Governors play a key role in any school. The governors at Arbour Academy are an important part of the school family and help to ensure the school is supported at every turn.
Arbour’s governance is facilitated by Governor Hub which oversees both The Kassia and Arbour Academy. All members of the Governing body are appointed by the full committee and agreed by the Trust Board. Community and Associate members are chosen and selected to bring relevant skills to support the school. Staff and Parent members are then approved by the full committee.
I became the Chair of Governors at The Kassia Academy in October 2024 and I am very committed to contributing fully to both the Governing Body and the School community.
I live in Westbrook with my wife Caroline and am very active in the local education community.
As well as my role as a Governor at Arbour, I am Governor at Callands Primary, I am also Chair of Governors at another Warrington Primary School and a co-opted Governor at a third Warrington School. I consult on the e-safety groups for six Warrington Primary Schools and act as Data Protection Officer for another local school.
I have owned and operated EDAC Solutions for almost twenty years, providing ICT support exclusively to Warrington Schools and, through this, I have become deeply involved in the Warrington Education Community with the interests of all our young learners at heart.
I have a very unusual hobby, which the children in our school find fascinating. I keep many of the worlds most venomous snakes, assisting in research into anti-venom for developing and third world countries. This research saves many many lives.
I work as a Sales & Marketing Manager for a worldwide inspection company where I am responsible for expanding our commercial profile, sales and coverage, both here in the UK and globally.
I graduated from the University of Salford with a BSC Honours Degree in Information Technology, then started work as IT Manager for Pacific Brands UK Limited, before moving into sales and becoming a Senior Sales Executive for Sheridan UK.
I am also a volunteer at Cycling Projects/Wheels for All (a national UK cycling charity which promotes inclusive cycling through a range of successful community engagement programmes that give people the opportunity to cycle on a regular basis; through help, support and guidance). In my spare time I enjoy Travel, Cooking, Reading, Languages, Walking & Fashion/Dressmaking
I have worked for Oakwood Academy since 2010 and held many positions within this time. I started as a 1.1 worker progressing to Teaching assistant, learning mentor, lead learning mentor and inclusion manager/ Deputy safeguarding lead. I am also the staff governor, representing both staff and pupil voice to all governing bodies.
More recently, alongside my role as Inclusion Manager I have taken up the position of the Director of Trust Safeguarding, working for Kings Academy Trust, overseeing the safeguarding practices and procedures for all trust schools working in collaboration with them to ensure outstanding practice throughout.
From the moment I began my career at Oakwood, I realised my passion for supporting the most vulnerable young people in the community, being an advocate for them and their families to ensure their safety and inclusion, not just within an education environment but for their future lives.
Throughout my teaching career I have worked in large comprehensive 11-16 high schools. My career has taken me from teaching maths in Stockport, through Head of Department in a central Manchester high school, to senior leadership in Tameside and Headteacher in Salford. I have been in my current post since June 2019. I believe that children who have suffered adverse childhood experiences need the highest levels of support and care to help them achieve and participate as active members of their community and that high quality alternative education provision is key to this.
Having become disillusioned from the mainstream education system I moved to The Canterbury Centre (Arbour Academy) in 2014. As well as teaching math's, I am also a certified yoga teacher and hold a further qualification in ‘Teaching Yoga and Mindfulness to Teenagers’.
I believe that having a diverse range of views an essential part of making up a successful management committee, and look forward to this exciting opportunity to set a strategic direction where we can embed an ambitious curriculum, invest in CPD for staff and hold leaders to account for the academic and social outcomes of our pupils.
I have extensive experience working within secure environments, as well as in roles such as Pastoral Manager and Registered Manager for looked-after children and young people.
Throughout my career, my work has focused on engaging with children and adolescents who present complex challenges, utilising a trauma-informed approach to promote positive outcomes.
I am highly skilled in delivering meaningful interactions and targeted interventions that support children and young people in managing crisis situations, building resilience, and developing emotional regulation.
My professional practice is grounded in empathy, consistency, and a strong commitment to creating a safe and supportive environment in which every young person can thrive. I take pride in maintaining composure under pressure, demonstrating empathy in her practice, and fostering nurturing spaces where all children and young people feel valued, understood, and supported.
I am passionate about our pupils, their families, and the dedicated staff who support them every day. I want to give something back to the school by helping ensure every young person has the chance to achieve a positive outcome. I’m an effective communicator, able to connect with people from all walks of life, and I enjoy working as part of a team to find solutions and make a difference.
