Current Governors, Trustees & Members

John Cape

John has been Chair of Governors since November 2019 and is a member of both the Achievement and Wellbeing and Finance, Premises and HR Committees. For 30 years John was a clinical psychologist and professional head of psychology and psychotherapy in the NHS in Camden and Islington. Then for 8 years he organised and taught on courses in psychology at University College London. 

John enjoys spending time with family and friends, swimming and walks in the country and films. He has lived in the Borough of Islington since 1980 and loves the diversity of London having grown up in different countries as a child and young person.

Dr Julie Greer 

Dr Julie Greer is an education professional supporting school leaders to develop their own professional practice. She has a particular interest in Inclusion and Special Educational Needs and Disability. Julie was a primary Headteacher in Southampton and Hampshire for nearly thirty years, influencing policy and practice nationally and locally. She is a Professional Partner in Camden and Islington, supporting secondary and primary phase special schools. Julie enjoys being a governor at the Pears Family School and supporting their innovative approach to alternative provision.

Julie has a doctorate in Education and is a visiting academic at the University of Southampton in recognition of her commitment to inclusion and initial teacher education. She continues to research and write, including a book on managing teacher workload for early career teachers. In her spare time, she enjoys print making and sculpture.

Laura Lower

Laura was appointed as a staff governor in September 2024, having worked as Head of Therapy and Safeguarding Lead at the Pears Family School since July 2020. Laura is a systemic family and couples psychotherapist, a systemic supervisor and a registered social worker. 

Prior to working at the Pears Family School, Laura has had significant experience of working within education, in leadership positions in SEMH settings and within Local Authority; in the NHS within a CAMHS setting; and in social care settings, as a senior social worker in different teams in Western Australia. The Pears Family School encapsulates all of the elements Laura feels passionate about to support children and families to thrive: authentic parent partnership, which centres the child and their experiences of the world within the context of their wider system, and crucially, parents as the experts of their children. Laura is passionate about the use of language and the importance of helping people to create their own preferred narrative.

Laura is a keen traveller and explorer of the world with her family and friends! When not indulging her travel passion, Laura likes to connect with friends and family over food, music, games or through fitness events such as Hyrox. 

Lesley French

Lesley's professional background is a clinical psychologist with 25 years' experience in the NHS, working in CAMHS and outpatient adolescent forensic provision.

Lesley was previously a Clinical Director in the NHS alongside a Programme Director role in leadership at Anna Freud. She moved to Anna Freud full-time in 2019. 

She is now Director of Schools & Clinical Practice with oversight of community mental health teams for children and their families, remotely delivered therapy, specialist trauma services and schools training and engagement programmes.

Lesley is leading the implementation of the MindWorks intervention for Anna Freud, a trial piloting brief therapy with young people at risk of exclusion.

Rose White 

Rose was appointed a governor in September 2023 and is the link governor for RSHE and Equalities. Rose has a keen interest in equality, diversity and inclusion with a specific interest in pupils who have English as an Additional Language (EAL).  Rose is proud to be involved with the School and hopes to be able to support its vision and ethos. Rose has worked in education for nearly 40 years and has enjoyed the opportunities it has given her to work with children and adults with a diverse range of ages, backgrounds and cultures. Since qualifying as a primary school teacher in the 80s she has also been employed as a local authority Senior Consultant for English, EAL and the EYFS. She has also worked in three London universities teaching undergraduates and on the postgraduate teacher training course.

Rose enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, dancing and visiting the theatre.

Jon Whitehouse

Jon joined as a governor in March 2025.  He has had a 25 year career in financial services, covering government and regulatory policy, sustainability and corporate affairs.  He is currently a Managing Director at Barclays plc.

 Jon is passionate about socioeconomic inclusion. He is a Trustee of the Fair Education Alliance and was a member of a government-appointed Task Force on socioeconomic inclusion in financial services.

 Jon is an adoptive father and lives with his husband and son in Hackney. 

Rebecca Breedon 

Becca has recently been appointed as a staff governor. She has taught at the school since 2018 where she has taken experience as a class teacher at the school into her role now as Assistant Head Teacher and Curriculum Lead.

She strives to support students and families to recover their relationship with education and is proud of her work to design and implement a therapeutic curriculum that works systemically towards reintegration.

She enjoys traveling, often choosing destinations based on where it is best to swim, surf and hike. 

Peggy Ray

Peggy has been a governor since 2014 when the school was founded and is a member of the Achievement and Wellbeing Committee. 

For over 45 years Peggy has been a solicitor specialising in all kinds of children cases, including child protection, and in 1985 she founded her own family law practice in London. Between 2007 and 2019, she was a part-time family judge.

Peggy enjoys spending time with family and friends and likes to travel. Originally a U.S. and British citizen, she has lived in England since 1971 and loves the diversity of London having grown up in different countries as a child and young person.

Bojana Grujic

Bojana joined The Pears Family School Governing Board as a parent governor in September 2024. She previously studied and worked in the tourism industry for most of her professional life before taking a career break to care full-time for her child with SEN.

During the period in which Bojana and her child attended The Pears Family School, she completed a Diploma in Parent and Carer Engagement in Child Mental Health, taught by the school's founders, Brenda McHugh MBE and Neil Dawson.

Bojana is due to become a member of the advisory panel for MindSpark serving as a Parent Expert with lived experience. She is passionate about promoting the importance of family involvement in the education of children with special needs and advocating for greater awareness in this area.