Dear Parent/Carer
Parent Local Governor Election
We wrote to you recently to invite nominations for the vacancy for a parent local Governor.
I am delighted to say that there has been a good response and there are two candidates for the vacancy. This means we must now hold an election.
The candidates are:
1 Mitchel Payne
2 Harry Taylor
Each candidate has submitted a supporting statement which you can read below and prior to voting.
Mitchel Payne Supporting Statement
As a parent of a child with additional educational support needs having just begun his journey at Coleham Primary School, I am eager to offer to contribute my skills and experience to support the school’s governance and development.
My professional background has focused on promoting good governance in the charitable sector. I was the lead governance consultant for Support Staffordshire where I provided a range of governance services to local charities. Services included training, strategic away days, one-to-one guidance for Chairs or CEOs and procedural advice. All the support provided was geared towards promoting best practices in governance, making it accessible and improving the standards across the sector in Staffordshire. This has given me a broad experience of governance by working directly with hundreds of boards on a range of issues and in different environments. I studied Governance and Charity Law at The Governance Institute, and I currently serve as a Trustee for Burundi Action, a small charity I supported in registering with the Charity Commission.
In my current role, as Executive Officer of DeafReach, I manage inclusive education programmes in Malawi and Uganda. The projects work in 89 mainstream schools to improve access to education for children with additional support needs. Through this work, I have seen the impact that effective school governance can have on ensuring positive outcomes for learners.
Harry Taylor Supporting Statement
Both of my children attend Coleham School and are very happy there. This has encouraged me to want to give something back as a parent governor.
I’m very active in the local community. I coach an under 8’s football team which includes a majority of Coleham players. I also volunteer with the Belle Vue Arts Festival. Both are giving children and young people an opportunity to succeed in sports and the arts, in addition to their academic pursuits.
In my professional life I served as a councillor for many years, including for Belle Vue and Coleham, which gave me the honour of representing this community and supporting local groups and causes. Much of this included working with parents and schools to seek the best outcomes for young people.Â
I now work in national politics, focusing on stakeholder management, building winning campaigns, and shaping policy at local, regional, and national level. I am deeply committed to state education and ensuring that all children, no matter their background or parentage, have the best possible start in life.
You may vote for one candidate. Each parent can only vote once, regardless of the number of pupils you have attending the school.
Please cast your vote below via the online link:
Parent Governor Election Vote
If you wish to vote by paper ballot, please call into the school office.
The election will be decided by a simple majority of votes cast. In the event of a tie, the Chair of the LGB and Headteacher will request a Knowledge and Skills Assessment from the tied candidates and recommend appointment by the Trustees based the candidate skills.
When the election has been completed Monday 2nd December 2024 at 9.00am the successful candidate will have to complete certain compliance documentation including a DBS check. We will let you know the outcome as soon as we can, but the process can take up to 4 weeks.
If in the meantime you have any queries, please contact the Chair of the LGB Dave Jones – dave.jones@318education.co.uk or the Headteacher Tom Larkham via admin@col.318education.co.uk.
Thank you for taking the time and trouble to support this election.
Yours sincerely,
Dave Jones                                                                Tom Larkham
Chair of the LGBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Headteacher
