Staff and governors

We currently employ around 650 teachers and support staff who form a vibrant, diverse and welcoming community

For information on working at Highgate, please visit our Work with us page.

  • Highgate's Governors

    Governors 2022

    Governors, listed below, who are the Charity’s Trustees, are responsible for the governance of the School. The structure of the Board is governed by the Charity’s Scheme of Governance dated 1 September 2005, as amended, which states that the Governing Body shall consist of between 10 and 18 Governors.

    The full Governing Body meets at least six times a year. There are a number of sub-committees that meet at least three times a year: (1) Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, (2) Estates Committee, (3) Nominations and Remuneration Committee and (4) Safeguarding Committee. Governors drawn from the sub-committees meet periodically to review the ethical dimensions to school policies and, where required, to consider significant matters of education policy or practice.

    The Nominations and Remuneration Committee is responsible for overseeing succession planning to ensure the Governing Body contains appropriate diversity, experience and skills, and making recommendations to Governors about recruitment processes for new Governors. Recent appointments have involved advertising roles, prior to a sifting and interview process, within our parent body (2014 – resulted in 4 new Governors), within our parent body and alumni (2018 – resulted in 2 new Governors; 2020 – resulted in 1 new Governor) and externally using a leading board-search organisation (2023 – resulted in 2 new Governors). Occasionally, a particular individual is engaged who has a skill or experience which is needed (eg an educationalist or someone with safeguarding expertise) prior to them being interviewed. All new Governors receive induction training.

    Governors, as charity trustees, must serve the interests of the Charity and be concerned only to deliver its charitable objects. For that reason a Governor who is a parent or associated with another group (eg alumni) cannot be, and is not considered to be, a delegate of that body or representing its interest when acting as Governor. All Governors are obliged to avoid conflicts of interests and/or loyalty whether related to personal issues or other groups or associations.

    The Governing Body can also appoint associate members to serve on one or more of the sub-committees/working groups and/or to attend full Governing Body meetings. Associate members are often selected to draw on expertise and experience from outside the Governor membership.

    If someone is interested in finding out more about the School’s Governance, please contact the Secretary and Clerk to the Governing Body.


    Bob Rothenberg MBE, BA, FCA, CTA (Chairman since 2017, governor since 1998)
    Bob Rothenberg (OC) was a Highgate parent and retired from Blick Rothenberg Chartered Accountants in 2019 having been senior partner for over 20 years. He is a trustee of Police Now and has served as a Trustee of The Prince’s Foundation and as a Board member of both London First and Think London. He continues to work both advising a number of clients and acting as a trustee and an executor. Mr Rothenberg was made an MBE in the 2007 New Year’s Honours List for services to business and to the community in London. He has been regularly quoted on tax and commercial issues in the national press and appeared on these topics on radio, television and other media outlets.


    Aly Patel MA, MBA (Treasurer since 2017, governor since 2011)
    Aly Patel (OC) is a partner at hedge fund JNE Partners. Mr Patel has previously worked at York Capital, Apax Partners and Goldman Sachs and has an MBA from Harvard Business School. He has been involved with one of the Prince of Wales’ charities, Business in the Community.


    Mark Barber MA, MRICS, FRGS, FRSA (Governor since 2018)
    Mark Barber (OC) is Investment Director for Dorrington PLC. Mr Barber is formerly of the Grosvenor Estate and Wellcome Trust and he lives in North London. He is Chair of the Estates Committee and the Health and Safety lead.


    Jenny Brown MA (Oxon) (Governor since 2023)
    Jenny Brown is the Headmistress of the City of London School for Girls following her first Headship St Alban’s High School for Girls. She has previously held senior roles in Channing and St Paul’s Girls’ schools and taught at Highgate School in 1995. Jenny is a Trustee of the Mitchell Trust Charity and also sits on the IntoUniversity Advisory Board.


    Joan Deslandes BEd (HONS), MA, OBE (Governor since 2018)
    Joan Deslandes was appointed to the Governing body in September 2018.


    Sam King QC, MA (Cantab) (Governor since 2018)
    Sam King qualified as a barrister in 1990, became a QC in 2018 and now practices in the area of children’s law. Ms King grew up in Highgate and still lives locally.


    Leonie Morel MScM (Governor since 2021)
    Leonie Morel is a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, where she has been leading the Fundamental Strategies Team since 2016. Mrs Morel has been living in North London for 13 years; she has two children including a son attending Highgate. She graduated from HEC School of Management in 2001.


    Kumar Panja BA, LLDip (Governor since 2014)
    Kumar Panja is a Managing Director of JP Morgan Corporate and Investment Bank. Mr Panja lives in North London and his children attend Highgate.


    Paul Rothwell MA (Governor since 2014)
    Paul Rothwell is a television producer who ran his own successful production company. He combines a lifelong interest in architecture with film and education. Mr Rothwell is a trustee of two other charities involved with education and television production and he has two daughters at Highgate.


    Daniel Widdicombe MA (Governor since 2020)

    Daniel focuses on Asian finance and business, following on from a First Class MA in Chinese and Japanese from Edinburgh University. He built the European Investment Banking platform for China Construction Bank in London for 10 years up to 2019. Daniel lived in China, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore for 18 years, where he was CFO of Nasdaq-listed Chinadotcom, Independent Non-Executive Director of Nasdaq-listed Corgi Holdings, Head of Asian Equity Research at Bear Stearns, and China Investment Analyst at HSBC. He has three children, including two sons who went to Highgate.


    Secretary and Clerk to the governing body is John Pheasant BSc, LLDip, Barrister
    John Pheasant is also Highgate School Bursar.

  • Senior School Senior Team

    Adam Pettitt* Head

    Florence Bill Development Director
    Simon Brunskill Head of Sixth Form (Pastoral) 
    Matt Crump Deputy Bursar 
    Arthur Dabrowski Acting Deputy Head (Pastoral) 
    Enya Doyle Director of Inclusion 
    Rebecca Golland* Deputy Head (Pastoral) 
    Cleo Lawrence Director of Safeguarding 
    Todd Lindsay* Principal Deputy Head 
    Jenny McLoughlin Assistant Head (Pupil Engagement) 
    James Newton* Deputy Head (Academic) 
    Chanel Noel Community Partnerships Director 
    Daryl Noyce Assistant Head (Academic Ops and Digital Strategy) 
    Kemi Omijeh Director of Pupil Wellbeing 
    John Pheasant* Bursar 
    Sam Pullan Assistant Head (Executive Operations) 
    Elizabeth Roberts Head of Lower School 
    Graeme Robertson* Deputy Head (Professional)
    Jen Sacks Assistant Head (Academic) 
    Louise Shelley* Principal Deputy Head  
    Verity Smith Head of Sixth Form (Pastoral) 
    Guy Waller Head of Sixth Form (Academic) 
    Julie Welch Assistant Head (Projects and Logistics)
    Kasia Wojtkowiak Compliance Director 

    *Strategy Management Committee members

    University and Careers:
    Catherine Carter – Director of Higher Education
    Vivienne Spoerri – Director of N American University Admissions
    Amandeep Jaspal – Careers and Employability Specialist

  • Junior School Senior Team

    Philippa Studd* Principal of the Junior School

    Matthew Foley Deputy Principal
    Emma Duong Deputy Principal (Pastoral)
    Allison Lloyd Director of Studies
    Victoria Nemeth Assistant Principal (Curriculum and Communications)
    Matt Anderson Assistant Principal (Community Partnership)
    Hayley Hemmings Head of Junior School SpEx
    Hettie Feiler Head of Junior School Music
    Roshan Adams Pastoral Lead

    *Strategy Management Committee member

  • Pre-Prep Senior Team

    Sally Hancock* Principal of the Pre-Preparatory School
    Philippa Poll Deputy Principal (Teaching and Learning)
    Hayley Lock Deputy Principal (Pastoral)
    Elissa Ellison Deputy Principal (Curriculum)
    Gabby Letimier Curriculum Development Lead

    *Strategy Management Committee member

Chair of Governors contact details

If you wish to contact the Chair of Governors, please address your letter to:

 

Bob Rothenberg MBE
c/o The Secretary to the Foundation and Clerk to the Governors, Mr J C Pheasant
Highgate School
70 North Road
London
N6 4AY
chairman@highgateschool.org.uk

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