Governors – WIJPS

Meet The Team

MRS CARLY CONWAY – PARENT

Hello, my name is Carly Conway. I have two daughters at WIJPS, one in Year 5 and one in Year 2, and I dearly adore the school and its ethos. I’m interested in supporting both the educational side but the children’s welfare and ensuring that every child matters. I’m honoured to be part of the Governing Body and feel my knowledge in education from the past 11 years, and my marketing knowledge from the 4 years prior to that, will really help support the school, along with rest of the Governing Body.

RABBI BARUCH DAVIS – FOUNDATION

I came to the Redbridge area in 1997, on being appointed as Rabbi of Chigwell & Hainault Synagogue. Many of my synagogue members’ children attend WIJPS, as did my youngest son. In 1999, I was appointed Foundation Governor at the school, a position that I have retained ever since. My special interest has been in the Jewish Studies Department and in the overall Jewish Ethos of the school. To this end, I meet regularly with the Head Teacher and Jewish Studies Co-ordinator. For several years I gave Jewish Studies extension classes to students in Years 4-6. My synagogue values this connection with WIJPS, as do other synagogues in the area, which contributes to the community feel of the school.

MR JOSHUA FINEMAN – FOUNDATION

I am privileged to have been appointed as a Foundation Governor of WIJPS. My wife went to IJPS, and our three children are at various stages along their journey through the school.

I am passionate about ensuring the School continues to provide high quality education to all children, maintains its proud Jewish ethos and remains a vibrant part of our local community, welcoming to all who enter.

I am solicitor by profession, specialising in litigation. I often undertake significant project management work. I am well-versed in overseeing multiple moving parts and working alongside others in the development and delivery of a plan of action, and I look forward to putting these attributes to good use and working alongside my fellow governors for the benefit of WIJPS and all of its pupils.

It is vital that we always strive to ensure our children are given every opportunity to achieve the very best of their potential, and I am delighted to be a part of that.

MRS SUE GEIST – FOUNDATION (VICE CHAIR)

As an active member of the local Jewish community and a parent of two sons who enjoyed their primary education at WIJPS, the school is something which I care about a great deal. I became a school governor in 2013 and was heavily involved in the process of relocating to the new Kantor campus. I was lucky enough to have the exciting role of official photographer, recording the progress of the building project for the school website and local press.

In my professional capacity as a marketing consultant, I strive to apply my communications experience in the commercial world to my role as chair of the WIJPS Marketing Committee to provide support to the school and advocate the role of effective communication to the parent body and throughout the local community. This has included project managing the build and maintenance of the school website.

I am also an active member of the staffing and finance committees where I utilize the skills gained from working in the fields of property and recruitment.

MR LESTER HARRIS – LEA

I am proud to be associated with WIJPS, having first served as a Foundation Governor between 1995 and 1999. Since 2007, I was appointed an LEA Governor. Both my children enjoyed wonderful years and a fantastic education here. I currently serve on several committees – Admissions, Ethos, Finance and Performance Management. My specific link responsibility is for British Values and I try to visit the school as often as possible.

I am delighted how WIJPS has developed as a community school. I know how committed and dedicated all staff and governors are to the future success and sustainability of a vibrant modern-Orthodox Jewish primary school in Essex.

My own professional background covers both the not-for-profit and commercial sectors. Communally, I served as an Honorary Officer at Clayhall (now Redbridge) United Synagogue between 1998 and 2015.

MR MATT MARTIN – FOUNDATION

After studying Economics at Manchester University, my entire career has been spent working in Finance and I am currently a Property Finance specialist at Barclays originating loans for Corporate customers.

I have been a Parent Governor at WIJPS since 2013 with an unbreakable family connection to the school. My eldest son has recently finished and my youngest is not far behind him, my wife is a teacher and I have many nieces and nephews that have enjoyed a WIJPS education. I work tirelessly to ensure that WIJPS is one of the best schools in the area and that all our pupils achieve their full potential with a strong Jewish identity.

I am an active member of the Governing Body, with a seat on the Finance committee, the iJems working party and have responsibilities for Pupil Premium and, more recently IT. My work commitments mean I am not as regular a visitor to the school as I would like however, I do try to spend at least one day at term on the premises and love nothing more than sharing school dinners with our kids when I do.

MR BILL POINTON – PARENT

With two sons at the school and another to join soon, I am honoured to be part of the Governing body at WIJPS. I feel passionately about state education and want all our children to flourish in preparation for secondary school. I am a keen believer in students learning from all the experiences open to them, and I believe that WIJPS offers a great setting for all our children to do this.

I have worked in education for over 15 years and am currently an Assistant Headteacher at a secondary school in Redbridge. This puts me in a strong position to understand the present issues within education and helps me in my role as Chair of the Teaching and Standards committee and to support the school on its journey to even greater things.

MRS MANDIE PRESTON – STAFF

I have been involved with WIJPS for over 12 years. My eldest daughter started the school in 2007 and I felt such an immediate connection and love for the school that I decided to run as a Foundation Governor. Whilst being part of the Governing Body, I oversaw the move from our old site on Carlton Drive to our current location. I was also the Lead Governor for safeguarding and was an active member of the Governing Body’s Staffing Committee.

After several years as a Foundation Governor, I realised how important the School had become to me and I accepted a teaching post in KS1. I am currently one of the Reception class teachers but I have had an excellent oversight of the whole school because of the different roles I’ve played within WIJPS.

Recently, the WIJPS Staff Governor position became available and, because of the previous experience that I have had within the school, I knew this would be the perfect role for me. I am totally committed to the School in every way and feel I am in an excellent position working at the heart of our School with the children.

MR BEN SALTMAN – FOUNDATION (CHAIR)

A former pupil of the school (as is my wife), I haven’t moved far from my roots – I now have 4 children in the school. When my eldest joined the school, I was asked to join the Governing Body. I was appointed Chair in June 2014 and am also a member of the Teaching and Standards, Ethos, Admissions and Pupil Disciplinary Committees. I’m interested in the ‎welfare of the children and the school and am prepared to give my time and effort when required, having a positive impact on the future generation. I have been able to use my knowledge from my working profession as an Asset Management Surveyor, helping to solve problems, engaging with a variety of people in different professions and backgrounds, to progress ‎matters, reaching a successful conclusion. These skills are easily transferrable into my role as a governor.

MR BARRY SORAFF – CO-OPTED

I joined WIJPS as a governor during 2014 having myself attended the school between 1977 and 1982. I still live and work in the local area and have been a partner in a firm of accountants since 1999 during which time I have worked closely with hundreds of organisations, businesses and individuals across the country helping them with their financial and commercial affairs. I help manage the school’s finances and ensure that the school is able to operate on a sound financial footing.

MRS LISA WEST – ACTING HEADTEACHER

My journey at WIJPS began as a Learning Support Assistant to a pupil in Year 2, some 13 years ago. I then retrained to become a class teacher and moved up to the role of Deputy Headteacher a few years later. My three children have been through the school and I feel that my heart is at WIJPS and the WIJPS community is my community.
It has been my pleasure to serve on the school’s Governing Body for several years as an invitee and I have been an active member of the Teaching and Learning Committee and of the Ethos Committee. As the previous Designated Safeguarding Lead and Assessment Lead, I have supported Governors to understand the fast-changing landscape in which we operate.
Now as Acting Headteacher, I will endeavour to continue to support the Governors in their knowledge and understanding of the school, its curriculum, assessment procedures and the challenges we face. I am excited at the prospect of being an integral part of the school’s next chapter and of all of the positive opportunities that we have at WIJPS.