Governors
The LGB act as a ‘critical friend’ to the school, asking challenging questions about performance and using their skills and experience to support the school in addressing it's aims. They are involved in creating and developing a strategic plan for the school, setting and agreeing its objectives, and monitoring and evaluating its success by focusing on progress and outcomes. Each Governor has their own area of responsibility but they work collectively to support the school.
All Parent and Community Governors are unpaid volunteers, with the Headteacher and Staff Governor giving up their time to attend the LGB meetings. We appreciate their contributions and thank them for giving their time and expertise to the improvement of school standards and assisting us to give all the children the best possible primary school experience.
Governors attend regular meetings, make visits to the school and are frequently in contact with us to ensure that successes are celebrated and areas of concern acted upon.
If you wish to contact the Local Governing Body please do so via the school office.
Charlie Bell
Type of Governor: Parent Governor
Term of Office: December 2019 to December 2023
I volunteered for this role to allow me to give something back to the local community. I have previously been a governor so have experience to share.
I have lived within the local area for over 17 years now and love it! I have three children, aged 17, 15 and 6. All have attended Birchwood Primary School, so I have been a parent here for quite a few years!
I work close by; within the school grounds, as the office manager at Birchwood Pre-School. Here I have gained extensive safeguarding knowledge, health and safety skills, and an insight into education.
I also manage my own small business, and as a kind of hobby, I enrol myself onto various courses to further my knowledge.
Outside of working hours, my life revolves around my family. I enjoy going on family days out, shopping and socialising with family and friends.
Jonathan Head
Type: Parent Governor
Term of Office: December 2019 to December 2023
I was appointed as a parent governor in December 2019 I have a passion for education and the development of our next generation, I have 2 children currently in Birchwood with a 3rd starting in 2022, I enjoy being active in the community and have lived in the village since 2011.
Given that the school plays such a central role within our community, I applied for a governor position when a vacancy arose, My hope is, that in my own way, I can make a positive contribution to the school so that it can continue to remain highly successful and go from strength to strength.
I work in International Logistics and as part of my role within Transport I support schools and local councils with road safety training involving commercial vehicles.
I enjoy most sports, F1, local community activities and spending time with my children.
I will endeavour to meet the requirements of Governors to work closely with the staff at Birchwood by monitoring, questioning and challenging to collectively ensure the best possible standards of education and support for all children attending the school.
Carol Newman
Type: Community Governor
Term of Office: February 2020 - February 2024
In 2016 I moved to Dordon with my daughter. We quickly found Dordon to be a very warm and welcoming community. I was delighted to be appointed community governor, affording me the opportunity to support Birchwood Primary School, which is such a heart of the community.
My daughter did not go to primary school locally, but now attends The Polesworth School.
I am a primary school teacher with over 20 years experience. I have taught a whole range of ages, from Nursery to Year 4 and am currently Early Years phase leader at a primary school in Birmingham. I worked for 12 years teaching in two international schools in Tanzania, East Africa, where I also had the roles of Head of Early Years and Deputy Head teacher.
Sally Stewart
Term of office: one year
Trustee of the Local Governing Body
Now retired but formally an HR professional with a career spanning some 36 years. During this time Sally worked in a number of sectors, including engineering and telecommunications. Most recently she held positions in further and higher education as the HR Director at the Learning and Skills Council (which subsequently became the Skills Funding Agency) for 8 ½ years and then HR Director at Birmingham City University until 2018. As the mother of three grown-up children, Sally has long had an interest in education and served as a Governor of a large infant school in Small Heath, Birmingham for more than 25 years. In her spare time Sally volunteers at her local community arts centre and has recently started to learn how to ring church bells. She reads, enjoys films and, most of all, the company of her family and friends.
Neil Coleman - Headteacher
Type: Ex-officio
Term of office: Appointed March 2016