WLS GOVERNORS

Just like our staff, our WLS Governors bring a wealth of different experiences and skills sets to our school. They play an active part in school life and are knowledgeable about all aspects of the school's work. The Full Governing Board meet six times a year and has a Resources Committee and a Staff and Pay Policy Committee.

 

The Instrument of Government was rewritten in March 2015 so that our Governing Body now consists of the following positions:

  • 5 Parent Governors

  • 1 LA Governor

  • 1 Staff Governor

  • 4 Co-opted Governors

  • 2 Foundation Governors

  • 1 Head teacher

Steve Alcock - Chair of Governors
Foundation Governor
Steve worked as an Outplacement Career Coach in London. He has a career background in Human Resources (Retail) and ran a national charity for 10 years teaching entrepreneurship to disadvantaged / disaffected young people in Secondary Schools. Steve became a Governor in 2012, appointed Vice-Chair in September 2013, and Chair in December 2016. Steve has lived in Westoning since 1985.
John Corcoran
Parent Governor

John is a CFA® Charterholder and a Fellow of the Personal Finance Society.

He is a partner in a city-based wealth management firm within which he serves on the investment committee and has ultimate responsibility for the firm’s risk management and regulatory compliance processes.

He joined the school as a Parent Governor in 2015

James McGrattan
Parent Governor
James joined as a parent governor in July 2019.
Elaine O'Shaugnessy
Parent Governor
Elaine joined as a Parent Governor in 2018.
Sarah Burrows
Staff Governor
Sarah began an Art degree in London, but changed course and trained as a professional chef. She gave up work to bring up her three children, and then trained as a Nursery Nurse. She soon completed her degree to qualify as a teacher and worked in a number of schools, before finally coming to Westoning Lower School in 2002.
Jacqui Boyle
Head teacher
Jacqui graduated from Westminster College, Oxford in 1997. She has taught Reception - Year 6 in Hertfordshire, Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire. Jacqui gained her National Professional Qualification of Headship in 2007 and was Acting Head of a Catholic School in Bedford for 2 years before starting at WLS in September 2010. Jacqui has two children (10 and 6 ) and is a Co-Opted Governor at their school.
Brian Valentine
Co-Opted Governor
Brian was appointed as a co-opted governor in January 2017. He is a retired actuary who had a career in life insurance most recently in reinsurance, where he was a director in a large multi-national firm. He also held positions in marketing and finance.

Brian has lived in Westoning since 1989 and coaches pupils at chess club. He has been Bedfordshire chess champion on two occasions.

Stephen Maker
Parent Governor
Stephen currently works for the FA leading a group of coaches to deliver a youth football programme across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. Part of his role includes supporting local schools to deliver PE and helping local grassroot teams improve their football skills (including Westoning Lower School / Youth FC). Stephen joined as a Parent Governor in 2014.
Kate Minor
Parent Governor
Kate graduated from Loughborough University in 2004 where she studied Banking Finance and Management, however she quickly decided banking wasn't for her. Since then Kate's career has taken her down the road of HR working both overseas and in the UK, with her completing her CIPD qualifications in 2012. More recently Kate qualified as a Mental Health First Aid instructor and is a keen advocate of positive mental health for all. Outside of work, Kate has lived in Westoning sonce 2015 with her two girls, two dogs, husband and a VW camper van called Mavis. Kate joined as a Parent Governor in 2018.
Ekta Jhingan
Co-opted Governor
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Gina Hocking
Co-Opted Governor
Gina joined WLS in 2006. In her earlier career she worked in the Hotel Industry in a Management / Finance capacity for a number of years before having her family. Once her children started school she retrained and gained educational qualifications to enable her to change career and work with children. Gina is currently a TA  at WLS. Her hobbies include baking, gardening and playing tennis.
Suzie Bumfrey
Clerk to Governors
Suzie is an Early Years Teacher, SENCo and Manager in a local Pre-School and has 16 years experience working with children and families. She has a Media and Communication degree from the University of Greenwich and recently undertook training in Early Intervention for Children 0-25. She officially took on the role as Clerk in March 2016 and completed the National Clerks Development Programme in January 2018.