Meet the Governors
Welcome to our Governors’ section.
Please find below details of how our governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor. Governors should meet on at least six occasions per year, including separate committees. At Oaklands we meet the following criteria:
Three full governing body meetings each academic year - one per term (1.5 hours per meeting)
Three resources committee meetings per year - held during the first half of each term. (1hr per meeting)
Three school improvement committee meetings per year - held during the second half of each term. (1hr per meeting)
All information is sent to governors in advance of the meeting to allow them to read fully all documentation and forward any questions in advance. This allows for effective governance.
Some meetings are held outside work hours but where possible, governor's meetings are held during the school day to allow governors the opportunity to also undertake visits and produce governor's visit reports. This is also an indication of the governor's support for the wellbeing of school staff needing to attend.
Governors are expected to attend all meetings but may provide apologies where appropriate. Failure to attend 3 meetings per year may lead to the removal of a governor from the board.
Oaklands Governing Body
Oaklands Governing Body is the school’s accountable body. It is responsible for the conduct of the school and for promoting high standards. The governing body aims to ensure that children are attending a successful school which provides them with a good education and supports their well-being.
The governors adhere to the NGA Code of Practice which has been signed by all members.
Oaklands Governing Body is made up of parent, staff, community, authority and associate Governors to ensure that there is a sufficient diversity of views and experience but once elected they do not represent a particular group e.g. (parent governors do not represent the parents).
Working in partnership with the head and other staff, governors support the leadership with the strategic direction of:
- pupil attainment and achievement
- managing the school's finances
- making sure the curriculum is balanced and broadly based
- recruitment and retention
- performance management and pay
What the governing body do not do
- act as a point of contact between parents and the school regarding operational queries (day-to-day).
- act as a first contact for any complaints or questions - the school's complaints policy must be adhered to
- make decisions relating to the day to day running of the school.
If you have any issues relating to your child or if you would like to discuss the curriculum, clubs, trips or any other element of school life please see your child's class teacher in the first instance or the school office if more appropriate. An appointment can be made with the head teacher in the event that your query has not been satisfactorily resolved after this initial meeting.
Contacting the GB
If you wish to make contact with the GB then please do so via the Chair of Governors by contacting the school. Please be aware that all complaints must follow the school complaints policy and that the Chair of Governors will not be able to intervene unless the correct process has been followed. Chair of Governors: ekarfoot@oaklands.herts.sch.uk, letter or phone call. The school will ensure messages are passed on and the C of G will respond to you within 5 working days.
Clerk to the governors: Kayleigh Kingsland
Finance, Pupil Premium and Sports Premium
The school reports a summary of the previous years' finance, pupil premium and sports premium funding. This can be found in the parents resources tab on the home page.
Governor Biographies
Elizabeth Karfoot – Chair
Liz Karfoot BSC, ACMA CGMA, Chair of Governors. Liz joined the governing body in 2021 as a parent governor and has since become a co-opted Governor. She is a Chartered Accountant and currently works as Chief Financial Officer for a group of independent schools in Hertfordshire. Liz has two children at Oaklands and uses her financial knowledge and experience to support the Headteacher in the strategic running of the school.
Faye Furness - Vice Chair
Faye joined the governing body in September 2025 as a parent governor. She is a Proposition Manager at Tesco PLC and brings over 20 years of marketing experience, including roles within local authorities and educational organisations. With two children at the school, she uses her marketing, project, and commercial expertise—along with her previous work in Hertfordshire County Council Children’s Services—to support the school. As the link governor for marketing and curriculum, she helps strengthen communication and contributes to the development of the school’s educational offering.
Tom Hassan - Headteacher
Tom qualified as a teacher in 2005 and has been Headteacher at Oaklands since September 2021. Before joining Oaklands, he gained extensive leadership experience working in contrasting schools in Barnet and Haringey.
Tom is passionate about ensuring equity in education and believes that every child should have the opportunity, support and encouragement they need to thrive.
Tom is is committed to ensuring Oaklands remains a happy, inclusive and ambitious school where every child is known, valued and encouraged to achieve their best.
Steph Morgan – Deputy Headteacher
Steph Morgan has been teaching at Oaklands since 2012 and has a range of experiences teaching from reception up to year 6. She took on the role of Deputy headteacher in February 2023 and joined the governing body as a staff governor shortly after. Steph is passionate about providing an engaging and well sequenced curriculum for children at Oaklands and supporting the staff team to deliver this effectively. Steph also leads on the schools Outdoor Play and Learning initiative, and believes strongly in the power and benefits of play for children of all ages.
Shelley Woods
Shelley joined the governing body as a parent governor in September 2024 and has one child at Oaklands. She works for Hertfordshire County Council as a Commissioning Officer within Children’s Mental Health and works specifically to support education settings with their whole school approach to mental health. Shelley also has a vast background in using sport and physical activity for social outcomes, having worked within the sports development sector for 15 years. Shelley is the school’s link governor for SEND, mental health, Pupil Premium and OPAL.
Heather Mitchell
Heather Mitchell is an employment lawyer specialising in advising schools. She has worked for the education sector for the last 15 years advising on all staffing matters that schools encounter. She joined Oaklands as a governor in September 2023, having previous experience as a secondary governor. She has two children at Oaklands.
Esther Saurigny
Esther is a recent European Studies and French graduate from King’s College London, having spent a year abroad in Paris. She has over 10 years’ of volunteering experience across various positions, including while at university. Joining in September 2026, she has aspirations in politics, and brings her recent experiences at university and secondary school to the team. Esther has joined as a governor in order to develop her skills and directly support pupils at school, cognisant of the increasing importance of education in shaping children's minds and lives. She is looking forward to being an active member of this team as a governor..
