As a small school with up to 67 pupils, we specialise in creating a friendly, nurturing environment, where each child can grow and progress, not only educationally, but also socially and emotionally. A key part of the school's ethos is the emphasis on small class sizes with classes typically consisting of around 6 pupils, allowing greater interaction between students and teachers, as well as catering for the specific needs of the pupil. Currently the school has around 60 pupils on roll. Most of the pupils have a Statement of Special Needs or an EHCP, but some are privately funded. Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy is provided on site and integrated into the lessons, as well as being offered on a 1:1 basis. We also have a school counsellor.

Although the school is in Surrey, pupils usually come from at least 10 different Local Educational Authorities, for example Kingston upon Thames, West Sussex and Hampshire.

Meet our Governors

Jim Cooke

My name is Jim Cooke.  I have been on the Board of Governors for three years and I am currently the  Chairman of the Board.  My role is to coordinate the activities of the Board and, together with Dr Govender, oversee the smooth running of the school.   I take the lead in recruitment of staff and the interview process.I am in school all day every Friday.  This gives me the opportunity to meet the students, be available for staff to discuss issues and for parents to meet me.  After a long career in education I am always impressed by the dedication of the staff and the calm, polite and purposeful way the students at Knowl Hill conduct themselves.One of the most enjoyable aspects of my role is having the opportunity to be involved in the reading programme and to work one to one as a tutor in Reading and Maths.I attend as many of the fundraising events as I can and am pleased to be able to take part in celebrating all the successes of your children. I feel it is a great privilege to work alongside Dr Govender to support his vision and ambition for all your children.You can contact me at any time with concerns, suggestions and compliments.

Nora Leggett

I am delighted to join the Board.  After graduating with a Combined Arts Degree (English, French & German), I joined Hertz UK's graduate training scheme and settled into a general management career lasting over 40 years in the automotive sector.  As a chartered member of the Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD), I have held various operational roles in my career with HR and learning and development specialisms at their core.   Supporting young people so that they benefit from the tailored education offered at Knowl Hill School is my ambition but also that they see enacted in practice the solid principles of fairness, opportunity, tolerance and respect for difference - important social values that are increasingly important in the world of work.  I have built a sound network throughout my professional life and I look forward to serving on the Board and adding value wherever I can.   

Reading with students on an individual and group basis is one of the highlights of my week and I thoroughly enjoy my Friday morning visits to the school.  Professionally, I have considerable experience in running a not-for-profit organisation and, recently retired, I now take an active role in business accounting for the Knowl Hill Foundation, and particularly the development of the new school campus at Bisley.  I am an active member of the KHS Finance committee where I have responsibility for researching grants from potential funders to help us with our expenditure on buildings and equipment.  To kit-out a single modern classroom with all the latest technology can cost anything up to £20,000 - so it is important that we try and secure funding and donations (monetary and equipment) from as many sources as we can.  So, if there is any parent or carer who would like to make a donation to us or who has contacts in IT and technology companies (e.g. servers, laptops, whiteboards, CCTV and other security applications) - I'd be delighted to hear from you.  You can contact me via the school office.    

                                        Anna Rhodes

I was invited to join the Board in 2016, having enjoyed six and a half years of working with staff and pupils in this small and friendly community as the first Speech and Language Therapist to be employed directly by the school.  

During my time working at the school, I built up a sound knowledge base of the difficulties encountered by young people who struggled with language and literacy and, on the strength of this, I published a book of resources for teenagers with language difficulties, which is still selling to this day.  I completed my Masters in Special Education whilst working at Knowl Hill School.

After a long career in Speech and Language Therapy I re-trained as a Registered Intermediary in 2015, working in the criminal justice system to facilitate two-way communication with the witness and the court to enable them to give their best evidence. I also work as a Court Appointed Intermediary, supporting parents’ communication in the family courts. 

I have two sons, both of whom have high level difficulties with literacy and so my experience of dyslexia is both professional and personal. 

Knowl Hill staff work together as a “team” and this is evident in the work of the therapists, SENDCO and all the teachers. 

I am the Company Secretary for the Board of Directors and support the therapists in the school.

Russ Law

I started teaching after graduating from Leeds University, having subsequently completed a post graduate Certificate in Education. I later gained an MA in Education focusing on Curriculum Studies, and continued as a teacher then headteacher, acquiring the National Professional Qualification for Headship. My career included work in Yorkshire, Iran and Saudi Arabia, after which as an assessor and Coach, I worked for the National College for School Leadership. I have experience of school governance in Woking including several Ofsted inspections. My wife and one of my daughters are Teachers. I believe strongly in equality of opportunity for all children to achieve, and was impressed - following a recent visit- by the provision at Knowl Hill. I hope to support the school's ongoing mission to provide the very best environment for children to achieve and for staff, students and parents to work together with purpose and rigour.

Now that the school year is well underway, I plan to find time to come along and observe some classes. Although I have already gained useful insights into what makes the diverse and energetic pupils tick, I want to get to know the staff better. I plan to focus on how the teachers provide learning opportunities that challenge and encourage learners, how they gain the interest of students, and how they motivate them to work hard and take risks, not fearing errors but using them for their learning. Given the small class sizes, and despite the diversity of needs, I hope to see teachers and students gaining satisfaction from their work. An area of significant interest will be how staff with leadership responsibilities manage to support and develop their colleagues.

Maureen Spencer

I recently retired from North Surrey Magistrates, having sat in the Adult and Family courts for 26 years. In my early career, I qualified as a general nurse and Health Visitor before having my family. I have three grown-up sons and many grandchildren and help regularly with childcare. One of my great loves is singing, and I belong to local mixed choirs. 

From September, I have been regularly coming to school to help with reading, which I enjoy very much. Next year, I will be involved in helping out with exams. As the safeguarding governor, I work closely with the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) at the school. I am on-site every Monday.