I have served on the governing body of Priors Mill Church of England Primary School for twenty years and am currently the Chair of Governors. I also serve on the Resources & School Improvement Committees which meet a minimum of three times a year. I joined the governing body when my son attended Priors Mill, initially as a Parent Governor and have remained on after he progressed to the secondary sector.
The school ethos, passion of the staff and welcome I first received when visiting the school, in addition to the desire for educational excellence is the reason I selected Priors Mill Church of England Primary School for my own Son. We strive to continually improve what the school offers now and in the future for your children.
I am honoured and privileged to be part of the governing body at Prior’s Mill. Being a Head Teacher myself, it is really important to me that children feel nurtured and are allowed to flourish, thrive and succeed and this is the feeling I get when I walk into Prior’s Mill. I can see that the inspiring and engaging environment and curriculum at Prior’s Mill allows all learners to thrive. I am keen to work collaboratively with Prior’s Mill to ensure all children can be the best they can be and the school continues to provide them with opportunities and experiences to allow them to succeed.
I am honoured to work collaboratively with Prior’s Mill, to ensure children receive the best education. My career is in education, I am a Secondary School PE Teacher and have been teaching for 16 years. I enjoy my job and I am really passionate about developing the whole child, and helping them flourish in all aspects of their school life.
I am keen to work alongside Prior’s Mill to ensure the children are receiving an enriching and inspiring curriculum in and outside of the classroom, help them succeed and ensure they have a memorable time at school.
I am pleased to have had the opportunity to contribute to the work of governing body since 2017. I have a background in education, previously working as a primary school teacher occupying various roles and I am currently training to be an Educational Psychologist. I am passionate about enabling children to succeed, flourish as individuals and make positive contributions to their community. I hope to work collaboratively with staff, families and children to support Priors Mills on its journey.
I have been a Governor of Priors’ Mill School for many years and in that time I have had the privilege of working alongside some exceptional Headteachers. I have lived on Wolviston Court for nearly fifty years and have three grown up children, all of whom attended Priors’ Mill School or Billingham Church of England School as it was then. Although I am retired now, I have always worked in schools, the latest being twenty-seven years as School Secretary at a Special Needs school in Stockton. My role on the Governing Body is as Foundation Governor which means I represent the Church of England. I am also churchwarden at the nearby St. Mary Magdalene church.
I was appointed staff governor this academic year (23/24) having been intrigued by the role for a number of years. I am very interested in understanding how a school is run at a governor level and I believe that this experience will help further my own career. Another important reason why I accepted this role is to ensure that both staff and children’s voices are heard by those who run the school. It is important that everyone associated with Prior’s Mill feel appreciated and feel that their thoughts and ideas are passed on to senior leaders. I am looking forward to really getting into this role and hopefully making a positive impact on a whole school level.
I am proud and privileged to be Headteacher of Prior’s Mill C of E Primary School in Billingham, part of the Melrose Learning Trust. Since my appointment in January 2023, I have enjoyed collaborating with pupils, staff and parents to ensure we provide a school the community can be proud of.
During the previous 25 years I have worked in several schools based in County Durham, Darlington and North Yorkshire. I have developed my passion for Education and a specialism in PE and School Sport, Teacher Training and Pupil Premium. I have supported Primary Schools in North Yorkshire and completed an Interim-Executive Headship of two village primary schools. I have led on Pupil Premium for the Swaledale Alliance and am enthusiastic about providing opportunities for disadvantaged pupils. I have been a School Governor and been actively involved in a number of different groups and committees.
I have recently gained a Masters in Educational Leadership and Management and completed a National Professional Qualification in Executive Leadership. I am also a Director of the Together Learning Partnership Multi Academy Trust.
I enjoy spending time with my family and friends as well as being a passionate supporter of Sunderland Football Club.