Close

Twitter Wall

23/03/23

Retweeted From Georgia Mitrousia

Thank you for hosting Research! Great to reach out to so many enthusiastic students - the future of science is in great hands! https://t.co/Uy2sAo6poE https://t.co/ODG3QkNdX6

23/03/23

An eventful day is brought to a close by an inter generational conversation cafe with a focus on how all generations can help combat climate change. https://t.co/1R1UKiKvU1

23/03/23

Thanks to the staff from CAMHS for delivering a specific workshop to yr11 and yr13 parents on how to cope with the stresses of the exam season. https://t.co/1SHmEzp6si

23/03/23

Retweeted From SRA_SixthForm

Thank you to for hosting a fab careers event today. Our Year 12s had a great time talking to the different representatives and found the whole experience really helpful! A big 📢 shout out to our students who managed to organise their work experience placements too! https://t.co/0OuGgCBSVh

23/03/23

Retweeted From Rothamsted Research

Was a pleasure to take part and meet such enthusiastic students 👏👏 https://t.co/YoL2l3BJeU

23/03/23

Diary reminder - the Year 11 and Year 13 Exam Stress and Anxiety Workshop takes place this evening at 5.30pm in the Drama Theatre. https://t.co/2pPCuPmNrH

23/03/23

SJL Cultural Enrichment Day - Year 10 preparing for their model General Assembly of the United Nations debate. https://t.co/wAO4kFkhp7

23/03/23

SJL Careers Day 2023 - Amazing to see the Careers Fair in action, students engaging with companies about careers options and the routes into employment https://t.co/wlHF2bOkOv

23/03/23

SJL Cultural Enrichment Day - Year 9 enjoying various activities focusing on international trade, consumption and sustainability. https://t.co/JrKVrEdLwp

23/03/23

SJL Cultural Enrichment Day - Year 10 preparing for their model General Assembly of the United Nations debate. https://t.co/m5OMO2niLC

23/03/23

SJL Cultural Enrichment Day - Year 7 building connections using creativity. https://t.co/W3JIp7w1S1

23/03/23

SJL Cultural Enrichment Day - Year 8 learning about different cultures through dance. Practising for their performance. https://t.co/1HPh5uFeJv

23/03/23

SJL Cultural Enrichment Day - Year 7 begin with an assembly on “Children Around the World” https://t.co/qhG9cKgbZX

22/03/23

Retweeted From SJL Ecoschools

Sweet peas, red dwarf beans, lettuce and coriander, all sown today. It’s great to get out in the sunshine and enjoy the spring air! Our flowering bulbs are beautiful this year. https://t.co/7AXbJzQUnY

22/03/23

Retweeted From SJL PE Faculty

DOUBLE DISTRICT CUP WINNERS 🏆🏆 Congratulations to both the: Year 8s 2-0 vs Roundwood Park Year 10s 3-1 vs St Albans School For producing a historic afternoon for SJL Football. Read more on our Instagram! Hugely proud of all the players involved. Enjoy every minute. https://t.co/ZV6l01MMit

22/03/23

Our award-winning Careers Day takes place tomorrow - a fantastic opportunity for Sixth Form students to connect with employers representing a diverse range of companies and to discover more about the vast range of career options available to them. Year 12 - smart business attire https://t.co/TsQOQ6eALP

22/03/23

Thursday is Cultural Enrichment Day - students across the school will take time off timetable for the opportunity to engage in a range of enrichment activities. Students in Years 7-11 can attend in non uniform. Year 12 must be in smart business attire for the Careers Day. https://t.co/b8GM56gGYP

22/03/23

Retweeted From Scholars' Education Trust

We are hiring! Looking for the next opportunity? We are an expanding multi academy trust based in Hertfordshire, seeking to appoint an experienced Payroll Manager. Apply now: https://t.co/c0R8vPaUXK https://t.co/PgcGyjE9fv

22/03/23

We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the Intergenerational Conversation Café event tomorrow night, being organised by our Climate Action Group – a chance to discuss climate action across generations. If you’d like to come along please contact us. https://t.co/yVvrElCsv0

22/03/23

Year 9 students receiving Headteacher Commendations, so lovely to see them embody the values of ACE. https://t.co/MymizKsSgR

21/03/23

Retweeted From SJLdrama

Great year 9 Drama performances at The Grove Junior school this afternoon raising awareness of friendship and online issues in such an entertaining way#theatrematters#nationaldramaseizetheday https://t.co/RS9je0WsIN

21/03/23

Retweeted From SJL PE Faculty

The final game of netball for this amazing team. The year 11 girls won 20-19 to Marlborough today. Huge congratulations to Ria A who was nominated as players player. Well done girls very proud of you all. https://t.co/E53V1T8Tfo

21/03/23

Every week students discuss our 'word of the week' and 'thought of the week' within their form groups, these discussions help to build upon their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. https://t.co/eOCBd3Gk00

21/03/23

Lots of students enjoying our lunchtime Chess Club today, it's great fun for all skill levels. All of our co-curricular activities can be found on the school website - https://t.co/Qa10Hfd2iu https://t.co/DEnOfUSi63

20/03/23

Retweeted From SJL PE Faculty

Year 10 District Cup Semi Final ⚽️ SJL 2 - 1 Verulam White ⚽️ (pen) Platt ⚽️ The boys reaching their 1st DISTRICT CUP FINAL! Goalkeeping heroics from T.Lloyd see us clinch a deserved victory! Final Details: 🗓️ Wednesday 22nd ⏰ 4.30pm KO 🏟️ Woollams Vs St Albans School https://t.co/Lz0sBVmkFF

20/03/23

Yr8 Headteacher Commendations awarded for a range of academic and co-curricular achievements. A great start to the week. https://t.co/sLRnb41UkC

19/03/23

Retweeted From Herts High Sheriff

N&E Herts Bench magistrates guided and judged, emphasising how hard it had been to decide. Delighted to present certificates to all the students and a trophy to the winners. 2/2

19/03/23

Retweeted From Herts High Sheriff

Congratulations to the students of Sir John Lawes School in Harpenden for winning their round of the national mock trial competition in Stevenage Magistrates’ Court. Four schools competed, playing every role from magistrates and lawyers to defendants and witnesses. 1/2 https://t.co/LpNor7c9aY

18/03/23

A Level English Battlefields tour continues with the group visiting Thiepval, Memorial to the missing of the Somme and Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial. https://t.co/M1j1Dg2w67

18/03/23

Retweeted From SJL PE Faculty

Yr 8 and 9 Saturday Morning Results Vs Nicholas Breakspear Yr8 won 8-0 A. Davies scores 4 ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️ Yr9 won 4-0 ⚽️ https://t.co/4BTX6rSoLH

18/03/23

Retweeted From SJL PE Faculty

Yr7 Football - Saturday Morning Vs. Nicholas Breakspear 7A won 4-0 7B won 4-3 2 brilliant games of football this morning. The boys in both teams were outstanding coming out victorious. Ethan and Henry Hatrick Hero’s ⚽️⚽️⚽️ https://t.co/AjP1sgID8Y https://t.co/cJ4Tubi0iB

17/03/23

A thought provoking and insightful day for the A level English students as they spend a day touring the battlefields of Northern France and Belgium. https://t.co/Jahrel0Bfd

17/03/23

Huge congratulations to SJL alumni David Ijiti. https://t.co/4OtoXY7tpY

17/03/23

This week's newsletter is out... https://t.co/1ELzXhgeBe https://t.co/R8f2LB6K4y

17/03/23

Happy St Patrick’s Day! To help celebrate we’ve got a fabulous display of brilliant books with green covers in our library. https://t.co/ceKQ96DPoQ

17/03/23

What a wonderful morning handing out Head Teacher Commendations to some very deserving year 7 students. https://t.co/7nWmLzdkxz

17/03/23

Harrison, one of our Heads of School doing a reading at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, the second largest Commonwealth Cemetery in Belgium. https://t.co/UglQsu2ZOu

16/03/23

Retweeted From SJL PE Faculty

Senior 1st XI Highlights from our District Cup QF 3-1 win against Sandringham this week. Clark ⚽️ F.Sweeting ⚽️ ⚽️ https://t.co/BryZ2gBmpP https://t.co/6H3ojzZMw5

16/03/23

Retweeted From SJL PE Faculty

U16 Girls suffer penalty shootout heartbreak in County Cup semi final after leading twice. Superb performance from all but sadly not to be! https://t.co/U0qPwm5Snf

Governor Profiles

A list of the relevant business and pecuniary interests for our Governing Body can be found here

Katy Wilmshurst

Katy Wilmshurst - Chair of Governors

I have been a governor at SJL since 2014, and was previously Vice Chair, safeguarding-linked governor and a member of the SET Admissions Committee. Before that, I was a governor at Manland Primary School, including five years as Chair.

I followed a music degree at Manchester University with a performance diploma at the Royal Northern College of Music and then started my career as a violinist and teacher in a variety of orchestras and settings. I have lived in Harpenden with my family since 2001 and currently work for the Hertfordshire Music Service as a violin teacher in a number of local schools as well as being head of Baldock Music Centre. I also freelance as a violinist.

Having had two children educated at SJL, I’ve seen close-up the outstanding teaching and opportunities on offer to its students and as Chair of the Governing Body I look forward to supporting the school’s future growth and development.

Libby Montgomery Jan2019

Libby Montgomery - Vice Chair of Governors

Having studied Medieval Italian and French at University and lived for a while in Italy, my professional background is in Marketing and Communications and I have worked in a wide range of industries from sports marketing to real estate investment management.  

I have previously held several positions on school Governing Bodies, having been Chair of Governors at Batford Nursery School for 9 years and an additional Governor at schools in St Albans.  I am currently also Chair of Governors at Manland Primary School.  I served as a Strategic Leader of Governance for Herts for Learning, assisting other Governing Bodies to carry out self evaluation and work on strategies for improvement.  I find being in schools interesting and stimulating and am proud to be part of the Governor community at SJL. Both of my children are currently at SJL and I have been involved with the school since they joined. 

Outside of work, I assist a local scout group with organising camps and taking care of all the equipment.  I am a keen squash player and regularly play for local and County teams, with varying degrees of success and now take longer to recover after a match than I ever did before!

Jocelyn photo

Jocelyn Angrave

Having studied French and European studies at University I went on to do a master’s course in the United States in Political Science.  There I met my husband and ever since we’ve lived in Harpenden.  I went on to have a career in international marketing and product development and in 2001 set up my own business. We have two sons, both of whom have left school and gone on to higher education.

I was first involved in supporting SJL in 2015 when I set up and initially chaired the Friends of SJL.  After that I was elected as a parent governor and have been the Governor link for various areas including curriculum, learning and inclusivity, and am  currently the Safeguarding Governor link.  I also have some involvement with the Scholars’ Education Trust by serving on two of its committees.

During this time, I’ve come to know SJL well.  It is a progressive and inclusive school which constantly strives to meet and exceed the highest standards in all areas reflected by the SJL ‘ACE’ - ‘Achievement Care Excellence’. I am delighted to be able to support it and its dedicated staff as a governor.

Christopher
Christopher Armitage

I have been involved with SJL for over forty five years as a Head of PE, Assistant Headteacher and now as a Governor. Both my children attended SJL and they are both teachers, so teaching runs in the blood.

I am Chair of the Trust’s Admission Committee and enjoy being actively involved with the school whether it is interviewing new members of staff, meeting the Site Manager or as compere of one of our superb music concerts.

I feel very proud that I can play a small part in the continuing success of Sir John Lawes School. Long may that continue.

S austin

Sarah Austin

I have lived in Harpenden for much of my life, having grown up in the town and moving back to live here when my second child was born. I am fortunate to have attended SJL myself as a pupil all the way from year 7 to year 13 and had a fantastic experience at the school. I am now a parent of two boys at SJL who are thriving and benefitting hugely from all aspects of school life. I am a trained Speech and Language Therapist having qualified from Sheffield university over 20 years ago. Having worked in the NHS for 10 years, I now work independently around Harpenden and the local area with children of various ages with a range of Speech and Language difficulties. I am also a Makaton tutor and regularly run training for nurseries, schools and day centres to help them support communication at their settings. During the covid pandemic, I worked at SJL as a Literacy support tutor for two years providing 1:1 support to pupils who had fallen behind; one of the ways in which the school used the Governments ‘covid catch up fund’. I also previously worked for several years as a Registered Intermediary, supporting children and vulnerable witnesses with communication as they went through challenging police interview and court processes. 

In my spare time I enjoy playing tennis, running and singing in a community choir, and I am a Sunday school leader at our local church. I am delighted to be part the governing body of SJL. Being in the fortunate position of ex-pupil and parent, it’s a privilege to serve as a parent governor at this progressive and inclusive school. 

L Gillot

Lyndsay Gillot

I have been Head of Music at Sir John Lawes School since September 2014 and am in my tenth year of teaching.  I am hugely committed to the school, its students, and its staff.  Through initiatives such as the staff music challenge and staff choir, and involvement in the wellbeing group, I have made a sustained commitment to the school community. 

I am passionate about my work, hard-working, enthusiastic and always willing to go above and beyond - with a smile!

Leila Guerra

Leila Guerra

I have worked in higher education for over 20 years and am currently Vice Dean (Education) at Imperial College Business School. I'm passionate about the power of achieving positive impact through education, empathy and global awareness. I'm also part of international educational Advisory Boards. I hope my experience in education can be of use to support SJL with their inspiring mission and was delighted to be appointed as a parent governor. 

I have 2 children, and my oldest has just started at SJL. Harpenden is our home, although I do have quite an international background having lived in 8 countries. Outside of work and school I love to travel and also being outdoors with the family. 

D hassall 1
David Hassall

I am currently a co-opted governor at Sir John Lawes School having originally joined the governing body as a parent governor not long after my first son started at the school. Since then, my remaining 2 other sons have also attended SJL, before going on to university.

My career has been in medical research, having undertaken my first degree in human biology before studying for a PhD in Biochemistry at the Royal Free Hospital in London. I then joined the pharmaceutical industry in Cardiovascular and respiratory medicines research, ultimately working for GSK. I also lectured at schools and universities on aspects of my work, becoming a STEM ambassador. In 2012 I was fortunate enough to run anti-doping stations in the 2012 London Olympic Games.

In the time I have been a school governor I have helped the school develop many initiatives and seen the important role that SJL has played in the growth of the Scholar’s Education Trust. I have always been impressed by the dedication and hard work of all the staff and the ethos to support every child in their endeavours. Long may it continue.

Danielle heley
Danielle Heley

I thoroughly enjoy being part of the Sir John Lawes community and I'm privileged to be appointed staff governor. I commenced my teacher training at Sir John Lawes in September 2002 and was appointed as an English Teacher in September 2003.  In 2005 I became Head of Year, a post I held until I had my first child.  Since then, I have worked as an English Teacher on a part time basis and in September 2017 I was appointed as Literacy Co-ordinator.

I have 3 children all of which are now primary school age. Having served a term as Parent Governor at Crabtree Infants School, I look forward to building on my skills as Staff Governor at Sir John Lawes.

JRO governor

James Robertson

I was very pleased to be elected as a parent governor for SJL in 2021. I have two children at the school and have lived in Harpenden since 2014.

Professionally I have been a civil servant nearly my whole career, working in a variety of government departments in Whitehall and overseas. I currently work on youth policy - overseeing the government's support for teenagers outside of school, working closely with organisations such as Scouts, Girlguiding, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, UK Youth and the National Youth Agency. Our work is all about giving young people access to opportunities to develop themselves outside of school and to get them engaged in the issues that affect them.

I also have a particular interest in adolescent mental health issues and am involved with a Mexican charity that aims to break the inter-generational cycle of violence towards children.

I hope to bring these perspectives to bear in my role as a governor, and in particular to help strengthen the links between SJL and the wider community in Harpenden.

Mstevens
Mike Stevens

I have lived in Harpenden for nearly 40 years and have brought up my 6 children here. I was first involved in school Governance when I was elected as a parent governor at the local primary school my children attended. I was subsequently appointed as an LEA Governor at Wood End Primary School and was Chair of Governors there for a period. I was fortunate to be elected as a Parent Governor at Sir John Lawes and subsequently, after they left for university, was appointed as a Co-opted Governor.

I was invited to become a Governor at Harpenden Academy when it joined the Scholars Educational Trust in 2016 and was Chair of Governors there from 2020 to 2022. I recently left Harpenden Academy in order to take up a role as Governor at Buntingford First school when it opens in September 2023, an exciting new development for the Trust.

I am retired from the public sector where I was engaged throughout my career within various Law Enforcement organisations. Latterly, I was involved in developing Government Policy on Justice and Home affairs and the strategic planning of multi-agency engagement.

What little “me time” I have, after my family, is spent involved in the local branch of the Institute of Advanced Motorists motorcycle section. I am a keen biker- it is great for blowing away the cobwebs!


Ellie Butterworth - Head of School

I am beyond excited to be representing Sir John Lawes as Head of School this year, and I feel honoured to have been given this opportunity. I look forward to working with the Governors, students and staff to give back to a community that has made my school experience so enjoyable.

I am studying Maths, Biology and History at A-level and I hope to study Biology at university.

Growing up in SJL has been unforgettable due to the extensive extra-curricular activities that the school offers. I have taken part in every theatre production – a highlight being my role as stage manager in our performance of ‘Oliver’. SJL has allowed me to continuously challenge myself to develop both my confidence and leadership skills, including taking part in the ‘Youth Speaks’ competitions, running ‘History Mystery club’ as well as many campaigning activities.

Outside of school, I am an avid member of a local drama group and go to the theatre as often as I can. I am interested in politics, the environment and how we can bring about positive change.

I look forward to using my platform to raise awareness, represent the voices of all students and to the best of my ability continue to bring excellence to SJL. 


Harrison Whiting - Head of School

I am extremely proud to have been appointed as a Head of School at Sir John Lawes for the upcoming year. This has gifted me the opportunity to give back to such a talented and supportive school community, whilst working in tandem with governors, staff and students alike. Such a prospect extremely excites me and I can’t wait to see what we are able to achieve alongside the prefect team as a whole.

Currently I am studying English, Media and Politics at A-Level.  I hope to study Criminology at university.  As one of my subjects is taught at St Georges, I also have the role of politics consortium ambassador. Within school I have contributed extensively to the house system, acting as a Britten form rep on numerous occasions as well as House captain in year 12.

Outside of school I am actively involved in numerous sporting teams including cricket, as well as captaining a football team for several years. This coupled with my SJL experiences has developed my personal leadership skills.

Over the course of the next year, I look forward to using my platform to develop student voice in the SJL community and assist in developing the outstanding opportunities that SJL is able to offer.

Your browser is out-of-date!

Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now

×