Courtwood Primary School is part of The Collegiate Trust. The Directors of the Trust have delegated the oversight and leadership of Courtwood Primary School to the Local Governing Body (LGB), made up of parents, staff, LA and Trust representatives. Click HERE for information on the Governors.

Information about the Directors of The Collegiate Trust can be found at www.tct-academies.org.

 

Natasha Grant

Principal

Natasha has enjoyed working at Courtwood Primary School for 19 years. During this time she has worked across all 3 key stages and has held a variety of leadership roles, taking on the role of Principal in September 2018. Natasha is passionate about inclusion and the development of the whole child and strives to enable every child to reach their full potential.

Darryl Neville

Chair of Governors / Trust Governor

Darryl has two children attending Courtwood. As a Trust governor he hopes to add value and assist the school in improving the futures of all the children who attend the school. He is a leader who has operated in senior roles within a number of blue chip retailers and service providers, including additional responsibilities managing major projects. For the past four years he has been in role as the Head of Retail for the national charity Sense where he is accountable for all elements of the trading division and collaboration with other departments within the charity.  

Philippa Bigden

Vice Chair / Trust Governor

Philippa is an experienced teacher and has held a variety of leadership roles over the last 11 years. She works as an Assistant Principal – Head of Teaching & Learning at Riddlesdown Collegiate and has worked for The Collegiate Trust since its inception. Philippa is incredibly passionate about Teaching & Learning and believes that every child should be given the best possible future life chances, which begins with Quality First Teaching, and access to exciting, challenging, and inspiring programmes of enrichment. Philippa went to a comprehensive school in South East London, before reading English Literature at University. Philippa also holds a PGCE qualification in secondary teaching; a Master’s in Education and is currently undertaking her NPQH.

Kay Hancox

Trust Governor

Kay moved to Forestdale in March 2021.  Having previously been a governor at a Croydon school she was keen to get involved in a new school and the local community.  She has worked at Imperial College for over 20 years; mainly in roles that support undergraduate admissions and undergraduate students. She is passionate about improving children’s life chances and realises that this starts at the very beginning of their educational journey

Richard Lewis

Trust Governor

Richard is a partially retired civil servant with years of experience in the Department of Work and Pensions where he works as an employment adviser and digital lead . He has extensive Information Technology and project management experience in the financial sector.
He also has experience of running  his own  catering business.
Richard has lived in Forestdale for 20 years and in Croydon area for over 40 years . His children attended various primary and secondary schools in Croydon.
Richard is enthusiastic about the development of education in the local community and improving children’s behaviours and life chances . He believes that every child should be actively encouraged to thrive no matter what their socio-economic economic status is.

Foluwa Omolokun

Trust Governor

Foluwa is a strategy consulting degree apprentice working at Deloitte. Having grown up in Croydon, Foluwa has a strong connection to the local community and is involved in various social impact groups and leadership boards. With a deep understanding of how businesses operate and develop effective strategies to achieve their goals she is passionate about using her skills to support and improve schools. In her free time, Foluwa enjoys engaging in activities at her local church, spending quality time with her family, and trying out new restaurants with her friends

Vacancy

Parent Governor

Isabel Fixter

Parent Governor

Izzy is a new parent to Courtwood Primary through her daughter joining in Reception in September 2022. She currently works as part of the Culture department with Croydon Council and was previously part of the Education department in a management position. She brings experience in legal academia and her local Croydon education knowledge to Courtwood Primary and The Collegiate Trust. She has particular interest in behaviour and its relationship with wellbeing as well as supporting the extracurricular life of the school, having grown up as an avid musician.

Andy Stranack

LA Governor

Andy Stranack is the Councillor for Selsdon Vale & Forestdale and the Shadow Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Resilience.
Andy  has been active in the Forestdale and Selsdon area for twenty years. He previously managed the Selsdon Contact Charity, providing neighbourhood services to elderly and vulnerable people living in and around the Selsdon and Forestdale area. Over the last 20 years he has lived on Littleheath Road, Woodpecker Mount, Markfield and Newlands Wood. He helped to set up, and is currently CEO of, the Ment4 charity in Croydon that provides intensive mentoring support to young people in the criminal justice system, excluded from mainstream education and/or suffering from mental health problems.

 

Vacancy

Staff Governor

Julia Harwood

Staff Governor

Julia has been a Special Educational Needs teacher in the Enhanced Learning Provision at Courtwood since 2018.  She has over 20 years teaching experience in a range of primary schools across Croydon.  Julia is passionate about the Early Years and the foundations of children’s learning and has become a Governor to support decision-making in the best interests of the children and the school, so it continues to be a caring and nurturing place to learn.

Rochelle Thomas

Clerk to the Local Governing Body

Rochelle is a qualified accountant and works full time in the city as a Business Systems Analyst. As a former Governor to primary schools in Wembley and Croydon Rochelle brings experience to her role as a clerk to the Governing Body. Her responsibilities as a Governor included being the BCA champion (Black Caribbean Achievement) and a key figure on the finance committee. In her spare time she is busy with her two children who are under 5 and enjoys meeting up with other ‘mummy friends’ in the community.