Welcome Note from John Hickman (Chair of Governors)

It is a genuine privilege to be the Chair of Governors at Chadwell Primary School and to be a small part of an educational institution in which all members of staff are committed professionals who also happen to be friendly, open individuals – constantly mindful that the best interests of the children has to be at the core of every aspect of their work. It is also heart-warming that – as a governor - I know that, whenever I visit the school, I will see pupils of all ages who are (on the whole!) enthusiastic, well-behaved and polite learners...a fact that is a testimony to both the expertise and guidance of both teachers and parents.

So how did I become the Chair of Governors here?

I have been in various parts of the educational world all my life- spending the first 25 years of my career teaching English in the London Borough of Newham. During this time, I was also a tutor at London University’s Institute of Education and, for 16 years, on the Senior Management Team at Forest Gate Community School. I then came to Redbridge as the Borough’s English Adviser – working with teachers in all the schools in the Local Authority for the next 10 years.

When I “retired” from the position of Principal Adviser in 2006, I became an education tutor on the teacher-training course (PGCE) at South Bank University and I was also invited to become the Chair of Trustees at the English and Media Centre in Islington. At the same time, I was asked to join the governors at Chadwell Primary School. So, I have been a part of the school community for the past 17 years and have served as Chair of the Governing Body since 2012.

At Chadwell, I feel that we have always been blessed with an exceptionally high calibre of governors and I hope that all parents will continue to feel confident about approaching any of us with regard to the experiences that their children have as they develop their capacity for learning during their years with us.

John Hickman