Governance

All Governors were appointed by the Trust.

The Clerk to the Governors can be contacted via email at clerk@saracensbl.org

All Governors attend Local Governing Body meetings.

Register of Business Interests

Nigel Denison, Chair of Governors

Governance Link: Link Governor Coordinator

After graduating in French and German from Cambridge University, Nigel spent 35 years working in the City.

He spent 15 years at the Barclays Group trading interest rates and foreign exchange, before moving to the German Bank WestLB as Head of European Sales in the Global Financial Markets Division. In his last role, he was a founder director of the Bank of London and the Middle East, which became the largest standalone Islamic Bank in Europe.

Nigel combines an interest in languages with a love of travel and is an enthusiastic, if incompetent, golfer! He is also a long term season-ticket holder at Saracens Rugby Club.

Term of Office: 1st August 2024 – 31st July 2028

Caroline Gerstein, Vice Chair of Governors

Caroline recently retired from her role as Head of First School (EYFS-Y2) and Deputy Head (Junior School) at North London Collegiate School. She has over 25 years’ experience as a primary school teacher in both the independent and maintained sector.

Caroline’s experience includes 20 years in school leadership and 10 years in international consultancy. She has worked on the development of, and curriculum programmes for, international junior schools in Asia and the UAE and has undertaken inspection and monitoring visits to them.

She has an excellent working knowledge of the British curriculum and the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. Caroline has a BEd from the University of London and is a PSHE subject specialist.

Caroline is also a trustee for the charity Apart of Me which provides a safe and supportive place for young people to explore their feelings and experiences of grief.

Caroline has a wide range of interests, but her preferred form of relaxation is cooking, and she particularly enjoys a culinary challenge!

Term of Office: 1st August 2024 – 31st July 2028

Eleanor Bennett

Governance Link: Safeguarding

Eleanor has been a governor at Bell Lane Primary School since 2023. She currently works for the Law Commission of England and Wales, advising the UK Government on issues of law reform. Before this, Eleanor completed her undergraduate and postgraduate legal studies at the University of Oxford and University College London respectively. Eleanor will begin training as a barrister in autumn 2025 specialising in public, planning, and property law.

Originally from Sheffield, Eleanor attended a comprehensive state school and is committed to ensuring children of all backgrounds receive the best education possible. While at university, she volunteered and worked for a number of organisations supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds to apply to university and now works to promote diversity in the legal profession.

Term of Office: 1st August 2024 – 31st July 2028

David (Mark) Beveridge

Subject Link: Digital Learning/IT

Mark is a qualified Chartered Accountant with over 35 years’ experience in commercial finance roles, focussing on business development, financial management and corporate governance to drive sustainable profitability in the leisure, travel, hospitality and real estate sectors.

More recently, Mark has run his own portfolio CFO consultancy where he provides strategic finance support and advice to a range of small and medium enterprises across a range of different sectors as well as mentoring adults in varying stages of their business growth cycles.

Mark has a keen interest in sport, having been a competitive swimmer throughout his time at school and university, and subsequently as a Masters Swimmer. He is a keen supporter of Saracens Rugby Club and their values, and a firm believer in the value of sports and activities to the lives of young people.

Term of Office: 1st August 2024 – 31st July 2028

Yanily Bonilla

Subject Link: Literacy and Humanities

Yanily graduated in Modern Foreign Languages (English and Spanish) in Colombia. While studying, she taught in primary and secondary schools in the private sector. In 2000 she took a gap year to the UK and decided that this was the place where she wanted to make a difference.

Since training to be a teacher at the University of Bristol, she has worked in two inner London schools, where pupils’ progress in languages was regularly far higher than the national average. She has taught Languages, been Head of Department, a Head of Faculty overseeing three departments, an Advanced Skills Teacher and a Learning and Teaching coach, supporting other colleagues to improve their practice.

For the last six years she has been part of the Saracens family and is currently an Assistant Principal at Saracens High School. She is very excited to become a Governor at Bell Lane and is keen to see the Saracens Family grow.

Term of Office: 1st August 2024 – 31st July 2028

Roger Coral

Governance Link: Pupil Premium and Looked After Children

Roger is a solicitor of over 40 years. He specialises in all matters property, including lending and bars and restaurants (on the legal side that is!). He has also had involvement in running cafe/bars and restaurants commercially. He has been a partner in several law practices but is now working as a consultant with a firm in the West End of London and as such has experience in managing professional organisations.

Roger is a keen rugby supporter but (would you believe) supports Harlequins. (How come we let him in?!)

Roger has been a Governor of Bell Lane for over 12 years and was vice chair for the last 3 years and is hoping that his enthusiasm for education and for the school will enable him to contribute towards its future progress.

Term of Office: 1st August 2024 – 31st July 2028

Andrew Harris

Governance Link: Saracens Multi-Academy Trust Audit and Risk Committee

Subject Link: Early Years and Foundation

Andrew is a qualified Chartered Accountant with over 30 years’ experience in senior financial roles, mainly in the financial services and technology sectors.

More recently, he co-founded and sold a fintech startup that developed bespoke software for some of the UK’s largest fund managers.
Andrew is a Trustee and the Treasurer of North London Hospice where he is also Chair of the Finance & External Audit Committee and the Retail Committee.

Andrew is married with 2 children and is a keen supporter of Sale Sharks Rugby Club and Manchester City.

Term of Office: 1st August 2024 – 31st July 2028

Victor (Vic) Luck

Subject Link: PE and Sports Premium

Building on a 40-year senior leadership career in the European professional services and automobile industries, for the past 15 years Vic has been a Non-Executive Director in the sports and public services sectors, including his current Board membership in the Saracens Group. His focus is on strategy, organizational development, financial management and corporate governance.

As an advisor to UK Sport, Vic’s passion is to improve how sport is applied to the benefit of society. A social golfer, he is also a UK Masters 800m track athlete. Married to a retired primary school teacher, Vic has some inkling of the challenges in education!

Term of Office: 1st August 2024 – 31st July 2028

Sean Robinson

Subject Link: Numeracy and Science

Sean is a retired independent school Headteacher who spent ten years at Belmont, Mill Hill and twenty seven years at St John’s in Northwood, part of the Merchant Taylors’ family of schools. His subjects are mathematics and PE. He is interested in promoting learning of mathematics and currently is part of the action tutoring group who provide volunteer support to children as they prepare for GCSE. Sean enjoys playing golf and cricket and is Chair of Hawridge and Cholesbury Cricket Club. He is also a long term season-ticket holder at Saracens and played for the team back in the 1980s!

Term of Office: 1st August 2024 – 31st July 2028

Former Governors

Natalie Berg resigned with effect from 8th October 2024
Olesegun Akande resigned with effect from 11th November 2024