Governors

Kings Langley School is a Single Academy Trust registered in England and Wales. The governors have duties as directors under company law and trustees under charity law.

The Trust Board provides strategic leadership setting the aims and objectives for the school, monitoring and evaluating the progress to achieving this, acts as a source of challenge and support to school leaders ensuring required policies and procedures are in place, and, holds senior leaders to account for the performance of the school, its students and staff. A key responsibility is that of managing the finances of the school and working with the Headteacher to balance resources.

There are 3 Governing Committees and the responsibility of each Committee is briefly outlined below:

Audit and Risk, and Resources Committee: All matters related to the Finance, maintenance, repair, upkeep and security of the school premises. Responsible for establishing, maintaining and operating a system of control, monitoring and reviewing procedures which meet the DfE requirements on Financial, Health & Safety, Audit and Risk matters and to provide a safe and satisfactory environment for learning.

Chair Mr Graham Craggs and Vice Chair Mr Mark Morant.

General Purposes Committee: To undertake activities as requested by the Full Governing Body which do not fall under the remit of any other Committee.

Curriculum and Personnel Committee: To monitor and evaluate the delivery of the school curriculum; to identify priorities for the School Improvement Plan; to advise the Governing Body on the school's Curriculum Policy; to review the quality of teaching and the standards of pupil achievement. To review, approve and monitor the implementation of policies; to review the staffing structure; to draft and review the school's Pay Policy. 

Chair - Mrs Dawn Helfgott and Vice Chair Mr Mark Morant

Pay Committee - Taking all decisions relating to pay awards of all staff employed to work at the school following consideration of the recommendations of the Headteacher. Mrs Frances Stickley, Mr Graham Craggs, Mrs Dawn Helfott and Mr Mark Morant.

All committees report into the full Governing Body.  

Minutes of Meetings

Full Governors Meeting

Committee minutes are available on request by emailing admin@kls.herts.sch.uk   

Governors

Chair of Governors:  Mrs Frances Stickley and Vice Chair Mrs Dawn Helfgott

Address: C/o Kings Langley School, Love Lane, Kings Langley, WD6 9HN

Community Governors - Appointed by the Governing board

Frances Stickley - Frances joined the Governing Body in December 2000 and was appointed Chair of Governors in September 2005, after serving as Vice Chair for two years. Frances retired from Kodak Ltd in 2014 after 36 years working in R&D and Facilities Management. She is married with two sons who have both been to Kings Langley School and are now working at Jaguar Landrover and Dacorum Borough Council.

Graham Craggs - Graham joined the Governing Body in 2013 and chairs the Audit, Risk and Resources Committee as well as being link governor for English. He is married with three daughters who all attended Kings Langley School. Graham, who has lived in Kings Langley since 1991 is a retired Chartered Surveyor and a keen cyclist.

Dawn Helfgott - Dawn joined the Governing Body in September 2009. Both of her daughters have attended Kings Langley School. Dawn is a partner in a firm of financial advisers based in Watford and in her spare time likes reading, going to the gym, socialising and watching Arsenal FC.

Mark Morant - Mark is vice-chair of both the Audit and Risk, and Resources Committee and the Curriculum and Personnel Committee. He is Link Governor for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), Pupil Premium, Health & Safety and for Behaviour and Attitudes. He joined the Governing body in 2010. Both of his children attended Kings Langley school. Prior to retirement, Mark was part of the senior leadership team with Dixons Carphone plc.

Simon Setterfield -  Simon, a resident of Nash Mills, joined as parent governor in November 2016. Simon owns and runs a small, Hemel based, specialist Textile business working mainly in the International Exhibition Industry. Simon was educated to A-Level at Langleybury School, where he was a Senior Prefect, competing in sports teams and active in school plays. He is keen to see that non-academic activities remain a key part of school life. His interests include travel (often work related), Cooking, D.I.Y, Motorcycling and has served as a junior officer in the Royal Anglian Regiment (T.A). Simon is active in Fund Raising for the school and takes a lead in the ‘Friends of Kings Langley School’.

Philip Slade – Phil has been a local resident for over 10 years and has seen both of his daughters attend Kings Langley School from Year 7 through to the end of 6th Form. He joined the Governing Body in 2020, having previously been a governor for over 4 years at a secondary school in Hemel Hempstead. Before retiring Phil worked as a Charted Engineer for GEC, Marconi and BAE Systems. He has many interests including motoring, DIY and cycling.

Emma Kell - Emma is a parent to two children at Kings Langley School and has lived in the local area for over a decade. She has 23 years of experience in teaching and leadership in UK schools. She currently teaches part-time at a Pupil Referral Unit in Buckinghamshire, working with the most vulnerable young people in the county. When not teaching, Emma writes, speaks and trains education professionals on wellbeing and self-care and trains new teachers and middle leaders in schools. She is the author of two books on teacher wellbeing and is now writing a book about how schools can most effectively engage parents. She completed her doctorate in balancing teaching and parenthood in 2016. Emma is a qualified performance coach, working with coachees both within and outside education to support them in fulfilling their unique potential. Outside work, Emma is a keen traveller, avid reader, amateur runner and cat enthusiast.

Alex Michaels - Alex lives in the village with his two primary school aged children. He obtained a first class degree in Environmental Management and Ecology and works on environmental science policy. He was an elected local councillor from 2015-2022. He is also a Trustee at the Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife Trust. He enjoys spending time with his young children, traveling, playing football and hill walking. 

Rosemary Inskipp - Rosemary worked for Kings Langley School for 15 years from 2007 until 2022 setting up and running its Family Support Service, establishing it at the forefront of supporting many of the families within our community.  Rosemary also managed all of the schools' wellbeing services during this time.  Originally Rosemary was a Staff Governor at the school but since leaving, she has now become a Community Governor.  Rosemary lives locally and has links with many of our local schools as a result of her working career.  She is a passionate supporter and advocate of the school and has seen the school through many of its changes over the years.  Rosemary is also a Governor at two local primary schools and is also a Trustee at the Watford FC Community Sports and Education Trust.

Headteacher

David Fisher – As Headteacher of Kings Langley School, David has a wealth of experience of Hertfordshire schools. David has worked in a variety of school settings including large multi academy trusts. He has a proven track record of developing effective teams to ensure students receive an exceptional education within the schools he has led.  He has worked with a number of experts in their fields including David Bartram OBE in SEND and Christine Counsell for curriculum. David has a BSc in Geography and a Post Graduate Degree from Birmingham University. 

Parent Governors (Elected by the parents of registered pupils at the academy)

Tania Giles - Tania, joined the Governing board as a parent governor in 2020, and is the Link Governor for Geography. She is a local resident and her son currently attends the School. Tania currently works as a management accountant at the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield (since 2006). Outside of work Tania enjoys climbing, reading and walking netball.

Joanne O'Sullivan - Joined as a parent governor in 2016, mum to 3 daughters who are or will attend the school. A lifelong Chipperfield resident and keen on lots of sports, especially netball. Employee in customer service for British Airways and qualified netball umpire, also enjoys getting involved; helping and supporting local community. Hoping to be positively involved in the Governing Body and keen to see all students reach potential and make the most of opportunities given to them.

Alana Ivey - Alana joined as a parent governor in 2021, with a daughter who began at the school in 2020. Alana is a member of the Curriculum/Personnel Committee and is Link Governor for PSHE and computer science. Alana lives in Bovingdon, where she was both chair and a member of the PTA for many years. She works in IT, building and managing websites for a local gift card company. Alana enjoys hiking locally and in Scotland, where she has climbed several Munros. She is looking forward to helping to support the school.

Phil Garner - Phil is a member of Audit and Risk, and Resources Committee. He is Link Governor for history and business studies, Phil joined as a parent governor in September 2021. He lives in Bovingdon with his wife, daughter and son, with his daughter attending Kings Langley School since September 2020. Phil is CEO of a medical journals publisher. As a recruiter of new graduates, he is passionate about helping young people develop academically and emotionally. 

Fionnuala O’Driscoll - Fionnuala joined the governing body in 2024. She lives in Kings Langley with her husband and two children who both attend Kings Langley School. Fionnuala works as a Speech and Language Therapist, specialising in working with children with neurodisabilities. In her spare time Fionnuala enjoys reading, writing and crafting, especially with paper.  

Alison Martin - Alison joined as a parent governor at the end of 2023.  She has lived locally in Bovingdon for over 13 years and has 2 sons at Kings Langley School.  Alison has worked for the NHS for over 20 years in a range of strategic and hospital trust roles, with a particular focus on workforce, education and training. She is also a qualified professional/ career coach where she works across sectors to help equip people with the right skills and help them reach their full potential.  Outside work, Alison loves travelling, hiking in the mountains and reading.

Stacey Kingshott - Stacey has two daughters, with one attending Kings Langley School and the other a local primary school. She lives in Chipperfield with her family and enjoys walks in the countryside, theatre, travel and cooking. Stacey has worked in HR for over 20 years and is currently a Global HR Director for an international technology business. Part of her role focuses on early in career development and wellbeing and Stacey has an interest in supporting women in technology, neurodiversity and is a qualified mediator. 

Clerk to the Governors 

Tracey Middleton - Clerk to the Governing Body
Tracey provides clerking services to a number of local schools. 

Certificate in Academy Governance 

Members 

Jackie Harrison, Gary Lewis, Frances Stickley, Richard Roberts and Dawn Helfgott