Members
Chair of Governors : Barry Harwood, Co-opted Governor
Barry Harwood : I have the privilege of being Chair of Governors of the Wallisdean Federation. I have been a governor at Wallisdean for 11 years and have over 20 years’ experience of school governance both in primary and secondary schools, as well as Local Authority and Academy. I am a qualified teacher and worked in primary education for 24 years. I moved to higher education after my headship and spent 11 years working as a Senior Lecturer and Initial Teacher Education Partnership Manager overseeing the practical training of student teachers in school at a local University. This September I escaped the world of full-time work and I am currently a part-time PhD student working in the field of education at the University of Portsmouth. I also am an associate tutor for school leaders working towards National Professional Qualifications for school leadership.
Vice Chair of Governors: Michelle Young, Co-opted Governor
Michelle Young : My name is Michelle Young, I have been a governor for a number of years now and have really enjoyed seeing both schools develop and thrive. I have a special interest in Wallisdean as I attended the schools myself as a child. Another passion of mine is the education of children and young people and I have a particular specialism in the younger children in the school as my own career is centred around early years. I currently work at a local college educating older children to care for early years children. The skills I have gained through my career and also being a parent myself all help me to support the direction of the schools.
Claire Crumpton, Co-opted Governor
Claire Crumpton: Hello, my name is Claire Crumpton and I have been a Governor of Wallisdean for the last 10 years off and on and the Federation since its inception. I serve on the Resources committee, with a background in Finance and my role is that of Safeguarding and SEND, Inclusion and Mental Health and Wellbeing Governor. My eldest child was educated here at Wallisdean and my youngest is in Year 5. I have volunteered at Wallisdean for the last 13 years in various roles. We have all worked hard alongside Mrs Cammish and all the staff and teachers, to ensure that we have the best possible outcomes for all our pupils, and we are confident that is will be reflected in our next Ofsted inspection. Our collective role as governors, is to Support and Challenge the whole team, and I love to ask questions, to ensure I have as much knowledge as possible. We have struggled this year to visit the schools, but with the help of virtual meetings, we have been able to ensure that our children are getting the best support, and that the impact on their learning and Mental Wellbeing is minimized.
James Fowler, Parent Governor
James Fowler : I am James Fowler and I became a parent governor at the Wallisdean Federation just over a year ago. In that time it has been very encouraging seeing first hand all of the hard work Mrs Cammish and all of the staff are putting into the schools. It’s been a pleasure to be involved with various committees and being a part of the work to secure all our children the best future. I work providing IT and Business consultancy to various government agencies and hope to put my troubleshooting and analytical skills to good use to help keep driving the momentum of improvement across the federation.
Samantha Gardner, Parent Governor
Jill Phelan, Staff Governor
Jill Phelan : I have had links with Wallisdean for the past 13 years, initially as a parent, the youngest two of my five children attended Wallisdean schools, and as a member of staff for almost 11 years. I have been part of WFA, the schools’ fundraising body, since 2007 and took up my post as a governor in 2010. I also own and run WoW Club, the Breakfast and After School Clubs that serves the Federation.
The Wallisdean schools are particularly important to me and being a governor allows me to play an active role in the schools’ ongoing development. Although my primary focus is standards and achievement, I love the fact that the Federation of Wallisdean is about the whole child and providing as many opportunities and experiences beyond the curriculum as possible. It continues to be a rewarding experience to be part of a team that has witnessed incredible growth and positive change in the schools over the past decade with a clear focus for the future.
Mary Thomson, Co-opted Governor
Mary Thomson : I trained as a teacher, gaining a Teachers Certificate with Distinction, and later a Bachelor of Education, in the east end of London and spent all my working life in Primary schools in London, Cornwall, Australia and Hampshire. I really enjoyed it and wanted to continue with a connection to school in some way. I became a Governor, at the Junior School, after I finished working and found it very good, I could talk to the children, assist on school trips, and help teachers in other ways, such as hearing readers. I have volunteered, in Key Stage 1, as a Road Safety Trainer for the Streets Ahead scheme. I am also an invigilator at a Secondary school.
Jaime Whale, Co-opted Governor
Jaime Whale : I was delighted to be appointed as a governor in November 2020 and I welcome the opportunity to support the children, parents and staff of the Wallisdean Federated Schools. I have served in the Army for the last 21 years and fulfilled varying roles including; implementing and advising on discipline policies and procedures, auditing of accounts, payroll and managing budgets. In my current position as a Regimental Administrative Warrant Officer, I lead a team of HR Specialists in delivering all aspects of administration to our Battalion. My daughter started at Wallisdean Infant in September 2020 and I believe it is vital that there is a direct connection between the pupils, parents, staff and the school’s leadership team. With this in mind, I’m excited to be assisting the Wallisdean Federated Schools in continuing to give all children an outstanding educational experience.
Resigned from the Governing Body within the last 12 months
Evelyn Wrixon - 29/8/2020
