School Governors

I have worked at Penketh Primary School for the last 10 years initially teaching Year 1, Reception Class and as Deputy Headteacher. For the last 3 years I have been Headteacher and I feel very proud to hold that position and to be part of our Governing body driving this school forward.

It is a privilege to come into work each day and be instrumental in the scaffolding of children’s learning.  Teaching is a job that you can never get bored with or feel that each day is the same.  Children’s natural curiosity, energy and enthusiasm ensure that from the moment they enter the classroom the learning adventure begins.  I feel strongly that we have a responsibility to ensure all our pupils become life-long learners and that can only develop through knowing each child’s unique starting point, interests and learning styles, and building strong links with parents.  From this foundation the sky really is the limit for our pupils.  Or as my very clever Year 1 class once told me, “No, the universe is the limit!” 

Being part of the Governing body has reinforced to me, the dedication, commitment and continual strive for improvement that our governors and staff have for all the pupils in our care.  A Governing body should be a “critical friend” of the school and hold all stakeholders to account to continually improve the education offered to meet the pupils’ needs. I have been a teacher for the last 24 years working in a variety of Local Authorities and catchment areas in the Northwest.  Each school I have worked at has been unique, as has each Local Authority.  When I moved to Warrington Local Authority 14 years ago I was told that we are a “family of schools” - I thought this was a tag line.  However 14 years later, I fully endorse this and am delighted to be a part of this family of schools that support, challenge and improve education for all pupils across Warrington, based on mutual respect, collaboration and again a constant drive for high standards for all.

Twelve years ago I completed a National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators with Edge Hill University and have been a SENCo ever since.  It is a role that enables me to work alongside and be an advocate for pupils, parents, governors, staff and outside agencies, to ensure that our high aspirations for all pupils can be met and that families are fully supported on each step of the journey within Primary and beyond.   I have aspirations to develop my knowledge further and complete my Masters once my own children are a little older and someone manages to create a 30 hour day!  As I tell our pupils your only limitation is yourself, so always dream big!

Anyone who visits Penketh Primary School always comments that the pupils are at the heart of all we do, they are the ultimate driving force and task masters.  Their voice is strong, listened to, respected and acted upon.  Over the last 9 years I have learnt a great deal from inspirational staff, Governors and pupils and I am looking forward to continuing to be part of this school.

As a former pupil, Penketh Primary School is a place that I’ve cared greatly about for as long as I can remember.  My eldest son, Hayden, started Reception in September and I have two younger boys (Luke and Jack) who will eventually join too, so it’s really important for me to be involved with the school... I’ll be standing at those school gates for many years yet! 

I love travelling and have lived and worked around the world before returning to Penketh in 2010 and undertaking a complete house renovation. In the little bit of free time that I have, I also enjoy watching live music or reading Carl Hiaasen books.

Career-wise, I worked in utilities and desalination for a number of years before joining Central Government 8 years ago. I’m committed to helping the public sector be the best it can be and I am looking forward to applying my experiences and skills to my role as Parent Governor.

I am a secondary school teacher of Computer Science and have been in the teaching profession for 12 years.  I have lived in Callands and Great Sankey all of my life and consider myself to be an active community member.  I have a son, Ted, who is in Year 5 and also have triplets Arthur, Alice and Stanley who are in Year 1.  I hope to bring a lot to the role of governor at Penketh Primary School and I am always approachable for any feedback you may have about the school.  I am really looking forward and excited to work with the fantastic team of staff at the school.

I’ve worked in health and social care for over 25 years and am currently Head of Services for a third sector organisation supporting people across the country. I’m excited to join the Local Governing Committee and I hope that I can use my knowledge and experience to contribute to the ongoing success of the school.

In my spare time I love travelling, designing and baking novelty cakes and having fun with my nieces.
 

I have lived and worked in and around Warrington all my life. I have a scientific background and initially trained to teach primary aged children. Life took me in a different direction and I spent 40+ years working in Safety within the nuclear industry. During that time I spent a number of years studying for a degree in a range of sciences based on my personal interests with the Open University. This primarily covered geology and environmental engineering, but also included other topics such as biology.

I have recently retired and am now picking up some of the interests I had in my teens such as learning to sing and playing the piano. I am committed to lifelong learning and that Sciences can be fun at any age. I am also keen to encourage everyone to take up sciences which can be very rewarding. I am excited to be a part of the team and look forward to using the skills I have gained over the years to help in my role as a Governor.

I have been involved with governance for nearly fourteen years, holding many roles within WPAT and formerly within Penketh Primary. A passionate educationalist, my reasons for being involved with the trust are many, most importantly to help the operational team to provide the best education possible for the children. 

I have had the privilege to work at our school since 2006 having previously worked for National Westminster Bank and in the software industry as a computer analyst/programmer. After having a family, I changed career in 1999, completing a Certificate in Education in the Adult Education sector and spent the next 6 years teaching ICT at Priestley College.

I joined Penketh Primary initially to offer ICT support and to work within upper KS2 on a one-to-basis offering additional Maths & Reading support. This allowed me to build up many years of experience and to work alongside some excellent practitioners. In 2012, due to my previous business and finance experience, I was asked to change my role within school and was appointed Office Manager. Since 2016 I have been Business Manager, responsible for managing all the administrative, financial, HR/personnel and Health & Safety aspects of the school.

I am proud to be part of our excellent school and the wider community. As a member of staff, I can speak for every member of our team, when I say each and every child matters and we all strive to ensure their talents and skills are recognised and given the space to grow.

My name is Linda Humphries and I am School Direct Manager for Generate Teaching Hub.  I've been employed by WPAT since 2021 having previously worked as a primary school teacher in Warrington for more than twenty years.  I am familiar with Penketh Primary School through my role as lead mentor to trainee teachers and have visited many times over the years.  As a governor, it is a privilege to be able to support the progress and achievements of the school community.

I’m currently a Trainee Child and Educational Psychologist studying a doctorate at the University of Manchester whilst completing my placement at Wigan Council. I studied Psychology for my Undergraduate degree at Sheffield University and since then, I have worked in the third sector for an educational charity and then in a specialist provision as an Assistant Educational Psychologist. I’m passionate about equity for children and young people and I am looking forward to my first role as a governor at this lovely school.

When I’m not studying, I like baking, spending time outdoors, socialising with friends, playing netball and going to the gym.