Paul Ramsey, Chair of Governors 

Paul is our Chair of Governors, Chair of Personnel Committee and Governor Link for Literacy/ English.

Paul is a retired secondary Headteacher with over 30 years teaching experience in mixed, single sex and including 14 years as a Headteacher. Paul has wide experience of school improvement and teacher training.

Dhirenkumar Desai, Vice Chair 

Information to follow 

Talia Supran (currently on sabbatical) 

Talia began her career in the media, at Capital Radio, ITV and the BBC, before moving into Corporate Social Responsibility consultancy. Specialising in education, Talia created strategies for companies such as BMW, Zurich and Marks & Spencer, with the aim of making a positive difference to young people’s lives.

For the past 15 years, Talia has worked in the charity sector as a Senior Fundraiser. At present, she works for a charity that supports independent living for people with a disability or vision impairment. She is also responsible for the charity's schools programme which educates over 2,000 students each year about living with disabilities.

Talia also volunteers at a Food Bank and accompanies people with sight loss on outings.

Polly Challis 

Polly recently joined the St John’s community as a parent governor and her daughter attends the school.  Polly has worked in education for nearly twenty years and is currently Head of Art and the Creative Arts Faculty at a local secondary school. Her passion and motivation for working in education is ensuring that all young people have access to positive and meaningful experiences to raise aspirations and build confidence.  Polly is keen to add value by supporting St John’s strong ethos and strategic vision.  She is particularly interested in the impact that arts, culture and creativity have on school communities and the wellbeing of young people.

Robin Davis

Robin Davis is the Managing Director for Corporate Services at NHS Elect, with over 25 years of experience in operational and strategic roles within the NHS. He leads initiatives focused on quality improvement and team building, helping organisations and teams thrive.

Robin is also a founding governor of Watford St John's Church of England School, where he played a key role in building and creating the school. He has served as Chair of Governors for the past four years, guiding the school's development and growth.

A practising Christian, Robin is an active member of St James' Church in Bushey, where his faith plays an important role in his personal and professional life.

Father Corniel Quak 

Fr Corniel is the Vicar of St John's Church, as well as our School Chaplain. Prior to becoming a priest, he founded and ran a Fairtrade Coffee Company for 10 years. Before this he worked in residential social care with vulnerable children and young people, and studied Psychology.

Geraldine Freer

Geraldine was in education for over 30 years and in senior leadership for over 25 of those years. As a retired headteacher, she has a wealth of experience in school improvement, leadership and management. Geraldine currently volunteers at a variety of places including English Heritage.  Geraldine  has been a governor at St John's for two years and is the link for SEND. 

Justina Maziliauskaite

Justina joined the governing body as a parent governor. She has a professional background in healthcare and currently works within the aviation cargo industry. Through her career, she has developed strong skills in communication, teamwork, risk management, and health and safety.

Justina is passionate about promoting the health, safety, and wellbeing of children and believes that a safe and supportive environment is essential for pupils to thrive. As a governor, she is keen to support the school's strong ethos and strategic vision while contributing her professional experience and perspective. She enjoys working collaboratively with staff, governors, and parents to help ensure the best possible outcomes for all pupils.

Anna Pyatt 

Miss Pyatt is a staff governor at Watford St John's. Miss Pyatt started at St John's in September 2016 when we first opened to 30 children. We have since grown and Miss Pyatt has transitioned from being the SENCo to Deputy head, becoming Head teacher in 2022. She is very proud to be leading our school in the heart of a richly diverse community where children and adults flourish under our strong Christian ethos. 

Miss Pyatt has been teaching for 20 years and is passionate about all aspects of education: nurturing young minds academically and holistically since 2005, Miss Pyatt is committed to the very best outcomes for all children who come through our doors. 

Sacha Siggins 

Mrs Siggins is a staff governor, Deputy Headteacher and Class Teacher at Watford St John’s, having joined the team in 2025. She originally came to the school to cover maternity leave but was so inspired by its Christian ethos and the warm, supportive community of parents and children that she wanted to stay and became a permanent member of staff.

With 18 years of experience in education, Mrs Siggins is committed to ensuring that all children, from all walks of life, have access to high-quality teaching and enriching learning experiences that enable them to thrive and reach their full potential. 

Sophie Thompson

Mrs Thompson is a staff governor at Watford St John's. Mrs Thompson has proudly worked at St John's as a Deputy Headteacher since 2023. Mrs Thompson has a passion for Reading and Early Years learning and she can often be found in the school library or making a mess in the Reception classrooms.