KINGS CROSS ACADEMY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Head of Planning at Argent
- Trust Member and Co - Chair of Governors
Alexandra Woolmore is Head of Planning at Argent where she is responsible for securing planning permissions for Argent's projects. As part of her role, she was also heavily involved in the design and planning of the King's Cross Academy and the subsequent sponsorship process and remains the strategic lead for the delivery of new and replacement schools on Argent's development at Brent Cross. Before joining Argent, Alexandra worked at Linklaters where she qualified as a planning and environmental lawyer. Alexandra also sits on the board of Poplar Harca, a housing association in East London, and was formerly a governor at Bow School for 11 years. She has a daughter who is currently at primary school.
She is co-chair of Governors at the King's Cross Academy.
I am an experienced senior Higher Education leader with a professional background in architecture and the wider creative sector. I am currently Dean of Academic Strategy at Central Saint Martins and have previously held senior roles at The Glasgow School of Art and the University for the Creative Arts. I have significant experience of leading on the development and delivery of academic strategies including the development of new partnerships, courses, and knowledge exchange activities; managing operational plans and change projects and ensuring that quality assurance and enhancement processes are effective.
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Higher Level Teaching Assistant
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Head Teacher
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Teaching Staff Member
- Class Teacher
Anne is Director of Development and Communications at Commonland, an Amsterdam-based organisation dedicated to restoring nature for people in large landscapes and bring back opportunity and hope. With an educational background in the visual arts, Anne has previously held senior roles both at Tate and Frieze and she continues to be a trustee at Gasworks Gallery in South London. Through her professional and voluntary work Anne has a strong interest in community building and developing projects for the benefit of local communities.
Job Titles:
- Governor
- Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
Anthea Harries is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and works at Argent where she is Head of Assets for the King's Cross Estate. She also sits on the RICS UK and Ireland Board where her remit is to focus, in part, on the diversity and inclusivity strategy for the Built Environment and its Professional body. In addition, she is a Board member for Urban Partners, an organisation focused on working with the local communities to create a thriving neighbourhood for all.
Anthea is mother to two teenage sons and two stepdaughters and is married to David, a primary school Teacher.
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant
Job Titles:
- Member of the Pastoral & SEND Team
- Assistant SENDCo
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant
Job Titles:
- Teaching Staff Member
- Class Teacher
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Premises Manager
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant
Job Titles:
- Member of the Phase Leadership Team
- KS2 Phase Leader
Job Titles:
- Member of the Pastoral & SEND Team
- Emotional Literacy Support Practitioner
Jane was Leader of the London Borough of Camden Council from 2000 to 2005 following which she has served in a range of non-executive roles including as Chair of the Councillors Commission for the Department of Communities and Local Government, Chair of Parenting UK, a member of the Ofsted board, Chair of New Local Government Network and currently Chair of the charity, Living Streets. She is a former governor of Eleanor Palmer School and Regent High. She is a member of the Remuneration Board of the Welsh Assembly. Appointed DBE 2004.
Professionally, she is a medical doctor and is an Honorary Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at the Whittington Hospital with experience of senior healthcare management in the NHS.
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant
Job Titles:
- Business Strategist
- Parent Governor
Dr. Yan Ting Choong is a dynamic neuroscientist, business strategist, and educator with a diverse professional background spanning life sciences, entrepreneurship, education, and services. Armed with a Doctorate in Life Science and a Masters in Entrepreneurship, she seamlessly merges cross-disciplinary thinking with agile methodologies to cultivate innovative ideas.
A goal-oriented and adept problem solver, Dr. Choong brings a wealth of experience in innovating and executing business strategies and operations. Her track record includes leadership roles and collaborative contributions to high-performing teams, where she fosters a culture of psychological safety to drive creative solutions.
As an international professional, Dr. Choong proudly represented Australia at the 2017 G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance Summit in Germany and earned recognition as a Smart 30 under 30 Young Australian Entrepreneur by SmartCompany.com. Following her move to London, she embraced her passion for education by becoming a high school teacher, dedicating herself to inspiring students with her enthusiasm for innovation and sciences, and striving to make a disproportionate impact through education.
Committed to fostering inclusivity, Dr. Choong has actively volunteered in the BAME (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic) Working Council for Alphaplus and contributed to the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Advisory Group for the Heads of Society-an organization representing independent schools in the UK and overseas.
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant
Job Titles:
- Teaching Staff Member
- Class Teacher
Job Titles:
- Teaching Staff Member
- Class Teacher
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Community Chef
Job Titles:
- Governor
- Director of Legal and in - House Solicitor at Estates & Management Ltd
Faiza is Director of Legal and in-house solicitor at Estates & Management Ltd, a market leader specialising in the asset management of freehold and leasehold properties in the UK on behalf of property landlords, and has been practising as a solicitor since 2005.
At Estates & Management Faiza is responsible for leading the Legal Department and the delivery of legal and compliance advice to the business across a wide range of legal and operational areas. Prior to joining Estates & Management in 2016, Faiza was a partner at a West End law firm where she specialised in Property Litigation. In 2015 Faiza was described as "outstanding" in the Legal 500, a leading directory of legal services.
Faiza's experience of working both as a solicitor in private practice for over a decade and, more recently, in-house, means she approaches day-to-day matters with a wide lens and she prides herself in finding practical and pragmatic solutions.
Faiza is trained as a Mental Health First Aider and is particularly interested in the well-being of staff and pupils.
Faiza has lived in Kings Cross since 2009.
Job Titles:
- Teaching Staff Member
- Class Teacher
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant
Job Titles:
- Teaching Staff Member
- Class Teacher
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant
Job Titles:
- Class Teacher
- Staff Governor
John Hutchinson is a Year 5 class teacher at Kings Cross Academy. John's background is predominantly in Sport, after completing a BSc degree at the University of Hertfordshire in 2014. After that, John completed his LTA Tennis Level 3 and supported various Tennis Associations around the world, volunteering in Australia, Ghana and Guyana. John has worked a variety of roles within a primary school in London, including a PE Teacher, SEN support, teaching assistant and afterschool club organiser. John is a passionate educator and always looks to incorporate diversity and inclusion into the curriculum, to best represent the diversity of the children that attend Kings Cross Academy.
Job Titles:
- Governor
- Freelance Consultant in Higher Education
Jonathan Barratt is a freelance consultant in Higher Education and the Creative and Cultural industries. Jonathan was previously Dean of Academic Development and Quality for Central Saint Martins, a constituent college of the University of the Arts London. With a wide-ranging portfolio of responsibility covering academic standards, curricula development, further education and aspects of institutional relations, this role included working with local schools, colleges, community organisations and local government agencies, hence his initial involvement with the Academy. With Bachelor's and Master's degrees in industrial design, Jonathan's thirty years experience in further and higher education have included roles as Course Director for MA Industrial Design, and Dean for the School of Communication, Product and Spatial Design. He has also worked with service and manufacturing industries, local and national governments and NGOs in Europe and Asia. Jonathan has substantial experience in leadership, management and institutional governance and in educational development. He is committed to the social and cultural development of the King's Cross area and to equality of access and opportunity at all levels of education.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Head
- Member of the Pastoral & SEND Team
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Teacher
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant
Job Titles:
- Member of the Phase Leadership Team
- KS1 Phase Leader
Job Titles:
- Governor
- Chief Executive of the Centre for Literacy
Louise Johns-Shepherd is Chief Executive of the Centre for Literacy and Primary Education. She brings a wealth of experience in education leadership and in primary schools. She was a Senior Director at the Primary National Strategies and Head Teacher Consultant at the National College of School Leadership. Louise trained as a primary school teacher at Homerton College Cambridge, studied for her MA at the Institute of Education and has taught for her entire career in London. Louise has been the Head Teacher of two schools, a nursery school and children's centre in Lambeth and, most recently, a primary school in Southwark. Under her leadership the school moved from a very challenging position to one of the fifty most improved schools in England. Louise's interests are in assessment, progression and curriculum development as well as all aspects of organisational leadership.
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Premises Assistant
Mike Lightbound works at Argent on the King's Cross redevelopment. He manages the overall business plan for King's Cross and is responsible for many of the financial aspects of the development. Mike also leads the Asset Management team - the group responsible for managing the growing retained estate at King's Cross. Before joining Argent, Mike worked at Swiss Re and PricewaterhouseCoopers in the UK and the Caribbean. He is a Chartered Accountant and has a degree in Structural Engineering. Mike will bring essential financial skills to the governing body. He has two children in primary school.
Job Titles:
- Business Manager
- Chief Financial Officer
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
Angela Scheffer lived in Sydney, Australia and worked in pensions and property management. Returning to the UK she worked as a Management Accountant in the property sector and designed an accounting package for property management. Angela moved in 1997 to manage the finances of an investment portfolio and set up the UK finance operation for a multi-national equity fund. Angela was Finance Governor at her children's school, and there she developed a passion for education and completed an Advanced Diploma in School Business Management. She worked in two voluntary aided schools and for a multi-academy trust before joining King's Cross Academy in 2016. Angela is part of the Senior Leadership Team, overseeing the business management and is excited to create an environment that supports learning and engages with our partners in King's Cross to develop amazing and unique opportunities for our children.
Job Titles:
- Head Teacher
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
To arrange an appointment with the Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher please email the SLT Administrator Giovanni Pillitu on giovanni.pillitu@kingscrossacademy.org.uk
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Business Manager
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Admissions Administrator
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant ( Currently on Maternity Leave )
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant
Job Titles:
- Next Generation Learning Lead Teacher
Job Titles:
- Chairman of Governors
- Co - Chair of Governors
- Trust Member and Co - Chair of Governors
Robert is Joint Managing Partner of Argent (Property Development) Services LLP (‘Argent') and a Partner in Related Argent, leading developers responsible for major mixed-use schemes in London, Birmingham, the Thames Valley and Manchester, in particular the King's Cross Estate.
Within Argent, Robert has overall responsibility for the 67-acre King's Cross Estate. He is also chair of the New London Architecture sounding board and is a member of the steering group for Future of London. He is co-chair of Governors at the King's Cross Academy.
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant
Roy Griffins chaired the Board of London City Airport for ten years after roles as Director General of the Airports Council International in Brussels and British Chair of the Channel Tunnel Intergovernmental Commission. His previous career as a senior civil servant and diplomat included the UK's Director General of Civil Aviation and Director of Railways when he was responsible for developing the UK's first high-speed rail line (HS1).
Roy graduated from Bristol University (French and German) and studied at the Sorbonne and the Ecole Nationale d'Administration in Paris. He was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 2003, and a Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur in France in 2017.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Pastoral & SEND Team
- Support Staff Member
- Pastoral Manager
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Head Teacher
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant
Sir David Clementi was formerly Deputy Governor of the Bank of England and Chair of Prudential plc. He chairs the King's Cross Central General Partner Limited Board, was formerly Warden (Chair of Governors) of Winchester College, a Member of the Mercers' Court; Honorary Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford; and Honorary Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Job Titles:
- Social Value Manager for King 's Cross at Argent
Sizi Sibanda is the Social Value Manager for King's Cross at Argent where her focus is, in part, is on the ways the King's Cross Central development positively impacts the wider local community, as well as its occupiers and residents. Prior to joining Argent in 2022, Sizi worked in the construction and charity sectors, engaging with schools and communities has been a common thread throughout her career. Sizi grew up in Islington and is passionate about tackling inequality in the local area.
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Receptionist and School Administrator
Job Titles:
- Class Teacher ( Currently on Maternity Leave )
Job Titles:
- Member of the Phase Leadership Team
- EYFS Phase Leader
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Midday Meal Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Member of the Pastoral & SEND Team
- Music Therapist
Job Titles:
- Kitchen Assistant
- Support Staff Member
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Midday Meal Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Teaching Assistant