Swiss Gardens Primary School

• Stafffing & Finance Lead

I have been Governor at Swiss Gardens since 2017 and was made Chair two weeks before the first lockdown - a baptism of fire. We helped support the school to stay open throughout for key workers kids, whilst trying to keep our staff safe, and the rest of the children home schooled. We are now focussed back on the job we are meant to be doing - helping Swiss Gardens be the best community school it can be. We do this by providing strategic direction and support, help the school develop and protect its ethos, and provide strong oversight of its educational and financial performance. We want Swiss Gardens kids to be curious, to have big dreams, and be prepared for an exciting future. 

We are very lucky in that respect to have a great Head, a great team of staff, and the unwavering support of parents. A wise owl once told me any school is only as good as its parents. We’ve built a fantastic team of governors from all areas of the community, from clergy to well-being practitioners, experienced leaders in education, policing, HR and finance. I can honestly say its the strongest it has ever been during my time as governor.

My kids Mia and Max have both been through the school, and my wife is a teacher in a special school in Portslade, meaning I care deeply what happens to the children at Swiss and in our community in their formative years in education. I’ve campaigned for many years for better planning for school places through my work with FAST, better funding, and against an over reliance on statutory tests. I’ve also helped find and secure hundreds of thousands of pounds of funding for Swiss to improve our facilities for our children. 

My day job has spanned recruitment, (building European teams for US software companies), running marketing and design companies, (working for everyone from Playstation, to the French President to Fat Boy Slim!), and in the last few years coaching senior leaders and owners of tech and creative businesses across Europe and the US. I help those leaders get clear about where they want to go and help them get closer to where they want to be. I want to help Swiss Gardens in the same way. As ever it is less about the destination, and more about the journey.

• Ex offio Governor 

• Training & Development Governor

I have been a parent governor at Swiss Gardens since March 2020 having two children at the school at the time I became a governor, one of which has now left for secondary school.  

With 20 years human resources experience, I am now Head of HR for a large corporate business and have recently obtained a qualification in Diversity & Inclusion with the Chartered Institute of Management. My HR background also plays well to my role as learning link.  

I’m passionate about supporting such a wonderful school to achieve its aims.  

• Joint SEN/Inclusion/Disadvantaged Lead
• Joint Health & Safety Lead

  I am Shoreham born and bred and actually went to Swiss when it was Victoria First. I have 27 years experience in the public sector in various roles latterly as an IT Business Partner.

I love interacting with children and have been involved with Scouts, cadets and other youth leader roles so am always interested to hear from the most important people in the school as to what they feel life is like for them on the receiving end.

I’m a busy Mum and keen rugby supporter. I am enjoying the challenge of seeing the workings of a school from a different perspective, and hope to be able to make a positive contribution to the life of the school.

• School Marketing Lead
• Joint Curriculum / Teaching & Learning Lead

Rachael is a senior academic with considerable leadership experience in the university sector. She currently teaches History from BA to PhD level at the University of Westminster, where she also heads up the BA History and Politics course. She is passionate about equal opportunity in all levels of education as well as the promotion of diversity and inclusion. Rachael attended Swiss Gardens (then Shoreham First School) as a child, and now has a daughter in Year Four and a son soon to join the Pre-School.  

• Joint Curriculum / Teaching & Learning Lead
• Ofsted Lead

I joined Swiss Gardens Primary School Governing Body in January 2022 as a Local Authority governor having previously been a governor in 2 other schools. I have worked in schools within West Sussex for 27 years as a teacher, a Deputy and, as the Headteacher of a primary school for 7 years. I live in Shoreham and I am married with 2 children, both in local primary and secondary schools. I feel I have a good knowledge of primary education and school systems from both a teacher’s perspective and as a parent.

I am passionate about the quality of children’s education and about the positive opportunities all children should be given in this ever-changing world, to prepare them for their future lives.

I am proud, as an LA governor, to support and challenge the school in continuing to move forward. I have an objective approach to decision making and I am able to look at the bigger picture. I am a committed governor who is passionate about working with the staff, children and parents at Swiss Gardens to help it continue to thrive within the community.

• Joint Wellbeing Lead

I have been a teacher at Swiss Gardens for 19 years and a governor for 6 years, so feel I am a walking testament to the schools ability to create an environment where staff and pupils feel nurtured and supported.

Both my children (now at secondary school) who attended Swiss Gardens were supported to feel seen as individuals and to reach their fullest potential.

I am passionate about the role education has in fostering the potential in all children to develop and become life-long learners.

• Joint Safeguarding Lead

My 3 children started at Swiss Gardens Primary school in March 2020, just before the first lockdown. I was so impressed with how the school dealt with the rapidly changing environment, that I wanted to ensure I did what I could to support the school in the future. I joined the Parent and Teacher Association in 2021, becoming chair in January 2022. I have been a parent governor at the school since October 2022. Connecting the work and funds the PTA raises with resources the school needs is really important to me. Ensuring every child at the school has equal opportunities. This is my motivation for being one of the Safeguarding and Pupil premium leads on the governing board. 

The community in Shoreham and especially at the school is extremely nurturing, caring and supportive of all and being part of that is a great privilege. As a parent governor with no direct experience within teaching, curriculum or academia I hope to bring a parents view and help to ensure the vision set by the school is upheld. It is also a great learning opportunity for my personal development and find seeing the school from different angles extremely interesting.

• Joint Data Lead