Governance

Shirley has worked for 25 years across all sectors of education, particularly in schools in challenging circumstances. She has extensive experience in the strategic development of inclusion programmes and pastoral care within schools; whole school behaviour management, Safeguarding, Attendance, Whole School Improvement and reporting to Governing bodies, trusts and inspection teams. As part of her consultancy work, she completes assessments for the Inclusion Quality Mark Award and carries out safeguarding reviews, behaviour audits and leadership and management mentoring for leaders working across Inclusion. Shirley has been an active governor for over 15 years. This has included the roles of Chair of Governors for a small primary school and Chair of a Federation for a group of 3 small primary schools. Shirley has more recently been appointed as a trustee for the Penrose Learning Trust.

Catherine joined the Governing Body as their Clerk in April 2022. She has been a project manager in the NHS for over thirty years, both at Ipswich Hospital and other hospitals in the southeast. She was a governor and clerk of governors in a large primary school in Barnet, north London before moving back to Suffolk. She is now a clerk for several schools in the area and also still do some project work for the NHS. She is a volunteer with Girlguiding in her spare time.

She is currently the KS1 Leader at Hillside Primary School. She has two grown-up sons. She has worked in a variety of schools in various roles for 21 years. When she was growing up, she attended a strict Catholic primary and high school, where she felt there was little in place to address the emotional needs of the children. She is passionate about ensuring every child feels valued and heard.