The Governing Body

Click here to view the HHA Trust Governance Structure

• Ms Avnish Kaur Dhesi
  Chair and Trust Appointed Governor 21 September 2023 - September 2027
  Ms Avnish Kaur Dhesi

  I am happy to say that Birmingham has been where my career in education has blossomed and I put down my very first roots thirty years ago as a newly qualified teacher in a small primary school in Selly Oak. The enjoyment and real sense of purpose I felt celebrating the wonderful diversity within the community of my very first school has remained with me and I have continued to choose to work in inner city schools in Birmingham throughout my career so far. For the last six years I have had the privilege of being Head Teacher at a school fairly local to Grestone. I feel this has given me valuable experience of some of the challenges our children and families in Birmingham collectively face. In turn, I am also knowledgeable of the many wonderful opportunities and resources our children and families can access.

  Working to ensure that all children have equality of opportunities and experiences is an important priority within my leadership. In my role as Head Teacher, I am passionate about ensuring children deserve equality of access to future life opportunities and ensure that our children are seen as the responsible citizens of the future who have the incredible potential of making a positive difference in Birmingham and beyond. For this reason, I feel it is important that children are at the centre of decisions schools make and whilst I strongly believe in academic success, children’s emotional and personal development is equally important to me.

  Above all, children should be nurtured - treated warmly, listened to and respected. As saplings require thoughtful care to strengthen and grow, as do children. All children deserve our very best efforts to help them succeed highly and develop well. A quote which resonates greatly with me is, ‘You can’t change the world. You can change a person’s world. The more people you help, the more worlds you’ve changed.’

  I am looking forward to joining the Grestone school community as a member of the governing body; celebrating your children and school’s strengths and engaging in conversations about key priorities in continuing to fulfil for their key value and commitment of excellence.

• Sunita Joshipura
  Trust Appointed Governor 13 July 2023 - 13 July 2027
  Sunita Joshipura

  Sunita is a Trust Appointed Governor at Grestone Academy.

• Andrew Matthews
  Trust Appointed Governor, December 2024 - December 2028
  Andrew Matthews

  Mr Matthews studied European Politics, Society and Economics at the University of Birmingham before completing a PGCE at the same institution. He has worked at William Murdoch Primary School in Handsworth since 2011 as a class teacher in Year 5 and 6, and then as Deputy Head Teacher. He is currently the Maths and History Lead, whilst also taking responsibility for Behaviour and Curriculum. He has continued his own education by completing both an NPQML and NPQSL in recent years.

• Deborah Steen
  Headteacher
  Deborah Steen

  ,

• Ajay Sehijpal
  Parent Governor 18 May 2021 - 17 May 2025
  Ajay Sehijpal

  I work in the higher education sector working in the field of finance and I have two children at Grestone Academy. I'm looking forward to contributing to help drive Grestone Academy to continually strive to improve standards.

  I'm a firm believer in ensuring all young children have the access to high quality education and believe such an education can open the minds of young children, help embed the culture of continuous learning for the rest of their lives and provide the basis for them to achieve as much as is possible.

  I believe the process of continual learning and improvement applies to all staff as well as pupils and I'm committed to supporting the school leadership, holding the leadership to account and adding value wherever I can.

• Ashfaque Chowdhury
  Parent Governor 8 March 2024 - 07 March 2028
  Ashfaque Chowdhury

  I am a national Muslim community representative with over a decade of experience of representing the community working very closely with the local council, community organizations and statutory bodies.

  I am currently working as an education consultant nationally.

  I am also a qualified teacher and a qualified head teacher.

  I have over ten years of experience of school governance, and currently I am a governor/trustee at Leighton Middle School and the Chiltern Learning Trust.

  I am trained in safeguarding, school governance and the ofsted framework.

  I currently have two children at Grestone Academy.

  I strongly believe in the potential of this school and will be delighted to provide challenge and support and bring community representation to the school.

 If you would like to contact our Chair of Governors, you may do so either by:

Email

FAO Ms Avnish Kaur Dhesi

Post

FAO Ms Avnish Kaur Dhesi

Grestone Academy,

Grestone Avenue,

Handsworth Wood,

Birmingham,

B20 1ND