Governing Body
The local Governing Body of St Albans Girls' School complements and enhances the Leadership Team at St Albans Girls' School by providing support and challenge, ensuring that all statutory duties are met, and holding them to account to ensure improving outcomes for all students.
The St Albans Girls' School Governing Body is a member of ATLAS Multi Academy Trust and consists of:
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The Head Teacher
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Up to 8 Governors appointed by the Trust Board
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Up to 3 elected Staff Governors (elected by staff)
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Up to 5 elected Parent Governors (elected by parents)
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Up to 3 Co-opted Governors
The Academy Trust Members (‘Trustees’) are the Chair of Governors, 2 Vice Chairs of Governors, Chair of Finance and Head Teacher. These appoint Member Governors who bring relevant experience to the Governing Body.
Governors
Claire Barnard

Chair of Governors - Finance, Premises & Operations Appointed: 22nd May 2001 Term of Office: 1st July 2018 - 30th June 2022 Service: Parent Governor, Community Governor, Vice Chair of Governors and Chair of Governors
Appointed I graduated from Homerton College, Cambridge in 1983 and I am a qualified teacher. I taught in both the private and state sector, full and part time. Both of my daughters went to STAGS. More recently, I have focussed on governance and school management, both as a Governor at STAGS and on appeals panels for county school admissions. I led the governing body through an OFSTED inspection, managed the successful appointment of the current Head Teacher and I bring a wealth of relevant experience as well as a vision for excellence. I am also involved in a local church with leading Sunday school work and group discussions, have established a local art group, am a member of a book club, enjoy playing instruments in a band, gardening and keeping fit!
Bob Foster

Appointed Governor - Curriculum, Assessment & Standards Appointed: 14th June 2016 Term of Office: 1st July 2018 - 30th June 2022 Service: Estates Committee. Chaired and served on the Curriculum, Assessments and Standards Committee
I have spent my entire working life as a teacher in secondary education. I became an Assistant Headteacher in 1989 and worked in a large multi ethnic mixed comprehensive school in Ealing. In recent years I have taken the opportunity to work more locally specialising in short term contracts and supply.
Lesley Ainsworth

Appointed Governor - Personnel & Student Wellbeing (Chair) , Finance, Premises & Operations Appointed: 25th November 2014 Term of Office: 25th November 2018 - 24th November 2022
After qualifying as a solicitor in 1981 I specialised in competition law working mainly in London but with spells in Brussels and New York. When I retired from private practice in 2013 I was appointed as a Panel Member of the Competition and Markets Authority.
I was brought up in Lancashire but have lived in St Albans for over 30 years. I have two children, both now at university.
I am also a Governor at St Albans School.
Sarah Murphy

Appointed Governor - Finance, Premises & Operations , Personnel & Student Wellbeing Appointed: 26th February 2008 Term of Office: 1st March 2016 - 29th February 2022
I have been a Governor of STAGS since February 2008. After studying for my GCSEs and A Levels at STAGS, I went to Keele University and completed a degree in Psychology and Business Administration gaining a 2.1 and providing me with an interest in people in business. This led me to seek a career in the field of Human Resources. I have now been a generalist in the HR field for 15 years and am Head of HR for a top accountancy firm, giving me a good understanding of business. I am fully conversant in employment law and thrive on the challenges it presents in the workplace. I very much enjoy being a Governor of STAGS as I loved being a pupil there and want to give something back and make sure that the school excels in everything it does.
Amanda Jefferies

Amanda Jefferies
Appointed Governor - Curriculum, Assessment & Standards Appointed: 7th October 2013 Term of Office: 7th October 2017 - 6th October 2021
I graduated with a BA in Modern Languages and trained and worked originally as a secondary teacher. I took a career change to pursue an interest in the field of computing, and completed a Masters in Computer Science as a mature student and later a professional doctorate in Education. My current role is Professor of Technology Enhanced Learning at the University of Hertfordshire. My research focus is in developing digital literacy and exploring the role that technology can play to enhance the learning environment.
To the School Governing Body I contribute another positive example of a role model for girls’ education, with a particular interest in the STEM subjects.
Paul Snook

Appointed Governor - Curriculum, Assessment & Standards (Chair), Personnel & Student Wellbeing. Safeguarding Governor Appointed: 9th September 2008 Term of Office: 28th June 2016 - 28th June 2024
Paul is a former teacher and education consultant now retired. For the past 25 years he worked on projects in the education sector supporting a number of Department for Education initiatives ranging from developing effective use of ICT in schools, supporting initiatives to promote post 16 education and to building leadership capacity.
He has been a governor at St Albans Girls' School for 12 years.
Paul Webster

Appointed Governor - Finance, Premises and Operations (Chair), Personnel & Student Wellbeing Appointed: 7th October 1996 Term of Office: 1st March 2019 - 28th February 2023
My name is Paul Webster and I have been a Governor at STAGS since 1996. During the whole of my term of office I have also chaired the Finance and Marketing Committee. My experience as a School Governor started some five years prior to this date when I became a Governor of my children’s primary school, Oakwood School in St Albans, a position I still hold. My motivation for putting myself forward for the position of Governor was to bring a more commercial view, which was required with the advent of Local Management of Schools.
By profession I am a Chartered Accountant and recently retired as a partner with Mercer & Hole a local firm based in St Albans. My responsibilities within the practice not only includes normal professional work dealing with clients but also being the Managing Partner of the practice responsible for managing 200 members of staff over four separate locations.
My connection with STAGS goes back many years initially with my sister attending the school in the days when it was a grammar school. Subsequent to this my three daughters have all attended STAGS and as a parent I have always valued the contribution of the school made to their development.
As an employer of graduates and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Education and Training committee I have a vested interest in ensuring that the students coming out of schools and universities are the right quality and aptitude to take their place in the business world and society generally.
In addition to the above I am also a keen golfer, ornithologist and aviculturist. I am also a Fellow of the Zoological Society of London.
Dominic Houlihan

Parent Governor - Curriculum, Assessment & Standards Appointed: 18th November 2014 Term of Office: 30th November 2018 - 29th November 2022
I have devoted my life to excellence in education. I have 3 grown up children and my stepdaughter is in Year 12. I was a University scientist, senior manager and Professor; I started enterprises and was awarded an OBE for encouraging children in science. I am the product of a good education from a low-income family. I am retired and do my best as a parent governor for all the children of STAGS.
Rachael Kenningham

Governor - Curriculum, Assessment & Standards, Personnel & Student Wellbeing and STAGS LGB lead for Modern Foreign Languages, Government & Politics and Mental Health Appointed: 1st November 2016 Term of Office: 1st November 2016 - 31st October 2020
I have 20 years’ experience giving public policy advice and support to politicians, businesses, NGOs and Governments at the UK and EU level.
I am extremely proud to be a school governor and grateful for the opportunity to work alongside others who want to make a positive impact on the education and lives of young people.
Back in 2017 , as a parent governor at STAGS, I served on the working group established to investigate becoming a Trust. I later became Chair of ATLAS, the Multi Academy Trust we decided to form in 2018. It embodies our collective ambition to work with others to deliver an outstanding education to more young people. Our vision is to provide ‘Education for the Global Age’ by expanding horizons, building confidence, talents and interests and gaining skills and qualifications.
Outside my work with Atlas, I co-founded our local Fair Funding for All Schools Campaign in St Albans to encourage parents to actively support better funding for schools.
I graduated with an Honours Degree in French from the University of Birmingham in 1993.
Fiona Harper
Staff Governor - Finance, Premises & Operations Appointed: 28th June 2018 Term of Office: 28th June 2018 - 27th June 2022
I have worked at Stags since 2012 and have been Senior Science Technician since 2016.
After studying Microbiology at Leeds University I worked for many years as a research Microbiologist in various settings.
I have 3 children, 2 boys who attended Verulam school and a daughter who attended Stags.
I am not new to governance having served as a governor at a local primary school, during which time I also held the role of Chair. Being a staff governor is a new role for me and I am looking forward to representing our hard working support staff on the governing body.
Chris Curtis

Parent Governor - Finance, Premises & Operations, Curriculum, Assessment & Standards Appointed: 25th September 2018 Term of Office: 25th September 2018 to 24th September 2022
I am a Parent Governor, with a daughter in Year 10.
I graduated from Aston University in 1994, and have spent the subsequent 25 years working for Network Rail, holding a variety of posts in projects and operations, located across the country. In my current role I chair a board responsible for the implementation of new timetables across the rail industry.
I have an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, and have a passion for developing and mentoring young people who are pursuing careers in construction and engineering. I will bring my experience in this area to help encourage the students at STAGS to consider further studies and careers in these areas, where there are a wide range of exciting opportunities.
I also have an autistic daughter, and consequently an interest in education provision for those with Special Educational Needs (SEN).
Emma Geurts

Parent Governor - Finance, Premises & Operations, Personnel & Student Wellbeing Appointed: 7th October 2019 Term of Office: 7th October 2019 - 6th October 2023
I became a parent governor in October 2019. With 2 daughters who thrive at STAGS, I am now delighted to have the opportunity to give something back to the school.
I graduated with an Honours Degree in Managerial & Administrative Studies from Aston University in 1995 and since then have over 20 years combined experience of working in industry (financial services in strategic, change, operations and service roles), as a school business manager and as a small business owner. I hope that my business and financial experience will help our school to maintain its outstanding status and ambition to provide the best possible learning environment for the students.
Alun Davies

Co-opted Governor - Finance, Premises & Operations Appointed: 25th September 2019 Term of Office: 25th September 2019 to 24th September 2023
I was born in Brazil and attended private school there until the age of ten before returning to the UK where I went through the state school and university system in the UK. I studied sports science and maths at Loughborough University graduating in 1995. I then passed professional accounting qualifications and worked for large financial services firms in London, Zurich and New York.
I have previously been a governor in Islington and have an interest in supporting children from challenged backgrounds. I moved to St Albans with my wife in 2011 and we now have four young children.
I currently work for a management consultancy where we specialise in data analytics projects in both the public and private sectors.
Keelin Keogh
Staff Governor - Personnel & Student Wellbeing Appointed: 23rd September 2019 Term of Office: 23rd September 2019 to 22nd September 2023
I am an experienced teacher with a passion for improvement. I see creating opportunities for cross curricular as a lens through which to reinforce and embolden our world class teaching and learning at STAGS. My English, Film and Media subject area allows me to monitor and focus on social and emotional skills in learning. As a link governor for Primary I would like to track Literacy and achievement for an eleven year learning journey whilst continuing to promote work / life balance.
Amy Fotheringham
Staff Governor - Curriculum, Assessments & Standards Appointed: 23rd September 2019 Term of Office: 23rd September 2019 to 22nd September 2023
Over the last five years at STAGS, I have been able to implement and instil my love of learning and learning styles through my overseeing of Science and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme as well as enrichment opportunities like the expeditions to Norway and South America. Through Staff Governance, I will now also be able to review and promote practice and procedures across the school - keeping wellbeing at the centre of all that we do at STAGS
Vanessa Harris

Parent Governor - Personnel & Student Wellbeing, Finance & Operations Appointed: 26th November 2020 Term of Office: 13th January 2021 to 12th January 2025
With daughters in Year 7 and Year 10, I will be a STAGS parent for several years. I’ve worked as in-house construction legal counsel for a large development company for 18 years, and co-manage the legal team. As a result, I have interviewed and supervised many graduates, summer students and apprentices. I am a volunteer “Career Champion”, promoting employability skills of school children with a focus on raising career aspirations by broadening their understanding of the world of work