Governors (ID 1095)

• Councillor Adam Hicken
  Councillor Adam Hicken

  I have been been a governor at the school since 2015 and I am  one of the local Councillors for the Willenhall area.

   

  I  have worked in various roles and has experience in training, data analysis, community engagement and is a qualified Mental Health First Aider.

   

  In addition, I have also  held roles in local government scrutiny and I  a strong advocate of action on climate change.

• Mrs Claire Chandler
  Head Teacher
  Mrs Claire Chandler

  I have been working in the education sector since September 2005 in various roles and settings. I have been teaching at Beacon Primary School since September 2014 and very quickly became part of the Governing body.

  I joined Beacon as the Assistant Head Teacher, then progressed to become the Deputy Head Teacher and now Head Teacher. Over the last ten years, Beacon has been on a rapid journey, not only with the changes to the curriculum but also with the building, both inside and out.

  Since Mr Drew took the Headship in 2014, Beacon Primary School has been transformed from an underperforming primary to a school that now achieves results that are consistently higher than the National Average. I am proud to say that I work at Beacon Primary School – a school where anything is possible.

• Mrs Sheila Hayward
  Mrs Sheila Hayward

  I have worked in Education for 28 years progressing from Secretary to Business Manager. I retired at the end of 2013 and it wasn’t long before Mr Drew was asking me to join Beacon Primary School, primarily to update the health and safety procedures at Beacon but I was also asked to become a Community Governor.

  It has been a pleasure to serve such an outgoing school and to be part of the amazing journey from a school needing improvements to what it is today a caring and safe environment “A Good School” which we should all be proud of. Governors, parents and teachers all work in unison to get the best for the children of Beacon Primary School. 

• Mrs Karen Meredith
  Mrs Karen Meredith

  I have both worked and been a member of the governing body at Beacon for many years. My children all attended Beacon.

  Beacon is in the strongest position it has ever been at this time. This is thanks to the Leadership and dedicated staff we have at Beacon but also the continuing support of our parents. The children are at the centre of every decision made and this is evident in the progress every child makes. Beacon is at the heart of our community and I am proud to be a part of your children’s journey with you.

• Mr Nick Etheridge
  Mr Nick Etheridge

  Hello, I'm Nick and I'm delighted to be part of the Local School Committee at our wonderful school. I live a stones throw away from Beacon and have two children that currently attend, so I can ensure that the needs and best wishes of all teachers, parents and most importantly, children, are close to my heart. I work as part of a project management team for Jaguar Land Rover, following my previous role of teaching people how to build engines. Both roles have given me an appreciation of how to consider the needs of people from various communities, religions and backgrounds which has given me a well rounded view towards governance. In my spare time I enjoy being with my family as well as being a season ticket holder at Walsall FC, but please don't hold that against me! I often take and collect my children to and from  school so feel free to say hello or raise anything that you'd like the Local School Committee to be aware of, good or bad.

• Mr Neil Hayward
  Mr Neil Hayward

  As a local committee member and someone who grew up within a stone's throw of Beacon, I am deeply committed and dedicated to making a positive impact on our school community. I went to Beacon, as my mother did before me and now my child does too!

  I completed a sports science degree at Wolverhampton University, and I now work within the boundaries of Walsall borough. I am committed to my local community, and I hope to serve it well within my time as an LCM.

  I have an ability to challenge the status quo and hopefully I can use this during my role to ensure that existing practices remain aligned with the best interests of our students. Beacon has long been the heart of this community and so I am sure that I will remain dedicated to this school long after my role has ended.

• Mrs Leigh Etheridge
  Mrs Leigh Etheridge

  My name is Leigh and I am very proud to be a Local Committee Associate at Beacon Primary. Our school is at the heart of the community where I have lived for the last almost two decades and I have children in Reception and in Year 3. I have worked in education since graduating from Manchester University with a BA Hons in German Studies and am an Assistant Headteacher at a local Secondary school. I love working with young people and spending time having fun with my own family. I really hope that my professional background, as well as my passion for making our school the best it can be for all of our children will help me to make a great contribution in my role as a Local Committee Associate

• Mr Simon Griffiths
  Mr Simon Griffiths

  I am an extremely passionate educator and have a track record of outstanding leadership. During the past thirty years in Education, I have been extremely fortunate in developing and gaining valuable experience of working in a variety of schools; driving standards forward and ensuring every child within my care receives the very best education they deserve.

  Having a first-class record of successful leadership and recognised by OFSTED as being an outstanding Head Teacher I bring to the table an understanding of the current demands, challenges, changes and expectations faced by our schools. 

  I have been a National Leader of Education for the past ten years; supporting and improving many schools within this role. I have also been part of Lord Nash’ free schools team for the past three years interviewing and assessing Free school applications.

  I have been a Governor for the past twenty five years, in the role of Head Teacher and a staff representative. I have worked with four governing bodies during this time. I was also a Governor at a local Secondary School in Walsall for three years whilst the school converted to become an Academy.

  I feel that I have a great deal to offer the board in terms of the knowledge I have gained and an understanding of the challenges facing our schools, leaders, teachers, Governors, and wider community.