FORT Federation
"Living, loving and learning forever:
becoming the best as we journey together"
Being able to support the federation through volunteering as governor is something I am very proud of. I’m able to use my skills and experience as a chartered management accountant to provide financial oversight and scrutiny to the school budgets, as well as the various other strategic responsibilities we carry out as part of our roles. I live in Awliscombe and feel lucky to say that both my children have attended Awliscombe primary school and we couldn’t have asked for more for them, so I’m really pleased to be in a position to give something back to both school communities. I feel we have a very strong governing board, from a diverse range of backgrounds, and this positions us well as a team to support the amazing staff who work across the federation.
I was invited to become a Foundation Governor in September 2013 initially for Awliscombe Primary School where my two children attend school, and since September 2015 for the Fort Federation. I am very proud to have been voted in as Chair of Governors in September 2016 by my fellow Governors. I have previously served as the Designated Governor for Special Educational Needs and Chair of the Teaching and Learning Committee.
I have worked as a School Nurse in the wider local area since 2010 and have a Post-Graduate Diploma in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing. My main remit within work is to improve the overall health outcomes of all children from 5-19 years of age. I am very passionate in my role as a School Nurse and I have a special interest in the emotional health and wellbeing of all children. I have a good working knowledge of Safeguarding processes and procedures, this is a skill I have utilised within my role as Designated Safeguarding Governor for the Fort Federation
I became a governor when our twin daughters were in Year one at Awliscombe Primary. They’ve now moved on, but I continue to enjoy the importance and variety of governor work, and working with an able and committed team of fellow governors and staff. I spent three years as chair of governors, but have now happily returned to being a ‘back-bencher’ on the T&L committee, where I have lead responsibility for Curriculum matters.
I spent many years working as a solicitor but now design and make furniture to commission. We live in Awliscombe.
Ex officio .Executive Headteacher
II have been teaching for 17 years. I spent 10 years teaching in the Midlands and was an assistant head of a large primary, before moving to Devon in 2011. I have taught a range of year groups in that time, though I have spent the last 6 years at Payhembury as a year 5/6 teacher. I have been the nominated staff governor for the past four years and in that time it has helped me to prepare for senior leadership, specifically my new role of Head of school; it has helped me to understand the strategic direction of the school/federation. I am now the representative for both schools on the governing body.
I came to Payhembury in 1991 from Pembrokeshire. All three of my daughters passed through Payhembury Primary, and I now have two grandchildren there, with a third starting later this year. I was Community Governor for Payhembury from 2013, and have been a Foundation Governor since Federation. I serve on the Resources and Pay Committee, and am lead Governor for Health and Safety.
My professional career has been in tropical and sub-tropical agricultural pest management. As such, my whole working life has been spent overseas on long-term development aid projects in a range of countries in Southern and East Africa, South East Asia, and the Middle East. These projects were funded by different donor governments, either directly or through consulting companies. Work has included pest management research, and extension and training of farmers and public and private sector staff. More recently, work involved advising governments on pest management and extension policy and strategy, and on pesticide legislation. These activities have involved working with people from a range of cultural backgrounds, at different levels from small-scale farmers to government ministers, and with national and international pesticide industry associations. I retired back to the UK in 2012 after completing two years in Afghanistan
Paul is a foundation governor for the FORT Federation having joined the governors of Payhembury School as a parent governor in 2012. Paul also sits on the finance and resources committee where he is able to use some of his professional expertise gained through his career in the investment management industry. Paul was attracted to join the governors from discussions with other parent governors at the time as he was keen to contribute to the running of the school as it has such an important part in the local community. All of Paul’s children have been pupils at Payhembury School and although a busy working life limits his regular involvement in the day to day activities of the schools, he is always keen to try and attend or help at school events.
I joined as a parent governor in early 2020. I was drawn to apply as I wanted to use my skills acquired in professional service environment to assist in the running of the school, to help provide the best possible outcomes for children across both schools. Parent governors are an important part of the wider Governor group. Being a parent governor you naturally have a desire for both schools to continually improve and to provide the best education possible to all children, your own included. Whilst remaining objective I can give feedback and insight on a parent's perspective of all aspects of the school experience, helping to suggest improvements and ensuring accountability. It has been a steep learning curve during difficult times but I am looking forward to developing my governing skills further and working with the rest of the board to help our two wonderful schools.
Sue is a retired parish priest and teacher and is the ex-officio foundation governor on the governing body.
- I visit both schools regularly to support the staff. I chair the Teaching and Learning committee and am involved in supporting the RE days across the Federation.
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