Family & Governors

The Governing Body consists of members of the Lawson family and other professionals who provide rigorous oversight of the running of the school.

The Governors visit the school regularly to observe the quality of teaching and learning. They review school policies according to the law and the Independent Schools Statutory Regulations. They meet to discuss the financial integrity of the school and make sure that Health and Safety Regulations, Safeguarding Children and Employment Law are being adhered to.

You can contact the Proprietors at any time by telephoning the School on 01189478684, emailing [email protected] or writing to Mr and Mrs Lawson, 16 Peppard Road, Caversham, Reading, Berkshire. RG4 8JZ.

The proprietors know their school well and have established a happy school with high expectations for pupils and where parents support the strong family ethos. - Independent Schools Inspectorate

Jacqueline Lawson
Jacqueline Lawson MA(Ed) AdvDipEdMan DipEd QTS Jacqueline has been in education for 48 years. She has been a teacher, Head Teacher of three Prep Schools and ran two nurseries when her children were young. She has also been a University Lecturer in Early Years Education and an Ofsted Inspector. She has retired as the Head Teacher of Caversham Prep but is still fully involved in the school as a board member with responsibility for education. She is in touch with the Head Teacher on an almost daily basis, in meetings and by telephone and email. Jacqueline continues to monitor the Teaching and Learning in the school and oversees the School’s Academic Achievement and Pupil Progress and Staff Performance Management. What the children said (when still the Head Teacher) “Mrs Lawson is brilliant at running the school. I think she answers phone calls and makes sure our school is healthy and good.” “Mrs Lawson is strict but fair. She tells the other teachers what to write in the school blog and does secret work that the children do not know about.” “Mrs Lawson makes sure that everyone is happy.”

Jacqueline Lawson

Jacqueline Lawson MA(Ed) AdvDipEdMan DipEd QTS

Jacqueline has been in education for 48 years. She has been a teacher, Head Teacher of three Prep Schools and ran two nurseries when her children were young. She has also been a University Lecturer in Early Years Education and an Ofsted Inspector. She has retired as the Head Teacher of Caversham Prep but is still fully involved in the school as a board member with responsibility for education. She is in touch with the Head Teacher on an almost daily basis, in meetings and by telephone and email. Jacqueline continues to monitor the Teaching and Learning in the school and oversees the School’s Academic Achievement and Pupil Progress and Staff Performance Management.

What the children said (when still the Head Teacher)

“Mrs Lawson is brilliant at running the school. I think she answers phone calls and makes sure our school is healthy and good.”
“Mrs Lawson is strict but fair. She tells the other teachers what to write in the school blog and does secret work that the children do not know about.”
“Mrs Lawson makes sure that everyone is happy.”

Major Ian Lawson
Major Ian Lawson aic RTR (Ret'd) Ian Lawson is the Chairman and Co-Proprietor of the School. He is an ex-army officer having served in Germany, Canada, Northern Ireland and Egypt. He retired from the army after 20 years and worked for PLCs in senior management positions. He later became a business man and owned two small companies. He invented a flame suppression device which was chosen for use on one of the Alvis fleet of armoured vehicles and later worked for the Defence Diversification Agency as the Technology Manager for London Region. Ian’s main Board responsibility is oversight of the school as a business to make sure that our school runs well for the good of the children, parents and staff. What the children say “Mr Lawson is good around the school and fixes everything.” “Mr Lawson is great at chess” “Mr Lawson is always useful when computers aren’t working”

Major Ian Lawson

Major Ian Lawson aic RTR (Ret'd)

Ian Lawson is the Chairman and Co-Proprietor of the School. He is an ex-army officer having served in Germany, Canada, Northern Ireland and Egypt. He retired from the army after 20 years and worked for PLCs in senior management positions. He later became a business man and owned two small companies. He invented a flame suppression device which was chosen for use on one of the Alvis fleet of armoured vehicles and later worked for the Defence Diversification Agency as the Technology Manager for London Region. Ian’s main Board responsibility is oversight of the school as a business to make sure that our school runs well for the good of the children, parents and staff.

What the children say

“Mr Lawson is good around the school and fixes everything.”
“Mr Lawson is great at chess”
“Mr Lawson is always useful when computers aren’t working”

Caroline Kidao
Caroline Kidao BA(Hons) PGCE QTS Caroline is an Early Years trained teacher and trained SENCo. She has taught for 14 years. Caroline started her teaching career in a primary school in Essex. She has been working at Caversham Prep since the school began in 2009, taking two years out to work in the Early Years Department of Harrow International School in Bangkok. Caroline has Teddy, our very articulate, eight year old grandson who is presently in Year 3. Caroline delivers child-centred learning and values each child as an individual. She creates a calm, purposeful learning environment where children thrive and feel safe. Her teaching has been judged as ‘outstanding’ during both Ofsted and ISI inspections. Caroline was an All-Round Scholar at Ardingly College, West Sussex for strengths in art, music, drama and sport; she was the Independent Schools 200m champion of ‘94. Caroline lived for a year in Paris, on the Boulevard Saint Michel, as an au pair and was a chalet girl and snowboarder for a season in Tignes. She loves to bake and runs the School Cookery Club. Caroline’s main Board responsibilities are: EYFS and SEND.

Caroline Kidao

Caroline Kidao BA(Hons) PGCE QTS

Caroline is an Early Years trained teacher and trained SENCo. She has taught for 14 years. Caroline started her teaching career in a primary school in Essex. She has been working at Caversham Prep since the school began in 2009, taking two years out to work in the Early Years Department of Harrow International School in Bangkok.

Caroline has Teddy, our very articulate, eight year old grandson who is presently in Year 3. Caroline delivers child-centred learning and values each child as an individual. She creates a calm, purposeful learning environment where children thrive and feel safe. Her teaching has been judged as ‘outstanding’ during both Ofsted and ISI inspections. Caroline was an All-Round Scholar at Ardingly College, West Sussex for strengths in art, music, drama and sport; she was the Independent Schools 200m champion of ‘94. Caroline lived for a year in Paris, on the Boulevard Saint Michel, as an au pair and was a chalet girl and snowboarder for a season in Tignes. She loves to bake and runs the School Cookery Club.

Caroline’s main Board responsibilities are: EYFS and SEND.

Andrew Lawson
Andrew Lawson MScEcon BA(Hons) ACCA Andrew Lawson is the school bursar and business manager. He took over from Ian Lawson in 2020 during Covid and works full-time in the school. He is a trained management accountant, having worked for a global company in Reading. He administers the payroll, pensions, school budgets, annual accounts and IT systems. Andrew was a Music and Academic Scholar at Worth School and then on to Downside School for his 6th Form as a Choral Scholar. He plays piano and clarinet. He has taught recorder for a short time at Caversham Prep. Andrew is a keen scuba diver, loves opera and travelling. Last year he travelled solo by train from Beijing to Moscow, camping in a yurt in Ulaanbaatar. Andrew’s main Board responsibilities are: Compliance; Health and Safety; and Safeguarding. He is the named Safeguarding Governor.

Andrew Lawson

Andrew Lawson MScEcon BA(Hons) ACCA

Andrew Lawson is the school bursar and business manager. He took over from Ian Lawson in 2020 during Covid and works full-time in the school. He is a trained management accountant, having worked for a global company in Reading. He administers the payroll, pensions, school budgets, annual accounts and IT systems.

Andrew was a Music and Academic Scholar at Worth School and then on to Downside School for his 6th Form as a Choral Scholar. He plays piano and clarinet. He has taught recorder for a short time at Caversham Prep. Andrew is a keen scuba diver, loves opera and travelling. Last year he travelled solo by train from Beijing to Moscow, camping in a yurt in Ulaanbaatar.

Andrew’s main Board responsibilities are: Compliance; Health and Safety; and Safeguarding. He is the named Safeguarding Governor.

Margaret Brown
Margaret Brown BSc, Dip Lib (CNAA)(Dist), MCILP Margaret has worked for 40 years as a librarian within the education sector. She has experience at all levels from pre-school to further education including being a library advisor with Essex Schools Library Service. She has recently retired as Head of the Library & Information Services department at a large co-educational public school where she worked for 20 years. The school has pupils from years 3 to 13 and providing the correct resources to foster reader development is one of the main objectives of her position. She believes that reading and literacy are the foundations on which all education and attainment are based and, to quote J K Rowling - "If you don't like to read, you haven't found the right book". Margaret's main Board responsibilities are: Health and Safety and English

Margaret Brown

Margaret Brown BSc, Dip Lib (CNAA)(Dist), MCILP

Margaret has worked for 40 years as a librarian within the education sector. She has experience at all levels from pre-school to further education including being a library advisor with Essex Schools Library Service.

She has recently retired as Head of the Library & Information Services department at a large co-educational public school where she worked for 20 years. The school has pupils from years 3 to 13 and providing the correct resources to foster reader development is one of the main objectives of her position. She believes that reading and literacy are the foundations on which all education and attainment are based and, to quote J K Rowling - "If you don't like to read, you haven't found the right book".

Margaret's main Board responsibilities are: Health and Safety and English

Dr David Brown
Dr David Brown, PhD MPhys (Hons) FRAS AMInstP David is a Research Fellow in Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Warwick. He studied Physics at the University of Warwick, before moving to the University of St Andrews, graduating with a PhD in Astrophysics. After working as a postdoctoral researcher at Queen’s University Belfast, David moved back to the University of Warwick to take up his current position. His main area of research is the discovery and study of exoplanets (planets around stars other than the Sun), and he is currently being funded by the UK Space Agency to help with development of the PLATO satellite, which will search for habitable, Earth-like planets. In his spare time, David plays the bassoon in the Leamington Sinfonia and Beauchamp Sinfonietta orchestras, enjoys swimming, skiing and cycling, loves a good science fiction book, and regularly plays board games. David's main Board responsibility is STEM.

Dr David Brown

Dr David Brown, PhD MPhys (Hons) FRAS AMInstP

David is a Research Fellow in Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Warwick. He studied Physics at the University of Warwick, before moving to the University of St Andrews, graduating with a PhD in Astrophysics.

After working as a postdoctoral researcher at Queen’s University Belfast, David moved back to the University of Warwick to take up his current position. His main area of research is the discovery and study of exoplanets (planets around stars other than the Sun), and he is currently being funded by the UK Space Agency to help with development of the PLATO satellite, which will search for habitable, Earth-like planets.

In his spare time, David plays the bassoon in the Leamington Sinfonia and Beauchamp Sinfonietta orchestras, enjoys swimming, skiing and cycling, loves a good science fiction book, and regularly plays board games.

David's main Board responsibility is STEM.

Mr Gavin Douglas
Mr Gavin Douglas BSc Gavin is a local businessman and father of three daughters. He supports the Finance Committee.

Mrs Lesley White
Mrs Lesley White The Lawson family have known Lesley for over thirty years as we lived on the same army base in Salisbury and our children were best friends. She was a Chair of Governors in a large primary school in the Midlands for a number of years. She presently works for a publishing company and travels the world training teachers in the use of phonics in the Early Years. Lesley's main Board responsibilities are: EDI (Equality, diversity and Inclusion) and Early Reading.

Mrs Lesley White

Mrs Lesley White

The Lawson family have known Lesley for over thirty years as we lived on the same army base in Salisbury and our children were best friends. She was a Chair of Governors in a large primary school in the Midlands for a number of years. She presently works for a publishing company and travels the world training teachers in the use of phonics in the Early Years.

Lesley's main Board responsibilities are: EDI (Equality, diversity and Inclusion) and Early Reading.

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