Governors
To get in touch with the Governors, please email governors@saracenshigh.org OR send a letter to Kevin Perry, Chair of Governors, care of: Saracens High School, Corner Mead, Colindale, London, NW9 4AS.
All Governors were appointed by the Trust.
The Clerk to the Governors can be contacted via email at clerk@saracensmat.org
All Governors attend Local Governing Body meetings.
Committee membership:
Resources Committee
Howard Berg
Julian Cater
Matt Clackett
Peter Harvey (Chair)
Katie Layton
George Nnochiri
Kevin Perry
Quality of Education Committee
Ali Yussuf Abdi
Ann Bunyard
Lynda Corry
Jim Dickin
David Gilani
Kevin Perry
Ruth Sack (Chair)
Dr Stevens
Kevin Perry, Chair of Governors
Kevin was a solicitor for 32 years working as a commercial litigator. For 25 of those years, he was a partner and for a large number of those years he was the head of the litigation department. That meant that among others he developed the following skill sets: strategic thinking; organisational skills; an understanding of the importance of compliance; the highest demands for ethical standards; management of budgets; an ability to challenge people and fight a corner when necessary; good interpersonal skills with an ability to work well in teams, and an ability to take tough decisions when needed.
He has been very fortunate in his career, and has always looked, albeit in a small way, to contribute outside of his day job. This has included being the Chairman of a fund-raising committee for the NSPCC, helping to set up and then become a Trustee of the Royal Courts of Justice Advice Bureau and sit on its employment and finance sub-committee. He sat on the fund raising committee for sports tours of his sons’ school and he was also the head of Pro Bono in the London office and sat on the firm-wide international committee. Since retiring in December 2021, Kevin has enjoyed spending more time in school and becoming a grandfather.
Term of Office: 1/9/2018 – 1/9/2022. Governor
Ann Bunyard
Ann started her working career as a secretary and later spent 3 years working in Germany where she was able to use and improve her language skills. On her return to England she followed various paths including training to be a German teacher.
Her husband started his own solicitor’s practice where she ran the office and did the accounts.
She is a keen supporter of Saracens Rugby Club and has a good understanding of team values; she is a firm believer in sports and activities for young people as she is certain that these are an essential part in helping them socially and educationally with their future lives.
Term of Office: 1/9/2018 – 31/8/2022. Governor.
Howard Berg
Howard started his professional life in the Lloyds Banking Group where he eventually became a senior Manager in the Card and Payments group.
For the last 20 years Howard has worked for Thales in the field of Digital security which includes the production of many of the UK’s chip payment and SIM card, secure documentation such as Passports and Driving licenses and methods for the protection of individuals and organisations when transacting in the “on-line” world.
Earlier in his career Howard spent many years as a part time youth worker working in both Barnet and Camden in a number of different settings.He qualified as a part time youth worker through the LFBC, now called London Youth.
Howard was Chair of a large youth and Community centre in the West Hampstead area for 7 years catering for young people from the age of 7 to 25 years old.
Howard has been a supporter of Saracens for over 25 years and is a Patron and Sponsor of the Saracens Foundation.
Term of Office: 8/7/21 – 7/7/25. Governor.
Julian Cater, Vice Chair of Governors
Julian has worked in Financial Services for over 25 years as a Fund Manager, Equity Research Analyst and Investment Banker.
He has developed skills in the analysis of company performance – assessing strategy, competitive positioning, and financial results. In his current role as an Investment Banker he liaises with institutional shareholders to gauge their views on the companies in which they invest, and provides advice to those companies on how to develop and present their strategies to investors, including how to raise funds to execute their growth plans.
He firmly believes in the importance of good education as a means of developing social mobility and creating future opportunities for students; and similarly the positive impact that sport can play in both physical and mental development. He has previously been a volunteer manager and coach of several junior football teams at Hadley Wood & Wingate, and Hadley Rangers football clubs.
Term of Office: 11/5/2020 – 10/5/24. Parent Governor.
Matt Clackett
Matt has many years of high level experience working across a number of specialised sectors, including automotive, music and music publishing, heavy engineering, journalism and software development. His work has taken him all over the world, with periods spent living and working in the USA, Japan and the Middle East. He currently works at Saracens High School as the Data & IT Controller, which encompasses critical information including assessment and attainment, giving him a detailed understanding of the school’s progress.
Term of Office: 4/12/18 – 4/12/2022. Staff Governor.
Lynda Corry
Lynda is an ISI School Inspector and an experienced educational leader, having held the roles of Head teacher, Deputy head teacher, Head of Department, teacher, and governor, in both the independent and maintained education sectors.
She has over 20 years’ experience in safeguarding roles in a number of schools, 17 years of which have been as the Designated Safeguarding Lead in the relevant school.
Term of office: 1/9/18 –1/9/2022. Governor.
Jim Dickin
Jim Dickin is Deputy Head (Pastoral) and Designated Safeguarding Lead at Mill Hill School.
Over his career he has worked in a variety of Schools both in the UK and New Zealand. He is married with four daughters, all of whom were born in New Zealand.
He has a Masters in Educational Leadership from Auckland University having initially studied Physical Education at Exeter University.
Term of Office: 20/1/20 – 20/1/24. Governor.
David Gilani
David believes in the public good of education and the opportunities it creates for young people to develop into exceptional citizens.
Over the past seven years, he has taken part in a variety of paid and voluntary roles to support and champion pupils and young people.
He has also had almost four years’ experience as a trustee (including one year as chair), but has moved his volunteering focus from the charity sector back to education, where his passions truly lie.
In his current job at Middlesex University, he works to support the experience of students within his role as Pupil Communications Manager. He will take the skills and experiences
that he has gained from this current position (and previous roles) within Higher Education and help apply them to Saracens High School.
Term of office: 1/9/2018 – 1/9/2022. Governor.
Peter Harvey
Birmingham born and bred, during 34 years at Barclays, Peter undertook a variety of roles culminating in being CEO of the Corporate and Commercial Bank and Vice-Chair of UK banking.
After then undertaking a variety of non executive roles in a mutual, a PLC, a partnership, and a family owned business, he now focuses on being a mentor ( largely pro bono) to a variety of adults and students. The adults are largely business people or Saracens players considering life after rugby.
His current work with students, largely based in the north of England, came about by undertaking a talk and a q&a session at state schools organised by Robert Peston’s speakers for schools charity.
Peter is now excited to having been appointed as a Governor at the Saracens High School, focussing on Finance,People and Premises.
Term of office: 4/12/18 – 4/12/2022. Governor.
Katie Layton
Katie is a banking & finance lawyer and as such has a great appreciation for attention to detail, organisation and healthy negotiation. She has the ability to think outside the box, come up with creative solutions and is very personable. Living locally to the school, Katie brings a community benefit angle to her role as governor.
Outside of her day job, Katie coordinates events for The Grief Network, a community organisation running regular events for the young bereaved and she has previously been involved in a number of both paid and voluntary roles supporting students and children.
Term of office: 8/7/21 – 7/7/25. Governor.
George Nnochiri
George has run his own company for over 25 years providing business and project management consultancy to a wide variety of institutions ranging from start-ups through to major financial companies. He is also a director of two other companies and consequently offers additional key skills such as organisational and financial management.
He has previously served for over 10 years as a governor at a primary school including being the chair of the governing body for a number of years, overseeing three Ofsted inspections at the school. He also served as chair of the finance and premises committees at the school. He therefore brings with him extensive experience in school oversight and significant knowledge of the operation and requirements of governing bodies.
He has a great interest in child and youth development matters, both academic and sporting. Examples of his involvement include previously helping with youth sports teams, providing guidance on university applications and advising on the development of associated personal statements.
Term of office: 28/3/19 – 28/3/2023. Governor.
Ruth Sack
Ruth has a business background which brings an unusual combination of expertise in finance, coaching, strategic leadership, board roles and charity activities. Founder of The Alliance, a coaching partnership, she takes pride in doing important work that makes a positive difference, whatever the sector. In all her work, Ruth’s rich professional experience, her energy and her passion enable her to support people and teams through change.
She is excited to bring all of those skills to Saracens High School as a Governor having been part of the Saracens family for many years with a son who played for the youth from ages 6 – 18.
Term of office: 8/7/21 – 7/7/25. Governor.
Matthew Stevens, Principal
Ex Officio Governor
Ali Yussuf Abdi
A qualified teacher with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), with more than 10 years of teaching and training experience who is able to support the school to provide a coherent flexible study programme for all its pupils.
Ali currently teaches Mathematics and business in a sixth form college in London and previously worked across London in several secondary schools and hence is conversant with the current national curriculum, which is of particular use to Saracens High School. Ali is keen to support the school to articulate and reach its optimal performance.
In addition to his teaching experience, Ali has more than 10 years’ experience of working with community-based organisations and NGOs both in the UK and abroad and advocates strongly for social justice. He believes in education as vehicle to exit the shackles of ignorance and poverty. Ali is flexible and open minded and able to work independently towards a given deadline. Ali is a multi-lingual who speaks and write fluently in English, Russian, Swahili and Somali.
Term of office: 11/3/19 –11/3/2023. Parent Governor. Outcomes Committee
Resignations
Bina Omare, 1/10/18 – 15/1/21 Business interests included in main document.