Governors
Our governors work in partnership with the Head Teacher and senior leadership team to set the school's vision, ethos, and strategic direction. They act as a critical friend, supporting the school while constructively challenging it to ensure continuous improvement, high standards, and accountability. ​
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The Governing Body plays a central role in school improvement planning and is fully involved in reviewing the Learning Improvement Plan (LIP) and shaping future strategic priorities.
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Our Role
The Governing Body has several key responsibilities:
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Ensuring the school has clear aims and values supported by the whole school community
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Monitoring how these aims are reflected in the day-to-day running of the school
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Focusing on raising standards of achievement and promoting high expectations so that every pupil reaches their full potential
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Contributing to the development and review of the LIP
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Ensuring school resources are allocated effectively and in line with agreed priorities
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Establishing and reviewing policies that provide a framework for the Head Teacher and staff
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Ensuring systems are in place to monitor progress toward targets
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Reviewing evidence of progress and evaluating the effectiveness of policies and practices
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Comparing school performance over time and against similar schools
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Taking advice from the Head Teacher before making strategic decisions
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Composition of the Governing Body
​Queensbridge Primary Governing Body is made up of 10 governors:
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2 Parent Governors
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5 Co-Opted Governors
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1 Staff Governor
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1 Ex officio - Executive Headteacher
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1 Associate Member- Interim Head Teacher
Governors bring a wide range of skills and experience. They are enthusiastic, proactive, and committed to maintaining and improving excellence in all aspects of school life.
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All governors are appointed for four-year terms and may be reappointed at the end of their term.
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Committees, Link Roles, and Working Parties
The Governing Body meets once per term for the Full Governing Body (FGB) meetings. Governors may also serve on committees or take on specific link responsibilities.
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Resources Committee
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Setting and monitoring the school’s annual budget
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Ensuring best use of available resources
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Overseeing staffing matters
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Monthly budget reviews with School Manager (since September 2024) to analyse expenditure breakdowns
Teaching and Curriculum Committee
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Writing and reviewing all curriculum-related policies
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Monitoring priority areas within the School Development Plan
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Reviewing teaching, learning, and assessment strategies
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Termly learning walks during school hours, enabling governors to observe school priorities in action
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Link Governors support specific areas such as safeguarding, special educational needs (SEN), pupil premium, heath & safety, monitoring budget, and literacy/numeracy, attending additional meetings as required.
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Working Parties
Working Parties are formed on the occasion of dealing with specific issues, contextual changes and school community population needs. A working party may include governors, staff, parents and/or other experts. For the academic year 2025-2026 we have the following working parties:
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Hard to reach parents / carers- a new strategy ongoing from 2025
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Sustainability ongoing- Greening our playground continues from 2025 to date
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Research Retrieval Practice ongoing (support and set up Hackney Education Assessment Forum) to address cognitive load
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DFE/ National Support School work (working parties). We were the school who trialled the DFE Mark Less, Mark Better pilot 2020- bill boards 2021, reducing teacher workload and disseminating our practice to other local authorities
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Education Endowment Foundation projects
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Diversity
Queensbridge Primary Governing Body is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. Our governors bring a wide range of experiences, skills, and perspectives, helping to ensure effective decision-making and representation of our whole school community.
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Contact
To contact the Governing Body, please email the Clerk to Governors:
Email: clerk@queensbridge.hackney.sch.uk
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Statutory Documents
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Governing Board Membership 2024-25​
Governing Board Membership 2023-24
Governing Board Membership 2022-23​​
Governing Board Membership 2020-21
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Register of Business Interests- Pecuniary Interests 2025-2026 Governing Body
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School employees that have a gross annual salary of £100,000 or more in increments of £10,000. In 2025-26 is 1.
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Please see the school's profile on the Schools Financial Benchmarking website
Meet Our Governors
Louise Nichols
Interim Executive Headteacher
ex officio
Karen Pedro
Interim Headteacher
Associate Member
Lisa Aldridge
Chair of Governors | Assistant Director, Families First Partnership Reforms, London Borough of Hackney
Qualifying as a social worker in 2000, I have dedicated my career to improving outcomes for vulnerable children and families across inner London. I currently serve as the Assistant Director for the Families First Partnership Reforms within Hackney Children and Families Services, driving initiatives that ensure families receive proactive, compassionate, and integrated support. Over the past 26 years, I have held operational and strategic safeguarding roles across Coram Family, Islington, Camden, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and Hackney, including serving as Hackney’s Head of Service for Safeguarding and Quality Assurance from 2016 to 2025. Alongside my frontline and strategic leadership, I am a passionate advocate for systemic equity and relational practice. I am a published author, having contributed chapters to Principles of Practice (2023) and The Anti-Racist Social Worker in Practice (2025). I am currently undertaking a Professional Doctorate in Advanced Practice and Research in Social Work and Social Care at the Tavistock Clinic, where my research explores the organisational enablers and barriers to anti-racism in children's services. I look forward to taking this interim opportunity as Chair to bring strategic and accountable safeguarding with a systemic, trauma-informed, and anti-racist lens to support our school's staff, empower our students, and lead the Board of Governors in their duties towards the school
Gill Brady
Vice Chair |
Currently I live in Whitstable, Kent. I have enjoyed a long career in Education since 1976 - including primary teaching, Headship and School improvement work for Waltham Forest and Hackney. For 10 years I worked with four schools in Suffolk providing school improvement support on behalf of Hackney until July 2025. I continue to be passionate about education, and the importance of high-quality provision and support being provided for all children and young people.
Now retired from full- time work, I continue to work as a school governor – currently I am Chair of Governors at Berger Primary School, Hackney, and Vice Chair of Governors at Queensbridge Primary School, Hackney. I am currently Chair of the Morningside Local Advisory Board. Interests outside education include spending time with my family and friends, reading, and following sport - particularly football. I love living by the sea having relocated from London to the Kent coast in 2019 but still enjoy visiting family and friends in London.
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Joanne Larkin
Co-Opted Governor
I’m now retired but have a background in Education HR, having worked for several London boroughs over the last 30 years.
My experience has been both operational and strategic including working closely with governing bodies, headteachers and trade unions to deal with all aspects of employee relations in schools. Frequently advising and supporting headteachers and/or governing bodies at disciplinary hearings as well working with trade unions at the strategic level of the local authority. Have previously been responsible for providing payroll services to schools in various London boroughs so I’m familiar with teachers and headteachers terms and conditions ( including pay) as outlined in the School Teachers Pay and Conditions document.
I have been a school governor in various schools over the years across two London boroughs.
Naomi Ter-Berg
Co-Opted Governor | Initial Teacher Education Tutor
​I believe in a community school where creativity, inclusivity, equality and diversity are at the heart of the curriculum, where a child can grow, thrive and develop their social, emotional, communication, physical and academic skills in a safe supportive environment, at their own level. As a Music, SEND and ESL Specialist, I am delighted to be a Governor in a school that puts so much emphasis on Creativity and Music for All. With over 45 years in education, Naomi has taught in mainstream London Primary schools and held Senior Management roles. She lectured at UCL Institute of Education, training and mentoring Primary PGCE teachers, alongside teaching as a SEND Specialist and completing an MA in Psychology and Special Education. She was responsible for setting up a Special Needs Pathway on the Primary PGCE, training teachers to work in Special schools and upskilling mainstream teachers in teaching SEND & all pupils effectively. Recently retired, Naomi has lived in the local community for many years. As a governor, parent and educator, she brings a wealth of personal and professional experience to the Governor role.
Danielle Cline
Staff Governor | Class Teacher
I am an experienced teacher with 14 years in the profession. I trained and began my career in Essex and have worked at Queensbridge since moving to London. Alongside my classroom teaching, I have led across a range of curriculum areas and am actively involved in the PTA, supporting the wider school community through fundraising and events. I have a strong interest in nature and outdoor learning, having previously coordinated science, and I now focus on leading mathematics within the school.
Isil Sansoy
Co-Opted Governor | Psychotherapist
I am an integrative-existential psychotherapist with 15 years of experience working in the public sector and in private practice, specialising in complex trauma. As a parent and a professional, I think a lot about the integration of childhood experiences into the psychological landscape in adulthood. Hence, I am interested in supporting the school in creating a safe and inclusive environment where children can thrive academically and relationally, and where resilience can be built through supportive relationships and a strong sense of community.
Vanessa Puetz
Parent Governor | Professor (Teaching) in Developmental Neuroscience and Psycophathology
Professor Dr. Vanessa Puetz is a researcher and educator who specialises in understanding how children and young people grow, learn, and cope with difficult experiences. She co-leads the MSc in Psychology and Trauma (Child and Adolescent Route) and MRes Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology at UCL, where she teaches and supports students training to work in children’s mental health and wellbeing. At UCL, Vanessa has designed new, accessible ways of teaching that support learners from all backgrounds, including those around the world. Her work has included cross-institutional collaborations with Yale University and the voluntary sector, as well as projects with technology partners such as Google, to improve how we understand and respond to the needs of children and families, and she has published and taught widely on child development and childhood trauma. For the public, Vanessa created a free online course on Childhood Adversity: The Impact of Childhood Maltreatment on Mental Health, which can be found on Futurelearn. Vanessa is passionate about creating safe, supportive environments where all children can thrive. As a school governor, she brings her expertise in child development, trauma-informed practice and education to help the school continue offering the best possible opportunities for its pupils and community.
Raj Heer
Parent Governor | Head of Energy and Climate Partnerships, South East Asia
I’m a parent of a Year 2 child. I also bring experience from government and the Department for Education, where I’ve worked on safeguarding, inclusion, and improving outcomes for vulnerable children.
I want to help shape a school that reflects our diverse local community—where every child feels they belong, and parents feel heard. Schools are places where differences can be shared, and where pupils, staff, and families can develop tools to express views constructively and disagree respectfully.
With a background in strategy, governance, and delivering results, I aim bring clear thinking, strong communication, and a collaborative approach.
