Governor Profiles

Serving our School community, together in Christian fellowship.

As a Governing Body we have adopted the value of Unity. This value underpins all our work as Governors.

Having been a parent board member at our previous nursery in Liverpool, and seeing first-hand the benefits that a committed governing board can bring to an educational setting, I’m keen to bring my experiences, skills, commitment and enthusiasm to the role of Parent Governor at Farnworth. I will work with the school in ensuring that every single child gets the attention they need to thrive in a healthy, happy, safe, supportive and inclusive learning environment, whilst offering a representative view as a parent on the governing body.

I am a scientist by background, completing my biochemistry degree in Oxford and gastroenterology PhD in Liverpool. This was followed by a period as a research scientist studying human diseases. As a result, I am passionate about creative STEM education across all age groups. Being a scientist by training means I have a keen attention to detail, I’m a critical and lateral thinker, and I’m able to analyse situations objectively, ask the right questions, and generally identify balanced, fair and reasonable outcomes for all.

Following my research career, I moved into a management role at the University of Liverpool. I have worked across various functions covering research management, business and partnership development, process change and innovation, fundraising, financial management and more latterly, strategy and policy development and implementation. This gives me an adaptable and varied skillset which I will bring to the role of School Governor.

To be a member of the Farnworth team that supports the school and its staff to continually improve, challenge, develop, innovate, embed best practice and make our school the best that it can be really is both a privilege and an honour.

I have been involved with our school since 1994 as a parent, Friend of Farnworth (PTA), current staff member and governor.
I feel a strong emotional connection with our school – my children enjoyed a happy, safe and successful time here which helped to launch them into the world as resilient, enthusiastic, well rounded young men.

I want to ensure all of our children enjoy the same experience. We make a place for each child here both in our hearts and in our classrooms.
One of my roles in school is coordinating the School Council alongside a colleague; this gives our children a voice that can be heard and often acted upon. I take great pride in what we achieve. Alongside all our fundraising activities, environmental awareness campaigns and general school business, our focus this year is wellbeing, not just for our pupils but parents and staff – we truly are community minded.

My role as link governor for Forest School enables me to become further involved with helping children to enjoy access to a different way of learning, embedding life skills which will equip them both now and in the future – team building, inclusiveness, resilience, positive ‘can do’ attitudes, environmental awareness, rules and choices – the list goes on. Forest school allows this in a wonderful environment which our school is privileged to possess.

My dedication and enthusiasm for our school grows year on year. I feel privileged to work alongside so many dedicated, like minded, caring, decent people both in school and within the wider community and I hope to continue to be involved for many more years to come.

I was elected as a Governor in September 2017 and although I am the Local Authority Governor, I am also a parent of two children in Farnworth (in Reception and Y4). I grew up here and have wonderful memories of attending Farnworth School myself.

My husband and I currently run our own Building Surveying Practice but with 15 years experience as a Secondary School Maths teacher, 10 years in Leadership, I am excited to use my skills and knowledge to collaboratively support and challenge the strategic vision of Farnworth School.

Being a governor is challenging but hugely rewarding. Our role, as Governors, is to ensure strategic leadership and accountability at Farnworth. We oversee the financial performance of the school, we hold the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils and we aim to ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction for the school. Being a Governor has given me the privilege and opportunity to really get to know our School. Serving on the Curriculum and Standards committee, the Pay and Personnel Committee, acting as Clerk for the Resources Committee and my Governor link roles for Mathematics and Science has meant that I can passionately support and challenge School improvement whilst ensuring that our children, staff and Christian Ethos are at the heart of every strategic decision we make.

I contribute to the School in various ways; I am on the PTA committee and I volunteer at discos and the Christmas Market. I have supported many school trips and visits and I teach a group of Y6s Maths on Fridays to try to really challenge their mathematical thinking.

I am passionate about being part of the Farnworth team, to make a valuable contribution to our community; to support, challenge and give something back to the school where my children will learn and grow.

I joined the school community of Farnworth as Assistant Headteacher for Early Year Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 in September 2015. On becoming Deputy Headteacher at Farnworth in September 2018 I was honoured to be able to further support the school by being elected as a staff governor. My role within school is not only to support the Headteacher and staff but to support pupils and families too. I am the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator (SENDCo) and the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). I also support children in care and who have been adopted. I liaise with members of our governing board to share information, support and strategies for the children within our school.

I have lived in Farnworth for 25 years and my own children attended Farnworth CE too. Being able to teach within the school where my children gained from many experiences and growth opportunities enables me to support families and children so that they can grow, learn and develop in order to prepare them to be the next generation of citizens within our community.
Working within our school, supporting pupils’ needs and offering advice and support to families reflects our school’s ethos and vision on a daily basis. Our curriculum has been planned to provide worthwhile and relevant learning opportunities to guide children within our setting along their educational and life journeys.

Since October 2017, I have held the position of Foundation Governor at Farnworth CE Primary School. I am a regular member of St Luke’s congregation and I also participate in church services as a reader. Consequently I was delighted to be asked to represent St Luke’s Church in the capacity of Foundation Governor. Whenever I visit this school, the Christian ethos is palpable and I have witnessed how Christian values underpin all aspects of school life. I have also seen how readily pupils of Farnworth CE embrace acts of worship with their joyous hymn singing and confident performances across both key stages. This is testament to how pupils at this school are encouraged to grow spiritually in a secure and inclusive environment.

Moreover, for over thirty years I was a teacher of English in two secondary schools in Wigan, before retiring in July 2014. Consequently being a member of Farnworth’s Curriculum Committee has given me the opportunity to utilise the knowledge and skills gleaned during my teaching career. This is particularly the case when the focus has been on literacy and I have been impressed by how this school’s curriculum encourages pupils to think creatively and critically about a range of topics. Also, as a former Advanced Skills Teacher with responsibility for trainee teachers and having been a member of the Secondary Steering Committee at Liverpool Hope University, staff wellbeing has always been of the upmost importance to me. I firmly believe that high staff morale is one of the vital components to a successful school. Therefore being a governor allows me to continue to support teachers and to acknowledge the contribution all staff make to our children’s learning journey.

Finally, as a parent, I believe that Farnworth CE provided my daughter with the firm foundations on which to build her academic career and developed in her a love of learning. Consequently it is with gratitude and pride that I am a governor at this school.

I was elected as a Parent Governor in November 2022 and feel very privileged to be part of Farnworth’s future. The school, church and community play an important part in our family life, and now as a parent, I am keen to be involved in the continuing journey and success of the school.  I attended Farnworth myself many years ago, was married at St. Luke’s Church and I am proud to be able to give something back to the school and community that I adore.

Education and learning are my passion, I have been a teacher/leader in local secondary schools for over twenty years, I have insight and understanding of key issues that schools face. I have led both Curriculum and Pastoral teams, and I’m experienced in making strategic decisions about budgets, policies and development plans in an education setting. I have specific knowledge of education, the curriculum, special educational and behavioural needs, safeguarding and managing and hiring professionals.   

I read English at the University of Leeds, then worked in London for a broadsheet newspaper, before travelling the world and then training to be a teacher. My love of books and travel is still strong.

It is an honour to be on a highly skilled and hard-working governing body, that has the safety, education and well-being of our children at the heart of what we do. I am passionate about ensuring integrity, accountability and improvement as the foundations of every decision we make, for the future of the school.

I had the privilege of being elected as Parent Governor in November 2021, this coincided with my daughter also beginning her journey at Farnworth School reception in September of 2021.

As an ex-pupil of Farnworth (some years ago now), I am genuinely excited to gain a new perspective of the school from both a School Governor and a parent’s point of view.

The school has happy memories for myself and gave me a safe, rounded and fulfilled learning experience when I was a pupil here.

I hope to be able to bring value adding skill sets to the school in my role as parent Governor. Through my career as a Chartered Accountant, currently working in Industry for a local Business, this has allowed me to learn some key core skills which I believe will be transferrable to help and support the school in its strategic focus, specifically around budgeting, financial planning and resource allocation.  

I am privileged to be able to actively contribute to the school, alongside being a full Governor I am also a member of the resources non-stat committee, alongside specific responsibility for Sport Premium which I look forward learning more about how the school allocates and utilises this funding.

Working with the school, governors, staff and pupils I hope to provide support and contribute in any way possible to drive the school forward and allow the children to gain the confidence and resilience to thrive through their school journey and beyond.

I have recently been appointed as a Foundation Governor (Nov 2022) approved by the Diocese and ST Luke’s church PCC.

My daughter currently attends Farnworth School and I am passionate about the Christian Ethos and the School values that underpin the curriculum and all that goes on.

I am a church warden and a member of St Luke’s PPC and Standing Committee. My formal education and career background is in the technology arena, working within the chemical industry and later starting my own software business that was acquired by a Nordic company, where I now hold the role of product director.
My professional and business journey from start-up to divestment has given me a wealth of experience that I hope would to be an asset to the role of governor, especially in a world for which technology and business are now so key.

I am delighted to be given the opportunity in making a difference in the education, of not just my daughter, but the school as a whole. I am a strong believer in the value and importance of a well-balanced education and Christian values, which I believe Farnworth constantly achieves.