Trustees
Welcome from our Trustees
Your trustees believe in the school’s vision of every student achieving their Pure Potential. Hillview students will be supported, inspired and challenged to do their very best and to achieve their maximum. Pure Potential is not just educating but developing the creativity, personal character and physical skills of every student. They should leave Hillview empowered and confident.
The board of trustees is made up of experienced practitioners from many disciplines to give us a broad reach. Our skills include Accounting, Finance, Legal, HR, Entrepreneurial, Education and Welfare. We also have a skilled Governance Professional.
In our role as trustees, we aim to know and understand the school. We encourage students to present to us regularly at our trustee meetings. We talk to all teachers in our Quality of Education reviews. We observe first-hand the implementation of the school’s strategy through visits and our specialist roles.
The success of the school in achieving its goals is important to each one of us personally. We are particularly proud of our performing arts; you will find trustees attending many of the amazing productions, fashion shows, art exhibitions and open days.
Above all your board is committed to the strategic leadership of your school. We work closely together with the Headteacher, Mrs Burkett, and the Senior Leadership Team. Our role is to ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction. We expect high levels of educational performance. We oversee the financial performance and ensure the funds are well spent. Student wellbeing is always at the very core of our role. Our ambitions for the school challenges the school to sustain continual improvement whilst considering staff wellbeing.
So, as parents and carers, you can expect your children to mature, develop, discover and learn. They will unearth many talents and not just achieve their best grades. They will find friendships and when they leave Hillview, they will have the skills and confidence to succeed in whatever they choose to do next.
We are immensely proud of the achievements of the whole school community. If you would like to know more about the trustee body or how to become involved with the school as a parent or carer please contact me via Kelly Flower (FlowerK@hillview.kent.sch.uk, tel: 01732 778881)
Detailed Governance Records
Hillview School for Girls – GOV.UK (get-information-schools.service.gov.uk)
You can also follow the links below to read annual reports on specific activities undertaken during the year (together with other relevant documents).
Tim Brown (Chair of Trustees)
Mrs Hilary Burkett, Headteacher
Hilary was appointed as Headteacher at Hillview in January 2016, following a wide variety of leadership positions and the Associate Headteacher role within a highly successful all-girls school in Medway. She completed the National Headteacher qualification with the National College of School Leadership in 2015.
Terms of office:
1 Jan 2016 – (continues whilst in position as Head)
Mr Tim Brown – Chair of Trustees
Tim is a partner in RPC a law firm based in St Katharine’s Dock, London with offices in Hong Kong , Singapore and Bristol. Tim is also the Chair of TerraLex , a major international law firm network comprising 150 law firms and more than 15,000 lawyers.
Tim’s practice covers international trade disputes and he has experience in the education sector acting for teachers unions and independent schools. Neither of Tim’s children have followed him into the law, his daughter works in fashion and his son is in the music industry. It is the performing arts focus of Hillview which attracted Tim to become a trustee and he hopes what he has learnt in the management of a professional services organisation will be of assistance to Hillview.
Terms of Office
1 September 2022-31 August 2026
Mr Mervyn Holt
Mervyn works both locally and in France and Switzerland as a home improvement contractor. He is also a Magistrate on North Kent Bench where he Chaired the Bench Training and Development Committee until this year. Mervyn’s three daughters were students at Hillview and he has a keen interest in school improvement. He was also Chair of Hillview School Parent Teacher Association for six years.
Terms of office:
5 Oct 2020 – 4 Oct 2024
Mr Tim Salmon
Tim’s 37 year career in professional services has been split almost equally between earning fees and managing the finance and operational functions of legal and accounting firms. Now semi-retired, Tim is a Chartered Accountant and formerly a partner at Arthur Andersen.
Tim was heavily involved in two significant international law firm mergers and their subsequent integration and has had responsibility for finance, facilities management, human resources and IT. Tim has since run two “free” primary schools in central London and managed their transition to other educational trusts. He has previously served as a prep school governor and works with three other schools on careers advice and support.
Terms of Office
19 September 2019-18 September 2027
Mr Liam Hopper
Liam Hopper is local entrepreneur, who left school with 3 GCSEs and started his own company at the age of 17. Liam specialises in the start-up and growth of kitchen design centres, SME level.
Liam has previously grown two separate companies to over £4 million, with one company reaching £12m. Liam has a national chain of high street retail shops and is a dedicated entrepreneur in all aspects of this business. Now Liam wants to share some key skills, his passion for start-ups and the young entrepreneur passion within our school as a member of the Trustee Body.
Terms of Office
17 September 2020 – 16 September 2024
Ms Amy Ling
Amy joined the trustee body of Hillview in September 2020. Amy is a solicitor specialising in employment law at the London office of an international law firm. Amy’s practice covers all aspects of day to day employment-related queries, employment-related disputes, HR aspects of transactional work and co-ordination of global employment law projects for employers across a wide range of sectors. Following completing a BA in Philosophy at the University of Manchester, Amy worked for social housing providers in the West Country and London before commencing her legal training. Amy has been based in the Tunbridge Wells area since 2019.
Terms of Office
17 September 2020 – 16 September 2024
Ms Heather Whitmore
Elected by parents – more details to come
Terms of Office
1 September 2023 – 31 August 2027
Mr Paul McKeaveney
Appointed by Members – more details to come
Terms of Office
8 January 2024 – 7 January 2028
Ms Ceri O’Toole
Ceri was appointed by Academy Members in January 2024. She is a Student Recruitment Manger, specialising in operations, at a London University. Ceri’s work includes managing public facing customer services, overseeing events for prospective students and leading on the planning and delivery of major projects. Prior to working in the higher education sector, Ceri was previously a secondary school teacher. Ceri has been based in the Tonbridge area since 2020.
Appointed by Members – more details to come
Terms of Office
8 January 2024 – 7 January 2028
