Caroline Wright, Chair of Governors

Caroline is a Surrey Local Leader of Governance and as such has been Chair and Vice-chair of Governors of other Surrey schools. Before having her daughters, now at university and in sixth form, Caroline was a Senior Forensic Scientist for the Forensic Science Service giving expert evidence in court on a range of evidence types. She first became a governor in 2012 when she was elected as a parent governor.

Caroline was asked by Surrey to join the board at Thorpe Lea for a year in 2019 as an additional governor to strengthen governance. She has enjoyed working with the school so much that, with the support of the Governing Body, she has now become a full member of the board as the Governor appointed by the Local Authority.

Pete Bailey, Headteacher 

Pete began teaching in 2005 after completing his four-year Bachelor of Education Degree in Plymouth. Since then he has taught in all Key Stage 2 year groups and held several roles of senior responsibility. Having spent his entire career in Bracknell Forest, Pete moved across to Surrey to take up his first Headship at Thorpe Lea Primary School and Nursery.

He is committed to the education, safety and well-being of all stakeholders and is immensely proud of the school and its community.

Charlotte Ellis, Staff Governor

Charlotte began teaching in 2015 after completing a Postgraduate Degree in Education in Bristol. Since then she has taught in Early Years and KS1 in the South West of England and in the South East. She has held several roles of responsibilities as a Subject Leader, Key stage and Year group Leader. Charlotte moved to Thorpe Lea to take on a new position of Standards Leader and KS2 teacher and to continue her passion for teaching and education. Charlotte has an invested interest in education having recently completed a Masters in Education and has a keen interest in Psychology and sports. 

Graeme, Smith Co-opted Governor

Graeme began teaching in 2003 after completing his PGCE at Brunel University. Prior to this, he was a professional rowing coach. Graeme has taught in a range of independent Prep schools, in and around London and Wiltshire, from Early Years to Year 8, and has been a Head of Maths and Gifted and Talented Coordinator. Since 2011, Graeme has held Deputy Head and Acting Head positions. He has also, since 2016, been an Independent Schools Inspectorate Team Inspector with responsibility for both Regulatory Compliance and Educational Quality. In 2019, he completed his Masters in Educational Leadership with Buckingham University. Graeme has a particular interest in helping children develop real-life skills in school. Graeme joined the Board of Governors early in 2023 after relocating back to Staines.

Alan Gardner, Co-opted Governor

Alan is a co-opted governor who was appointed in July 2019

Alan, in addition to being a Co-opted Governor of Thorpe Lea Primary School appointed in July 2019, is a Director/Trustee of Bowles Rocks Trust Ltd an experiential learning centre for young people. He previously worked for BT both nationally and internationally and then ran his own business consultancy. Alan has been a school governor for 14 years and is a Surrey Local Leader of Governance (LLG). He has previously been deployed as an Local Leader of Governance to several Surrey schools including on Interim Executive Boards.

Alan’s motivation to be involved in school governance is that education opened many doors in his life enabling social mobility and he wants to help the next generation of children to be well educated to increase their opportunities in life. In addition to family life, he plays tennis, golf and bridge and is interested in astrophysics; in particular, the characteristics of black holes.

Karla Hanna, Co-opted Governor

Karla is mother of twins in Year 8 (boy and girl) and a 17 year-old stepdaughter attending 6th Form College. She’s lived in the area for 6 years with her husband Leigh and recently welcomed two new additions to the family, twin Labrador retrievers. 

Karla works in the private sector as a Commercial Director for a Global mailing and distribution company and has held various senior management roles including Customer Services, IT and Projects Manager.

She has a keen interest in education and giving back to the community. She held the position of Chairperson of Manorcroft Primary School PTA (Sep 2017 – Oct 2021) and has been a Parent Governor at The Magna Carta School since March 2022.

Karla is really pleased to be joining the governing board of Thorpe Lea and looks forward contributing to such a great school. 

Co-opted Governor     

Ian Downer, Parent Governor

Ian is a parent governor appointed to the Governing Body of Thorpe Lea Primary School in October 2020. 

Ian has two children at the school; one who is currently in Key Stage 1 and the other in Key Stage 2. Ian has many years’ experience working within HR, he currently is working within the Group HR function of VUE International as Group Recruitment Manager. This will be Ian’s first role as a governor and he has been working on getting to know all the staff and pupils as he supports the school to ensure the vision and values set out are met.  Ian has a passion for sport and is currently Lnk Governor for PE and Sports Premium.

Rhys Hayward, Parent Governor 

Rhys has one child in the school in key stage 1. Rhys works in the NHS as a Physiotherapist with many years’ experience. He is head of professional development for rheumatology physiotherapy within the United Kingdom and sits on two other national committees. His passion is development of all children, particularly ensuring there is fair access and opportunity across the school. This is his first governor role; he is working toward understanding the school to ensure the standards and visions are upheld.

Co-opted Governor vacancy

Adam Collin, Associate Member

Adam has been teaching for nine years and has experience working in years 5, 6 and most recently year 2. He has been working at Thorpe Lea since 2019 and after taking on some new roles and responsibilities as Standards Leader, took up the role of Deputy Head, SENCO and DSL in September 2022.  He is passionate about the school and its community and looking forward to gaining experience on the governing board.

Lynette Davies, Clerk to Governors

Lynette is the professional clerk to the Governing Body. Her role is to provide advice to the governing body on governance, constitutional and procedural matters, ensure the board is properly constituted, to provide effective administrative support to the governing body, and to manage information effectively in accordance with legal requirements.

Lynette has lived in Surrey for over 30 years and was a governor for 17 years starting as a parent governor when her youngest daughter started junior school and then moving on to be a co-opted governor when she left.   She served on various committees, held a number of different governor positions and was responsible for child protection and safeguarding.

Lynette started working as a clerk in 2005 supporting a governing body in a struggling school, using the experience she had gained from being a governor.  In addition to Thorpe Lea Lynette now clerks two other schools - a CofE primary school and the school and Trust Board in a diocesan MAT.

She has seen the role of the clerk and the governors change and evolve over the years and enjoys the challenge this poses.