The Coopers Lane Governing Body

Governors are one of the largest volunteer forces in the country and the role of the Governing Body is absolutely key to the effectiveness of a school.

As governors at Coopers Lane Primary our job is to:

• Hold the head teacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, as well as the performance management of staff.
• Work together with the head teacher to create a vision, and strategic direction for the school.
• Ensure that the school environment is safe for all.
• Oversee the financial performance of the school and ensure the budget is well spent.

We also deal with complaints and grievances, assist in appointing and dismissing staff, make sure the buildings are safe and welcoming and help formulate all school policies.

In order to fulfil these obligations we hold three full Governing Body meetings a year as well as termly meetings for our resources committee and curriculum committee.

Each governor has a ‘link’ role covering an area of the curriculum and/or policy. This involves liaising with their corresponding link member of staff and making school visits as appropriate in order to support the school in its development. To see a full list of governor link roles click here.

We hope that all staff, parents and carers and most importantly, children, feel free to approach us about any matters of concern.

Our Board of Governors 

Paul Hooper – Head Teacher

Diana Monkhouse – Chair of Governors, Co-opted Governor

Colin Ngan – Vice Chair of Governors, Co-opted Governor

Dawn Burton – Co-opted Governor

Isobel Clift – Parent Governor

Donna Ford – Parent Governor

Emma Moore – Co-opted Governor

Janet Morris – Local Authority Governor

Ola Pelovangu – Co-opted Governor

Jen Stanley – Staff Governor

Grace Rawnsley – Associate  Governor

Governance Structure

Governors’ Details

2022 Register of Interests

Governors Meeting Attendance

Stakeholder Engagement Roadmap

Meet the governors:

Diana Monkhouse

Colin Ngan

I have resided with my family in Grove Park for some years, with both my children attending Coopers Lane. Life revolves around my children, so the diary is filled with their activities. As such, I maintain a good work/life balance: in order to enjoy time with the family; support the children’s learning, both at home and volunteering as a parent helper; as well as the school itself, be it with the PTA or as a governor.

My background has been in legal practice as a lawyer, and management consultancy as a programme manager. I currently work in financial services overseeing regulatory compliance and conduct risk. The combination of all this encouraged me to become a governor, whereby I can support Coopers Lane through demanding conditions set by government and local authorities. I want to assist the school in collaboratively achieving high targets in cost-effective ways, with educational impact – stretching towards real attainable goals. Whatever the challenges, I firmly believe in ‘doing the right thing’ for the children and ensuring an inclusive and diverse environment.

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Dawn Burton

Originally from Lancashire, I have been teaching for 30 years and have just been to co-opted to join the governing body at Coopers Lane. I am also a governor appointed by the Academy Trust at a Bexley secondary school. Previously, I have been a parent governor at my children’s primary school, and a staff governor at another school.

I joined the teaching staff at Coopers Lane in 2015 and I am a Year 6 class teacher – with responsibility for reading throughout the school.

I am delighted to have joined the Governing Body and hope that this role will help me to continue to do the best I can for our school community. Coopers Lane is a great school, which has a caring ethos and strong understanding and respect for all, and I thoroughly enjoy working here. 

Isobel Clift

I am the mother of two boys who currently attend Coopers Lane, and I feel as if I’ve been connected with the school for such a long time already. Although I grew up in Hertfordshire I have been a resident of South-East London for over a decade now and am extremely proud to call it home, for now and hopefully for the long term. As well as being a mum, which as we all know is a full-time job in itself (!!) I work for a large accountancy firm. Thankfully I work for a company which is extremely supportive, providing training where required, in addition to allowing paid time off to meet my governor responsibilities.

I am actively involved with the PTA and find it hugely rewarding to be giving something back to the school. Hence why I was keen to give back even more and become a Governor.

I feel passionately that Coopers Lane is an amazing school with even more amazing potential. Being a Governor has allowed me the opportunity to join the school on this journey. I want to help ensure that every child who attends Coopers Lane has an equal opportunity to become the very best version of themselves, which I believe can be achieved through a great education.

Donna Ford

Having worked in arts education for years, I’ve always been interested in how both teaching and learning can happen successfully and am passionate about the changing landscape of education as well as the challenges that schools have to reconcile their heart-led approach with the restraints of the National curriculum.

 I have a varied background in creative industries and before becoming a parent to my two boys I worked in schools across London for ten years delivering dance and drama workshops as a way to inspire young minds and nurture wellbeing. I also helped set up and run a community project at the Royal Academy of Dance (Step into Dance) and worked as a community artist with Trinity Laban as well as countless other organisations including Lewisham Council and Age UK. I truly believe the arts are powerful in building confidence, self-esteem and a connection to ourselves and others and love that Coopers Lane embraces this holistic approach to education. I now work as a photographer and love exploring the creative process.

 I am excited to join the governing body to monitor and maintain the wellbeing of all pupils, help strategise how to navigate the unexpected challenge of the pandemic, explore how performance gaps can be minimised as well as challenge and support the school values in everyday school life while keeping the pupils at the heart of all decisions and helping the school community to continue to flourish.

Emma Moore

I recently joined the Governing body as a Co-opted Governor. I have lived in the area for twelve years and grew up in Bromley.

For the last twenty years I have worked in education in various roles, all of them with a focus on removing barriers to learning and ensuring children and families are able to access learning opportunities. I am currently Pastoral Manager and Safeguarding Lead at a special needs school in Lewisham.

When I am not working I enjoy spending time with my two children and partner – not forgetting the dog, two guinea pigs and the rabbit!

I strongly believe that a positive experience at school can be life-changing for children and their families. A strong school community offers children a sense of identity to help them grow into confident adults.

Janet Morris

I have recently joined the governing body as a co-opted member. I work at the University of Greenwich in teacher education and am responsible for the early years provision on our degree and postgraduate programmes with QTS.

Prior to joining the university I was a teacher in EYFS (both nursery and reception) at the nearby John Ball School. I did this for eleven years and for the final four years was the early years leader. Before that I worked in the NHS and was the clinical dietetic service manager for Lewisham Hospital for five years.

I also live locally in Lee Green and have two grown-up children. I wanted to become a governor to contribute further to my local community but also to continue to be involved with local children and provision for their education. My interests are around curriculum and early years, particularly early language development, and I am the link governor for staff wellbeing.

Ola Pelovangu

As a dedicated parent and a passionate advocate for education, I am honoured to serve as a School Governor at Coopers Lane. With three children attending the school, I have witnessed their incredible growth alongside their peers. Coopers Lane’s progressive approach to education, aligned with the evolving world, resonates deeply with me.

My professional journey has spanned over 14 years in the media industry, where I held key leadership positions. I proudly served as Head of Beauty and Tech Commercial Partnerships at Global Media & Entertainment, overseeing beloved radio stations such as Heart, Capital, Classic, LBC as well as Global Business Solutions Brand Partnerships at TikTok, where I gained invaluable insights into the digital landscape and its impact on society. In 2020, following the humbling growth of an online community I embraced a new chapter in my career as a full-time content creator. This opportunity allows me to engage with a diverse online community and initiate open and honest conversations about family life, parenting, and personal growth and to foster meaningful connections with parents and gain a deep understanding of their needs, concerns, and aspirations.

I am excited to bring my corporate background and experienced ear for parental insights to the governing board at Coopers Lane. I believe that the evolution of digital platforms presents us with unique opportunities to explore innovative approaches to education. Furthermore, I am committed to championing inclusivity to enhance educational experiences and contribute to the continuous progress and development of our school.

Jen Stanley

I have lived in South East London since 1984, when I came to Goldsmiths College to train as a teacher after doing my undergraduate degree at the University of Warwick. I then taught in Lewisham schools before spending some time at home to be with my three sons, who are now adults and very much taller than me! My role at Coopers Lane now is as class teacher and I am also the senior mentor for both students and early career teachers. I love both my roles: it gives me so much pleasure to work with the children and also the adults. Every day is a learning journey, not only for them but also for me. 

I have been at Coopers Lane for nearly 15 years and love being part of this amazing community, where we all work together to make our children’s education the best experience for all. Our school values are so important to me and I know how integral they are to creating our supportive, caring environment. I am delighted to be joining the governing body as a staff governor and will do my best to help ensure that Coopers Lane goes from strength to strength.

Contacting the School

Coopers Lane Primary School is situated in Grove Park in the borough of Lewisham. The entrance to the school is in Pragnell Road, SE12 0LF