As Chair of Governors my responsibilities are to strategically look at the now, next and future of our team and school. Manage with the rest of the Governors the finances of the school and hold the leadership team to account for the safety, well-being and education of the children. I have a duty of care to all the staff at school - teachers, teachings assistants, caretaker, office team, catering and Leadership team. Together they manage the day to day of the school for and on behalf of the children. 

Alongside the Headteacher we are responsible for all matters relating to school including staff development, safety, policy, financial, welfare, risk, wellbeing and assuring our focus is on the children. 

Outside school I’m a Governor on the Foundation trust at the grammar school and on the local council in Penistone with responsibility for Finance and HR and leading a work stream on road safety. For the financial year 22/23 I have the honour of Leading the Council as Mayor. As well as the running of the Council operations I work with a number of charities to raise awareness and funds for - Age UK Barnsley , Lullaby Trust - an organisation focussed on finding solutions for SIDS ( sudden infant death syndrome ) and supporting impacted families and IDAS Barnsley - Independent Domestic Abuse Services charity supporting people & families impacted by domestic abuse.

We have twin boys who both went through primary, secondary and sixth form in Penistone and have gone on to further education very successfully. One of our boys is teaching Physics at a secondary school and the other is doing a PHD in glaciology so we are very proud of them and their efforts so far. 

My wife Helen and I are involved with Penistone Round table family as well doing a number of initiatives every year including bonfire and fireworks, Remembrance marshalling, Santa Sleigh and a number of other community facing initiatives

To relax we enjoy reading, walking and the cinema and spending time with friends.

I am a Co-Opted Governor and Vice-Chair of the Governing Body.  I am a Chartered Accountant and I was asked to join the Governing Body to provide Financial expertise.  I Chair the Finance Committee which meets termly to review the school’s financial position and ensure that the resources are applied to further the educational priorities.  I also sit on the Pay and Personnel Committee and I am a member of the HT Performance Review Committee.  I am the Link Governor for Maths.  I have been a Governor since Spring 2018 and my son is at the school.

I am the Local Authority governor.  My role within the Governing Body is on the Progress and Attainment Key Pupil group and the link Governor for SEND/Key Pupil groups.  My background is within education and school improvement and I am able to bring this experience to ensure that we support but also to ask challenging questions to support school development.  I am committed to the local community and want to ensure that the children who attend Thurgoland Primary School love learning and reach their full potential. 

I have been a Foundation Governor for a number of years in the school, and I represent Canon Keith Hale on the Governing Board.

You may know too that I am his wife, and lead the Messy Church Service in Holy Trinity Church.

I am currently the Link Governor for Literacy and also for Early Years and Early Reading (phonics).

Although I am now retired, I was a teacher. I have taught across all year groups and worked for 15 years in a Reception Class and as Foundation Lead. I have been both Assistant Head Teacher and an Acting Head of School. In addition I have worked with the Local Authority as a Moderator and as a Phonics Leader. I hope that my skills and experience will be useful to support what happens in our school.

A Foundation Governor is appointed, for a 4 year term of office, by the Diocese of Sheffield. The role is to provide continuity, ensure that a Christian voice is heard in the deliberations of the Governing Body and provide support to the teaching staff in implementing the Christian ethos of the School.

My role is staff governor and I am responsible for bringing a staff perspective to the board, whilst supporting the team to meet statutory duties and achieve strategic priorities. I have worked at Thurgoland Primary School since 1989; for the majority of that time serving as the headteacher. Since my retirement in 2013 I have had the privilege of working part time, teaching across all year groups, alongside many talented members of staff. In recent years I have extended my experience of governorship, filling various roles at three local schools. Currently, I am Chair of the Attainment Committee, Safeguarding Governor and Link Governor for literacy at Silkstone Primary School. I have also had the opportunity to act as a Local Authority Clerk to Governors and to work with Sheffield Diocese supporting schools preparing for SIAMS Inspections. I remain passionate about Thurgoland Primary School, immensely proud of the amazing young people associated with it and committed to helping in any way possible to support its continuing success. On a personal level, two of our own children are in leadership roles in education so we have additional first-hand knowledge of the joys and challenges facing those currently working in schools.

I am a new Co-Opted Governor of the Governing Body at Thurgoland School. I have been a qualified teacher for 32 years and I currently work in an Alternative provision for SEMH youngsters. I am also a qualified SENCO and I am looking forward to working with other governors to ensure that the school continues to give the SEN pupils the very highest quality education possible to ensure they are given the very best life chances. I am passionate about education and as I come to the end of my teaching career I feel it is time for me to give something back to the Primary school which helped to set me on my career path all those years ago.

I am proud to be a parent governor at the school. My son currently attends and I am very happy with the start the school has given in him in his education. I am currently second in department of a large maths department, I have previously been a head of department and a lead teacher. My role will be as the link governor for maths in the school, and to sit on the quality of education committee, as well contributing to full governing board meetings.

In my current teaching role, my focus has been on staff wellbeing, curriculum design and student attainment, with none of the three being mutually exclusive.