Grangehurst Primary School

Ruth Williamson 

I have been a governor at Grangehurst School since autumn 2004. Over that time I have been involved in many activities with the school including attending events, assemblies, special days to celebrate national events as well as visiting classrooms and meeting with pupils, staff and parents. Over the past 17 years I have been delighted with the progress the school has made and the happy supportive atmosphere which pervades the school.

From 2004 until the end of 2019 I was Headteacher at Foxford Community School and ensured during that time we maintained strong links with Grangehurst. I am now retired but continue to live in Coventry and play an active role in the City.

Chris Connoll

I’m proud to serve as Vice-Chair of Governors at Grangehurst, where I have been a governor since 2015.  In my younger years, I attended Grangehurst as a pupil, which is one of the reasons I returned as a Governor. I am passionate about ensuring our young people achieve their maximum potential.

I work for the Holy Cross MAC as the ICT, Communication & Compliance Manager, where I primarily oversee ICT strategy and Compliance for our organisation of 600 employees and 4129 pupils aged between nursey and post-16.

My role is to ensure that pupils can achieve their very best using the technology we have or the technology of the future. These roles have given me immense experience in the behind-the-scenes workings of schools and trusts.

I’m currently the Chair of the Resource Management Committee.

Darren Clews

I think you all know me but may not realise that as well as being the headteacher of Grangehurst I’m also one of the governors. All headteachers can be a governor of their own school if they want. I’ve been a governor of Grangehurst since September 2012 when I started at the school. I very much enjoy the role and working with the other members of the governing body. As well as being a governor for Grangehurst I’m also a governor for Foxford School and Coventry Hospital Education Service.

At Grangehurst the governors meet regularly to talk about what is taking place at the school and make plans for the future. It’s an important role that lots of people don’t realise exists.

My job as both headteacher and governor means I have to do a lot of reading which means I don’t get much chance to read for pleasure at home when out of school. As a child I loved all of Roald Dahl’s books I think my favourites have to be ‘Danny Champion of the World’ and ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’. I also loved and still love reading children’s poetry. The Headteacher of the Junior School I attended as a child was a published poet and we had lots of his poems and those from other famous poets read to us during assemblies and from that point my love of children’s poetry started.

Cat Flowers

I have been a co-opted Governor at Grangehurst Primary School since 2014. I was delighted to be elected as a Governor at Grangehurst as I am passionate about helping young people achieve their potential through education and ensuring youngsters have the best opportunities to succeed whilst growing into responsible and caring individuals. 

My day job is a School Business Manager at Aldermoor Farm Primary School and I enjoy the experience that both roles give me to enable me to contribute toward the school community.   

In my spare time I volunteer as a chaperone for a local dance school and as a welfare officer for a grassroots football. 

Lisa Shelton

Lisa is an experienced retail buying manager and has worked in the industry managing budgets of £250m+ for 10 years. She delivered multi million pound negotiations across 4 continents in her career and has spent much of her time in Hong Kong. (Where Mario is from - so her son Sebby tells her!)

She holds a BA and MA in history and politics and has and has a keen interest in local politics. She has particular expertise in leadership and management and hopes to bring this skillset to the governing body.

Jonathan Poole

Hello, my name is Jonathan Poole and I have been a parent governor at school since January 2020 a few months after my son started school. I became a governor because young children should get a varied education that means they are ready for Secondary School and their wider life outside school. Hopefully, I can help the school do this along with the other governors. 

I am an IT Manager for a special needs trust and work with computers and technology, but I am also interested in the outdoors and what Forest School and outdoor learning can do to help you all learn from reading to maths and other skills like problem solving, confidence and understanding the wider world in a fun way.  

When I was growing up, I found reading a real challenge but enjoyed the ‘Biff, Chip and Kipper’ books by Roderick Hunt while I was at primary school. When I got a little older, I was really interested in magic and the Harry Potter books by JK Rowling grabbed my attention and the magical world they lived in. 

Virgina Gill

I’m Virginia Gill, a Co-opted Governor at Grangehurst Primary School. I am a Mummy to two boys who both go to Grangehurst Primary School, they are in Reception and Year 2. I am a Governor at the School, as I aim to work with the Head Teacher, senior leadership team and other governors at the School, to improve the outcomes for all children.

My interests and hobbies include spending time with my family and friends. My background is Human Resource Management within Schools, Local Authority and management of two Childrens Centres, which I hope to use to help the school anyway I can.

My favourite book as a child was The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, as I was fascinated by the caterpillar who ate their way through lots of food from Monday to Sunday, until they couldn’t eat anymore and then built themselves a cocoon to live in until they changed into a beautiful and colourful butterfly. I now read this book my two children.

Rizma Moti

Hi, I’m a co-op governor, I’m delighted to be on the governing board.  My son goes to this school so I’m a parent at the school too.

My background is in teaching, I’m a Curriculum Lead at Coventry College, I manage the ESOL youth department.  I’ve been teaching English at colleges and universities for over 18 years now.  I’m from London but I’ve enjoyed my travels, I’ve lived and taught in various countries in the Middle East and Africa.

Three things I love are family, food and education.