Meet our Governors 

It is important that governors reflect the local community. People of all backgrounds, cultures, and races have a valuable contribution to make and should think about becoming a governor.

The Adamsrill School Governing Body is made up of parents, staff, and community members and we represent various walks of life and come from differing backgrounds.

The thing we all have in common is a passion that our children should have an outstanding education. Governors are elected/appointed for four years.

Our Governing Body provides strategic leadership and accountability across our school.

• Shirley Hamilton
  Chair of Governors
  Shirley Hamilton

  I have significant ties to the Sydenham/Forest Hill community, having lived in Forest Hill for the past 36+ years. Moreover, all three of my adult children attended Adamsrill; in fact two of my grandchildren have also attended the school; so I am particularly happy and proud to be able to sit on the schools Governing Board. I have an in depth knowledge of the demographics of the area as well as the potential needs of our community, given that I am also a Leader of one of the local faith groups. In this capacity, I have worked extensively and contributed positively to the community for almost 30 years.

  Professionally, I have worked as a Curriculum Development Manager for an Adult Education College. I have a degree in Modern Foreign languages with International Studies, post graduate qualifications in Education and in Management. I qualified as a teacher in the post 16 sector, and worked in a variety of educational institutions for 20 years. Prior to that I had a managerial career in Lewisham Housing department and started my working life in the civil service.

  As well as my duties managing multi-disciplinary teams in the adult education college, I was also a Teacher Educator. I am certain that my past and current experience will be of value to the school and I am willing to share my knowledge and skills as necessary.

• Judy Evans
  Vice Chair
  Judy Evans

  I became a parent governor at Adamsrill in 1990, when my two children attended the school and have been on the governing body ever since as a co-opted governor.

  I have worked with school governors for many years as a Governance Officer and also co-ordinated training for governors. I am very ambitious for our pupils and support the Head teacher and staff with their hard work to ensure that each pupil reaches their full potential whilst at Adamsrill.

  I am currently a joint Vice Chair of the Governing Board and a member of the Resources Committee and the Standards and Achievement Committee. I am also a link governor for Attendance and SEND.

• Sue Bateson
  Vice Chair
  Sue Bateson

  I am Vice Chair of Governors at Adamsrill School and have a very long association with the school. I was born and brought up in South East London and was a pupil at Adamsrill (with my brother and cousins and I remember playing on the grassy field where the new building now is). When both my children were pupils at school in the 1990s, I became active in the PTA. I was first elected as a parent governor and later became a co-opted governor.

  I was elected six years ago and have seen the school through many changes and three OFSTED inspections during that time. I am the designated governor for safeguarding and lead for governors on Health and Safety matters.

  I still live locally and have spent my working career in the housing field. I am currently a civil servant.

• Jo Hibbitt
  Local Authority Governor
  Jo Hibbitt

  Jo retired after fifteen years of headship at Plumstead Manor Girls School in South East London. She taught for 37 years in Greenwich and during her career Jo has been head teacher or acting head teacher in three different secondary schools.

  Throughout her career Jo was committed to enabling young people to have the widest possible educational opportunities to enable them to access higher education and employment. She led Plumstead Manor School in developing and promoting Performing Arts and Vocational courses and spent her career providing opportunities for young people to experience enjoyment and gain employment in the Arts.

• Lennox Hamilton
  Vice Chair of Resources
  Lennox Hamilton

  I have several years experience of school governance and governance in the community sector. I have been a Local Authority appointed governor and have served as the chair of the Premise Committee. My previous and current work experience have stood me in good stead as a Governor.

  As a senior Project Manager and Consultant, I regularly work with, and on behalf of, school staff; including Senior Leaders, Teaching and Support Staff. Moreover, I have experience of over 17 years in Education Construction Project and Facilities Management, and prior to that 15 years in Housing Estates and Property Management, at senior level.

  I am educated to Degree Level: A Bachelor of Humanities Degree, University of London. I am a qualified Prince 2 Project Management Practitioner; holder of P405 Asbestos Management Qualification; Level 4 qualification in Management of Health and Safety; trained Psychodynamic Counsellor; qualified Reflexologist (ITEC Level 3 Diploma).

  I have a wealth of Leadership experience; including as Senior Pastor of a local church, and an ordained Bishop in good standing. I have served as adviser to the former Mayor of Lewisham, and active Community Champion on Race Equality issues.

  My connection to Adamsrill has spanned over three decades, my three grown up children attended the school as part of the nursery until they left at the end of year 6. I have also had two of my four grandchildren educated at the school. My years as a governor initially started in the 1990s, I have a strong commitment to the local and school community.

• Stuart Dayman
  Parent Governor
  Stuart Dayman

  I've been a parent at Adamsrill since 2011 and currently have a daughter in year 3. Previously a professional musician, I'm working closely with the music department as a link governor. At present I'm working for Transport for London as an operational development manager in air quality schemes. I believe in the importance of having a great education experience and I want our children at Adamsrill to be given the best opportunities to learn and develop in all aspects of school life.

• Monique Leslie
  Co-opted Governor
  Monique Leslie

  I am a Co-opted governor and part of the Resources Committee at Adamsrill. I became a school governor as I had volunteered before as a Learning Mentor and Reading Partner through my work in the City and truly enjoyed the experience. I enjoy being a Governor at Adamsrill: the children are excited and eager to learn and share with me, and the other Governors, what they are learning and I love to see the children's work displayed around the school. As a Governor I am here to support the school and also support the children so that they can excel and reach their full potential academically and creatively.

• Dillon Chiparimandu
  Co-opted Governor / Chair of Standards, Parent Governor
  Dillon Chiparimandu

• Vanessa Croan
  Parent Governor
  Vanessa Croan

  I wish to serve as a Parent Governor to support the school to achieve and stretch its academic objectives while also bringing its community together to celebrate and grow understanding of diversity, equality and inclusion.
  The last two years have been particularly challenging for many of us; a global pandemic, a growing climate crisis, racial injustice, a widening socio-economic gap, and, most recently, conflict that feels very near to home.
  I want children to feel that school is a safe place to learn and ask questions to grow their knowledge and also challenge and reflect on issues important to our society, equipping them both academically and emotionally as they enter high school and grow into young adults.
  As a Parent Governor, I will support the governing body to be a link between the school and community and hold the school to account for its responsibilities to our children and community. I am personable, both open and fair-minded, and enthusiastic about making a difference at Adamsrill.

• Ewan Mitchell
  Chair of Resources
  Ewan Mitchell

  I have worked as a data scientist and team leader in the financial services for ten years. This includes five years at a credit ratings company where he took ACCA accountancy training and built statistical models based on companies' financial reports to assess their financial health. Prior to that I spent seven years working in secondary schools as a mathematics teacher and head of department. I taught math at all levels including A level and Oxbridge entrance and was a member of the academic policy committee. I have a PGCE, a distinction in post graduate statistics from Sheffield University, a DPhil (doctorate) in Astrophysics from Oxford University and a Masters in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University.

• Michael Noonan
  Parent Governor
  Michael Noonan

  I became a Parent Governor at the start of 2023. I currently have one child at the school and another
  who is due to start reception this year. My wife & I have made Sydenham our home and very much enjoy
  being part of the local community.
  After graduating with a degree in Economics I commenced a career in banking, currently working for a
  large international bank. I’ve undertaking numerous roles and I now look after a portfolio of business
  clients. This involves relationship building, data analysis, problem solving, managing budgets, project
  management and communicating with multiple stakeholders. I’d like to use the skills developed
  throughout my varied career for the benefit of the school and local community.
  As part of the school governors, I want to help create and ensure a positive experience for all pupils at
  Adamsrill. I’m passionate about all pupils reaching their potential and developing the foundation
  building blocks during their primary education years to set them up for success in their future life. I
  currently sit on the Standards and Achievement committee.

• Emilia Gentle
  Parent Governor
  Emilia Gentle

  I'm a counsellor and therapist working in private practice since 2019. My background is in theatre and film and since qualifying as a therapist in 2017, I've been working to combine two of my passions - providing mental health support to those who need it, and working with the Arts sector. Alongside my private practice, I work for an organisation that provides therapy to those working in the Arts. My knowledge and experience in this field can be helpful when working with this group of people.

  I have a degree in English and a degree in Counselling and psychotherapy. I lived in Canada for a few years where I worked for an EAP (Employee Assistance Programme). It was here that my interest in
  mental health and offering mental health support, began. I'm originally from South London and attended South London state schools throughout my childhood.

  It's partly because of this that I feel passionately about our local schools and investing time and effort in to supporting the children and the staff to ensure everyone receives equal opportunities and education. I have two wonderful daughters at Adamsrill. We're part of a rich community in Sydenham and at Adamsrill, and I look forward to becoming even more a part of this community through becoming a parent governor.

To view the composition of our Governing Body and attendance for the 23/24 academic year, please see below.Adamsrill governor details for website 2023-2024_a.pdf

All Governors can be contacted via the school office either by email admin@adamsrill.lewisham.sch.uk or by letter. Please mark your envelope private and confidential and it will be forwarded to the named Governor.