Governor Profiles
Nicolle Deighton – Headteacher
Governor Type: Staff (Headteacher)
Committees: Operations, Wellbeing
Special Interests: None
Deborah Smith – Chair of Governors
Governor Type: Community
Committees: Operations, Wellbeing
Special Interests: Compliance and Policies
I became a governor at Briarwood because my son was at the school and I wanted to support the school. Over the years I have been involved in many areas of governance and I hope that I can bring all my experiences to my role as Chair.
Email: chairBriarwoodSP@bristol-schools.uk
Governor Type: Community
Committees: Teaching and Learning, Wellbeing, Operations
Special Interests: None
I am an experienced teacher and Headteacher, having taught in a variety of settings from 1975 to 2011, working with pupils with a variety of needs from nursery age up to 25. This included working at Briarwood from 1993 to 2002. I took early retirement from teaching in 2011. At this time I became a governor at Briarwood School and successfully completed the Chair of Governors’ Leadership Development Programme in 2014. I left the Governing body in 2015. In 2014 I started working at PROPS (Providing Opportunities and Support), a Bristol charity working with young adults with learning difficulties and disabilities, as their Safeguarding and Compliance Manager. I have recently rejoined the Briarwood School Governing Body and am now Vice Chair of Governors, and Chair of the Teaching and Learning sub-committee.
Lynne Hawkins
Governor Type: Community
Committees: Teaching and Learning
Special Interests: None
I have been working at Briarwood since 2001! During my time at Briarwood I have worked over primary, secondary and post-16 sites. The last few years I have been a HLTA within classes which means I lead learning sessions when the teacher is out. I really enjoy being a HLTA and this has helped my confidence with a range of pupils. Since joining the governors I have been part of the Teaching and Learning and well-being governors sub committees and gained experience and knowledge within these areas.
Jayne Turrell
Governor Type: Community
Committees: Teaching and Learning, Operations
Special Interests: Children in Care
Governor Type: Community
Committees: Operations
Special Interests: Health and Safety
I work at UWE, where I manage teams which cover the following areas: student engagement, student and academic policy development, complaints, academic appeals, disciplinary cases, and supporting students through mental health crises. I previously worked at Cardiff University for 9 years: initially as a researcher and lecturer in French History; subsequently in quality assurance of teaching; and lastly as a manager of a large teaching administration team across the arts and humanities disciplines. I have experience with student safeguarding, have maintained oversight of teaching quality in the context of significant budget cuts, and have led a number of significant change projects to improve learning and teaching.
I enjoy working within education and supporting the learning and development of young people, and I’m keen to find out more about how Briarwood nurtures its pupils. I see the role of governor as one which will enable me to develop my understanding of education, to support and appreciate the work of Briarwood staff, while also acting as a critical friend in the operation and management of the School.
Emma Squire
Governor Type: Community – Associate member
Committees: Operations
Special Interests: n/a
Sam Cooper
Governor Type: Staff
Committees: Teaching and Learning
Special Interests: None
Steve O’Callaghan
Governor Type: Parent
Committees: Teaching and Learning
Special Interests: None
Kirsty Stitfall
Clerk to Governors
Committees: All
Special Interests: None
I work in the school as an HLTA – Response and Interventions on the Secondary site. I enjoy working as Clerk to the Governing Body alongside this role as it allows me to have a positive impact on the whole school as well as the individual pupils I work with.
Email: Clerkbriarwood@bristol-schools.uk
Cameron Love
Governor Type: Community
Committees: Operations
Special Interests: None