MEET THE LAC MEMBERS
Michael Smith Jenkins
Michael is a dedicated LAC member committed to ensuring high standards of education, pupil development and progression. With a background in curriculum design, quality of teaching and safeguarding, he brings strong analytical and strategic skills to support the school meet its vision of education for life
As a Head at a Further Education College in London, he has expertise in recruitment and staff development, ensuring that the school attracts and retains high-quality teachers and support staff. His ability to assess performance data allows him to support the leadership team in setting achievable, but ambitious targets for pupil progress.
Throughout his career in Education, Michael has actively engaged with parents, staff, and the wider community, fostering strong relationships that contribute to supporting both staff and students develop the skills, knowledge and work-related experience to succeed.
Passionate about education, Michael has volunteered as a mentor, promoting literacy initiatives to improve attainment across all year groups. He is also an advocate for inclusive education, working closely with ALS and SEN coordinators to ensure that every child receives the support they need to thrive.
Andrea McDermott – SEND and Inclusion Link
I work for Wandsworth Council's Children’s Services department, where I support voluntary and community organisations to identify gaps in the service and assist in the creation of impactful and inclusive opportunities for children, young people, and families. In my role as Chair of the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Forum in Children’s Services, I help change conversations into actions and initiatives that promote equity, equality and belonging for the workforce and wider community. Additionally, I serve as a trustee for a domestic violence charity, advocating for survivors' rights and access to crucial much needed resources.
Outside of my professional life, I am passionate about fitness and wellbeing, reading, gardening, and nurturing my impressive collection of 120 indoor plants.
Silvia Pani
Originally from Italy, Silvia has lived in London since 2004, and in Balham since 2009, with her husband and teenage children, who are students at Chestnut Grove Academy. In her spare time she enjoys running, reading and gardening.
She is a lecturer in Physics and having had the opportunity to contribute to the end of a young person’s educational journey, she is fully aware of how much this is shaped by its beginning.
After six years as a parent governor at another local primary school, she chose to continue with a similar role due to her interest in education at all levels and to her passionate feelings about social mobility and equal opportunities in education and beyond. She is also a governor at a federation of two special needs schools and is involved in other local volunteering initiatives.
She is hoping to support the Local Academy Committee through her knowledge of the local community; having completed her education in a different country, she can also sometimes offer a different perspective.
Neil Weller
As an elected member of the LAC my role is to govern with a parent's perspective. I am actively engaged in the life of the school both as a parent and volunteer at Ravenstone.
Professionally, I have more than two decades of experience in Asset Management and have led high performing teams at some of the largest financial institutions in the world.
I enjoy skills based volunteering, having mentored for a range of charities with a focus on expanding opportunities for professional careers.
Em Cooper
Em's professional background is in the media and she has a strong interest in films. Em chose to become a LAC member to support families and schools to ensure that everyone is represented. She is keen to make every child know they can achieve and reach their full potential and excel too no matter their background or circumstances. In her role, she visits the school, meeting with stakeholders, attending meetings, writing reports. She describes Ravenstone as a community.
Raaid Casoojee
Raaid has lived in Wandsworth since he was a toddler and is now a solicitor working in the City with a specialism in construction & engineering disputes. He has attended both state and private schools in London, including in Wandsworth, and has experience working with schoolchildren having previously been a classroom assistant before working/volunteering as a mentor in different capacities since his time at university.
Raaid is committed to ensuring the children at Ravenstone can prosper and is keen to engage as much as he can to see to it that they have every opportunity to do so.
Georgie Cauthery
Georgie has lived in the Balham area for 10 years and works in advertising at the Financial Times, specialising in content marketing strategies for a range of brands.
Georgie has held several voluntary roles both within her organisation and beyond, including mentoring Year 11 students with careers discussions and supporting London-based charities with their comms and marketing. She has sat on various employee committees relating to diversity and inclusion and women’s employee groups.
As LAC member, Georgie wishes to use her professional experience of leading strategic discussions and problem solving to make an impact within the school community.
