Yavneh College became an Academy Trust in 2011. In May 2016 it became a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) when Yavneh Primary School was founded and then opened to its first pupils in September 2016.
The role of the MAT is to drive the core strategic functions of the Yavneh Schools, to ensure that each school within the MAT has a clear vision and ethos and that they strive to provide excellent outcomes for all pupils within their ambit. Each of the schools has a Local Governing Body. There are also various sub-committees of the MAT which perform various functions such as Admissions, Premises and Finance and Personnel. The MAT holds school leaders and local governing bodies to account to ensure that the highest possible educational standards are met and sustained.
In order to meet its core objectives, Yavneh College Academy Trust has 10 trustees who sit on the MAT Board, each with a particular focus.
This is the organisational structure of Yavneh College Academy Trust.
MAT Board
Jo Grose (Chair)
Susy Stone (Vice Chair) (YC LGB Chair)
Roz Levin (YPS LGB Chair)
Spencer Lewis (Executive Headteacher)
Natalie Leon
Michael Firestone
Caroline Field (Observer)
Roland Hyams
Richard Gilbert
Sue Neale
Aaron Kaye
Jacqui Rudolph
Eddie Hammerman
Josh Schwartz
Local Governing Bodies
Yavneh College Local Governing Body
Susy Stone (Chair)
Spencer Lewis
Rolanda Hyams
Richard Gilbert
Aaron Kaye
Michelle Spevick
Jacqui Rudolph
Rebecca Lermer
Lara Levinson
Caroline Dulin
Russell Goldstein
Yavneh Primary Local Governing Body
Roz Levin (Chair)
Caroline Field
Nicole Wilson
Rolanda Hyams
Gemma Peters
Sue Neale
Richelle Joseph
Amanda Bookatz
Leanne Redstone
Lisa Collins
Mike Rubenstein
Daniel Morris
Ad Hoc Committees
Pupil Disciplinary Committee
Three governors appointed by the MAT board as required – excluding parents and Executive Headteacher / Primary Headteacher
Staff Grievance and Staff Appeals
Three governors appointed by the MAT board as required – excluding parents and Executive Headteacher / Primary Headteacher
Admissions
Richard Gilbert (Chair)
Spencer Lewis
Caroline Field
Jo Grose
Susy Stone
Aaron Kaye
Standing Committees
Finance and Premises Committee
Rolanda Hyams (Chair)
Spencer Lewis
Aaron Kaye
Jacqui Rudolph
Caroline Field
Susy Stone
Michael Firestone
Jo Grose
Richelle Joseph
Natalie Leon
Personnel Committee
Roz Levin (Chair)
Rolanda Hyams
Spencer Lewis
Caroline Field
Jacqui Rudolph
Susy Stone
Meet our Trustees
Jo Grose
Chair of YCAT since 1 January 2022.
Jo has three children, all of whom attend Yavneh College. With a background in educational publishing and the management of Jewish curriculum and engagement programmes, she is now Director of Communities and Strategy at the United Synagogue. She also sits on the Yavneh Foundation Trust Board.
Rolanda Hyams
Trustee since May 2016 – previously a governor of Yavneh College
Chair of the Finance and Premises Committee
Rolanda is the Chair of Yavneh College Local Governing Body and also sits on the MAT board as a trustee. She is a Chartered Accountant who combines an active life with being a trustee.. Rolanda enjoys being part of the family and her roles involve assisting on the finance committee and chairing the Personnel Committee. Rolanda’s background as an accountant allows her to help the Business Manager with any technical accounting/audit queries. Rolanda works full time in a chartered accountancy practice in Paddington. When she is not working you will find her training for triathlons and spending time with her 6 grandchildren.
Spencer Lewis
Trustee since May 2016 – previously a governor of Yavneh College
Executive Headteacher
Spencer Lewis was educated at Hasmonean High School in London and moved on to Jews College London where he gained a BA and MA in Rabbinic Literature from the University of London. After graduating Spencer began his teaching career at Hasmonean High School and the Independent Jewish Day School. In 1993 Spencer spent a year at Bar Ilan University in Israel on the Senior Educators’ Programme after which he joined King Solomon High School in Redbridge. Spencer spent 19 years at King Solomon beginning as a teacher going on to Head the Jewish Studies department, moving to Head of Year, Assistant and Deputy Head Teacher and finally Head Teacher between 2007 and 2013. Spencer has a Post Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership from the University of Hull and the National Professional Qualification for Headship from the NCSL. He was appointed as Head Teacher of Yavneh College in September 2013.
Roz Levin
Trustee since May 2016 – previously a governor of Yavneh College
Chair of the Yavneh Primary Local Governing Body and Personnel Committee
Roz qualified as a teacher in 1973 and has been involved in education all her working life. Roz was Headteacher of Wohl Ilford Jewish Primary School until her retirement in July 2014. Roz enjoys spending time with her family; reading, theatre, travel and volunteering. Roz is a trustee on the MAT Board and is the Chair of the Local Governing Body of Yavneh Primary School.
Sue Neale
Trustee since December 2017
Sue qualified as a teacher in 1974 and has been involved in education all her working life. For the past 23 years until her retirement Sue taught in a primary special needs setting and is still actively involved in special needs education. Sue enjoys spending time with her family; volunteering, reading, theatre, travel, gardening and entertaining. Sue is a member of the MAT Board plus the Local Governing Body of Yavneh Primary School.
Susy Stone
Trustee since March 2019
Chair of the Yavneh College Local Governing Body
Susy is a retired Headteacher with over 40 years experience in Education. She was Head of Bell Lane Primary and of Akiva School and served as a governor of both schools and of JFS, where she taught and was a parent.
Susy is a Steering Group member for Pikuach and a Trustee of Partnerships for Jewish Schools (PaJeS). She and her husband, Maurice founded and direct the Israeli Dance Institute, which amongst other projects supports dance activities in Jewish schools.
Richard Gilbert
Trustee since November 2018
Chair of the Admissions Committee
Richard Gilbert has two sons, both of whom are pupils at Yavneh College. Richard has been a Governor of Yavneh College for many years having sat on the school’s Temporary Governing Body before the school opened and then on the school’s Governing Body until the formation of the Multi Academy Trust. Richard chaired the Education Committee for many years, sat on the Finance Committee and has been the Governor with responsibility for Child Protection issues. Since the formation of the Multi Academy Trust, Richard sits on the Local Governing Body for Yavneh College as its Vice Chair.
Richard is also very active in the Bushey Community currently serving as Warden for Bushey Synagogue. He is a practising solicitor.
Aaron Kaye
Trustee since September 2019
Aaron and his wife have lived in Borehamwood for 9 years and have three children, all of whom attend Rosh Pinah Primary School. Aaron is an active member of the Borehamwood and Elstree United Synagogue and Aaron has served on the Board of Management and various other committees for the Shul, whilst his day job is that of an internal Financial Analyst for Springer Nature Publishers.
Aaron has been unofficially helping Yavneh since 2011, with data, statistics and communications for the Yavneh College Primary School and more recently, admissions related issues and demographics for Yavneh College. Aaron joined the Yavneh College Local Governing Body in July 2016, where he hopes to use his analytical and statistical strengths on both admissions and wider school performance data.
Jacqui Rudolph
Trustee since May 2019
Jacqui has been the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator at Menorah High School for Girls since 2006 and before that was SENCO at Mathilda Marks Primary School. For a number of years Jacqui was the vice-chair of the Stanmore and Canons Park United Synagogue where she continues to be involved in communal affairs. Jacqui was a Yavneh parent for 7 years, “graduating” in 2016. She has also been a parent at Immanuel College and JFS, so has wide experience of Jewish schools both as a parent and as a professional.
Michael Firestone
Trustee since Feb 2021
Michael and his wife Gabrielle have lived in Borehamwood for 19 years. They have three children, one of whom is at Yavneh College. Michael has been a Commercial Property Agent for the past 14 years. He is a committed modern orthodox Jew, having been active in his youth in Bnei Akiva as their Technical Director and as an adult very involved in his shul, Ohr Yisrael Federation. He leads the services during the year and on high holydays and enjoys learning daf yomi every day.
Michael is very proud of his Scottish and Jewish heritage, is a keen cyclist and has completed several charity bike challenges. He is also partial to a dram or two of fine malt whisky.
Eddie Hammerman
Trustee since Jan 2022
Eddie started his career as a broadcast journalist at BBC Manchester and was involved in producing groundbreaking programming during the formative days of talkRADIO and talkSPORT. He moved into PR and marketing joining Markettiers4DC followed by TVC and became managing director at The 10 Group in 2015.
Eddie leads on strategy, ideation and activation on regional, national and global campaigns for British Gas, Confused.com, Honda, Mishcon de Reya and Genpact as well as educational clients including UFI Voctech Trust and University Technical Colleges.
Eddie is a long standing member of Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue and has been heavily involved in the BES Yavneh community’s development from the outset. He currently leads youth discussions, connecting topical issues with Jewish thinking.
He served on the Shul board between 2016-2018 holding the Israel portfolio, securing high profile speakers as well as organaising Yom Hazikharon and Yom Haatzmaut celebrations to help promote a closer connection with Israel.
In addition, Eddie has conducted numerous media training sessions for the Zionist Federation.
In 2019 Eddie co-founded The Jewish Organ Donor Association to promote organ donation within a Jewish framework. JODA has been working closely with the Office of the Chief Rabbi in raising awareness of the issue in line with halacha. His latest content-led campaign uses social media and Jewish media to reach a mainstream Jewish audience.
He is proud to be a recovering journalist, glacial half Iron Man, amateur behavioural economist, unashamed Arsenal fan and has three wonderful children who sometimes listen to him. They all attend Yavneh College.
Natalie Leon
Trustee since October 2022
I am a Chartered Accountant and commercially astute Senior Executive, with 25 years’ experience working within the Corporate, Advisory, Not for Profit and Education sectors. I am a collaborative leader of diverse specialist functions – Finance, Operations, IT, Governance, Company Secretariat and HR and pride myself on balancing the strategic vision with an eye for detail and total commitment to excellence.
Currently, I am the Director of Finance and Resources for the Haberdashers’ Elstree Schools, which comprises 2,650 students and 500+ staff, with responsibility for their Finance, HR and IT functions. I am also a trustee of two grant making charities, one of which supports children in the Jewish community.
I have two primary school-aged children and live locally in Elstree.
Josh Schwartz
Trustee since March 2023
Josh has had involvement in Yavneh for a long time. He was a Madrich on the first ever Israel trip, and then began his professional career as a JS teacher at Yavneh college. After deciding teaching was not for him, he became an accountant and is currently a Financial Controller and a medical devices company but has not lost his passion for education and community.
Josh has been a governor at Lonsdale School in Stevenage, a groundbreaking school for children with disabilities, for the past 6 years, including 18 months as chair of governors and has spent the last 2 years as the financial representative of Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue.
Josh has lived in Borehamwood for the past 11 years with his wife Katie and daughter Ariella. He loves the community and the power that a school has in impacting the people around us and hopes to bring some of his experience to help the school achieve that for every pupil.
Yavneh College Local Governing Body
Rolanda Hyams was appointed chair of the Yavneh College Local Governing Body in September 2019. In addition to Rolanda, Spencer, Richard, Susy and Jacqui are also MAT board Trustees who sit on the local governing body. Rolanda is also supported by the governors detailed below.
Michelle Spevick
Michelle Spevick is a co-opted governor at Yavneh College and has two girls, one of whom is a pupil at Yavneh College. Michelle is an in-house Real Estate Solicitor for University College London.
Rebecca Hircombe
Staff Governor – appointed in Sept 2021
Rebecca has been teaching at Yavneh College for 5 years. She teaches Geography and is Head of Year 10. She went to JFS for school and the University of Nottingham where she studied Geography. She loves to travel and spend time with family and friends.
Lara Levinson
Parent Governor – appointed Jan 2022
Lara and her husband have lived in the area for several years and have one daughter at Yavneh College. Lara supports Jewish charities and causes including in her practice as a solicitor. She has also published an illustrated children’s book that teaches about diversity and acceptance through experiencing other cultures.
Russel Goldstein
Russell is the Head of Year 9 and a Business Studies Teacher at Yavneh College, with previous experience working in the Recruitment sector. He also has over 50 international appearances for England Futsal.
Yavneh Primary School Local Governing Body
Roz Levin was appointed chair of the Yavneh Primary School Local Governing Body in June 2017. In addition to Roz, Rolanda and Sue Neale are also MAT board Trustees who sit on the local governing body. Roz is also supported by the governors detailed below.
Caroline Field
Caroline Field was educated at Haberdashers Aske School for Girls before going to Manchester Metropolitan University where she graduated in 1997 with a First Class Degree in Primary Education. Caroline began her career at Colindale Primary School. During this time, she studied and gained a Certificate in Specific Learning Difficulties before moving to Dollis Infant School where she worked as a Special Educational Needs Leader.
In 2004 Caroline moved to Menorah Foundation School where she took up the role of Deputy Headteacher. She was promoted to Headteacher in 2013 where her leadership was rated outstanding by Ofsted. Caroline has the National Professional Qualification for Headship from the NCSL. Caroline was appointed Headteacher of Yavneh Primary School in November 2015 and has been instrumental in setting up Yavneh Primary School which opened in September 2016 with its first cohort of Reception children.
Gemma Peters
Gemma Peters is a co-opted governor on the Yavneh Primary School Local Governing Body. She is the Deputy Head teacher of a Jewish Primary School. Gemma has responsibility for SEND on the Yavneh Primary School Local Governing Body. Gemma has a child at Yavneh Primary School.
Richelle Joseph
Richelle Joseph’s Corporate Clothing business started 27 years ago and is now a global corporation with offices in the USA, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong. Outside of business Richelle chairs a charity, volunteers at a local hospital and enjoys spending time with family and friends. Her son and his wife live in Israel with her grandchildren. The skills she learnt both in business and working with charities have given her a good understanding of problems facing young people in the ever-changing world.
Leanne Redstone
Leanne has been a secondary school teacher since 2001. She has taken on a variety of leadership roles and has taught both in England and Australia., She is devoted to providing the highest education standard for our children.
Mike Rubenstein
Daniel Morris
I am an E-commerce & Marketing Manager. My wife and I have lived in Borehamwood since we got married and we have two sons. One in reception and one who will join reception in 2024.
Lisa Collins
Joined the governing body in February 2020
Nicole Wilson
Joined the governing body in January 2019
