Meet the Governors

Charlotte Beadle  - Chair of Governors

 

Co-opted Governor

Responsibilities / Committees: Chair of Governing Body & EYFS / Curriculum & Finance

Date Appointed: 06/07/2018

Term of Office: Start & End Date: 06/07/2018 to 06/07/2021

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: None

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

 

Charlotte has been a parent governor since July 2014 and, in February 2019, was elected as Chair of Governors. Her children have been attending Whitchurch Combined School since 2012 when she and the Beadle family moved to the Aylesbury area, and Charlotte became a governor when her youngest started at the school in September 2014. Charlotte runs her own company providing compliance consultancy to the pharmaceutical industry, and as there are similarities in the governance of all organisations Charlotte felt she could help provide her experience to the school. The key role that all governors provide is to be a ‘critical friend’ to the school and given this is about the welfare and education of children Charlotte wanted to contribute her support to this. Charlotte is a member of the Finance and Management Committee and has governor responsibilities for Early Years Foundations Stage (EYFS).

 

Rachel Mobbs - Headteacher

 

Headteacher

Responsibilities / Committees: Safeguarding / Curriculum & Finance

Date Appointed: 01/09/2020

Term of Office: Start & End Date: 01/09/2020 to 01/09/2024

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: None

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

 

Rachel has been Headteacher at Whitchurch since September 2016. Before that, Rachel worked at a number of Buckinghamshire School's as a Deputy Head Teacher, Advanced Skills Teacher for English and as a Class Teacher. Rachel loves being the Head Teacher at Whitchurch and can still often be found in classrooms whether that is 'playing shops' with the Reception children or helping the Year 6s with their arithmetic skills! In her spare time, Rachel enjoys socialising with her friends and has recently got married!

 

Michael Roberts

 

Parent Governor

Responsibilities / Committees: Equality / Vice Chair Finance & Staff Dismissals & Pay Appeals

Date Appointed: 18/06/2019

Term of Office: Start & End Date: 18/06/2019 - 17/06/2023

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: None

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

 

Michael has been a parent governor since June 2019.  He and his wife have lived happily in Whitchurch since 2011, and both their children attend the school.  Michael has worked on behalf of business for 30 years on a range of public policy and reputational issues, most recently as Chief Executive of two trade associations.  He enjoys sport and is interested in architecture, history and the environment.  As governor, he aims to work with his fellow governors, the highly dedicated team at WCS and the wider community to promote the continuous improvement of the school.

 

Janet Sampson

 

Co-opted Governor

Responsibilities / Committees: Safeguarding, SEND / Curriculum Chair & Staff Dismissals & Staff Pay Appeals and Pupil Discipline

Date Appointed: 09/02/2019

Term of Office: Start & End Date: 09/02/2019 - 07/02/2023

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: None

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

 

Janet has been a Local Authority/co-opted governor for 7 years and is Chair of the Curriculum Committee. She is also currently responsible for safeguarding, SEN and gifted/talented provision. Her two children attended Whitchurch Combined School from 2003 to 2013. Why did she become a governor?  Having been an active member of the Whitchurch School Association and a parent volunteer when her own children were at Whitchurch, becoming involved on the governing body was another practical way to support and 'give something back' to the school and all its students - a worthwhile and hugely rewarding experience.  All schools face significant challenge and change in the current climate: being a governor helps you appreciate and understand the key role of education. Janet lives in Whitchurch and works full time as a Teacher of English at Aylesbury Grammar School.

 

Jane Holliday

 

Co-opted Governor

Responsibilities / Committees: Pupil Premium, Safeguarding, PSHE & HT Performance Management / Finance & Staff Dismissal & Pupil Discipline

Date Appointed: 31/10/2018

Term of Office: Start & End Date: 31/10/2018 - 31/10/2022

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: None

Governance roles in other educational institutions: Trustee of Secondary School MAT

 

Jane joined the Board of Governors in November 2019.  Jane lives in the village and both her children previously attended Whitchurch School in the late 1990s.  At that time Jane worked full time and had little involvement with the School and, now that she has retired (early!), she saw the vacancy for a Governor as the opportunity to contribute back into the school.  In Jane’s former career she was an HR Director for a global fmcg business and also ran her own consultancy for a number of years, and so she brings a knowledge of general management and a commercial perspective to her new role. Jane is a member of the Finance and Management Committee and her first impression of being a Governor is just how much reporting and data is involved in running a school!

 

Simon Patrick

 

Parent Governor

Responsibilities / Committees: Finance Chair

Date Appointed: 27/02/2017

Term of Office: Start & End Date: 27/02/2017 - 27/02/2021

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: None

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

 

Simon has been a parent governor since 2016 and is the vice chair of the finance committee. Simon is a Chartered Surveyor specialising in commercial property and has two children, Rory and Maisie, who are both at Whitchurch Combined School.

Simon became a school governor to help support the school, to understand the education system better and to assist in making the school a better place for our children. 

Outside of his day to day work, Simon is involved in the Bucks County Show and enjoys spending time with his family and his dog, Betsy.

 

Nathalie Nutbrown

 

Co-opted Governor

Responsibilities / Committees: Numeracy & Governor Development / Curriculum 

Date Appointed: 27/02/2017

Term of Office: Start & End Date: 27/02/2017 - 27/02/2021

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: None

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

 

My name is Nathalie Nutbrown and I am very pleased to be one of the governors of this wonderful school. I’m originally from Hong Kong and have now lived in the UK for over 20 years. In my role as governor I feel I can positively contribute to the school’s continued improvement. I will work with the parents, teachers, leadership team and other governors to help achieve and meet the objectives set, which will provide our children with the best platform to be successful. I have 2 children who attend the school and I’m passionate about their education.

I have a science background and have many years working within the pharmaceutical industry where I will look to apply this knowledge and skill set to my role as a governor.

 

Alison Atkinson

 

Staff (Teaching) Governor

Responsibilities / Committees: Curriculum

Date Appointed: 15/11/2019

Term of Office: Start & End Date: 15/11/2019 - 14/11/2023

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests:  None

Governance roles in other educational institutions:  None

 

Alison has worked in the educational setting for 9 years, working across a range of age groups. For the past 6 years she has been a primary school teacher - a job that she loves! Alison joined Whitchurch Combined School in September 2019 as the Year 4 class teacher and is responsible for coordinating Mathematics across the school. She also joined the Governors in September 2019 as she was keen to learn more about the school. In her spare time Alison enjoys being outdoors and particularly enjoys walking or cycling.

 

Mark Soar

 

Staff Governor

Responsibilities / Committees: Deputy Headteacher / Curriculum

Date Appointed: 09/10/2017

Term of Office: Start & End Date: 09/10/2017 - 08/10/2021

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: None

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

 

Mark is the Deputy Head at Whitchurch Combined School and has been a Governor here since September 2017 upon his arrival at the school. He has worked as a teacher and governor across Buckinghamshire for the last 15 years. As part of his role as Governor, he enjoys supporting other colleagues in developing a strategic vision for the school. Outside of school, Mark runs a local Junior football team and enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.

 

Helen Armour

 

Co-opted Governor

Responsibilities / Committees:  HT Performance management / Vice Chair, Finance & Staff Dismissal

Date Appointed: 03/03/2020

Term of Office: Start & End Date:  03/03/2020 - 03/03/2024

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: None

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

 

Helen joined the Board of Governors in February 2020 having moved to Whitchurch in 2016 from St Albans. Helen worked in the retail industry for many years in senior head office roles before moving into university teaching thirteen years ago and is now a Principal Lecturer teaching UG and PG students on applied business courses relating to her industry expertise. In addition to her teaching duties Helen is also one of the university's International Directors, responsible for establishing and building active relationships around the world. She has been a governor previously at a junior school in Harpenden and has also been a trustee for a local bereavement charity. Helen and her family have settled very happily in Whitchurch with both her grown up children living locally and she is keen to contribute to the life of the community and the school in particular. Helen is a member of the Finance and Management Committee and looks forward to utilising her business and education experience to the benefit of the school.

 

Gemma Cooling

 

Co-opted Governor

Responsibilities / Committees: Literacy Governor / Curriculum & Pupil Discipline

Date Appointed: 03/03/2020

Term of Office: Start & End Date: 03/03/2020 - 03/03/2024

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: None

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

 

Gemma joined the Board of Governors in March 2020. She lives in Oving with her husband and two young children. She is a qualified secondary English teacher and taught in schools across the country for ten years. As part of this role she managed a busy English department; giving her managerial experience as well as involvement in developing and executing strategic plans in an educational setting. These are skills that she hopes to bring to her role as Governor. Since starting her family Gemma has been self-employed running her own private tutoring business. Gemma hope that through her role she will be able to contribute positively to the school and the local community.

 

Philip Ridgway

 

Co-opted Governor

Responsibilities / Committees: Health & Safety / Finance & Staff Dismissal

Date Appointed: 10/02/2019

Term of Office: Start & End Date:  10/02/2019 - 09/02/2023

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: None

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

 

Philip has been a governor now for several years starting off as a staff governor and then when he took retirement in 2019 staying on the governing body. Philip worked at Whitchurch for a very happy and rewarding 15 years and before that he was a farmer for 30 years on the family farm in Quainton. He decided to retire to have more free time to follow his passion/hobby of trains going on main-line steam charters all around the country. Philip also enjoys walking and cooking with a particular like for baking cakes.

 

Mark Leeder 

 

Co-opted Governor

Responsibilities / Committees: Data Protection, Able Gifted and Talented/Curriculum 

Date Appointed: 6/10/2020

Term of Office: Start & End Date: 6/10/2020 to 6/10/2024

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: None

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

 

Mark joined the Board of Governors in October 2020.  He has lived in Whitchurch since 2014 when he and his family moved back to you UK having spent 4 years as an ex-pat working in senior finance roles for a global automotive retailer.  Mark is a qualified accountant with experience in several areas of commercial finance and investor relations. He currently has two daughters in Whitchurch School.  This is Marks first Governor position, he decided to become a Governor in order to give something back to the school, learn more about the educational system and use that experience to support the school, staff and children.  Outside of work Mark enjoys spending time with his family and running in the Chilterns.