Meet the Team!

Martine Archer - Chair of Governors (Original Proposer)

Date Appointed: 01/10/2011, 01/10/2016

Appointed By: Hatfield Trust and Members

Pecuniary Interests: None

Attendance:

2/3 Full Governing Body Meetings 2017 2018

2/2 Outcomes Committee 2018 2019

3/3 Full Governing Body Meetings 2018 2019

Committee: Outcomes Committee

Area of Expertise and School Focus:

Martine has been involved with HCFS since its inception, as she felt strongly that our children of Hatfield deserved to attend primary school within their community.  She is part of the founder group of the school and since it opened in September 2012 she has been the Responsible Officer, testing all financial elements within the school.  She was also the Community Governor, sitting within the Outcomes Committee of which she was the chair.  In April of 2015 she was elected the Chair of Governors.

She lives in Hatfield with her husband and 2 children.  Her daughter is currently in Golden Eagles class in Year 6 and her son is currently in Seals class, Year 1.

Her background has been in Business Development.  She has worked for 16 years within the beauty industry, as a Regional Development Manager and has been able to transfer these skills into her roles within the Governing Body, to great benefit.

Martine holds a great passion in the world of opportunities for our children, which is a strong feeling that runs through the Governing Body, giving her great pleasure to be a part of a team that helps to support the Senior Management of HCFS, in ensuring strong foundations for our children, who will undoubtedly enrich our society in years to come.

Gill Jones – Lead Proposer and Trust Member

Date Appointed: 01/09/2011

Appointed By: Lead Proposer for the school

Pecuniary Interests: Director, Bridge London Trust - Councillor, Blunham Parish Council -Director, Clayton Jones Consultancy

Attendance:

3/3 Full Governing Body Meetings 2017 2018

2/2 Outcomes Committee 2018 2019

2/3 Full Governing Body Meetings 2018 2019

Committee: Outcomes Committee

Area of Expertise and School Focus:

Gill is an experienced education and school improvement professional. She has been involved in opening four primary free schools in Hertfordshire and was the CEO of West Herts Schools Trust. Previously she was Head of Standards and Effectiveness in Hertfordshire. She was also a member of the Director of Children’s Services strategic management board. Her career prior to this included work as a school adviser, Ofsted Inspector, NPQH trainer, Head Teacher and teacher.

Heidi Russell Jones – Community Governor

Date Appointed: 14/12/2015

Appointed By: Hatfield Trust and Members

Term of Office: 4 Years

Pecuniary Interests: None

Attendance:

3/3 Full Governing Body Meetings 2017 2018

2/2 Outcomes Committee 2018 2019

2/3 Full Governing Body Meetings 2018 2019

Committee: Outcomes Committee

Area of Expertise and School Focus:

Heidi has spent many years working alongside schools through her role as a Marketing Manager for an educational ICT resource provider and a charity developing life skills in young people.  During this time she developed a passion for supporting schools to create meaningful and memorable learning experiences that inspire young people and help prepare them for life beyond school. 

As a mother of a young son heading off to school in September she has both a personal and professional interest in understanding the opportunities and challenges of a growing school.  She is committed to support HCFS in offering the very best education to each and every child in the school. A keen wildlife watcher and traveller she is enthusiastic about the outdoors and understanding and enjoying the world around us.

Jean Wilson – Community Governor

Date Appointed: 25/02/2016

Appointed By: Hatfield Trust

Term of Office: 4 Years

Pecuniary Interests: None

Attendance:

0/3 Full Governing Body Meetings 2017 2018 (Maternity Leave)

2/3 Resources Committee 2018 2019 (Maternity Leave)

2/3 Full Governing Body Meetings 2018 2019 (Maternity Leave)

Committee: Resources Committee

Area of Expertise and School Focus:

Jean is a qualified Solicitor with over ten years of legal experience in the financial services industry. She is also currently completing a Company Secretary qualification in order to expand upon her knowledge of governance and best practice of company organisation in both the commercial and not-for-profit sectors.  
Jean was delighted to become a Governor of HCFS and she hopes to provide the school with support from her legal and governance perspective.  She feels that HCFS is already established as a vital part of the local community and a shining example of what can be achieved when an enthusiastic and committed group of people work together.  Jean wants to be part of the team that can help HCFS continue its achievements.
Jean lives in St Albans with her husband, young baby and excitable dog.  She is a keen amateur triathlete and marathon runner who can often be found spending Sundays pounding the streets come rain or sunshine.

Manoj Kumar – Parent Governor

Date Appointed: 07/02/18

Appointed By: 

Term of Office: 4 Years

Pecuniary Interests: None

Attendance:

2/3 Full Governing Body Meetings 2017 2018

2/2 Resources Committee 2018 2019

3/3 Full Governing Body Meetings 2018 2019

Committee: Resources Committee

Area of Expertise and School Focus:

Manoj Kumar is a parent governor of Diya Manoj who is in year 5, Falcons. An IT engineer by profession with qualifications in IT, computers and Supply chain. After working for 17 years for various companies, Manoj now runs his own successful business providing technical, domain and project managerial consulting services for large retail organisations requiring supply chain automation. Manoj's many transferable skills include  IT and  experience in managing large scale commercial automation projects to time and budget. As part of his MPhil degree, Manoj has research and teaching experience.

As a parent, Manoj is passionate about ensuring all children get the kind of education his child currently enjoys and  would like to contribute and assist in whatever way he can. As a Hatfield resident since 2006, Manoj is also keen to give back to the local community and has been active in various local campaigns in particular concerning health care and leisure facilities.

On the personal front, he enjoys sport and plays badminton regularly. His hobbies are gardening and enjoys trekking and rambling and has been on many trekking holidays. 

Anne Murphy - Community Governor

Date Appointed: 10/10/2018

Appointed By: 

Term of Office: 4 Years

Pecuniary Interests: None

Attendance:

0/0 Full Governing Body Meetings 2017 2018

2/2 Resources Committee 2018 2019

2/3 Full Governing Body Meetings 2018 2019

Committee: Resources Committee

Area of Expertise and School Focus:

Anne is Executive Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Portsmouth.  Prior to joining UoP she worked at the University of Hertfordshire for twelve years. In addition to her work in university administration, she researches in eighteenth-century history. She has published two books: The Origins of English Financial Markets and The Worlds of the Jeake Family of Rye. Before joining academia, she worked in banking in the City. Anne is passionate about ensuring educational opportunities for all and is proud to be a governor at HCFS. She is particularly enjoying learning more about education in a new context.

Helen Mussellwhite – Community Governor

Date Appointed: 22/05/2019

Appointed By: 

Term of Office: 4 Years

Pecuniary Interests: None

Attendance:

/ Outcomes Committee 2018 2019

/ Full Governing Body Meetings 2018 2019

Committee: Outcomes Committee

Area of Expertise and School Focus:

Helen Mussellwhite is a Community Governor. Helen is a Secondary School teacher at a local secondary school. She has been a teacher for 20 years and specialises in Physical education and Childcare. Helen is the vocational and PSHE Co-ordinator for her school. 

Helen is very passionate about education and ensuring that schools give their students the best opportunities and experiences that they can, in order to help the children become model citizens and succeed in the future. Helen is looking forward to working with the school to share experiences and knowledge to make this happen.

Jane Sutton – Staff Governor

Date Appointed: 01/09/2012, 01/09/2016, 01/09/2020

Appointed By: Staff Appointed, Ratified by Hatfield Trust and Members

Term of Office: 4 Years

Pecuniary Interests: None

3/3 Full Governing Body Meetings 2017 2018

2/2 Resources Committee 2018 2019

3/3 Full Governing Body Meetings 2018 2019

Committee: Resources Committee

Area of Expertise and School Focus: N/A

Jane is married and a mother of 2 grown up children and has a 1 year old Grandson. She has worked in education in various roles for the last 27 years.  Jane feels extremely lucky to be able to contribute to the further development of HCFS as a Staff Governor and a member of staff.  She currently sits on the Resources Sub-Committee and is responsible with another Governor for the Health & Safety and Risk Management within HCFS.  She has been a Staff Governor from the start, at the time the school opened.  Jane’s first experience of being a School Governor excited her because, as then and still now, she believes Hatfield Community Free School will be a very special free school where all members of the school are committed to nurturing and fostering the children’s education academically and socially, providing the best they can for all pupils and the community around the school.

Jane is a very sporty person and in her spare time likes to play tennis, golf and go walking with her husband.

Victoria Hobson – Principal Governor

Date Appointed: 01 January 2021

Appointed By: Staff Appointed, Ratified by Hatfield Trust and Members

Term of Office: 4 Years

Pecuniary Interests: None

/3 Full Governing Body Meetings 2020-2021

/3 Resources Committee 2020-2021

/3 Full Governing Body Meetings 2020-2021

Committee: Outcomes and Resources Committees

Area of Expertise and School Focus: 

Victoria began her teaching career at HCFS, before spending a short period of time working at the sister school at the time. Victoria returned to HCFS in 2019 as a member of the Senior Leadership Team and became Principal in January 2021.

As HCFS’s Principal, Victoria reports to the Governing Body on the progress the school is making and advises the Chair and other Governors on a range of matters in relation to the strategic development of the school. Victoria is passionate about ensuring the pupils at HCFS are not just seen as a number on a page. She strives to ensure all members of the school community are uniquely valued in school, are given the care and attention they require and are provided with the relevant opportunities and support to flourish and become the very best they can be.

 Victoria’s biggest passion is her family. She has a three year old son and a loving husband who she adores and loves spending time with. Victoria has an allotment and a lot of her and her families’ free time can be spent outside there, growing fresh produce and enjoying each other’s company.