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Head of School: Wendy Killilea

Governors

Sr Julie Rose

Sr Julie Rose

Cllr. Mrs Joyce Ryan

Cllr. Mrs Joyce Ryan

Fr Bob Hamill

Fr Bob Hamill

Susan McDonald

Susan McDonald

Mrs Marie Kearnes

Mrs Marie Kearnes

Margaret Attwood

Margaret Attwood

Gillian Hall

Sister Julie Rose
Sr Julie is the schools chair of governors and is a sister in the Congregation of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. She is the Executive Principal of both Pield Heath and St John’s schools and has previously served as a Trustee of the Congregation.

She works closely with the school’s Governors, Heads of School and Senior Leadership Teams to develop and deliver the strategic direction of the schools. Particular responsibilities have included supporting the schools in personnel, budget and finance matters. She works directly with the Governors to develop their monitoring role and to ensure a positive culture of challenge, support and high expectations for all children and young people to enable them to achieve their full potential.

Father Bob Hamill
Father Bob Hamill is a long standing member of our governors who has previously been our Chair serving the school and its pupils for many years. He is a parish priest in East Ham, East London and has particular responsibility within the Diocese of Brentwood for those with special needs and disabilities. He leads trips and pilgrimages, including to Lourdes, for adults with learning disabilities, many of whom are former pupils. Hugely energetic and charismatic, Fr Bob is a Welshman and lifelong Rugby supporter, as well as a talented singer and signer.

Fr Bob is also our school chaplain, and has brought many of our young people to a deeper relationship with God, including through the liturgy. In his role as Chair, Fr Bob has provided support and guidance to the school. He has carried out a wide range of duties, including in terms of personnel, and finance, and health and safety.

Councillor Joyce Ryan
Joyce has been a governor at St John’s for many years and last year marked her 32nd year of service for the residents of Redbridge and Fairlop Ward.

Over the years Joyce has served on numerous committees and has held senior positions on them. She was proud to serve the borough as Deputy Mayor in 2004/5, 2018/19, 2019/20 and Mayor in 2007/8. Joyce was a primary teacher so has a good knowledge and keen interest in education. She has a particular interest and love of the Arts, Culture and Heritage and is mindful of the importance of them in enriching people’s lives.

Joyce is board member of the London Youth Games and governor on the Redbridge Institute. She is a trustee of both London Sport, the Mayor of London’s committee for sport in London and Redbridge Sport & Leisure. Joyce is dedicated and committed to any role or organisation that she is involved with and always aims to do her best to further their aims or objectives. She enjoys visiting National Trust or English Heritage sites and visiting and working at bazaars or fetes.

In her service as a governor at St John’s, Joyce provides rigour and challenge and is uncompromising in her high expectations. She serves as governor with particular responsibility for Post 19, and has carried out duties to do with personnel and discipline and finance. Her knowledge of local government has been invaluable in securing the best outcomes for our young people.

Mrs Margaret Atwood
Margaret is our parent governor and mother.

“After visiting St John’s, for the first time as a prospective parent, I was so impressed by the caring, family atmosphere that I knew that I wanted my youngest son to come here. After an exhausting, year long, battle Ian finally arrived at the school. Four years later I can say that our expectations have been more than met. Ian has improved from the little boy who was locked in his own world and following his own agenda to one who wants to take part in everything that is going on.

The biggest thrill for me is to hear him talking and reading as he was virtually non-verbal when he arrived. We will be forever grateful to St John’s for being willing to take on our son and move him out of his world of silence and frustration into one where he can learn and express himself. St John’s provides a safe, caring environment where everyone is valued and encouraged to do their best.
Recently I became a governor at the school in the hope that I can give back something of what St John’s has given to Ian and our family.” She has particular responsibility for Numeracy.

Susan McDonald
Susan is a support Governor for the school and decided to take a role to help the school in whatever way she could. Since starting work for St John’s she found the school very interesting and was also instrumental with the test and trace team during the lockdown. Susan has also had a good experience of working with people, children and adults since she was young, of those with special needs and disabilities and has taken up quite a few courses on SEN and whatever else would be needed to do with working with people in this way.

Marie Kearns
Marie leads and manages Harmony House, based in Dagenham which is a community interest project under the trusteeship of the Sisters Of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. She has many years’ experience of the social care sector and local government and brings her knowledge and understanding to her role as governor.

As a member of the resources committee her focus as governor is finance. She also contributes significantly to HR policy development, and has supported the school in developing the professionalism of staff. She carries out all of her duties with immense good humour and patience.

Sister Anne Griffin
A member of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Congregation and currently Communications Person for the congregation.

Professionally trained as a Children’s Nurse and spent many years working both in Children’s health and education in Surrey before going to Zambia where I developed a day-centre for children orphaned through HIV/AIDS. Later lived and worked in El Salvador in health, development and youth projects and spent several years supporting persons affected by a civil war in the area of Human Rights.

My Christian faith has challenged and supported me living in different cultures and has opened my eyes to accepting and celebrating difference.

Gillian Hall

A member of the senior leadership team who oversees the Pastoral and Catholic Life of St John’s RC School and College. Whilst her children were at school, Gillian started her career in teaching as a class room assistant here at St John’s. She left after nine years to pursue a career as a teacher, training in a primary school in Newham. During the nine years in at Ranelagh Primary school, she held the posts of Head of RE and Early Years Lead. This provided her with the opportunity to gain knowledge on Mainstream and Special Needs education. In 2018, Gillian returned ‘home’ to take up a teaching position at St John’s. Since then, Gillian has been a KS3, KS4 and P16 class teacher, RE co-ordinator and most recently, became a member of the SLT.

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