Jim Edgecombe

I am a retired civil servant living in Uxbridge, where all my children went to school.
I have been a governor of various schools, primary and secondary, in the Borough of Hillingdon for over 20 years.
I have continued to be a governor because I feel that people who are not educational professionals should have a significant say in the operation of our education system.
I enjoy being a governor because I can see how our children take advantage of what our schools offer not only in academic learning but in wider areas.

Alison Percy

My name is Ali Percy and I am a parent to 3 children - a son and twins girls who have just moved on from Whiteheath.  Alongside being a parent, I also manage my own business as a qualitative market researcher, which I love as it means I can spend lots of time being nosy about other people's lives! 

I joined the governing body in January 2018 because I've seen how the positive environment of Whiteheath has encouraged my children and their peers to develop and grow in confidence, and I wanted to support the school in continuing to offer a wide range of experiences to its students.  It’s important to me that our school environment is one where our children feel safe to be children still, to play, to grow and to make and learn from their mistakes and I enjoy working with the fantastic team at Whiteheath in maintaining a healthy, happy place for all our children.

Rena Drone

My name is Rena Drone and I joined the governing body as a co-opted governor in 2018. I am currently a Director at an investment bank in Equity Sales and also a Director of a property management company which I co-founded. I graduated with a MSc (Hons) Economics and am also a chartered management accountant (ACMA). In my spare time I enjoy keeping fit as well as fund raising.

I know first hand the importance of education, for me it was a way out of financial hardship. Ultimately the reason I became a governor is because I want to help the school achieve its aims and invest in the learning and development of children and young people. Another one of my key reasons for becoming a governor at Whiteheath Junior School was to get more involved in the community where I spent most of my childhood and teenage years. For so many families, the school is the centre of the community – they go there more often than any other place. I think it’s important for schools to have input from those of us who aren’t directly involved in the education system – we become links between the two, opening up more possibilities for the school and wider community.
Being able to serve this school and the community is highly rewarding and a huge privilege. I also see this position as an opportunity to develop new skills - learning and development doesn't end when you leave school!

Jatin Patel

Hello! My name is Jatin Patel and I am really excited about joining the governing body in the Spring of 2022. I’m work in the financial services industry and am a partner at KPMG.

Growing up I benefitted immensely from a quality education – it’s allowed my wife and I to offer more opportunities to our two children than we had and suspect many parents want the same. In a changing and highly competitive world education is the best investment a community can give to ensure future generations reach their potential. I want to bring my experience to ensure the children at Whiteheath have fun whilst continuing to receive the development support to thrive. Like many others, I want to do this to support my community and give something back and am confident I will do lots of learning myself along the way!

Matt Fletcher

I am one of the Parent Governors at Whiteheath Junior School with a daughter in year 6 and a son in year 3. I have been a teacher for 27 years, initially as a science (physics) teacher, with the last 15 years being a senior leader in secondary schools.  I am currently Heateacher at Rickmansworth School; a large, successful, partially-selective academy in Hertfordshire. Several years ago I was seconded to act as Headteacher of a small primary school and so have leadership experience in our education system from EYFS through to Key Stage 5. Recently, I was also a Parent Governor at Whiteheath Infant School and thoroughly enjoyed my role there.

I am a Parent Governor because I believe that schools are an integral part of the community and, as such, everyone in the community should play their part, however small, in ensuring their school’s provision is as good as it possibly can be. My main area of responsibility on the Governing Body is as Science Link Governor and I am also a member of the School’s Finance & Resources Committee.