Governor Profiles
Total number of posts: 12
- Co-opted governors (6), Parent governors (3), LA governors (1),
Staff governors (1), Headteacher (1)
Chris Hamilton
Chair of Governors
Local Authority Governor
I have a background in scientific publishing and personal interests in natural history, technology and autism. I took early retirement from running large public services to combine consultancy work with voluntary roles in the arts education, disability support and environmental protection.
I discovered Portesbery School while working with Riding for the Disabled and through family connections. Ie first joined as a governor in November 2009, later serving as Vice Chair and Chair, helping to see the school through its move to Deepcut and leading the recruitment of its current headteacher.
I'm a past governor of two other schools and currently a governor of two more special schools (Carwarden in Camberley and High Close in Wokingham) and one primary school (Wildridings in Bracknell). Every school is different and there are always things for a governor to learn and good ideas to share.
Nic Pretty
Vice-Chair of Governors
Parent Governor
I am joining as a parent governor as my daughter, Zara, started at Portesbery in September 2020. Zara's twin and elder sister attend Barnsbury Primary School in Woking, where I am also an active member of the PTA.
I am currently taking a career break from 20 years as a civil servant working in central government. Through this time, I have worked on issues as diverse as internal oil and gas policy, nuclear energy, national energy security and the policing of national infrastructure. I have worked in seven different government departments, most recently as the Board Secretary and Head of Governance at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. I want to put the skills I have learnt there to good use and support Portesbery.
Nathan Aspinall
Staff Governor (Headteacher)
I originally qualified as a mainstream primary teacher, but always had a passion for working with students with special educational needs. I worked at Manor Green School, Maidenhead, for 9 years and moved from class teacher to assistant head, deputy head, and then, ultimately, acting headteacher for a year’s maternity leave cover.
Manor Green School is a generic special school for students aged 2-19, which meets the needs of all students that could not be educated in mainstream school. We supported students with profound and multiple learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties, autism spectrum condition, moderate learning difficulties and physical difficulties. It was the only special school in a small local authority and provided me with a broad range of experience.
I then moved to The Abbey School in Farnham, Surrey, as headteacher. The Abbey School is a secondary school for students with learning and additional needs. I am very pleased to be working at Portesbery School and to return to working with students with more complex needs, a wider age range and seeing students make progress and develop over a significant period.
Warren Booth
Parent Governor
My son is in Chestnut class and will be in the school for another 5 years. My wife Catherine was previously a parent governor and I learned from her what the role involves and felt I could make a useful contribution.
Before retiring, I worked on systems for companies including Lloyds Bank, the Canadian software company CGI,. Deutsche Bank, Mercedes / Daimler, Domestic and General and the MCC / Lords.
My work involved getting to grips with a wide range of business areas including Asset Finance and Asset Management, as well as large scale mergers like the one involving Lloyds + TSB + Halifax / Bank of Scotland.
I retired because I could, and also because I could foresee a time where keeping abreast of current developments would take energy I would like to use elsewhere. I worked through the golden age of computing, from Punched Cards and computers the size of buses, through to Cloud computing and Robotic Process Automation, where almost all limitations are removed. The next generation will employ AI to do the jobs I used to do (hopefully with human checks and balances on the outcomes!).
Nerys Cooper
Parent Governor
I am delighted to have joined Portesbery School as a parent and as a governor.
My background is in education. I have been teaching for over 20 years, including as a Deputy Head of a junior school. During this time, I also served as a staff governor.
I have always worked with children with learning difficulties through fundraising, respite care and teaching.
My aim is to contribute my skills and experience to this wonderful school, support them in any way I can and help to ensure it continues to provide a nurturing environment in which children can develop and flourish.
Wendy Craft
Co-opted Governor
Wendy's profile will be added soon
Vicky McCallum
Co-opted Governor
I am a Deputy Headteacher at a mainstream Surrey junior school. I have experience in implementing Keeping Children Safe In Education as a leader and also have a strong interest in online safety. Throughout my career, I have kept up-to-date with current education news (locally and nationally) and DfE updates.
My role helps the governing body to support school leaders to implement their vision, ethos and strategy; shape and maintain school policies; and provide support to staff with general governance issues which are in the best interest of the school and learners.
Ebba Carvel
Staff Governor
Ebba's profile will be added soon.
Rev Daniel Natnael
Co-opted Governor
I am the Minister in Charge of St Barbara’s Church Deepcut – a new Church of England church plant in Deepcut. My family and I live on the new Mindenhurst Estate in Deepcut. I was an associate minster at St Paul’s Camberley three years prior to coming to Deepcut, and before that I was a School Chaplain at Twyford CofE Academies Trust in London.
Most of my working life in the last 29 years has been dedicated to working with children and youth in different settings, including schools. I genuinely believe that there's nothing more important in this world than caring for children and I love to contribute to the caring vision, values and aims of Portesbery School.
Education wise, I was trained for ordination at Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford, and I am also a graduate in Music Education.
(Vacancy)
Co-opted Governor
Information tbc.
Kevin Young
Co-opted Governor
Kevin's profile will be added soon.
Liz Bharj
Governance Professional
Liz is a real governance enthusiast, part of the Governance Connected network and with experience of providing virtual clerking services for quite a number of schools.
She has brought strong administration and organisational skills to our Board, along with an encyclopaedic knowledge of governance statute and procedure. She has a great understanding of the requirements and implications of working with a variety of senior figures and maintaining confidentiality as required.
Liz enjoys many aspects of art and crafts, from exhibitions and participation days in London to more local courses offered by the adult education service