On this page you will find details and photographs of the members of our Governing Body. You will see that they come from various backgrounds and have a variety of expertise to offer the school.
One thing they all have in common is the wish to provide the best possible education for every child in our school. They are a group of dedicated individuals who give freely of their time and energy to work in partnership with the staff and parents to achieve this.
Members of the Governing Body
Donna Adkinson
Headteacher
I trained to be a teacher in Greenwich back in 1996. I have worked at Middle Park since 1998, and have been the Headteacher here since January 2012. I am extremely proud to be the Headteacher of Middle Park and privileged to work alongside fantastic staff, governors, parents/carers and community partners.
I am committed to and invested in this school and community and I love working with our diverse and extremely entertaining children. It is important to me that we get to know the children as individuals, that we share with them our own love of learning and that we create for them a safe, positive and enriching learning environment in which they can thrive.
Governors appointed by the London Borough of Greenwich
Elected Members of Teaching Staff
Co-Opted Governors
Carol Ladbrook
(Chair of Governors) Co-Opted Governor Term of Office ends June 2022
I am Carol Ladbrook and I am the Chair of Governors. I became a parent governor at Middle Park Primary School when my son, Robert, was in year 3 – he’s now 31 and National Editor for two motorsport publications! I was appointed as a co-opted governor
A Message from the Chair of Governors
We have a very committed and hard-working governing body at Middle Park Primary School that works in partnership with the Headteacher and staff to ensure the school is successful and the pupils achieve high standards in a safe and caring environment. The GB membership includes staff governors, parent governors, our local ward councillor who is nominated by the Local Authority and co-opted governors who are appointed by the GB. Co-opted governors are representatives from the local community who bring a range of different skills and interests to the GB.
The Governing Body meets once each term and is responsible for:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
- Holding the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff
- Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent
In order to fulfil these duties, we have two main committees:
- Business Committee – incorporating Finance, Personnel, Premises and Health and Safety
- Learning and Achievement Committee
We also have a Pay Committee and a Pay Appeals Committee.
I am very proud to be associated with the school for so many years and to work with knowledgeable and dedicated staff and great fellow governors. I am extremely proud of Middle Park Primary School – we have dedicated and skilled staff, supportive parents and wonderfully enthusiastic and creative children.
Carol Ladbrook
Chair of Governors
Tony Hutchings
(Vice Chair) Co-Opted Governor Term of Office Ends June 2022
I have been a co-opted governor at Middle Park School since November 2014.
As a former pupil of Middle Park I know that the education children receive at primary school is critical to them fulfilling their full capability. I wanted to become a school governor at Middle Park to ensure that it continues to offer the life chances that it gave me all those years ago.
I attend all the main governing body meetings and play an active role on the business committee and the learning and achievement committee.
I bring a range of senior management and leadership skills to the governing body from almost 30 years working in various roles within BT.
As a Governor I attend different meetings and events in school and regularly undertake specific governor training to make sure I can make a positive contribution to the success of the school. I have particularly enjoyed seeing the engagement of the children in school and the variety of external opportunities they have to grow as individuals.
My outside interests include: cycling, golf, walking and bowls.
Juliet Bourne
Co-Opted Governor Term of Office Ends February 2024
My name is Juliet Bourne. I have been a Governor at Middle Park since January 2007 – initially as a Local Authority Governor, but now as a co-opted Governor. I am Chair of the Learning and Achievement Committee, and until November 2015 was Vice-Chair of the Governing Body for several years. I am also the Governor responsible for Special Needs (SEND), and meet regularly with the SENco. I am a member of the working party looking at making the school more ‘Dyslexia friendly’.
I worked professionally with many families in the Royal Borough of Greenwich for about 20 years, as well as working for a project in Croydon run by Barnardo’s, and as a school counsellor at several schools in Thamesmead. I am now retired.
I have always been interested in education and have a strong belief in providing every child with the opportunity to achieve their full potential, and the right to feel confident and respected in all aspects of their lives. I believe Middle Park provides our children with a very rounded experience, which equips them for their lives in secondary school and as adults.
In my spare time I enjoy reading, gardening, playing the piano, theatre and walking the dog! I have three adult children – all of whom were educated in Greenwich schools (Brooklands, and Crown Woods) – and now am the proud grandmother of six grandchildren ranging from 16yrs – 6yrs.
Norma Spruce
Co-Opted Governor Term of Office Ends February 2024
I am Norma Spruce. I was introduced to Middle Park 10 years ago when working for Alcatel-Lucent in Greenwich. I was appointed as a co-opted governor and joined the business committee where I am an active member using my business experience and skills to oversee the financial performance of the school and ensuring that its money is well spent. This involves reviewing plans for staffing, building projects, learning initiatives and monitoring expenditure. We are very fortunate at MPPS to have robust and clear financial management and monitoring that underpins the school plans for inclusion and enrichment for its children.
I have always had an interest in education for all and it is inspiring to see the commitment of teaching and support staff to ensure that every child achieves their potential. I live in Eltham and it is a privilege to be part of the local community and to contribute to the support and success of MPPS.
As well as committee and governing body meetings, I visit the school and attend special events, such as the library opening, sports and science evenings, where I can meet teachers, parents, and children.
Having recently retired, I am now a wise woman and adventurer, which means I have time to enjoy lots of leisure activities including foreign travel, sport, learning to play the piano and making the most of London’s theatres and art galleries. It also means that I have time to attend governor-training courses and to keep up to date with latest developments in local and national education matters that may impact on the running of school.
Carla Marques
Co-Opted Governor Term of Office Ends June 2022
I am now a Co-opted Governor, having previously been a Parent Governor for nearly 4 years.
I have worked with kids and teenagers for 22 years. As a mother of 2 children and a professional in the education area, I can balance both personal and professional experience and knowledge to be a school critical friend. I am really passionate about Middle Park Primary School and do my best to be a very active governor. I am member of 4 committees: Business, Learning and Achievement, Pay and Performance Management.
Brian Donnelley
Co-Opted Governor Term of Office Ends June 2022
I am Brian Donnelley and I have worked at the school as the Premises Manager for the past 21 years. I am currently a staff governor but have also been a parent governor when my children were at Middle Park. They both had an excellent time at the school and left fully prepared for their next stage at Eltham Green (now Harris Academy)
I have lived and worked in Eltham all my life and love the area. In my spare time I love to walk my 2 rescue dogs and often go on walks with the Bull Terrier rescue group.
Reverend Wendy Saunders
Co-Opted Governor Term of Office Ends October 2021
I’ve been a welcome visitor at Middle Park Primary School ever since I first became vicar of St. Saviour’s, the church on Middle Park, at the end of 1998. I’ve always found the school a place where you can be yourself. It’s a real community that embraces the joys, the sorrows and the challenges of life that the children and their families and its staff and volunteers have to deal with. It’s about education in its broadest sense. I’m delighted the vicarage garden’s Forest School is still used now that I’ve retired and I’m still doing some work in the area so am really pleased to remain a governor for as long as they’ll have me.
Bode Odebunmi
Co-Opted Governor Term of office ends March 2024
I am a newly elected parent governor with a passion for educating children to be well-rounded members of their local community and society as a whole. In addition, I am passionate about supporting them to fulfill their potentials.
With my experiences within the Housing and Project Management sectors, I intend to use my diverse skills to add value to the MPPS Board and make a positive difference to the community.
| GOVERNOR INFORMATION – JULY 2018 | |||||||||
| Name | Type of Governor | Appointed/ elected by |
Term of office | Committees | Area of responsibility | Relevant business interests | Other schools governed | Relationships | Attendance |
| Donna Adkinson | Headteacher | Local Authority | 2012-present | Business Learning and Achievement |
– | None | – | – | 3/3 |
| Carol Ladbrook | Community | Community | 21/06/2022 | Business Learning and Achievement Executive Board Pay HT Performance Review |
Chair of Govs | None | – | – | 3/3 |
| Tony Hutchings | Community | Community | 21/06/2022 | Business Learning and Achievement | Vice Chair of Gov Chair of Business Committee |
None | – | – | 3/3 |
| Juliet Bourne | Local Authority | Local Authority | 24/02/2024 | Learning and Achievement Executive Board Pay HT Performance Review |
Chair of Learning and Achievement SEN | None | – | – | 3/3 |
| Norma Spruce | Community | Community | 04/02/2024 | Business | Vice Chair Business Committee | None | – | – | 1/3 |
| Rev. Wendy Saunders | Community | Community | 17/10/2021 | Learning and Achievement | – | None | – | – | 3/3 |
| Carla Marques | Community | Community | 21/06/2022 | Business Executive Board Pay HT Performance Review |
Vice Chair Learning and Achievement | None | – | – | 2/3 |
| Brian Donnelley | Support Staff | Support Staff | 21/06/2022 | Business | – | None | – | – | 3/3 |
| Bode Odebunmi | Community | Community | 10/03/2024 | Business Committee Learning and Achievement Committee | – | None | – | – | 2/2 |
| – | – | – | |||||||
