and Health. Loney is particularly interested in ensuring students from all backgrounds have access to quality education that enables them to flourish. Prior to this he has worked in various school setting leading on initiatives to develop and promote excellence in raising standards of progress, conduct and achievement. Loney is keen to ensure his role as staff governor contribute positively to Ark Blake Academy’s school improvement and strategic direction.

David qualified as a teacher in 2006 and taught secondary English in schools at home and overseas. He holds a Masters degree in Education from UCL and is particularly interested in ensuring that children from all backgrounds have access to a curriculum that will enable them to flourish. He now works for the Department of Education. Originally from Lancashire, David settled in Greenwich in 2014, where he is also a governor at a local primary school.