Our Governors

Governors work closely with the Head Teacher and the Senior Leadership Team to ensure that children receive the best education and achieve their individual maximum potential during their time at Foster’s. School governors provide strategic leadership and accountability and while they do not manage the day-to-day running of the school, they do appoint the Head Teacher and Deputy Head Teacher as well as hold the Head Teacher accountable for the progress of  children in the school. It is governors who hold the main responsibility for finance in schools, and it is governors who work with the head teacher to make decisions about balancing resources.

The governing body at Foster’s includes a mix of experienced and new governors representing a variety of professional backgrounds, expertise and skills. 

The role of the governing body is a strategic one and can be summarised by the following:

•             set the aims and objectives for the school

•             set the policies for achieving those aims and objectives

•             set the targets for achieving those aims and objectives

•             monitor and evaluate the progress the school is making towards achievement of its aims and objectives

•             be a source of challenge and support to the Head Teacher (a critical friend)

(The Head Teacher is responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of the school and the implementation of the strategic framework established by the governing body.)

 Committee Structure

Governors attend full Governing Body meetings once a term and sit on the curriculum and resources committee which take responsibility for particular areas of School business .

Chair of Governors: Scott Wilkins

Vice-Chair of Governors: Victoria Thompson

Headteacher: Jason Hemley

 

Types of governors explained:

• Local Authority (LA) Governor: appointed by the Local Authority that maintains the school.
• Co-opted Governor: appointed by the governing body to represent the community. A co-opted governor does not need to have any previous experience or knowledge of education, nor do they need to have children in the school.
• Parent Governor: elected onto the governing body by other parents from the school, and are usually parents of children in attendance at the school.
• Staff Governor: elected onto the governing body by staff at the school.
• Associate Member: invited to attend full and committee meetings to support the governors to make informed decisions. Associate governors do not have voting rights.
• Foundation Governor: Trustee of Foster's Educational Foundation

 

 

Governors’ Interests

Governors are required to declare any direct or indirect interests. The document below shows all declared interests and other required information about the Governors at Foster’s.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST STATEMENT 

 

Foster’s Primary School Governing Body

 

Meet the Governors

Scott Wilkins

Chair of Governors/Foundation Governor

Current term of office ends: 15/05/2028

Scott has been a governor since January 2016. He is a Mechanical Engineer with over 10 years industry experience working in the UK and abroad prior to entering the Education sector in 2006. Scott works for the City & Guilds Group, where he leads their global Engineering & Manufacturing provision and works across the industry, government and education in defining the future strategic direction for the business.

Scott lives in Bexleyheath and is married with 3 children who also attend a local primary school and secondary.

Victoria Thompson

Vice Chair/Co-opted Governor

Current term of office ends:27/01/2029

Victoria has been a Governor at Foster's since January 2017. She is a qualified Accountant working for the Police.

“I am passionate about achieving the best possible schooling experience for all children, to give them the best foundation for a happy life, and support the community in the future.”

Victoria lives with her partner and young daughter in Welling and her daughter attends Foster's Primary School.

Jason Hemley

Headteacher

Jason has been a Governor since until  September 2014. He now has taken the role of Headteacher and is the leader of Teaching and Learning and Assessment,  “We have a wonderful ethos here at Foster’s where every child is valued as a unique individual, and we want them to enjoy every single minute of their time with us. I enjoy contributing to a school that aims to provide a safe, happy and exciting environment in which all children can thrive”.

Matthew Barrett

Co-opted Governor 

Current term of office ends: 07/05/2025 

Matt has been a governor at Foster’s Primary since March 2021.  He has worked as the School Business Manager at another Bexley school since 2015 and was recently appointed as the Operations Director at an outstanding secondary school in Kent.  He has achieved the Diploma for School Business Leaders.  Matt has received DSL training and has been a member of his school’s Safeguarding Team.  He is the link Governor for Safeguarding and Child Protection. 

"With two young children of my own, I believe passionately that every child should be afforded the opportunity of an excellent education in a safe and enjoyable environment"

Anna-Louise Boorer

Co-Opted Governor

vice Chair of Curriculum and Resources Committee

Current term of office ends: 31/01/2029

Anna has been a governor at Foster's since January 2017, first as a Parent Governor, then in 2021, she became a Co-Opted Governor. Anna is a Deputy Head in an outstanding primary school, has achieved NPQSL and has a Master’s degree in Education Leadership and Management. She also works as an English Hub Literacy Specialist, supporting a number of primary schools across London and Kent. 

Joe Elliott

Deputy Headteacher

Associate Member

Current term of office ends: 01/01/2027

"I am a dedicated education professional with over 11 years of experience in the school sector, having served in a variety of roles, including seven years as a school leader. Currently, as Deputy Headteacher at Foster’s Primary School, I am deeply committed to providing exceptional learning opportunities for every child and fostering an environment where staff are supported to grow and excel.

My passion lies in ensuring that children receive the very best educational experience, and I firmly believe that this starts with developing a strong, motivated team of educators. I work tirelessly to support staff in becoming the best versions of themselves, as I know that empowered teachers create outstanding opportunities for the pupils they teach.

In my role as an associate member, I aim to bring my leadership experience, strategic vision, and dedication to staff and student development to help shape the direction of the school. I am committed to ensuring that our school remains focused on its core mission of providing the highest quality education while continuously improving to meet the needs of all our learners."

Lauren Smith

SENCO

Staff Governor current term of office ends 27/06/2028

"I have been at Foster’s since 2019 and, early in my career, found a love for the Early Years. During my time at Foster’s I have worked in a variety of classes and continue to enjoy teaching across the school community and getting to know all of our wonderful children. I am currently the school SENCO and Senior Mental Health Lead, both of which are incredibly important to me and are both roles I am very passionate about. I am excited to continue to develop our SEN and Wellbeing provision across the school to ensure the children have everything that they need in order to thrive and be successful. I have always loved books am now honoured to lead phonics and reading across the school; I hope that I can instil a love of reading in our children too. I am excited to join the school governing board and contribute to positive whole school change."

Sharon Sandhu

Parent Governor

Current term of office ends: 08/05/2028

I qualified as a Solicitor Advocate in 2014 with Higher Rights of Audience which allowed me to represent defendants in the Crown Courts who had been charged with criminal offences. I moved into healthcare regulation 8 years ago where I prosecuted health care professionals following complaints regarding their fitness to practise. In March 2022 I was appointed as Head of Regulation at the British Psychoanalytic Council which involves working along the senior leadership team on the strategic objectives of the organisation. I also oversee the end-to-end regulatory legal function involved in dealing with investigations against psychoanalysts and psychotherapists.

My twins joined Fosters in 2023 and are currently in Key Stage 1. As part of their development, I took a keen interest in the way the school supported all children in their development needs, particularly young children and supporting their mental and physical well being in their foundation years.  I became a parent governor in 2024 with a view to contribute and support the governance function at Fosters.

Alice Townley

Co-Opted Governor

Current term of office ends: 29/01/2029

I have seven years of HR experience, including three years in Early Careers, and have recently become a management consultant, specialising in People Potential, Change Management, and HR Effectiveness. I am passionate about giving all pupils equal opportunities to succeed and making school enjoyable.

In January 2025, I joined the Fosters Governors board, bringing my HR expertise, strategic thinking, and enthusiasm for supporting the school. With my background in Learning Development and People Management, I am excited to help pupils reach their full potential and contribute positively to the school's future.

Fiona Law

Parent Governor

Current term of office ends: 03/02/2029

Fiona is a registered pharmacist specialising in clinical research and healthcare policy in central government. She has worked in both the NHS and research sectors, ensuring medicines are safe and effective for patients.

Fiona has two children who attend Foster’s Primary School. She is passionate about education and is committed to supporting the school in providing the best possible learning environment for all children. As a parent governor, she hopes to use her experience in policy and decision-making to support the school’s strategic development and help every child reach their full potential.