Academy Governing Body

Martin Penny - Chair of Governors -Trust governor

Helen Alder- Co-Opted Governor 

Mary Penny - Co-Opted Governor 

Joanna Lea - Trust Governor

Aaron Gillich - Trust Governor

Chelsea Atkins - Headteacher 

Venita Banks - Associate Governor - Deputy Head Teacher

Vicki Arends - Staff Teaching Governor

Surinder Lall - Staff Support Governor 

Vanessa McLean - Trust Governor

Robert Lawrence - Parent Governor

I have extensive experience in people, project, programme and business management coupled with many years of assisting organisations of many shapes and sizes to grow and flourish. I worked for Unisys for 27 years in a variety of roles before returning to my first love and have been working as a freelance organist and choral director since 2002. Mary, my wife and I moved to North Herts in 1982 and have been running a successful music tuition business here ever since. Like many others, I commute South to work, in my case as Director of music and Parish Administrator of All Saints' Church, Hertford. I was delighted to be approached to become a governor at Wilbury and to be able to join with and contribute to a team committed to working with everyone to grow the school, encourage its staff and support parents in doing the best for all children.

chair persons email: mpenny@wilbury.herts.sch.uk

I am Chelsea Atkins, I am the Head Teacher at Wilbury and have been since April 2019. I was a Head teacher for over 8 years in Stevenage and moved because I wanted a new challenge. I love being at Wilbury and think its a great place to work. I am passionate about lifelong learning and learning something new everyday no matter how old we are.

I'm Venita Banks and I'm the Deputy Head at Wilbury. I have been at Wilbury since May 2019 having moved from a school in Stevenage where I taught for 15 years. I have really enjoyed this first year working with the fantastic staff and children here at the school and supporting them on the schools exciting journey.

I qualified as a solicitor in 2012 within a Law Centre specialising in family law, housing law and welfare benefits. I now work as a lawyer for the government and I’m currently based in HMRC. My husband and I moved from London to Letchworth in 2017, keen to become part of the community. We very much enjoy exploring all of the green space that Letchworth offers and spending time with our neighbours and friends. We also benefit from easier access to family in the North West. We have a young daughter and my intention is that when old enough, she will attend Wilbury Junior School. My hope is that by coming from a family of teachers and having a perspective outside of education, I can understand the issues faced by schools and offer a different view and constructive challenge to help the school and all pupils to flourish.

I'm Jo Lea and a Parent of a child at Wilbury.  I am a social researcher with most of my experience focused on research with children and young people.  I currently work in the sport and physical activity sector supporting everyone to be active.  I strongly believe in providing a child centred education that encourages all children to have a love of learning.  I want my children to feel happy and confident at school and to become independent and curious learners for life!

I am Vicki Arends. I am a Head of Year at Wilbury. I am also a Year 6 teacher. I have been working at the school since Spring 2019. I have been teaching for over 15 years and have been privileged enough to work in every year group from Year 1 to Year 6. I have a degree in Psychology, PGCE in Teaching and a Masters of Education. I am passionate about Wellbeing and inspiring pupils to embrace a Growth Mindset to develop skills for their future. The children and staff at Wilbury make it an amazing and fun place to work and learn.

Mary Penny studied Piano and Organ at the Royal College of Music and gained her PGCE at Middlesex Polytechnic. She spent the early part of her career as a class music teacher, principally in the London Borough of Brent, before moving to Hertfordshire where she combined supply teaching with building an extensive private teaching practice and training as a Mezzo-Soprano.

She became a governor of Fearnhill School in 2017 and is now Vice-Chair of the FGB. She is Chair of the Curriculum, Teaching and Learning Sub-Committee and is the Safeguarding Lead for the Board. Her subject links include the Expressive and Performing Arts and has a special interest in post-16 provision.

In her spare time, she loves making music, walking in the Lake District, growing fruit and veg and turning them into delicious meals

I am Surinder Lall and I have been at Wilbury for over 14 years, I started at Wilbury as a teaching assistant and then moved into the main school office, I am now Admin manager at Wilbury. My own children attended Wilbury Junior School and are now at university and succeeding in their careers. I enjoy listening to music, watching Bollywood movies and going on walks with the new family puppy. I enjoy taking on new challenges and look forward to continuing my role at Wilbury.

My name is Aaron Gillich and I’m an Associate Professor of Energy and Sustainability Engineering at a University in London. I teach undergraduate and postgraduate classes on building physics, engineering, and climate change policy.  I also run a research centre called the Net Zero Building Centre focused on helping the built environment respond to the climate emergency.  I live locally, and I’m quite passionate about sustainability both in our community and in our education system.  My wife and I moved to Letchworth in 2015.  We have three kids that will all hopefully attend both Icknield and Wilbury in due course.

I’m Vannessa. I have worked in the childcare sector for 15 years. I have a Masters in youth and education and have a degree in Early years. I live in Letchworth with my grown-up children 21 and 18 and my year one child. I actively advocate for child's voices, inclusion and improvement of children's lives.

I am Robert Lawrence and I'm a fully qualified Counsellor in Trauma Based Therapy since 2022. And also trained Family Support Worker and Family Contact Centre Coordinator since 2020. I was a retail manager for Nealy 20 years, And prior to this role I was in the armed forces as a Military Police Officer. I have in the past been the Health and Safety and Safeguarding Lead during my time as a Coordinator and Retail Manager and very much enjoyed the responsibility. 

I have two children at the school who very much love the Staff and I'm very much looking forward to giving my time and experience in my previous roles to support and uphold the core values that the team at Wilbury look after daily. I look forward to meeting you all soon.