Date of appointment: January 2020

Term of office: 4 years (terminates August 2027)

Appointed by: Archdiocese of Westminster (Foundation Governor)

Additional Roles: Chair of Resources Committee, Drugs Policy Governor, Election Officer, and Teaching and Learning Governor

Hello, I am Paul, I have been married to Christine for 43 years and have 3 sons and 3 grandchildren. I am now retired, having spent over 30 years as a public servant, policing in Central and North East London. I have also spent 45 years of my life, working with young people, as a Military Reservist and those undertaking the Duke of Edinburgh Award where I am currently the Regional Advisor for a Youth organisation covering East Anglia. I am now in my 17^th year of being a school Governor within the Diocese of Westminster, having served at 2 other Catholic Secondary schools prior to St Mary's. I chose Catholic Schools as I am a practising Catholic and very interested in the delivery of the ethos and values of Catholic Education to young people irrespective of faith. I list amongst my hobbies being a referee for the Rugby Football Union and umpire for Hertfordshire Cricket.

Date of appointment: June 2020

Term of office: 4 years (terminates August 2027)

Appointed by: Archdiocese of Westminster (Foundation Governor)

Additional Roles: Safeguarding Governor, and Data Protection Officer.

Over four years ago I was asked by the parish priest to consider becoming a Foundation governor at St Mary's School. I had retired by that stage and lived a walkable distance from the school. I was looking for an opportunity to become more involved in my own community. There was also a curiosity to find out what goes on in school these days and a perception that the school must be doing something right.... I had never had a negative experience with any of the young people in its care nor heard any grumbles from people that I knew. Here then, I thought, was an organisation that deserved whatever support I could usefully give it. Now that I have been involved for a number of years and have developed an insight into the complexities of the teachers' lot, their enthusiasm and how hard they and the students work, I remain proud to lend that support.

Date of appointment: February 2022

Term of office: 4 years (terminates August 2029)

Appointed by: Archdiocese of Westminster (Foundation Governor)

Our family is actively involved in the life of the Church in Bishop's Stortford, and we have children at both St Joseph's and St Mary's. Both schools have a great reputation in the community and need our support to ensure that they continue to provide an excellent Catholic Education through our challenging times. I am a former teacher at St Marys, so have a good understanding of the school's many strengths and areas where improvements can be made. I have a degree in Civil Engineering and am currently working as a project manager in the Property and Construction sector. My aim in being on the Governors is to support staff and pupils in their Catholic life as well as sharing my life experiences to encourage and guide the school on its learning journey.

Date of appointment: November 2021

Term of office: 4 years (terminates November 2029)

Appointed by: Staff Governor

I joined St Mary’s in 2016 – best decision I made, as I love the school and its Catholic ethos as well as the community: great students and very supportive and kind staff. I am grateful that I have been given an opportunity to represent staff as their governor.

Although I teach maths at all key stages, I am a great advocate for engineering, which has always been my true passion. With my degree in mining engineering and geoengineering, I take every opportunity to show students how cool and interesting maths and physics can be when combined.  I am a wife and a mum of one child who is currently a student at our school. I like walking and meditation as well as improving my German.

Date of appointment: January 2025

Term of office: 4 years

Stepped down: 9th December 2025

Appointed by: Parent Election (Parent Governor)

I am a parent governor with one child at St Mary's, and three younger siblings to follow.  I am an experienced mental health nurse, with 15 years experience within child and adolescent mental health services.

Date of appointment: February 2025

Term of office: 3.5 years (terminates August 2028)

Appointed by: Archdiocese of Westminster (Foundation Governor)

Dr. Amali Dinushika Dissanayake Perera is a human rights lawyer and works at Amnesty International as the Deputy Regional Director (Research) in EU, Turkey and the Balkans. She has worked on a wide spectrum of human rights issues for over a decade.

Date of Appointment: April 2025

Term of office: 3.5 years (terminates August 2028)

Appointed by: Archdiocese of Westminster (Foundation Governor)

I am delighted to serve as a Foundation Governor at St Mary’s. I benefitted from an excellent Catholic education in North London, which enabled me to take a gap year working in Jesuit schools in France and Germany. I then studied French and German at university before becoming a teacher.

Having held senior leadership roles across three secondary schools in London, Essex and Hertfordshire, I am currently Deputy Headteacher at St Martin’s in Brentwood.

For a brief time, I taught French at St Mary’s and greatly valued being part of such a strong and faith-filled community. Earlier in my career, I served as a Staff Governor for four years, and it is now a privilege to continue supporting the school’s mission in this new capacity, helping to sustain the excellent Catholic education from which I gained so much as a student. I attend the parish of St Theresa of Lisieux in Stansted with my family and have two primary school-aged children.

Date of Appointment: January 2026

Term of office: 4 years (terminates August 2029)

Appointed by: Archdiocese of Westminster (Foundation Governor)

Dr Garth Ilsley trained as a genomics data scientist. He has experience in education at university level and currently works for a European scientific institute. He has two children at St Mary's.

I am a primary school teacher with extensive experience in Early Years and Key Stage 1. I am dedicated to the school’s Catholic ethos, believing deeply in the value of faith-based education in nurturing children academically, spiritually, and personally.

Being a governor of St Mary’s School is a privilege, and I am truly delighted to contribute to the life of the school, supporting its mission to create an environment in which pupils achieve excellence and grow into compassionate, responsible, and caring members of society.

Date of Appointment: November 2025

Term of office: 4 years (terminates August 2029)

Appointed by: Archdiocese of Westminster (Foundation Governor)

Date of Appointment: February 2026

Term of office: 4 years (terminates August 2029)

Appointed by: Archdiocese of Westminster (Foundation Governor)

Francis attended St. Mary's in the early 2000s. He now works as an actuary in the general insurance industry. In his spare time he enjoys playing the piano and hiking.

Date of Appointment: February 2026

Term of office: 4 years (terminates August 2029)

Appointed by: Archdiocese of Westminster (Foundation Governor)

I am delighted to be serving as a Foundation Governor at St Mary’s, having previously been a student at the school. It is a privilege to support a community that played an important role in my own education.

I work in technology for a trade union, where I focus on delivering digital products and services for members, bringing experience in strategic thinking and data-informed decision-making.

I also have children attending a primary school within the same trust, giving me a strong personal connection to Catholic education and a deep interest in ensuring the highest standards for all pupils.