Governors

Governors

Please click here for meeting attendance 2023-2024. For committee attendance, please click here. 

Nicola Hills Rita Hawes Winston Michael Jacqui Wapshott Ian Cooper Jane Hall Melanie Fuller Andrea de Roeck Katie Pronger

If you would like to read the annual report from the Chair of Governors for 2023-2024, please click here.

Nicola Bellman. I am a preschool manager of Towers Tiny Tots at Goat Lees Community Centre and I run the after school club for Goat Lees Primary School. I have a passion for education and ensuring all children have the best start in life. I believe collaboratively working as a community is the best way to ensue this. I joined the governing body to allow me to understand and support another area of education.

Rita Hawes. During my time as Borough Councillor for the area, I campaigned with others, over many years, for a school to be built. I was therefore delighted to be asked to join the Governing Body. Until my retirement, I taught at Highworth Grammar School and since then I have been a governor at The Towers School. Both our children attended Kennington Primary before attending secondary schools in Ashford. My wish has always been that Goat Lees Primary School will provide an excellent education for the local children and also become a focal point within the community.

Winston Michael. I am married and a father to four children with six grandchildren. I am a Borough Councillor for the area, known for my passion to see the needs of the young members of the community properly addressed. I have had forty-eight years business experience, of which thirty-six was spent in top management. In 1972, I founded a world-wide IT consultancy to provide business solutions to top companies across a variety of industries. I am a good listener, take a positive approach to matters, I have a “can do” attitude, and an achiever, all of which are skills to support in my role as governor at Goat Lees Primary School.

Ian Cooper. I am a co-opted governor for Goat Lees Primary School.  I am also a father to 2 fantastic children, both being educated locally.  Since 2006 I have been involved in the Public Sector Learning and Development arena, and more recently in the Private Sector working in the City of London in risk management for a global insurance company.  My experience is in corporate governance and defensibility, with a focus on corporate social responsibility and health and safety.  In my spare time, apart from spending time with my family, I am also a volunteer on the National Police Chiefs Council, helping shape the future of training within the Police Service nationwide.  I have been a school governor since 2016, and joined the board here at Goat Lees in 2019.

Jane Hall.I am a co-opted governor for Goat Lees Primary school. I have worked in science education throughout my career, at the grass roots level and in a management capacity. Since retiring I have experience of volunteering as an advisor for CAB, and as a Parish Councillor; both these roles have enhanced my understanding of the problems facing people living in an ever-expanding Ashford and of the Goat Lees community is particular.  I have two adult children who grew up in the area and two young grandchildren who have reignited my interest in education from an early age. I believe passionately that a good education should be available for all children regardless of background and that a school should play a key role within the heart of the community. My knowledge and experience of education will support my role as a school governor, and I look forward to helping guide the school’s future development.

Melanie Fuller.I am a parent governor and I have two children who are currently pupils at Goat Lees school, so it is fantastic to be part of the governing board. I have lived in Ashford for 14 years, and living close to the school and I can see how important the connection between the school and the community is.​ I have been involved in the Friends of Goat Lees charity and try to get involved where I can with the fundraising events they organise. I also volunteer to listen to pupils reading, and find this really rewarding to see the children develop in their confidence and enjoy books.  I am a civil engineer and work for the Environment Agency in flood risk management, my role is focused around managing the funding and delivery of the maintenance programme on flood defences. I am also a STEM ambassador, which involves going into schools and encouraging science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines by sharing my experiences of the real world. Bringing my skills and perspective as a parent I hope to be an integral part of the governing team and help shape the schools future. 

Katie Pronger. I am a staff governor for Goat Lees Primary School. I am married with two children in a local primary school and have lived in Ashford from birth. I have been a teacher and English lead for 16 years.  I have a passion for reading and phonics and feel strongly about the importance of reading as a life skill. I feel privileged to be part of the Goat Lees family and look forward to a new challenge as a governor in supporting the school’s future development and sharing the views of my colleagues.

Liz Barrett. I am a co-opted Governor for Goat Lees school. I have lived in Ashford for 40 years and have three sons who attended primary and secondary schools in the area. I retired from primary teaching in 2019 and was pleased to be able to volunteer to hear children read at Goat Lees as I believe a mastery of reading unlocks the door to so much more. I feel strongly that all children deserve the very best education and pastoral care possible and am very happy to be a small part of the team at Goat Lees that is enabling this to happen. 

Francesca Dunn. My son started at Goat Lees last year and my daughter started in September and I am a parent governor. I joined the governing body as I wanted to become more involved in the school community. I am a primary school teacher myself,  working in a small village school where I currently teach in reception and coordinate maths throughout the school. My passion lies in environmental education and I admire how Goat Lees encourages its pupils to engage with and learn about environmental and sustainability issues.

Andrea de Roeck. I feel truly lucky to be the Deputy Headteacher at Goat Lees Primary since the school opened and having the opportunity to work with the Headteacher, Teresa Adams, and the Governing Board to build a school that we are really proud of. I have always been on the Governing Board as an Associate Governor but have recently moved to a Co-opted governor. Prior to working here, I worked in two schools in London, the final one as an Assistant Headteacher. Goat Lees holds a special place in my heart and I enjoy working with our teaching team in building the school curriculum, thinking about what our children might need for their future endeavours, the environment being a personal passion.

Jacqui Wapshott as a member of KCC Clerking Service has supported the school since inception and continues to be a valued member of our team.

https://www.nga.org.uk/Governance-Recruitment/Be-a-school-governor-or-trustee.aspx