Lynda Taylor

Community Governor, Chair of Governors, Chair – Strategy Committee, Student Personal Development Link Governor, Careers Link Governor, Sustainability Link Governor

Currently, I have the privilege of serving Meadowhead School Community Trust as the Chair of the Governing Body. I chair the Full Governors' Meeting and the Strategy Committee and attend all the sub-committees. I also act as the link governor for personal development and careers education.

 

Lisa Read

Community Governor, Joint Vice Chair of Governors, Chair – Teaching & Achievement Committee, SEND Link Governor, Governor Training Lead

As well as being a long-standing governor, I have worked in education for years. My passion for education began with a career as a teaching assistant, before progressing to becoming a higher-level teaching assistant, then qualifying as a teacher and eventually becoming a senior leader. My main senior role was as SENDCo/Inclusion Manager, which I loved because it's all about making a difference to some of the most vulnerable learners in school, plus their families. I now run a coaching and training organisation where I get to work closely with leaders, including education leaders, from across the UK. As a governor at Meadowhead I am the link lead for SEND, and I have a chairing role. I also buddy and support newer governors.

 

Andy James

Community Link Governor, Joint Vice-Chair of Governors, Vice-Chair – Teaching & Achievement Committee, Quality of Education Link Governor

I have been a governor at Meadowhead School since 2022 when my son entered Year 7. Before this I was a governor at Norton Free Primary School - the school that both my children used to attend. I find it highly rewarding that I can help to contribute to the school's improvement through the challenge and support we as a governing body can provide to the Head Teacher, the leadership team and the wider school. There is a real sense of the school continuing to move forward and it is great to be part of it.

 

Richard Law

Community Governor, Chair – Finance & Resources Committee

In my view being a Community Governor of Meadowhead is a hands-on charitable activity as you are giving your time and experience to the school rather than just writing cheques.  Being able to contribute to making a difference to children’s lives over a number of years is tremendously rewarding.

 

Peter Wilson

Community Governor, Joint Behaviour Link Governor

After qualifying and working as a Chemistry teacher in secondary schools in Lancashire & Cheshire from 1982, I moved to Sheffield in 1989 to a post in Science teacher training & education at Sheffield Hallam University, where I became Programme Leader for Secondary Education courses in 2007. After taking early retirement in 2015, I was appointed to Meadowhead School as a parent governor whilst my own 2 daughters were studying here. Following a 4-year term as a parent governor, I stayed on as a Community Governor, held a Vice-Chair of Governors role & chaired the Pupils’ Committee for a few years and I am currently a link governor for Behaviour. I live within Meadowhead’s catchment area and, though my own children have now moved on from Meadowhead, I have continued to bring my own experience and skills to bear to strive to ensure that Meadowhead School is always worthy of the great trust that our parents and young people place in us.

 

Debbie Clark

Community Governor, Safeguarding and Attendance Link Governor

I have a background in Healthcare and Higher Education and have found a lot of skills from my work life very useful in supporting the school.

During the time I have volunteered as a governor I have particularly enjoyed getting to know the school better, working with the teachers and meeting pupils, both formally in meetings where we have discussed topics related to safeguarding and at school events such as productions and parents evenings.

I look forward to continue to work with the governing body in the next few years to support Meadowhead to fulfil its ambitions.

 

Avril James

Staff Governor

I occupy a unique position. I have worked in Education for 32 years now and have been fortunate enough to experience the teaching of many different superb teachers. I have worked alongside pupils and experienced the classroom environment from both sides of the desk. I have enjoyed excellent relationships with teachers/teaching assistants and pupils/students alike, along with other support staff in school.

I am a parent and a grandparent. Myself (Brinsworth Secondary) and my children (Winterhill. Rotherham) went through the same kind of schooling system as Meadowhead School.

I am passionate about education and am personally invested in achieving the best possible results for the students in my care. I feel privileged to work in a school that represents such a wide cross section of society. I would play an active and enthusiastic role on the Governing Body of Meadowhead School and Sixth Form and am keen to be involved in the sub-committees addressing both Behaviour and Teaching and Learning.

 

Serena Thorpe

Parent Governor

I have a passion for ensuring that all children with varying abilities and backgrounds are able to access the best possible start in life by way of enabling a steady and holistic school environment. I am a nurse in general practice, with a background in clinical governance and leadership. I have experience implementing positive change and developing people’s skills and knowledge by way of enabling access to training and development opportunities.

I have experience in audit, policy review, managing risks and complaints and developing standard operating procedures, in order to implement positive change at an organisation level.

My child is a stand-up citizen for the school, who is very conscientious and enthusiastic about her education which we promote at home. As her parent I have helped her through a difficult transition to secondary school and coming from a diverse background myself, I feel I can be an advocate and empowering influence for pupils and staff alike.

 

Sarah Slowther

Parent Governor

I have a daughter in Year 8 and a son who will start at Meadowhead in September 2027.

I’m currently Director of Operations at Voluntary Action Sheffield (VAS), a registered charity supporting the voluntary and community sector across Sheffield. I work closely with our trustee board, which works in a similar way to a governing body, setting the strategic direction of the charity and ensuring we deliver in line with our values, budget and risk appetite. I have experience of developing and managing budgets, risk management, HR, income generation and fundraising. I’m responsible for trustee recruitment and induction.

 

Helen Batty

Parent Governor, Sixth Form Link Governor

I am a physiotherapist by background and have been teaching future healthcare professionals at Sheffield Hallam University for over 20 years. My experience in health and education has been invaluable in supporting the school as a governor. As a parent, I am passionate about helping Meadowhead School be the best it can be and committed to empowering all young people to reach their full potential. I particularly enjoy meeting staff, parents and prospective parents at school events. I believe in collaboration between staff, governors, and the Meadowhead community to create an environment where all children can thrive.

 

Katie Arundale

Community Governor, HR and Staff Wellbeing Link Governor

Having grown up in a home where both my parents were teachers, I've always had an interest in Education. I applied to be a Governor as a way to contribute to the local community. I enjoy seeing the Education sector from the perspective of a Community Governor, and increasing my understanding of how to support the success of the school by participating in the Pupils, and Finance & Resources Committees. For my day job, I work in HR in the Recycling industry.

 

Chris Murphy

Meadowhead Together Governor, Joint Behaviour Link Governor

Having spent my entire career in healthcare (Microbiology) and then tertiary education (Course Leader, Associate Dean, Head of Biomedical and Forensic Sciences), I have for many years held governance responsibilities with a focus on teaching, learning, assessment and student experience. Governance also played a major part in my role as Chair of Education for my professional body. It therefore seemed a sensible move to continue this thread once retired. I spent a year as a governor at a Chesterfield school, moving recently to the role at Meadowhead where my eldest grandson is presently in Y12. I am looking forward to getting to know the school better and use my experience to ensure students at the school receive the best educational experience possible.

 

Rachael Brown

Staff Governor

The role of a staff governor is a particular challenge, and it can be difficult to achieve the balance between being involved in the day to day running of the school and, whilst fulfilling the role, be part of the team that impartially formulates the strategic direction that will deliver the best education for children now and in the future.

I have a central role as the Senior Behaviour Manager, responsible for the team that undertakes the challenging task of ensuring that the school’s standards for behaviour are rigorously maintained, whilst at the same time encouraging pupils to follow a path that avoids any negative contact with the Behaviour Team. In this role I work closely with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to ensure that the Behaviour Team’s approach is constantly aligned with the School’s behaviour policy.

My previous role at Meadowhead was as a Pastoral Manager. In that role I worked closely with colleagues at all levels and external agencies to make a difference to children who faced extreme challenges. In this capacity I came to realise that the best outcomes only occur when the SLT, Teaching and Support staff work together seamlessly and I am confident that I will be able to represent the school’s support staff as a governor and voice their opinions where appropriate.

In either of the two roles that I have been fortunate enough to undertake so far, I continue to be passionate about ensuring that all children, including my own, recognise their full potential and leave us having experienced the happiest years of their young lives. I constantly strive to identify and remove any barriers to attaining this goal. 

I am friendly, open minded and able to listen to points of view. My work brings me into contact with colleagues in most of the roles within the school, so I believe I am well positioned to bring a well-rounded staff perspective to this important work. 

Ultimately, I welcome the opportunity to:

• Help to decide the priorities for improving the school
• Work in partnership with the headteacher, senior leadership team and other staff to ensure that other governors have an understanding of the working of the school
• Take any opportunity to promote the interests of the school in the wider community
• Be aware of staff opinions and present these to the governing body where appropriate
• Share my experience with the Board and my vision to make a difference in the interest of all the children’s futures.

 

Richard Beigel

Staff Governor

I have worked at Meadowhead for my entire career, since 2009, as a teacher of English, Head of Year in the Sixth Form and I have also worked as Head of Department here at Meadowhead. I feel very much a part of this school’s community and being a staff governor gives me further opportunity to contribute, and represent my colleagues. I am very proud of the achievements of the school and especially the sixth form, which I have had the privilege of being part of almost since its inception. I am passionate about my subject, about comprehensive education, and about giving our fantastic students as many opportunities and experiences as possible, while also preparing them for life beyond secondary school.