Governors

I have been a Governor at Newton Poppleford Primary School since September 2020. I am a Parent Governor with two children with the school. I became a Governor to use my education knowledge to support the school in its strategic development and assist in developing and maintaining the amazing learning culture that exists.
In my career I am the Head of History at Sidmouth College. One area I am significantly passionate about is School Improvement; with focuses on the curriculum, assessment and the use and evaluation of teaching and learning methods in the classroom. Within curriculum and assessment I have lead a number of subjects in the reflection of their curriculum and assessment and recently have implemented a review of the History curriculum, producing a clear and coherent curriculum which is supported by a rigorous assessment system. I have led and assisted on whole school teaching and learning initiatives within my school which includes; projects which have increased the use of pedagogy in the classroom and action research projects. I am also a Specialist Leader in Education for Secondary History and run a Professional Community for the South West Institute for Teaching. In this role I am able to share my passion for collaborating with others and sharing good practice.
Outside of my school responsibilities, I enjoy spending time with my family, with visits to the beach, walks and holidays.

I moved to the village in 2012, and my son Samuel attends the school. Samuel's love of the school has inspired me to get involved. I have over 20 years of experience in business, starting my career in London in advertising. In 2006, I packed up my life and moved to Devon and started work as head hunter recruiting IT specialists. For the last 10 years I have worked for an IT training consultancy within their business development and strategic account management team. In my spare time, you can find me restoring my 400-year-old thatch cottage which I share with Samuel and my crazy cockapoo, or in the gym learning to powerlift!

I am a governor with two children at the school and a third who will hopefully follow in her sisters’ footsteps when her time comes.

Professionally, I have been an Environmental Consultant since 2006 specialising in Air Quality and more recently Health Impact Assessments. I work at a global engineering and environmental consultancy in their Exeter office. In my spare time I enjoy walks and trips to the beach with my family and friends. I am part of a local book club and enjoy attending the local Zumba class in the village hall.

With three children right at the beginning of their school life I have a vested interest in the future of the school. I hope that by being a Governor I will help to ensure that the high standards of the school are maintained and to support the school’s strategic development and it’s place within our community.

I was inspired to become a Parent Governor in order to gain insight into how the School operates and to contribute to its strategic development. I was appointed in May 2020, more or less on the day of the first national Covid-19 lockdown and so my introduction to being a Governor was certainly full on! Things are much closer to normal now, but there is still much to do, be it reviewing school policies or else appointing a new Head Teacher! Being a Governor has been a rewarding experience for me. It really has been a unique opportunity to witness, at the first hand, the professionalism and dedication of every member of staff and the positive impact that they have on our children, including my own three. Professionally, I have worked as a solicitor in a national law firm dealing with commercial insurance disputes for over 20 years. I also now sit regularly as a Judge in the family and civil Courts across Devon and also in the Employment Tribunal. In my spare time, my wife and I enjoy rambling across Devon with our children and our red fox Labrador. The dog always comes back when called, the children not so much !

I have been teaching in Yr 1 and 2 at Newton Poppleford Primary since 2005 and took over the Reception Class in 2020 which gave me a new lease of life.
I love the fact that every day is different and I enjoy seeing the children have fun and learn at the same time.
In my spare time I like to walk with Buddy, my working cocker spaniel and have just completed Land’s End to John O’Groats and the South West Coast path virtually!
Now my own three children are in their late teens I felt I had the time to give something back and so decided to become a teacher governor. I hope I can represent the fantastic team that work at Newton Pop and help shape the future of the school in some way.

As a newly appointed governor I am keen to engage with and fully support the whole of the Newton Poppleford school community as it continues to educate and nurture the young children of our lovely village.
Both of my own children, now aged 21 and 14, completed their primary education at NPPS and left feeling fully prepared, both emotionally and academically, to move on to the next stage of their education.
Professionally, I am a secondary school teacher of English currently working in a large comprehensive school in Exeter; this provides me with a secure understanding of the education system and the day-to-day
challenges that schools can face.
Outside of school I can be found tending my allotment, a hobby that provides not only an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables but an opportunity to relax and recharge!

I put myself forward to become a parent Governor, starting in September 2024, mainly because having seen my two daughters flourish in the pre-school and early years I really wanted to have the opportunity to give something back in bringing some of my experience and skills to try and help the school become even better. I feel fortunate to have moved into the wonderful village of Newton Poppleford in 2021, being drawn to the village due to the great location to the countryside and coastline and of course the fantastic local school!

I work as the Head of Safeguarding for NHS England South West, meaning I work across all the South West counties with key health organisations and their partner organisations to ensure they are meeting their statutory safeguarding responsibilities (adults and children) whilst developing professional networks and driving improvements. I thoroughly enjoy supporting others to grow and reach their own goals and potential, by utilising my coaching and mentoring qualification enables me to do this alongside the day job.
Away from work I enjoy keeping physically and mentally healthy by being outdoors and active as much as possible whether that’s running, the gym, paddle boarding on the open water, playing golf with friends or family days out exploring out beautiful county.
I am really looking forward to the opportunity of being on the Governing Body which I have no doubt will be challenging and rewarding but something I can add some value in supporting our children reach their full potential.

I’ve worked in schools for over fifteen years, and I’m currently a SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) Advisory Teacher for Devon County Council. Prior to this, I was a SENCO, taught in Key Stage 1 and in the EYFS, and also worked in day nurseries. Before teacher training, I studied for a degree in English Language and Literature. I have three children – two in another local primary school, and one in secondary school. As a new governor, I’m looking forward to getting to know NPPS and to using the skills and experience I have gained over the years to support the strategic development of the school.

I wanted to become a Governor because I am deeply invested in the community of Newton Poppleford and the education of my children who attend Newton Poppleford Primary School. I have worked in Marketing for over 28 years, with my extensive background in strategic planning, data-driven decision-making, and communication, I believe I can offer valuable insights into the school's development and long-term strategy.

My passion for maintaining high standards aligns with the school's vision, and I am eager to contribute to creating a positive and nurturing setting for all students. Being sociable, I value strong relationships and communication, making me keen to bridge the connection between parents, staff, and the school. Furthermore, with an interest in technology, I am keen to explore opportunities to support initiatives that enhance both the learning experience and the school environment.

I grew up in Bristol where I lived until Mar 2020 when I moved to Sidmouth with my partner to start our family. We now have two boys aged 4 & 2, who are both at Newton Pop school in Reception & Preschool, and we have a third child on the way. I've worked for over 25 years for the UK Government, initially in IT but mostly in Project Delivery, and more recently in a senior leadership role. I look forward to exploring this new Parent Governor role and working with the Board to help keep this school as great as I already think it is.

Hello. I have lived in East Devon my whole life. I grew up in Sidmouth and loved there until 2019 when I moved to Newton Poppleford, which I love. My family’s journey with Newton Poppleford School and Little Popples Pre School started in 2017 when my youngest daughter joined the pre school and as parents we immediately knew that the setting was right for us. Fast forward to 2024 and I have three children together in the school for one year, my eldest, a head pupil in Year 6, my second daughter in Year 4, and my son who has just enrolled in reception. I am passionate about the future of the school for not only my own children, but all of the school families, present and future. In a role as parent governor I can help discuss and support decisions made for the schools future, helping it continue to thrive.

My career has always involved working in a level of educating children. I was a dance teacher for ten years before becoming an assistant in a special educational needs school for 5 years. During that time I studied to complete a degree in Early Years and alongside the school role managed a service for Devon County Council which offered group activities respite, enabling and support in the home to families of SEN children. In 2014 whilst on maternity leave with our first daughter I qualified as a Baby & Pre School swimming teacher and began teaching lessons for what is now my own business Turtle Tots Exeter & Devon. Due to my role as a Mum I left my full time job with the Family Support Services and worked part time with Turtle Tots. In 2020 after the birth of my son I bought in on the franchise of Turtle Tots. I have a small team of teachers and we run over 50 classes a week. In all of these roles I have been able to use my love of good communication and interest in the learning and development of babies, children and young adults. With this professional experience working with children and families I have an avid interest in the education, support and welfare and care of children and their families.

In our local community I am also involved in the running of our local MUGA (multi use games area) facility and regularly chaperone children involved in a local dance school performances at the theatre, where I am assistant stage manager.

You can also, very often find me in or beside the sea, with or without my family and our dog.

I currently work as veterinary neurologist and neurosurgeon and completed my specialist training at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) where I helped establish a brain and tissue bank to advance research into neurological diseases. After my training I spent two years as a lecturer in neurology and neurosurgery at the RVC before moving to a private referral practice in Somerset. I have published in a wide variety of subject areas and presented at multiple national and international conferences. Prior to my veterinary career I completed a PhD in neuropharmacology at Cambridge University and worked in the pharmaceutical industry performing commercial strategy analysis. I subsequently joined the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) in London as their Business Pipeline Manager providing a link between the regulatory body and global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

Throughout my career I have always had a strong interest in the impact of mental health and wellbeing on the performance of individuals and organisations. This naturally progressed to an interest in Human Factors and the impact they have on the quality of care that veterinarians deliver to their patients and themselves. Through this I now also do projects with British Airways looking at the impact of human factors on performance and wellbeing.

I moved to Sidmouth 5 years ago when I had the first of my two children. I love the community and the countryside. Any spare time is filled with my real loves: my family, the moors, the mountains and of course the sea! In my leisure time I am a central member of the ‘Sidmouth Brown Beards’ who can regularly be found splashing around off the coast at any time of the year. My work circumstances mean that I am often lucky enough to take them to and from school. The school has been wonderfully welcoming to my family from our first visit with Mr Pope to our days with the amazing staff of pre-school and reception. But I also recognise the ongoing challenges of running any school effectively to deliver the best outcomes for staff and pupils. In my recent career I managed a large veterinary practice and we had similar challenges of defining visions and values, establishing strategic goals, setting budgets, assessing risks, safeguarding and ensuring appropriate daily governance. I hope that by joining this team I could use my skills to compliment ongoing initiatives and help the school maintain its high standards.