Co-opted Governor/Parent Trustee(Chair)

My name is Laura Hemmaway, my husband and I have two children our eldest is 7 and currently in year 3 and our youngest is 3 and attends Lilliput Pre-school. As a parent I am passionate in my desire to help the school achieve the best possible school experience for all children, which will in turn help to give them the best start for a happy, healthy life as they grow. Like every other parent, I want the very best for my children. I want them to be happy, confident and achieve to the best of their ability. I will use the skills I have gained in both my working and personal life to benefit the school, to the best of my ability.

Co-opted Governor

Having spent the last three years enjoying my retirement, I now feel ready to enter the education world again. I worked at Alderman Jacobs school for the whole of my career and made many friends and colleagues along the way. I enjoy living in the town and seeing ex-pupils and following them in their careers and life events.

I am very much aware of the challenges that can affect schools and hope that I could use my previous experience to support the school community in the future.

Previously, I have been part of the Governing body at a local secondary school from which I only resigned to focus on the AJS Governing body.

I hope I can offer the skills you are looking for.

Parent Governor

I would like to become a school governor to help the school achieve its aspirations and strategic objectives. I have 2 young sons who attend AJS and it’s also where I went to school, so I’m very much invested in wanting to help the school to be the best it can be.

In terms of experience, I am a Change Delivery Manager responsible for 3 software engineering teams comprising 25-30 people of different skill sets, backgrounds, personalities, and motivations. I am responsible for ensuring that we have a strong culture where people can share their opinions and perspectives in a constructive way. Alongside this, I also work with senior stakeholders to build roadmaps aligned to achieving our strategic goals.

These high-level responsibilities demonstrate synergies with the parent governor role where there is a need to bridge one set of stakeholders with another, with the aim of delivering mutual aspirations.

I also have a strong desire to give back to the community which has usually involved raising money for charity in various ways, from running a marathon to organising a music festival, washing cars, bake sales, Christmas markets and much more. It’s a passion I really enjoy.

Headteacher

After teaching in London and the USA earlier in my career, I worked for over 16 years as a Headteacher in Peterborough, including spells as an Executive Headteacher and Director of Primary Education in a Multi-Academy Trust.  I was delighted to be appointed as Headteacher at Alderman Jacobs in January 2024 and join the Local Governing Committee within the Soke Education Trust. 

I aim to build on the many strengths of the school and ensure that every child is safe and happy and, through our curriculum,  is equipped with the knowledge, skills and understanding to succeed in later life. Our Governors have a key role in supporting school leaders to analyse and review important aspects of school life, especially safeguarding, pupil outcomes and special educational needs, offering a balance of support and challenge.

Co-opted Governor

As a Mum to two energetic and inquisitive boys, one of which is currently at AJS in year 1, I am passionate about the value that education and a healthy school community brings. It is important to me that they, along with all children, have access to an education that is responsive, aspirational and recognises their individual needs and contexts. I believe a child’s ability to engage with education is built upon a foundation of emotional wellbeing; with children, families and school staff feeling part of an environment that is, connected, happy and secure.

I work as clinical psychologist supporting children, adults, and systems with their psychological wellbeing. I have over ten years’ experience in this field, including within education settings and currently work with families in the perinatal period. As a psychologist, I also have experience in service development/improvement, audit, and research.

Our children spend so much of their time at school, and I would love the opportunity to use my values and skills to contribute meaningfully to the school community; being involved in decision-making and shaping the school ethos to ensure that it is inclusive, holistic and nurtures children and their families to thrive.

Co-opted Governor/AJS Trustee

I have worked in education for many years and am an experienced teacher and senior leader. I have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of effective school leadership and the impact that this has on raising standards across a variety of different settings. My skills of data analysis, knowledge and understanding of the special educational needs and disabilities and safeguarding and ability to challenge (through a constructive manner) are all attributes that I feel would allow me to be an effective trustee and be supportive and constructive in helping school continue to develop. I also have a deep understanding of curriculum and the need for a purposeful intent that is tailored to our community.

Throughout my professional career I have worked hard to deepen my understanding of effective school leadership and have successfully led areas of development in three schools, each with their own unique strengths and challenges. I enjoy working collaboratively with colleagues in order to find solutions to make ‘good’ even better. I constantly strive to question ‘so what?’ in order to develop next steps to raise standards for all learners.

I hope that I will be able to work with you both to help Alderman Jacobs Primary School continue to grow and excel and make our community a richer place.

Staff Governor

I am writing to express my interest in the position of Primary School Staff Governor. With a robust background in educational assessment, a comprehensive understanding of school improvement strategies, and a dedicated role in staff wellbeing, I believe I am well-suited to contribute positively to the governance of our school.

In my role as Assistant Headteacher, I have developed a profound understanding of school improvement processes. I have been actively involved in mentoring teachers within the phases that I led as well as subject leaders (Writing and English), which has deepened my knowledge of continuous professional development; helping them to achieve their goals and contributing to the overall academic success of improving progress.  This role has also provided me with a strong foundation in planning across all subjects, ensuring that each plan aligns with and supports our school's vision; allowing me to advocate clearly when in communication at governors meetings.

Historically, I have had the privilege of leading English at our school for three years. During this time, I have gained valuable insights into driving sustainable change to foster school improvement. My efforts in this role have equipped me with the skills needed to implement effective strategies that result in long-term benefits to improving standards.

Through both my current and previous roles, my knowledge of assessment practices is another area where I can offer substantial value. I have been involved in various assessment processes, including formative and summative evaluations, which has given me a comprehensive understanding of the pupil performance metrics and the ways in which these assessments can inform teaching strategies and curricular adjustments. Thus, having a  wide perspective on how to use assessment data to drive school improvement and enhance pupil outcomes. This holistic view is critical for making informed decisions that will benefit the entire school community and be beneficial to have when attending governor meetings.

As a member of the staff wellbeing team, I have been an advocate for supporting staff to have a voice by gaining significant insights into current areas of development as well as key strengths. This has then led to actively participating in initiatives aimed at improving mental health and professional satisfaction among staff, which has equipped me with a keen understanding of the challenges and opportunities within our educational community. My efforts in this role have been driven by a commitment to fostering a culture of wellness, which I believe is fundamental to the overall success and improvement of the school.

Furthermore, I pride myself on the strong, positive relationships I have built with my colleagues. These relationships are grounded in integrity and honesty, qualities that I believe are essential for a Staff Governor. I am committed to representing the views and concerns of the staff effectively and ensuring that their voices are heard in the decision-making processes.

In conclusion, I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to serve as a Primary School Staff Governor and am confident that my skills and experiences make me a suitable candidate for this role. I look forward to the possibility of contributing to the continued success and improvement within our school.

I am passionate about education and dedicated to the continued success and improvement at Alderman Jacobs I am confident that my skills, experience, and commitment make me a suitable candidate for the role of Staff Governor. I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the strategic direction and governance of our school.

Co-opted Trustee

I am 47 years old and have lived in Whittlesey since I married 26 years ago. I have 2 grown up daughters. Prior to having children, I worked in finance at Pearl Assurance and then moved on to be a customer advisor at Norwich and Peterborough. When my daughters were younger I wanted a role that would fit in with being a mum and started in 2005 as a receptionist/finance assistant at Nene Valley Primary School. In 2007 I enrolled on and completed the Certificate of School Business Management. Whilst undertaking the qualification I was promoted to Office Manager at the school. In 2008 it was decided that the school would be extended from a 210 to a 315 roll. I oversaw, alongside the LA, the building project and as the school was expanding decided to continue my studies to undertake the Diploma in School Business Management. Once I completed this I was promoted to the new position of School Business Manager. At the same time in 2008 I was elected as Staff Governor. I still serve as a Governor at the school today and during my time have had many differing roles and I am currently the EYFS link Governor and the named SEN/inclusion Governor.

In 2017 we started the process of setting up a Multi Academy Trust alongside 2 other local primary Schools. During this time, I was invited, along with the other SBM’s at the 2 other primary schools, to undertake the CIPFA Level 7 Certificate in School Financial and Operational Leadership which I completed in June 2018. The Academy was formed on 1st March 2019 and I applied and was appointed to the role of Chief Finance Officer for the Trust in April 2019. As part of my role, I report regularly to the Chair of Trustees and sit in on the HR and Finance Committee and the Audit and Risk Committee offering advice and information as required. Although my day to day role has changed drastically during the last 18 months I enjoy the challenge and never lose sight of the reason that I work within the Trust which is the children we serve.

I would relish the opportunity to help and support another Trust with the knowledge that I have earned during my 15 years working within the education sector and as Alderman Jacobs is in my home town it would be an opportunity for me to support the children within my local community.