Governor Profiles

Mark Beacom

I am a company Director in the Advisory Sector with experience in Executive Search, Performance Management, Board Dynamics, and Corporate Finance, working in and advising private and listed businesses as well public sector and not for profit organisations. I am fascinated by the human condition, studied business and psychology, using this academic knowledge and my career experience to support/ advise others in decision making. My sector focus has been in Financial Services and the built environment, this combined with P&L responsibility means I have a good grasp of financial management and health & safety. We have one child at Pembury School and another yet to join. I am therefore personally motivated and feel duty bound to support the School leadership team and hold them to account.

Amanda Bowring

I live in Tunbridge Wells, moving here from south east London 11 years ago. I have two children – a daughter at university and a son at Skinners. I am a senior civil servant and government lawyer, beginning my civil service career 28 years ago. In my time, I have had a variety of roles including prosecuting high-profile crime, advising ministers on legal reform and in my current post, heading a team that supports IT and digital services.

I strongly believe that a good education, which meets the individual needs of the child and develops their full potential, is one of the building blocks for a happy and successful adult. I hope that my experience as a professional and as a parent, coupled with my view of the importance of education, proves of use and support to Pembury School.

Chrissie Conway

I have considerable experience of running organisations and managing the impact of change and communication. I am an experienced teacher and senior leader. I am also at the stage of my life where meaning and satisfaction comes from helping others rather than focusing solely on my own career or life progress. In my current role as Assistant Head of Walthamstow Hall, I work closely with the Governors of my own school, sitting on several committees including Curriculum and Staffing, Health and Safety and Staff Welfare, so I have a clear understanding of what is required of a governor. I value the opportunity to work in a local school to contribute to the growth and development of the place where I live.

Philip Drew – Chair

My wife and I have lived in Tunbridge Wells for over 20 years. We have three adult sons. Before I retired, I had a long career working in a Big 4 professional services firm in financial audit and international business development. I am a life member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. For many years now, I have been a Governor of Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys, for the past seven, as Chair. In my time as Chair there I’ve been through two successful Ofsted inspections (most recently in late 2021) and been closely involved in the school’s improvement programme and expansion, including the construction and start-up of a new Sevenoaks Campus. I believe passionately that education is our best chance for a better future. I want to share whatever might be helpful from my professional and governance experience for the benefit of everyone at Pembury Primary School and the wider community.

Abigail Harvey- Vice Chair

Having worked in education for 17 years I have a genuine drive and passion to help improve the life chances of all children through access to high quality education.  Being a parent governor for the local village primary allows me to give something back to the Pembury community in which we live with our two children.  My current job requires me to be aware of up to date evidence and research within the field of education, invaluable knowledge for this role, along with key leadership experience I have gained through my career thus far. I am fully committed to supporting the school’s continuous improvement and being part of the journey to providing first class teaching, facilities and opportunities to all the children that attend the school now and in the future. The role of parent governor provides an essential platform for parents’ perspectives to be heard and valued.

Mike Harvey- Vice Chair

I moved to Hadlow, where my wife was the local Anglican Curate, in September 2017. I have six grown up children, one of whom is in her last year at university. Before retiring a few years ago, I was a Chartered Surveyor specialising originally in property investment and finance and, latterly, advising companies on maximising their property assets and reducing their operational costs. I became a co-opted Governor in March 2018 and bring my knowledge and experience to bear on the school’s finances and associated matters.  I hope to be able to use my knowledge and experience as one half of the finances and resources monitoring pair.

Richard Housley

I am a solicitor and partner in the Property Dispute Resolution team at Cripps law firm in Tunbridge Wells, and currently manage a team of 15.  I advise on a wide range of property disputes, assisting clients including private individuals, charities, local government bodies, developers and private investment funds.  My responsibilities include dealing with the day to day management of the team, including people issues, recruitment, financial management including monitoring new business and compliance with internal targets, feeding in to settling team budgets and developing the growth strategy for the team and developing new business.  I am keen to use  the skills I have developed in the legal sector to contribute to the running and direction of the school. I have two children at Pembury School, and my wife and I have lived in Pembury for nearly a decade after moving from Tunbridge Wells where we had lived for a further 10 years. My wife, father and mother in law are / have been teachers at both primary and secondary schools and this has prompted a very long standing interest in education on my part.  

Felicity Howe

I am a public servant with previous experience as a trustee governor for a local children’s charity some years ago which I enjoyed. I am currently involved in promoting good governance practice of public sector arm’s length bodies in my role in the Dept for BEIS. I have experience working in local government and understand the overall context in relation to the role of the LEA as well as an interest in how schools are managed. My husband teaches and is a staff governor at a primary school giving me a sense of the different challenges and live issues for a village primary school. I am also very committed to promoting effective organisations and supporting local communities to ensure children and staff can thrive and hope to bring some of my experience from management in a large public sector organisation to the role.

Miles Muttit

I am currently Head of Business and Economics and EPQ Coordinator at Kent College, Pembury. Education has always been a passion of mine, having worked in education in different capacities for the last 15 years. I firmly believe that quality education is the cornerstone of a thriving community. I am eager to contribute my skills and expertise to support the growth and success of students in my community. Having witnessed first-hand the transformative power of education, I am motivated to ensure that every student has access to an excellent learning environment. By serving in a governance role, I aim to make a positive impact by helping shape the strategic direction of the school, promoting inclusive practices, and fostering a supportive and enriching educational experience for all students. I believe in the importance of collaborative decision-making, and I am confident in my ability to work effectively with other stakeholders to achieve shared goals.

Josh Rubin

I work for a global education company in a leadership role responsible for running and growing US and UK university partnerships and have experience in running large global operational teams, project & programme management, and complex transformations. Prior to my time in the education industry, I worked as a management consultant and delivered strategy and delivery engagements across many large organisations. I am keen to use my knowledge and experience to help the community. I believe in the power of education and the value it brings -not only to the individual student but the societal and global impact. I want to help create opportunities for future generations and give back to a society that have given me so much.

Alex St Clair

I joined Pembury School in 2019 and now teach year 5. I have a particular interest in the development of educational policy, how this relates to theory and research, and the impact it has on classroom practice. I completed my teacher training in Scotland and this has allowed me the opportunity to be reflective of curriculum approaches and meeting the needs of pupils in different ways. I am keen to develop my understanding the governance of Pembury School and use my experience of different school contexts to support the strategic development of the school.

Hannah Walters – Headteacher

I joined Pembury in September 2019 and as Headteacher I am part of the governing body. I work with the governors to consider the strategic aspects of school life.