Governors
The Governors are appointed by the Dunraven Educational Trust, the charitable company and Multi Academy Trust which runs the school. The governing board has a wide range of responsibilities - clearly defined by the scheme of delegation and by law. Governors aim to support the staff team to ensure that the standards of student achievement remain high and help to steer the school's future direction. Governors are also accountable for the performance of the school to parents and the wider community.
The Dunraven School Local Governing Board (LGB) have at least 4 full meetings each academic year. Governors need to be able to prioritise their diaries to attend these meetings and our Strategic Planning Day held on a Saturday in the autumn term. Governors also need to support the school at other meetings and activities often held during school hours in term time.
Governors have to complete an enhanced DBS check before appointment and sign up to our Code of Conduct. The LGB works in partnership with the Trust Board under a Scheme of Delegation which is reviewed annually.
We are always happy to hear from anyone interested in the role of a Governor, either at Dunraven School or at one of our Trust's schools. If you would like to find out more, please contact governance@det.org.uk
Meeting minutes are available by request. If you wish to request minutes for the Local Governing Board, please email governance@det.org.uk
Meet the Governors
Mark Riddaway
Chair of the Local Governing Board
After owning and running a successful magazine publishing company for 15 years, Mark is now working as a freelance writer, editor, publisher and communications consultant, specialising in food. He is also the author of a book about food history. Before joining the Dunraven LGB, he spent 10 years as chair of the governing body responsible for two primary schools in Croydon.
Term of office - September 2023 - September 2027
Paul Thomas
Paul worked at a large specialist Housing Association for 26 years where he was a director for the last 15 years of that time. He now runs a land management and forestry company. Paul originally joined Dunraven's LGB as a parent governor and subsequently took on the role of Health & Safety Link and Chair of Governors until August 2024.
Term of Office – May 2023 - April 2027*
Mel Nieuwenhuys
SEND Link
Following a successful career as a film and television editor, Mel moved into education; first as a film tutor at a drama college and currently as a Learning Support Assistant at a local primary school. Committed to child-centred comprehensive education that serves the whole local community, she considers it a privilege to be the link governor for Inclusion and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
Term of Office - April 2023 - April 2027*
David Burke
David is a civil servant with a range of experience in policy and strategy, professional development, and data protection and information rights. He has worked in law enforcement and the Department for Education and Department for Health. He is currently working on data protection at HMRC. He was previously a Trustee at the Great North Wood Trust.
Term of Office - December 2021 to December 2025
Omena Osivwemu
Safeguarding Link
Omena is a Race Equality in Education Policy Officer for a large Education Union. She was previously a Primary School Teacher in Lewisham and Humanities Lead for eight years, having taught in EYFS, KS1 and 2 across England and internationally. She has produced educational content for an EdTech company and various educational publishers. Omena recently completed a Masters in Social Justice and Education at the Institute of Education, conducting funded international research into decolonising the curriculum. Omena is passionate about anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion in education. She will bring her commitment to social justice and expertise to help ensure the best school experience for all children at Dunraven School.
Term of Office - May 2022 - May 2026
ALISON ISMAIL
Parent Governor
Alison Ismail is a Parent Governor with two daughters in Dunraven's secondary phase. She is a Senior Civil Servant currently holding the post of Director for Special Educational Needs & Disabilities and Alternative Provision at the Department for Education. Previously Alison has held roles in different Government departments and the NHS, with a particular focus on children and young people's health and education policy. She was a Community Governor at Heathbrook Primary for 10 years with responsibility for PHSE.
Term of Office - October 2022 to October 2026
PETER JARVIS
Parent Governor
Vice Chair and Health & Safety Link
Peter initially was an environmental consultant leading on projects to identify and remediation pollution events before moving into the commercial insurance industry specialising in environmental. He has continued in this industry for over 14 years and now is a senior manager within a global insurance company. Peter's particular responsibilities are for developing and execution of strategy and the underwriting controls and governance within specialised commercial insurance. He joins the governors as a parent of two children currently within Dunraven's Primary phase and took on the role of Vice-Chair of Governors and Health & Safety Link in July 2024.
Term of Office - October 2022 to October 2026
Jordan Noble-Smith
Staff Governor
Jordan is a staff member in the secondary phase and has worked at Dunraven School since 2014. He is currently the Director of Sixth Form, and teaches Geography across key stages 3 to 5. Having contributed to his local community voluntarily for a number of years, he brings his experience of working in comprehensive secondary education in London for the past 17 years to contribute to the governance of the school.
Term of Office - September 2022 to September 2026
Sarah Graham
Staff Governor
Sarah is a staff member in the primary phase of Dunraven. She is currently the Religious Education subject leader and School Based Mentor for our Lead Partnership programme. She completed her studies at Federation University Australia and has honed her skills over the last ten years, teaching across a number of year levels both in Australia and the United Kingdom.
Term of Office - October 2023 - October 2027
*denotes second term of office
Governors who have left in the last 12 months
Timo Asling - resigned 3 June 2024
Nina Paul - term ended 8 November 2024
