Blatchington Mill School and Sixth Form College
Governor Profiles
Jennie Barnard-Langston, Chair of Governors
Appointed by Local Education Authority (L)
Professionally I am Psychotherapist (Family and Couple Counselling). I was introduced to the world of education as foster parent to teenagers (30 in total) and am a former East Sussex County Council Chair of Education. I have been involved with Blatchington Mill for many years. I chair the Governing Body, a team of dedicated volunteers and am committed to high quality education opportunities for all our students. We have much to be proud of. We are a popular community school with dedicated staff and three specialism and good links with our primary schools. We are not complacent and seek to build on our success.
Rowena Mattacks, Vice Chair of Governors
Appointed by Local Education Authority (L)
I became a governor appointed by the Local Authority in September 2000. I have two children who both attended Blatchington Mill. I am a member of the Staffing and Curriculum and am currently the attached governor for Gifted and Talented and for Year 8.
John Allcock
Appointed by Local Education Authority (L)
I am a Local Authority governor at Blatchington Mill. I was previously a governor at Somerhill Junior School. Both my children have attended and have benefited from BMS. I am employed by the Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) working on Children’s Rights and Participation. I have previously worked on the transformational secondary school rebuilding program: Building Schools for the Future, National Sure Start, developing Children’s Centre and for Inner London Local Authorities as a Youth and Community Worker. As a BMS governor I aim to support Blatchington Mill staff, students and parents in further raising standards and seek to develop more opportunities for the school to contribute to the wider community in Brighton and Hove.
Anne Palmer
Appointed by Local Education Authority (L)
I work in the local hospitals, performing ultrasound scans of adults for diagnostic purposes and also scanning pregnancies. I was appointed as a governor by the Local Authority; however there is nothing political about this post. I have been involved in the development of Blatchington Mill School as a governor for many years, since my four children attended it. My special interests, shown by my committee memberships and governor links are staffing and curriculum, teaching and learning, the sixth form and special educational needs.
John Barker
Community Governor (C)
I am a director of a small local company and have been a governor of Blatchington Mill for around 20 years. Originally a Local Education Authority governor when my children were attending the school, I am now a community governor serving as Chair of the Finance and Building Committee and linked with the Modern Languages and Science curricula.
Miles Bingham
Sponsor Governor (SP)
Miles was a student at Blatch Mill from its inaugural year in 1979 through to 1985 including a stint as Deputy Head Boy. After studying at the University of Nottingham, Miles joined HSBC on their graduate scheme and spent five years with them in sales and marketing roles before moving to Abbey for a further six years. More recently, he has returned to Brighton and is currently the Marketing Director at local firm, Family Investments.
Janet Davis
Community Governor (C)
I have been a governor at Blatchington Mill for eight years, starting when my three children attended. I am now a community governor and serve on two committees, Student Matters and Communication and Marketing, and I support Year 11. I am a primary school supply teacher in the area and also help at a local after-school/holiday club.
Richard East
Community Governor (C)
I am a self-employed Human Resources consultant, having had a 25-year career with Seeboard, mainly in Human Resources. I now work freelance and on short-term contracts with the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
I became a parent governor when my two children were at Blatch and am now a community governor. I chair the Staffing Learning Committee and am currently the attached governor for Personal and Social Education and Careers, and, from September 2009, for Year 7.
Ms Joanne Heard
Parent Governor (P)
I have been a Parent Governor for nearly four years and have two children at our school. I very much enjoy helping to shape the future of this school and it's position within the community. I work part time for the Alzheimer's Society and do a lot of voluntary work including putting on charity shows at our Windmill Theatre.
Philip Helyar
Sponsor Governor (SP)
I work as a Financial Consultant for a local firm of accountants, having worked in the Financial Services industry for 30 years. I first became a parent governor at Blatch when my son joined the school, soon to be followed by my daughter. I now stand as a sponsor governor. I am a member of the Finance and Buildings, Student Matters, and Disciplinary and Management committees. I am the attached governor for the current year 11 and my curriculum area is Humanities.
Ms Addy Balogun
Parent Governor (P)
My professional background is mainly in Business and Finance and for a number of years I worked for Lloyds private banking. In the late 1990's I changed careers and retrained as a teacher. I have taught at Canterbury College and Hove Park Sixth Form. I am currently the Business studies co-ordinator and A level Business teacher at St. Mary's Hall Sixth Form. I am very passionate about teaching and learning and was delighted to be appointed a parent governor at BMS earlier this year. My special interests are curriculum and sixth form issues, as well as special educational needs. I hope to be fully involved with these areas in my role as a school governor.
Mr Michael Collins
Parent Governor (P)
Ms Ruthanne Garrett
Parent Governor (P)
I am a new parent governor and am pleased to be able to be involved in Blatchington Mill School. I have two sons attending the school in years 9 and 11. I work with deaf students using British Sign Language in various colleges and universities around the South East and have enjoyed teaching a weekly after school sign language class to some staff and students at Blatch. I am looking forward to continuing to serve as a governor and gain experience in the role.
Mr Peter Sowrey
Parent Governor (P)
Mr Jeremy Gold
Associate Governor
Jennifer Rusted
Parent Governor (P)
I have worked in tertiary education for the past 25 years. I am very pleased to be involved as a governor at this fine school in developing secondary school experiences that encourage students to reach their potential and to seek new opportunities for continued learning when they
leave their school behind.
I became a parent governor in January 2009. I am a member of the IAG committee, with responsibility for Food Policy, and I am attached to the Year 7 team.
Ms Pippa Smith
Community Governor
Mr David Taylor
Associate Governor
Iftekhar Ahmed
Student Governor (KS3)
Fahim Ahmed
Student Governor (KS4)
Ms Janet Felkin
Staff Governor (Head Teacher)
Ms Maggie Ellis
Staff Governor (ST)
I am a member of the teaching staff in the school, also a Year Manager and the Gifted and Talented coordinator. I have represented the staff on the governing body for a number of years.
Mr Mark Leighton
Staff Governor (ST)
I have taught in secondary schools for 20 years, first as a geology/geography teacher and then as an ICT teacher. I have also worked as a computer programmer and systems analyst for five years in the engineering sector. I am currently Assistant Head of Technologies at Blatchington Mill, and a staff governor. I am a member of the CATS and the Community committees.
Mrs Catherine O'Regan
Support Staff Governor (ST)
I have worked in Blatchington Mill since June 2006 as the school web administrator, managing and updating online content for the school and sixth form. I recently became a Support Staff governor and my interests are in online communications for the students, staff, parents and governors. I also help run the school Eco Club. I am a member of the IAG committee.
Mr Mark Brunet
Clerk to the Governors
Please send all correspondence to:
Mr Mark Brunet,
Clerk to the Governors,
Blatchington Mill School,
Nevill Avenue,
Hove BN3 7BW
See also: Who to contact
