Sir William Ramsay School

Governors

We have a committed, enthusiastic and dedicated group of Governors who are a key aspect of the leadership and management of the school. While Governors do not get involved in the daily running of the school they hold the Headteacher and other leaders to account.

The three key area roles of a Governing Body are to:

Provide strategic direction for the school;
Support the Headteacher and constantly look to raise standards;
ensure accountability.

This means that Governors get involved in:

Deciding how the budget should be spent and ensuring good value for money;
Making sure the curriculum provides for and stretches all students;
Making sure the school buildings are welcoming, safe and well used;
Setting and monitoring the schools values, aims and policies;
Appointing staff and making sure the right development and reward arrangements are in place.

Although Governors do not need specialist skills to carry out their role, we are lucky to have a wide range of highly experienced Governors who work together as a team to set high expectations and ask challenging questions.

Should parents/carers wish to make contact with Governors, please email Ms Liz Walker, Clerk to Governors: chairofgovernors@swr.school

Governors

Governors (ID 1312)

Mr Keith Deane

Chair Appointed Governor

Mr Keith Deane

I joined Sir William Ramsay School as a Governor in April 2020, sitting on several committees before being elected as Chair of Governors in March 2021.
I have worked in the financial services sector for over 30 years, leading and delivering business transformation and technology programmes. I have held senior roles in major financial services institutions, including consulting roles at PwC and Ernst & Young and latterly operated as Blockchain Programme Director for a leading global fintech company.
I have in-depth experience of corporate governance, having established robust corporate governance structures in my career and sat on committees spanning business acceptance, sales, operations, product development, change, finance, audit and risk.
I am committed to improving outcomes for young people, with a particular focus on educational and social development, together with improving mental health and well-being. I am Vice Chair of a mental health foundation and sit on the Board of Trustees of a London based youth sport foundation. I am also a Cherie Blair Foundation Mentor Alumni.
I have lived in Wycombe since 1999. My wife works in the education sector and my twin daughters are both undertaking post-graduate studies. Although a little long in the tooth for too much active participation, I am keen on keeping fit and I am an ardent sports fan, with cricket and football being my first loves.
Mr Stuart Carter

Vice Chair

Mr Stuart Carter

I was appointed as a Governor in April 2014, having moved to High Wycombe, from London the previous year. I was brought up and educated in Kent and have a degree in Politics from the University of Huddersfield.
I have spent my career in Banking and Financial Services, working in several key roles that span operational support, financial adviser, paraplanner, IT, and my current role as a Business Analyst within the Change Management function of a London based wealth management company.
Outside of work I enjoy volunteering, one of the highlights being as a Games Maker Volunteer at the London 2012 Paralympics. I also enjoy skiing and swimming and have travelled extensively, including spending time living in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Margaret Baptiste

Appointed Governor

Margaret Baptiste

I am an appointed Governor since November 2023. I was born in High Wycombe and have lived and raised my children in the area. My children themselves having attended Sir William Ramsay School.
I have worked previously in the Retail sector prior to joining the Education sector. I have worked in the Education sector for over 20 years as a teacher and in Regional Management. I am passionate about trying to be a positive role model to young people and championing lifelong learning. I am a keen volunteer and enjoy contributing to my community.
Mr Derrick Chan

Co-opted Governor Careers Link

Mr Derrick Chan

I joined the governing body in April 2024 and am looking forward to supporting Sir William Ramsay School.
I am a Chartered Electrical Engineer and have been working in the railway industry for over 13 years. I am passionate about promoting STEM and dedicated to fostering a love for STEM and empowering the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators within and outside my industry. I hope that my engineering background can contribute to the integration of STEM within Sir William Ramsay School and prepare the students for future academic and professional pursuits.
I live in High Wycombe with my wife and daughter. I enjoy all kinds of sports, especially football.
Mr Tony Hill

Appointed Governor

Mr Tony Hill

I have been in teaching for forty years, sixteen of them as a Headteacher in state secondary and comprehensive schools.
On retirement, I took an MBA in School Leadership and qualified as a teacher of English to speakers of other languages. I was also selected as a Liberal Democrat to fight the Maidenhead seat three times. I was a governor of a primary school for ten years.
I have led a Citizens Advice Bureau as Chair and I am a trustee of two charities. I volunteer as a member of the Rotary Club of Maidenhead and I am also a councillor on Marlow Bottom Parish Council.
I am married, with three married sons and five grandchildren. My hobbies include reading and golf; and visiting galleries, concerts and theatres.
Beverley Jewell

Co-opted Governor SEND Link

Beverley Jewell

I am an experienced senior corporate leader and board trustee with interest in health and education as the foundation for a thriving society.

As I leave the corporate world in 2024, I am keen to support local education and being able to link work at governor/trust level with impact in the local community. My interest stems from a strong family connection to education, the experience of my own children and seeing in Kenya how a good education sets up children for a productive, thriving adulthood. I have worked at GSK for over 30 years in a range of senior global commercial leadership roles accountable for setting and executing strategies to improve business performance whilst building high performing teams.

I am also a trustee for Amref Health Africa UK, a charity focussed on improving the determinants of health (eg education, water etc) via partnership with communities in East Africa, I established and also lead the governance subcommittee of the board and have just been appointed for a second term.
I live in Flackwell Heath in south Buckinghamshire and have 2 grown up children. I enjoy global travel (reaching Annapurna base camp in Nepal in 2023) and volunteering for a wide range of organisations (including helping create 300 lunches for Crisis at Christmas).
Mr Will Rodbourne

Staff Governor

Mr Will Rodbourne
Mrs Laura Standen

Appointed Governor

Mrs Laura Standen

I joined the governing body in October 2021 and am looking forward to being part of the future of Sir William Ramsay School.
I was a secondary school teacher for 16 years and held various leadership roles in addition to this. I now work for an education charity as a curriculum designer for school leadership training programmes.
I am passionate about equality of opportunity in education and ensuring that children should have access to high-quality education, regardless of their family’s income or their postcode.
I live in Wendover with my husband and children where I’m also on the committee for the local junior football team. We’re a football mad family which takes up lots of our weekends! I enjoy running and swimming and also walking in the beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside.