Ripu Bains

I joined the governing body as a parent governor in May 2023. My family and I moved to Tonbridge from South London in May 2021, and my daughter and son will both be attending Woodlands Primary School.

 grew up in Walsall, in the West Midlands, before moving to London in 2004 where I attended University College London and completed a BSc in Genetics. I then gained a Masters in Medical Parasitology and Diploma in Infectious Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which included a stint working at the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine in The Philippines. I then completed a PhD in Human Genetics at University College London in 2012. Since then, I have worked in the scientific publishing industry where I lead a team of microbiology and infectious disease editors and work with scientific experts from around the world. Outside of science, my husband and I always loved to travel, and are enjoying taking our two young children along to expose them to different cultures. Closer to home, I am a keen gardener, cook, and baker, and enjoy running and yoga. Having grown up in a relatively deprived area of the country, I understand the importance of, and opportunities provided by, a good education and this led to my interest in becoming a school governor. I am delighted to have the opportunity to be part of the Woodlands school community.

 

 

Kerry Barham

Hi, my name is Kerry, I am a co-opted governor and I started in post September 2023.

I am a nurse by background specialising in Intensive care, senior management and run several departments and hospitals during my 35 years as a nurse. I left nursing to move into healthcare construction 7 years ago.

I currently have my own business in healthcare improvement and planning, working with a variety of clients, architects, construction teams and hospitals, to ensure excellent healthcare facilities that are fit for purpose.

I live in West Malling and work in and around London and the home counties.

I have a varied group of interest from motor sports, (I’m a big fan of F1), fitness training, cooking, reading, gardening and above all international travel.

I chose to be a governor to give back to the Kent community, where I have lived all my life, and to use some of the transferrable skills used in running, governing and teaching in healthcare.

I have loved learning about Woodlands Primary School so far, and the excellent progress the staff and pupils are making. I try to contribute at any opportunity to help further the development of the pupils and the school and support the amazing staff.

 

 

Mike Barnes

I joined the Governors of Woodlands in the summer of 2023. I spent most of my working life in large UK banks doing strategy, marketing, and ultimately consumer research. My wife and I moved to Tonbridge in 1989 and our two children were born and educated here. Now semi-retired I split my time between consulting work and volunteering for the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance. Being a Governor at Woodlands has been a practical, rewarding way of supporting an important part of the local community.

 

 

Laura Bekker

My twin daughters, started reception at Woodlands in September 2023, and my youngest due to join. From the beginning I was impressed with everyone I met at Woodlands and joined the Governors to support the school moving forwards and achieving its vision and goals to create an environment where children in Tonbridge can thrive.  I have 15 years of corporate experience predominantly in the media and telecoms industry across a variety of roles including Commercial, Marketing and HR, before settling into Business Transformation and Delivering Change. I enjoy building relationships and collaborating with teams to achieve goals and am passionate about driving improvements, especially in an environment that is so important to me personally, like Woodlands.

 

Graham Blair

Hi, I am Graham. I joined the Governors in 2024. As a parent of two children at Woodlands, I care deeply about the direction and future of the school and am eager to further support it as a parent governor.

I will draw on my skills and experience at a senior level in the non-profit, commercial, and charity sectors for the benefit of the school and its community. I currently work as the Director of Membership, Media, and Development at the Royal College of Anaesthetists. Additionally, I serve on the board of an online e-learning community interest company, eintegrity.

Throughout my career, I have been responsible for events, membership, corporate communications, and marketing, as well as community building and technology development. I hope the school can use these skills to build resilience and ensure Woodlands becomes one of the most respected and loved schools in Tonbridge.

Having grown up in North Kent, I moved to Southampton for university and remained there until 2019, when I moved back to Kent and chose to make Tonbridge our family home.

I am excited to get involved and ensure our children have the best possible learning experience and environment—a place where their creativity, potential, and knowledge can thrive, and where they can develop skills and friendships that will last a lifetime.

 

 

Karen Corbett

I’m Karen and I am a Class Teacher at Woodlands. Before my teaching career began I had worked as a graphic designer for 10 years. I always wanted to teach and finally pursued a teaching career in 2009, starting out as a teaching assistant with a view to retraining. I completed my teacher training in 2016 and was fortunate to secure a position as a class teacher. I have lived in Tonbridge all my life and have one child who, like myself, attended Woodlands. I enjoy football, tennis, reading and above all things the time I spend with my family.  

 

 

Glenn Fisher

Hi everyone, I am Glenn. I have been a parent governor at Woodlands since 2019 and was appointed as a co-opted governor in 2024. I have two children currently at Woodlands and have lived in Tonbridge the majority of my life. I enjoy running and swimming in my downtime.

It is a great pleasure to serve on the board of governors. I am keen to ensure that the children attending the school today have the same happy, exciting, and fulfilling education as I did when I attended Woodlands as a pupil.

My additional area of responsibility on the governing board is overseeing Health & Safety and Food standards.

 

 

Mel Jones

I joined as a Co-opted Govenor in July 2023.  I have been a resident of Tonbridge for the past 15 years and have known of Woodlands School through various other community activities.  During a career break in 2023, an opportunity came to apply for a position as a Govenor and I jumped at the chance.   

With 3 sons and 2 stepsons, children are inevitably a large part of my "spare" time, and helping to support the interests of other children in the area gives me a sense of giving back to the community.  I am now back working full time in London as an Operations Director for a strategic consultancy, and I think I can bring my wealth of experience to Woodlands in the role of governor.   Outside of work, I am a passionate outdoor swimmer, love being outside and can often be found fishing my dog out of the Woodlands Walk river!

 

 

Caroline Pearce

I was appointed a governor in the Autumn of 2020. My career as a solicitor and director of training at a City law firm inspired me to become a school governor, being a firm believer in giving children the best education possible and start in life within a supportive school.

I am chair of trustees of Communigrow, which is a local sustainable food education charity teaching people (including children those who are disadvantaged or with special needs) how to grow their own food and using the therapeutic benefits of gardening in a community setting.   I am also our area organiser helping to raise funds for Friends of Kent Churches.  I have the opportunity as a school governor and in my other roles, to play a part in my local community which I am so pleased to be able to do.

 

Joe Plant

I have recently been recently appointed a governor of the school. I am the currently the Head of Humanities at a school in Sevenoaks. I have been teaching for over 10 years,

working in a variety to different settings and I previously spent time teaching in Australia. I am a keen sportsman and I have a passion for high-quality school sport. 

 

 

Lark Snow

I joined the Governing Body in December 2019 as a parent governor and have recently taken over the role of Chair as a co-opted governor. I have three children, two of whom currently attend Woodlands, with the eldest having recently moved on to secondary school.

I grew up locally and attended Tonbridge Grammar School for Girls before moving away to study Law at Bristol University. I later retrained as a Primary School Teacher gaining a PGCE at Canterbury Christchurch. I have worked at various schools in and around London, teaching in Key Stage One and Two, including several roles on the Senior Leadership Teams.

I am very committed to ensuring that every child has access to high-quality education within a supportive learning environment. My motivation to join the governing board stems from my desire to contribute to the school community and make a positive impact on the educational journey of all pupils.

 

Gareth Williams

I started as a governor at Woodlands in July 2021. A qualified Accountant I have over 20 years’ experience working in property & real estate finance, covering a range of areas including management accounting, budgeting & forecasting and compliance . I have 2 boys both currently at Woodlands and am pleased to support the school as a Governor. Away from work I enjoy all sport especially golf and football .. playing, watching and now also attempting to coach my son’s team!

 

 

Steph Williams

I’m Steph. I became a parent governor of Woodlands Infant School in 2011, when my son was in Reception, as I was keen to be involved in the school and the local community. I am now a co-opted governor of Woodlands Primary School, after the successful amalgamation of the infant and junior schools and continue to be part of a team rising to the challenge of offering the families of North Tonbridge the best opportunity to learn, explore and grow together! I am a qualified primary school teacher and am passionate about quality education for all. I have recently worked as a maths mentor, supporting children who were most disadvantaged by the pandemic. Currently, I am exploring a new interest in local history and renewing my own love of learning by volunteering in the house of a National Trust property.