Governors

Having worked as a teacher in a number of schools and as an Advisory Teacher for Wakefield authority, I have first-hand experience of the difference positive and challenging learning opportunities can make to young people. I retired from full-time teaching in 2004 and since that time I have worked in teacher training and have become a national leader in governance. I retired as a magistrate and family court judge in 2018 and since then I have expanded my work in school governance. I passionately believe that access to the right education sets a young person on the correct path for life. With experience of training teachers, I am particularly interested in how Trinity Academy Cathedral can attract the very best staff in order to ensure the best possible education for learners. I am the PCC secretary of a local Church, lay chair of the Wakefield Deanery and a member of the Diocesan Synod. As a committed Christian I also enjoy seeing how the values of the academy are supporting young people in developing the right outlook and attitude for life.

My interest and passion for education is reflected in my role as a national leader in governance and I am also Chair of Governors for three Church schools and two local authority schools in the Wakefield district.

My working life has been within the electronics assembly industry in European sales and marketing management. After serious illness in 2009, I completed an MBA at Sheffield Business School and decided to offer myself as a volunteer in areas that I felt passionate about and where I could make a positive impact.

My daughter was a pupil in CAPA Juniors and I want to ensure that all of our children are taught in a safe and happy school that challenges them to exceed their potential. It is essential that the Trinity Academy Cathedral LGB have a clear understanding of what it is like to be a parent or guardian at our school.

I am a solicitor working for a law firm in South Yorkshire. I studied my law degree at the University of Leicester and then completed my legal practice course in Birmingham. I spent a few years gaining my experience in the legal field and then completed my two years training contract and qualified as a solicitor. I am currently studying for my Diploma in Leadership and Management.

I have spent a lot of years studying to obtain my qualifications and I have lived in the East and West Midlands however my heart was always in Wakefield and I returned here after my studies.

I became a school governor as, in my view, an effective governing body is vital to a school's success and I wanted to become a part of this and to contribute to the school and the community.

The knowledge that I have the opportunity to play a part in improving children’s education in Wakefield is a fulfilling feeling as I believe that giving children the best start in education is one of the most important roles a person can play in a child's life. I am passionate about learning and development and I have been involved as Mentor to trainee solicitors and students. I have always been interested in helping people to develop and that is one of the reasons I became a school governor. I believe time and commitment should be invested in a child's education at an early stage and by contributing my knowledge and skills to the school I hope I can contribute to encouraging staff, mentoring and participating in school events.

With a military background, I developed a passion for teaching and supporting troops ready for operations overseas. When my full time military career came to an end, I decided to look into working in the civilian education and training sector. Where I’ve had both delivery and managerial roles, working mostly with children and young people but also adults.

Having specialist responsibilities on the Governing board for Safeguarding, I take this very seriously and firmly believe everyone should work hard to ensure children and young people are kept safe from any form of harm.

Being a qualified and current Designated Safeguarding Leader and also the Safeguarding Governor for a number of years now. This has helped me gain a very firm grasp of the safeguarding requirements needed at Trinity Academy Cathedral at both a ground and also strategic level.

As well as being the Safeguarding Governor, I’m also involved in other important matters with regards to the development and success of the school. I have thoroughly enjoyed this role over the last few years and there’s a fantastic team of professionals working at Cathedral who have done wonders for the school.

It is such a privilege to be appointed as a Governor at Trinity Academy Cathedral. I have 10 years' experience as a school Governor and over 20 years' experience in education, teaching at schools in Wakefield and Barnsley. My subject is Maths and I absolutely love sharing my passion for the subject with all children. I currently work at Trinity Academy St Edward’s as Assistant Principal for Teaching and Learning. I am proud to work for Trinity MAT and to work closely with the fantastic team at Cathedral. Being a Governor gives me the opportunity to share my experiences and expertise alongside providing support and challenging the team to ensure that every student receives the highest possible standard of education, experience and care.

I joined the team at Wakefield Cathedral in early September 2022 where I’m the clergyperson who particularly works on pastoral care, learning, and outreach. So I’m really glad to be joining Trinity Cathedral Academy as a Governor. I’ve been in the Church of England all my working life, having graduated first in history and then in theology. At different times I’ve worked in three parishes and two universities as a chaplain and a teacher of theology. I’ve also been a governor of three schools, on the governing body of a university college, and was clerk to the trustees of a theological college.

From first walking in to the academy buildings you experience a warm welcome, and it’s striking that the atmosphere is both friendly and purposeful – a place that values both excellence and pastoral care, and a community which has been on a journey of growth and change over the past few years. Education is about learning, and I’ve been interested to hear about the different strategies and subjects the academy covers as well as seeing a glimpse of such impressive leadership and dedicated staff.

Having been to a similar school myself and had lots of opportunities and support from my teachers, I’m really committed to helping young people see they have so much potential and lots of options in life – perhaps ones they haven’t necessarily thought about. School is also about helping each young person become the best person they can be, people who – in the words of the academy’s values – strive for “empathy, honesty, respect and responsibility” in their personal relationships and eventual working lives. I am really looking forward to getting to know the academy community more and doing whatever I can to help it be a place where we work out together what it means to live out of those values.

The academic year of 2019-2020 sees me entering my fifteenth year of teaching. In my current role as a Science Teacher and Lead Teacher at Trinity Academy Halifax (TAH) I have the joint responsibility for leading the development of teaching & learning across the academy.

Having two small children of my own, one of which has just started school, I was keen to see what goes on at the heart of a school, how major decisions are made to guide whole school policy and the challenges that have to be overcome to make a school as successful as it possibly can be. I chose to be governor at Trinity Academy Cathedral as it’s a local school to me and one which has gone through significant changes recently which has led to admirable success when compared against both local and national measures.

It was also clear from my recent visit to the school that they are on an exciting journey, one which aims to remove barriers and open doors for the students at the academy. From my meeting with the Principal it was very apparent that he has the highest expectations and aspirations for his students, enabling them to progress from a sometimes difficult start in life to become outstanding members of society, which is something I would be proud to be a part of.

I worked for West Yorkshire Police for 48 years and with responsibility for recruiting and assessments, I was involved in policing HR at a national level, including managing HR for the Force’s Positive Action Recruitment Campaign. I am a member of Chapter at Wakefield Cathedral and it is through this role that I was invited to become a Governor at Trinity Academy Cathedral.

The Christian Ethos of Trinity Academy Cathedral supports this viewpoint and provides a culture that allows young people to reach their full potential and become valuable members of society.

People of all levels of academic ability should have access to career opportunities and I am an advocate for apprenticeships and T-Level qualifications. I am a Route Panel Member with the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education, which has responsibility for ensuring that apprenticeship standards and T-Level qualifications are high quality and meet the needs of employers, apprentices, learners and the economy at large.

My background is in Education, Art and Enterprise in particular, having taught Art and Design up to ‘A’ level in the South Yorkshire area for many years in some quite challenging schools. Currently I am a senior GCSE examiner for one of the examination boards, training teachers how to mark their students work, overseeing a team of moderators and visiting a number of schools in June where I moderate their GCSE Art and Design work, which all helps to keep me thoroughly up to date with changes in secondary education.

I am an active member of the congregation at Wakefield Cathedral, having worshipped there for 25 years, serving as a Church Warden for six years and currently a lay member of the Cathedral Chapter, a role I find especially rewarding as we plan Phase 3 of the Cathedral’s development.

Outside of work and other interests, I am a ‘paper sculptor’, creating figures from white cartridge paper in sizes ranging from 30cms up to life-size, leading workshops in schools, WI’s, Flower Clubs and working on individual commissions.

I thoroughly enjoy being a Governor at Trinity Academy Cathedral and being part of the school's exciting journey into the future.