Toni Caufield (Chair)
I became a member of the Moorlands Governing Body as a Parent Governor in 2015. I was then re-elected in 2019 and subsequently became a co-opted Governor.
I love being part of the school, being there to support and challenge, ensuring that the children are at the heart of everything that the whole school do. Moorlands is a great school and as a Governing body, we work with the school to do our very best to help our children enjoy school and grow during their time here. As part of my role, I am the Vice-Chair of Governors, supporting the Chair, the leadership team and the governing body as well as working with the Maths lead; understanding the curriculum and how children are taught maths. It’s such a privilege to see the hard work that staff put in to make learning interesting and fun for the children.
I am also the Safeguarding Link Governor. As part of this role, I ensure that I keep up to date with statutory guidance and any advice issued by the school’s safeguarding partners as well as ensuring that school have up to date policies on safeguarding & child protection. I also sit on the Finance committee and am the Chair of the Complaints committee as well as being the Year 2 link governor. It’s always a pleasure going into school and meeting the children and being able to see them during their day, learning and developing. I do this as much as I can.
Outside of my Governor role I work full time in Financial Services, enjoy running, walking our dog and helping out at our local cricket club where my son plays.
Anna Bartys (Vice Chair)
I became a Parent Governor in March 2015 and was re-elected for a second term in Jan 2019. I have since been moved to a Co-opted Governor, which is another type of Governor role which enables the governing body to elect and retain governors due to the knowledge and skills they can bring.
There are many ways that we can make a difference and support the senior leadership team to ensure Moorlands Primary is a wonderful place of learning. As well as making decisions as a governing body, we work in smaller committees to focus more on key areas, as well as providing regular challenge.
I am the Chair of the Finance Committee and I also sit on the Standards and Attainment Committee, and Complaints Committee. We each take on specific links with year groups and subject areas, and for the last year I have supported Year 6 as well as the English team. This allows me to spend time in school each week, assisting where required, listening to children read and enjoying my time in this special environment.
The best bit about this role is spending time in school getting to know the children and staff and seeing those children come in at Reception and leave us at Year 6, and how they grow and develop during the years in between. The staff are extremely dedicated and hardworking and put the children first to ensure a high level of quality first teaching is delivered.
Outside of school I enjoy reading, running, cycling, and playing netball. For the last ten years I have run a successful recruitment company with my husband, and prior to that, and post university, I worked for several years in the financial services sector. We volunteer a lot of our time and energies to the role of governor and along with this rewarding activity, I like to find time to volunteer in other sectors such as netball and scouting.
Gary Laird
I was employed by the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service for a period of 35 years engaged in fire safety, fire investigation, strategic management whilst throughout my career an operational officer attending a range of large incidents as Incident Commander. In 2002 I joined Calderdale MBC as the school’s senior health and safety adviser which involved health and safety, fire safety and all aspects of outdoor education including risk management training for staff, business continuity and emergency planning.
I am a member of the Institution of Safety and Health (IOSH) and former Chair of the International Fire Risk Management Group, speaking at conferences and meetings world-wide most notably at the Palace of Westminster to Peers and MP’s commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Great Fire of London. I represent IOSH as a member of the Fire Sector Federation and as a Parliamentary Liaison Officer to the All-Party Parliamentary Fire Safety and Rescue Group, and a member of the Parliamentary Asbestos in Schools working group.
My educational achievements include reading Law, LLB. (Hons) and training as a teacher PGCE. I am also a member of the Institute of Fire Safety Managers, ROSPA, Institute of Leadership and Management and an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.
Judith Woodhead
I'd like to introduce myself, as one of your Governors at Moorlands Primary School. I have been a Governor here for the past 3 years. Prior to that I was a teacher at Outlane Infant School, which then became Moorlands Primary School. I taught here for 34 years in total and so, as I regularly say...this school is a part of me, it's in my blood and very dear to my heart.
To that end, as a Governor, I see my role as being able to support this amazing school, putting the interests and needs of the pupils and the school at the forefront of all we do to ensure its continuing success. As a teacher I have a good all-round understanding of schools and know what children need to learn and achieve, as well as the knowledge of how a school functions well and how to support our extremely hardworking staff.
As Governors we all take on different roles, as well as working together to support Mrs Denney and the staff to make Moorlands the fantastic school that it is.
I am the Link Governor for Year 1 and try to get into school to visit or work with them as often as I can. I also oversee the curriculum areas of RSHE, Music and Well Being. I am part of the Buildings Committee, where we discuss any issues concerning the building and grounds, inside and out and ensure that the children are safe and kept healthy whilst in school.
Away from school I enjoy visiting new places and taking trips and holidays, home and abroad. I love to spend time with family and friends, read, bowl, enjoy theatre trips and doing word puzzles. Finally, I am extremely proud to be associated with such a happy and successful school as Moorlands Primary School.
Eileen Marchant MBE JP
I joined the Governors of Moorlands Primary School almost a year ago, so I am still very much new to the role. Although I have visited a lot of schools during my career it is really rewarding to be personally and actively involved in this lovely school. From the very outset it is obvious this is a very effective and happy school.
As a Governor I am also a member of two committees: one is responsible for monitoring the finances of the school and the other for the performance management of the head teacher. The year group to which I link is year 3 and my link subject is physical education (PE) which is exciting as I have been involved in PE for many years.
I trained as a secondary PE teacher but have also worked across all phases both as a provider of continuing professional development and as a school improvement officer in Kirklees. I was an Ofsted team inspector and undertook over forty inspections.
I am a former President and honoured member of the British Association of Advisers and Lecturers in Physical Education. Latterly I was Policy Adviser in the Association for Physical Education (afPE), a Senior Project Officer and national trainer in their Professional Support Unit.
I am now retired but was a former Chair of the afPE Management Board and an honoured member of the Association; however, I am still Chair of the Professional Development Board for PE and senior validator for the prestigious Quality Mark Award.
I was awarded an MBE in the 2014 Queens Birthday Honours List for services to administering justice and for my contribution to physical education and sport particularly Yorkshire hockey.
Becky Freeman
I have previously taught in Kirklees and Calderdale schools since joining the teaching profession in 1997. I joined the fantastic Moorlands teaching team in September 2013. My first role at Moorlands was a Year 6 teacher with the responsibility for English and the Creative Curriculum. In 2017, I became Deputy Headteacher, which means I work closely with Mrs Denney to lead and manage the staff team, to make Moorlands the brilliant school it is. We have pupil outcomes at the heart of all decisions we make. I currently lead Art across the school and have been fortunate enough to be able to work on a Textile Arts project, designed to develop the textile curriculum in Primary Education. I am also the educational visits coordinator and am very passionate about developing and enhancing learning through outdoor learning and experiences beyond the classroom.
I became the staff Governor in July 2014 and have been in the role since this time. The staff Governor represents the Moorlands staff at Governors meetings. As part of my role, I report the school’s attainment and progress, as well as prepare and review policies. I am part of the Standards and Attainment Committee and Health/safety and Building Committee. I particularly enjoy sharing with the Governing body, all the exciting projects and achievements we achieve as a school, as well as all the plans we have to make Moorlands even better. I thoroughly enjoy working with such a wonderful team of staff and Governors at Moorlands.
Finally, I am a mum of two teenage children who keep me very busy outside school. As a family we enjoy walking our dog, camping, exploring new places and having adventures outdoors- we are always busy, living life to the full.
Andy Jinks
I was elected as a Parent Governor in Spring 2022. I have a son in Year 3 (in 2022/23) and another son who will join in 2024. I wanted to become a governor as I am passionate about education and would love to help the school provide an outstanding education for all pupils, where every child, no matter their age or background, achieves their best and enjoys coming to school.
I have been involved in education since training to become a secondary school Mathematics teacher in 2009 and, more recently, curriculum and data manager for a local Multi-Academy Trust. As part of my current job, I analyse academic and pastoral data for both the primary and secondary schools within the Trust and present this data to leaders and governing bodies. I have had the chance to visit many schools as part of my job and enjoy promoting the sharing of best practice throughout.
As well as attending full governors’ meetings, I also sit on the Standards and Attainment Committee. I am a link governor for Year 4 and for Science and Computing across the school. Science has always been a favourite subject of mine and I studied Physics alongside a degree in Mathematics. I have recently taken in interest in computing and coding to help in my current job and wish I had had the opportunity to study the subject myself at school.
Outside of work and my governing duties, I attend a local church and have been involved in an annual Summer camp for young people, where I currently serve on the exec as Treasurer. I am a keen hillwalker and regularly volunteer for the Kirklees Duke of Edinburgh Award as an expedition assessor and supervisor. I enjoy attending football matches with my eldest son, building Lego models with him (when his little brother is not destroying them!), and going camping with the family.
Gemma Dolan
I have been a co-opted governor at Moorlands Primary School since 2018 and have begun my second term of office. I also have two children who attend the school.
I thoroughly enjoy being a part of the Moorlands Primary family and working with the school. My role on the governors is to help support the leadership team and the school to give our children the very best possible education, experiences, and opportunities.
I am a link governor for SEN, pupil premium, art and cultural capital. I meet with the teachers who lead these areas to find out about provision that is happening. As well as these areas I am also the link for the Early Years and will meet with the team to link with the classes as well as seeing how learning is developing for them. I also Chair the Standards & Attainment committee.
Outside of governors I am a Deputy Headteacher and work in a primary school. In my spare time I enjoy running and spending time with my family.