Mr Perry Huntley
MAT Member
I am an MBA graduate with over 20 years’ experience in food service retailing, including senior positions at Whitbread, Mitchells & Butlers and Stonegate where I have led teams delivering significant change programmes, brand transition, product innovation and team skills development. Married with three daughters, a park runner, music lover and avid Portsmouth FC fan.
I've been lucky enough to have been a Governor at two schools within our community cluster and I am one of the founding members helping Henlow to academy status in 2012. Since then I've been the chair of trustees supporting and challenging "our school" through some significant transformational programmes notably, recruiting our Head Teacher, setting and monitoring strategic direction, three Ofsted + two SIAMS inspections and seven annual reports.
I'm even luckier to get a front row seat at many whole school gatherings such as our end of term assemblies, key stage drama productions and concerts from our annual visit from the Watoto (Children's) choir from Uganda, just one of the amazing fundraising events our Children passionately support.
I believe my role is to work closely with the trustees, the SLT and key stakeholders to deliver an exciting long term future for the school, ensuring parents and carers have choice and confidence in pupil progress and attainment. To positively challenge financial and performance management and celebrating our success along the way.
Mr Bhavin Soneji
MAT Member
I am a qualified internal auditor and have worked in the sector for 20 years. My experience includes working in various sectors such as regulatory, retail, utilities, pharmaceuticals, and gaming. I often take on second or third line roles which focus on significant transformation and change activity, with the remit of providing assurance to senior management and boards on control environments. I was a community governor for five years and subsequently became a Member. In my time as a community governor I chaired the Premises & Finance Committee.
Mrs Jacqui Burke
MAT Member
As Vice President of a leading medical equipment company specialising in products for Labor & Delivery departments across the USA, I bring over 18 years of experience in business development and change management within the healthcare industry. Beyond my professional endeavors, I am a dedicated mother of three grown children and have always been deeply passionate about education. From the early days of my children’s schooling, I immersed myself in supporting their learning environments—whether through Parent Teacher Associations, classroom volunteering with less-abled children, or advocating for Special Educational Needs (SEN).
In 2007, I joined Henlow Middle School as a parent governor, taking on roles such as chairing the Curriculum and Personnel Committees, becoming the SEN Governor, and contributing to school development strategy. I was privileged to play a foundational role in Henlow’s transition to academy status in 2012, where I supported various strategic initiatives, including the recruitment of key personnel like our current head teacher, Mrs. Earp. My involvement has extended to participating in three Ofsted inspections, ensuring our school meets and exceeds its educational goals.
Today, as a proud Member of the Henlow Academy, I continue to champion its growth and celebrate its achievements. Watching our students thrive academically and personally, while preserving Henlow’s ethos of care, empathy, and acceptance, fills me with immense joy. I am committed to being a critical friend to the staff, supporting their efforts to maintain a strong focus on teaching and learning, and nurturing a school community that upholds its values with pride.
Mrs Alison Allen
MAT Member
I have been a governor for 12 years, 10 of which have been spent at Henlow. I was initially a parent governor but became one of the Founding Members when we became an academy in 2012.
During this time I have held many roles including Chair of both the Premises and Finance and Curriculum and Personnel Committees. Most recently I became the link governor on the Continuous Data working party . as this used my degree and previous work experiences in maths and statistics to best effect.
I help with recruitment interviews, sit on the Staff Payroll committee and am instrumental in the Head Teacher’s Review process.
Whilst my children left Henlow several years ago, I am still strongly attached to the school and am passionate about helping the school and pupils reach their full potential.
Diocese of St Albans MAT
Corporate Member