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Governance

Our governing body is made up of elected parents, staff, learners, the Principal of the college and co-opted governors. The college governors meet four times a year. Two governors attend the trustee meetings.

If you are interested in becoming a governor at St. John's College, then please get in touch.

For further information about our governance please visit the Ambitious about Autism website.

 

Linda Looney
Executive Head and Governor

Linda joined Ambitious about Autism in August 2013. She has worked with autistic people or people with disabilities for the last 25 years. Linda is a qualified post-16 SEN lecturer and spent the first five years of her career working in Further Education (FE) colleges. She then moved into the charity sector where she set up and managed a number of services to develop the skills of autistic people and those with learning disabilities. These services included independent travel training, supported employment, and a variety of lifelong learning and social enterprise schemes. Linda is motivated by her belief in the abilities of people with learning disabilities and how support can help them to reach their full potential.

Luke Joy-Smith
Governor

Luke has worked supporting autistic people and those with learning disabilities for 30 years, starting as a support worker in the hospital closure programme of the late 1990’s in and around Bristol. 

Through various roles, primarily within the not-for-profit sector, Luke has worked alongside many experts-by-experience, families, commissioners, providers and other professionals. This has enabled him to witness both what outstanding care and support looks like and also how to address areas which need improvement or change. 

Currently a Project Director with Dimensions, Luke leads on various projects, including increasing Dimensions’ ESG agenda and impact. 

Luke has been fortunate to support people across the UK and share this learning wider through speaker events, commissioned work which has reached as far as emerging organisations in India and Ukraine. 
 

Martin Mason
Governor

Martin has worked in the Rail Industry for the last 20+ years and has a governance and assurance background in developing analytics.

He has a daughter at St John’s College and can see how life changing the college is to all the learners and how passionate and dedicated the staff are. 

Andy Davy
Governor

I’m really pleased to be a governor at St. John’s College. My 40 year working life was spent in customer service and change management environments where I soon learnt the power of people who have a common aim.

I have served as governor and chair of governors at both secondary and FE establishments, and relish the opportunity to make a difference to our younger pupils as they start their education.

I have “worked” in the voluntary sector in several positions and my wife is an area manager for the National Trust. We have two Tibetan terrier dogs who have boundless energy, so walking them takes up some of my free time.  I also enjoy boating, sea fishing, and scuba diving.

Mohit Bajaj
Associate Governor for Health and Safety, and Estates

Mohit is the CEO of a technology and strategy consulting group based in Brighton. With a career based in enterprise and entrepreneurship, Mohit is passionate about technology and innovation as well as improving access into the work place for young people.

Rose Durban
Chair of Governors

Rose is passionate about changing lives and life-chances for the better and is proud to be Chair of Governors at St John’s College. She began her career as a teacher for children with SEND, is a former director of Children’s services in four authorities across the country authorities (two in the South East, one in the West Midlands and one in the South West), has worked as a DfE intervention adviser and served as a non-executive CCG director. 

Rose is an English graduate, an executive coach (ILM Level 7), and an experienced leader with extensive experience in designing, leading, and facilitating leadership and development programmes. Recent examples include programmes addressing equity with system leaders, managers and practitioners across a London Council area and reducing racial disparities with a number of regional adoption agencies, as well as leading equality, equity, inclusion and diversity sessions with leadership teams, governors, and trustees, co-leading a number of ‘Women in Leadership’ courses and leading LGA peer reviews. 

She is a Staff College Associate, and co-authored ‘Leading in Colour: the fierce urgency of NOW’, published by The Staff College, designed to be both an urgent call for action and a helpful resource to support leaders across the public sector be and stay inclusive, diverse, and fair and wrote the Staff College publications ‘Just Fair’ and ‘Just Heart, Just Hope, Just Home’ on racial disparities across the Youth Justice system and permanence for global majority children, respectively. She is one of the facilitators on the Women in Leadership programmes.

Rose is an active Chair of Governors, a trustee for a Multi-Academy Trust and serves as a Laurel Trust trustee, a national charity supporting research and innovation by schools serving areas of multiple disadvantages. She is the Independent Person for her local council, and a Samaritans volunteer. 

Sarah Jordan
Staff Governor

 I am a mum of three and I live along the coast in Worthing but originally from Kent – so not far! I love cooking, walking my dogs, travel, art, interior design, films, and being a mum.

I have worked at St John’s College for over three years. I started as an LSW, became a tutor after six months, and began my new role as the Operations Coordinator and Placement Review Assistant in September 2024. Prior to this, I worked for a year in a SEN primary, ran my own childcare business for 15 years, and briefly became an emergency foster carer for two siblings.  Having a career that is rewarding and valuable within our society is vital to me, something more than just a ‘job’.  St. John’s has given this to me. I entered teacher training with an intention to focus on SEN at the end of it so being at the college has fulfilled my dream. I am beyond grateful for the opportunities I have been given and the chance to push myself to my full potential. I also get to work with an incredible bunch of colleagues every day; I learn so much from them and also from our amazing cohort. It’s a privilege to support our learners, to witness their resilience and determination every day, to share this small window of their lives, and do our best to help them reach their full potential.  

I am delighted at this opportunity I have been given; to support the staff and learners and have the chance to make a positive difference. I am honoured to have been voted in and I look forward to making positive contributions.

Stephen Gordon
Parent Governor for Learner Voice

Stephen has a son at St John’s College and joined the Governing Body in November 2023.

Sue Jenkins
Head of College and Governor

Sue became Head of College in June 2025 and has many years’ experience in further and adult education SEN provision. She is committed to creating inclusive learning environments and is especially passionate about supporting young people to become more independent and to move into paid employment.
Sue has developed a range of programmes including supported internships, traineeships, and inclusive apprenticeships, helping learners build skills, gain experience, and achieve their aspirations. Since 2024, she has also served as a trustee as safeguarding lead for a charity.
She is dedicated to ensuring learners grow in confidence, independence, and life skills, preparing them for bright and successful futures.

Zoe Griffiths
Associate Governor for Safeguarding

Bio coming soon.