John Collins (Foundation Governor and Chair) 

It’s been both a privilege and a joy to have served as a Foundation governor for the past 15 years , the last 13 as Chair. Prior to moving to Kent in 2008, I lived and taught in London and, following my retirement as a secondary Headteacher I continued as a consultant working with the London Leadership strategy in supporting leadership teams in schools facing challenges.

I’m grateful that by joining the Board at Wittersham I’ve been able to continue to contribute in some way to children’s education. It’s been a ‘breath of fresh air’ to experience life in a rural church primary school after a career in large urban secondary schools. From the very beginning, I was made to feel very welcome and quickly experienced the genuine warmth, Christian values and a real sense of community in the school. It really is a wonderful school, staffed by a great team and at its heart the absolute determination for the pupils to enjoy their learning and to achieve their very best. That’s the reason I’m still here after all these years!

Jane Burnett (Foundation Governor) 

Jane is a geography graduate and trained teacher with 25 years’ experience in education, culminating in secondary headship. After leaving headship, she established her own education consultancy specialising in leadership development and school improvement.

She has worked with a range of organisations, including the DfE and the Learning and Skills Council, and is an accredited performance management consultant and executive leadership coach. Following Ofsted inspector training, Jane carried out numerous secondary school inspections and worked extensively across the South East to support regional and local school improvement. She has also led governance reviews for Kent, East Sussex and Medway.

Jane is now retired and dedicates much of her time to voluntary work. She has been a school governor for more than 20 years in both Kent and East Sussex and is currently Co-Chair of Governors at The Norton Knatchbull School in Ashford.

In her spare time, Jane and her husband run a small herd of alpacas on the Kent/Sussex border.

Stella Coulson (Headteacher Governor)

I began my career in education 20 years ago as a Teaching Assistant and have since progressed through a variety of roles including HLTA, Teacher, Head of Year, Assistant Head and Inclusion Leader. I have been fortunate to work with inspiring professionals, families and young people, and my work with Surrey County Council’s SEND Team and as a Kent Inclusive Leader of Education has strengthened my commitment to high-quality, inclusive practice.

Since joining Wittersham in 2021 and now serving as Headteacher, I have focused on building staff and parental confidence in supporting all learners. Through whole-school CPD, lesson observations, wellbeing forums and a culture of openness and reflection, we continue to develop classrooms where every child can succeed academically, socially and emotionally.

My experience as a Staff Governor, combined with my current leadership role, has deepened my understanding of strategic planning, school improvement and financial management. Leading Wittersham Church of England Primary School is the most rewarding role of my career, and I remain dedicated to ensuring that every child feels valued, supported and able to flourish.

Carly Catt – School Governor

I have been an employee of Wittersham School since 2017. I began working in education in 2013 and thoroughly enjoyed supporting children in their educational journey. This led me to attain a BA Hons degree in Childhood Studies, closely followed by QTS. Having two small boys of my own, children’s early development is a passion of mine. I currently teach in Reception and love helping children acquire the necessary skills to build a lifelong love of learning.

I joined the governing body in 2024 to contribute to and support the strong links between the community and the school.

Kerry Dean (Foundation Governor)

Kerry is a parent governor and has been in post since February 2022. She is a photographer working in Fashion as well as doing her own art practice. 

Kerry's photographs have appeared in many international publications and exhibitions. Kerry moved to Wittersham four years ago with her husband and her son, who attends Wittersham. 

They are currently restoring and renovating their home, which is a disused plant nursery and woodland from the 1940s, where they also run a Forest School, which operates in the school holidays.

Nicholas Barnett (Foundation Governor)

I have been a director of several companies involved in the jewellery trade.  I now work part-time running my own company. In the past, I was the Director of Worth Abbey School Old Boys Charity and was also on the Parent Board of Benenden Girls School. 

My wife and I have lived in Wittersham for eight years, and together we also run local Adult Art Classes. We have a grown-up daughter who works in a Secondary School in London.

I joined the Board as a Foundation Governor at the beginning of 2022. As a Foundation Governor, my focus is very much on the Christian ethos of the school and fostering closer links between the school, the local community and particularly the Church.

Helen Farmer (Foundation Governor)

I have been a School Governor at Wittersham since June 2024. I have had the privilege of working and supporting children and their families for many years as a Specialist Children Chartered Physiotherapist and Director of Commissioning for Children Services for the NHS Integrated Care Board. These roles required me to develop effective relationships with partners across children's services, including education and social care, ensuring children remained at the centre of everything we do.

I hope to bring that passion, knowledge and experience to supporting the team at Wittersham as a Foundation Governor; strengthening the partnership between the church and school and demonstrating the values and ethos of Christianity through our actions and decision-making.