Welcome from Jane Lewis, LGC Chair
Welcome to the community of Archbishop Holgate’s School. We believe that each young person should have the best possible experience of school life. Our school has been delivering an exceptional quality of education for over 450 years. We value that history and it is a privilege to be a part of it in the 21st Century.
What makes Archbishop Holgate’s an outstanding school is the focus on the Values, Care and Achievement of students. This is the special blend of exceptional teaching and learning; strong pastoral care practitioners and systems; and an important focus on living well together as a community. This is a cord of three strands which weaves together a rope to anchor our young people in the storms of life.
The importance we place on the Christian values of Compassion, Justice, Forgiveness and Trust provide a framework which informs the way we run our school and a model for how to live and work well together even in difficult times. We want all our students to value themselves, each other and those who seek to lead and guide them through their education experience.
The excellence of the curriculum ensures every student is supported to achieve their maximum potential. The team at Archbishop Holgate’s will guide your child on an exciting learning journey during their teenage years. They will be there to provide pastoral support to all students and special care and attention when things get tough. We are committed to offering a breadth and the quality of provision for all pupils. Our staff bring enthusiasm, deep subject knowledge and a love of learning into our classrooms which energises our students and inspires them to do their best work.
The combination of the calibre and commitment of our staff, the personalised learning environment we can offer, the breadth of the curriculum enrichment available, and our distinctive values is what makes Archbishop Holgate’s unique. It is our passion to ensure all our students are well-equipped and resilient, ready to set off into the challenges of the adult world with confidence.
There are many ways you can support the work of the school and Staff and Governors look forward to meeting you when you come along to parents’ evenings, shows, Carol Services or other community events.
I have the joy of serving the school and leading the amazing team of Governors. If you would like become a Governor of the school and be a part of the team and investing your skills, time and energy into the continuing success of Archbishop Holgate’s School then read on to find out more about what’s involved.
When we are recruiting for Governors we will let you know via the Newsletter.
About our LGC
The most important thing about any school is the people in it. At Archbishop’s we are very proud of both our staff and the students and the way they contribute to the calm, positive and productive atmosphere that visitors in the school almost always comment on. We believe that our students are happy at Archbishop’s and see our school as a place where they can achieve and succeed. The LGC is a strong working group committed to the success and welfare of the school community.
Archbishop Holgate’s School is an academy which is part of the Pathfinder Multi-Academy Trust. The role & responsibilities of the Local Governing Committee is defined in the Scheme of Delegation of the Pathfinder MAT.
What makes a good governor?
“The true measure of a nation’s standing is how well it attends to its children – their health and safety, their material security, their education and socialisation, and their sense of being loved, valued, and included in the families and societies into which they are born.”
Unicef
The most important quality is the desire to make a difference to children’s lives through education. In addition to this, attributes that a make a good school governor include:
- A willingness to have courageous conversations for the benefit of young people
- A desire to understand & support the local community
- The ability to work as part of a team
- An external perspective
- The time to get involved
What do governors do?
The role of Governor is strategic and focuses on the longer term priorities. Governors do not get involved in the day to day operational aspects of school – this is the job of the Headteacher and his staff. Among other responsibilities they:
- Set the Vision & Values
- Be a “critical friend” to Headteacher and other professionals
- Ensure school is meeting its legal duties e.g. to students with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities, Health & Safety etc.
- Sit on specific panels to review appeals, exclusions, complaints etc.
How might I become involved?
There are 15 Governor roles that make up the Local Governing Committee. Nine Foundation Governors (appointed in consultation with the York Diocese); three staff governors (two elected by staff, plus the Headteacher ex officio); two parent governors (elected by a ballot for which all parents and guardians are eligible to vote); and one co-opted governor.
The LGC meets six times every year and governors also belong to one or two of our committees which meet at other times throughout the year. Governors are also linked to specific areas of school life and are expected to visit the school to meet with staff and provide written reports to the LGC.
Foundation Governors have some additional responsibilities to support the spiritual and moral dimension of school life. Some of the Governors also exercise trusteeship of a Charitable Fund which exists to support the work of the school.
We will let you know when there are vacancies on the Governing Body. If you’d like to have an informal discussion about the possibility of becoming a Governor, do contact Jane Lewis, Chair of the LGC, via the school (chairofgovernors@ahs.pmat.academy).
Local Governing Committee Members
Jane became a Parent Governor in September 2015 and she sits on the Pastoral Committee. She is also Chair of Governors at Osbaldwick Primary School. She was designated as a National Leader of Governance in 2012 and Jane works with schools providing support to improve governance. After 15 years working in the water industry, she now runs her own business specialising in leadership development. She also works for the DfE part-time across six Local Authority areas. She lives in the local area and is a trustee of York Community Church and is involved in the Tang Hall Big Local partnership. She studied Chemistry at York University and she loves baking because cakes are chemistry experiments you can eat!
“As a parent I feel incredibly blessed that my boys have had such a fantastic experience at AHS. I want every child to flourish in our care.”
Andy is one of a team of seven Consultant Histopathologists at York Hospital delivering the Histopathology diagnostic service for York and the surrounding area. He is a member of Christ Church in Heworth and leads one of the weekday evening home groups. Aside from that, he enjoys dinghy racing with his family, being a partner in a small wine business and attempting to unravel the mysteries of his golf game. Andy is Chairman of the Curriculum Committee, and a member of the Pastoral Committee and has two children at the school.
“It is an inspiring privilege to be part of the governing body working alongside Andrew Daly, the leadership team and all staff colleagues, to deliver the best possible education for our students at Archbishop Holgate’s School.”
I spent the first seven years of my teaching career in the Midlands teaching Spanish and French. I then took a career break to raise my family
before moving to York in 2005. I returned to teaching, initially as a supply teacher, before joining the Modern Languages department at Archbishop Holgate’s in 2010. I am currently teaching French at Key Stage 3 and Spanish at Key Stage 4. I stood for election as a Staff Governor because I would like to contribute to the on-going development of the school. I feel very privileged to represent such a dedicated staff.
Andrew’s previous teaching experience includes being both a Head of History and an Advanced Skills Teacher before moving into Senior Leadership. Even as a Headteacher he remains passionate about his teaching of History at both GCSE and A-Level, with American and Russian history favourite areas of study. Outside of school Andrew enjoys spending time with his wife and two young children and as a family they enjoy travelling as much as possible. Andrew is an enthusiastic runner, a committed, if ageing, five-a-side footballer, and a lifelong fan of Newcastle United.
“I am extremely proud to be the Headteacher of Archbishop Holgate’s School and am passionate about helping all our students achieve and succeed. I do firmly believe that high quality education opens up a world of opportunities for young people and as teachers it is our responsibility to deliver the very best lessons each and every day.”
I am a lecturer in STEM Education and Teaching Enhancement at the University of Leeds. I have over 15 years’ experience of teaching and curriculum development, particularly focusing on professional development and business collaboration. I was awarded University Student Education Fellowship (2014) in recognition of my contribution to student education at the University. I am also a director of Project Dexterity Ltd; providing consultancy services and training in all aspects of project management.
I have also served on the Wilberfoss Primary School Governing Body for the last seven years as a foundation governor. I have a son and daughter at Archbishop Holgate’s and another daughter who will hopefully join the school next year. To keep fit I enjoy dancing (tap and jazz), cycling and running, and I also have a passion for live music and musical theatre.
Martin and his wife own and run a family business together in York. They have 3 grown up sons who all came through Archbishop Holgate’s School, and now have a daughter in Year 8. Martin has been a School Governor since 1993, and has served as Chair of Governors at Osbaldwick Primary School and Vice Chair of Governors at St Aelred’s RC Primary School. He is an active member of York Community Church where he plays the sax in the worship group. He is a City of York Councillor for Osbaldwick & Derwent Ward. In the spare time that he does have, Martin plays the tuba with the York RI Development Band, and enjoys a bit of golf. Martin was awarded the BEM (British Empire Medal) in the Queen’s 2021 New Year’s Honours List for services to the community in York, in particular recognising his 27 years service as a school governor.
David is the co-founder of a specialist technology consulting firm as well as being a personal coach and filmmaker. David loves to travel, to read non-fiction in particular science or human behaviour, and enjoys live music. In his first year as a Governor, David has become a member of the Finance and Pastoral Committees and has a particular interest in supporting social mobility. David has lived in the York area since 2002 and is married to Truda and has two sons who both attend the school.
“In my time as a Governor I have been deeply impressed by the passion, commitment and professionalism of the leadership team and staff at the school”.
I am now embarking on my twenty-fifth year as a classroom teacher of Science and a lot has changed in education during that time. I started out teaching at a Beacon school, an amalgamation of two secondary modern schools on the outskirts of London in the mid 1990’s and from then to now one thing has remained unchanged; that is the joy gained from inspiring young people to come to love learning and in particular Science and to see that they can make a real difference by deploying it for good in society.
I left London for the beauty of the Dorset countryside and spent several great years at Thomas Hardye School in Dorchester indulging my love of the sea, water sports and music. I then met my wife and relocated to join her in York where we still live along with our three teenage children. Following four years at King James’s School in Knaresborough I have been both Head of Biology at Ripon Grammar School as well as Head of Science at Easingwold school before joining Archbishop Holgate’s School and stepping back from subject leadership five years ago following my wife’s decision to further her career as a Primary Headteacher.
When the children were younger, I spent four years as a parent governor on the Governing Body of Poppleton Road Primary School which was the children’s local school. I believe passionately in the importance of giving children the greatest breadth of experience and exposure to high quality teaching to nurture and pique their individual interests and look forward to supporting the school to continue in its ongoing aims to do this for the children of our school community.
When I have the time, I enjoy playing music, both with my children and playing keyboards and vocals in a York wedding and party band called “Traces”. I enjoy growing my own fruit and vegetables in our allotment and getting out into the fabulous local Yorkshire countryside and am a regular at our local pub quiz when life is more normal!
I am keen to support AHS as they work with our children in the areas of mental health and wellbeing. I have a wealth of experience, including support work for young carers, supporting SEND students, and as a mentor for young people and families over lockdown. I have experience in family support, particularly regarding the teen years and special needs. Currently, I am completing a BA (Hons) in Development and Education of Children and Young People. I have three children at AHS.
Catherine Reid moved to York in 2020 to begin her role as Chaplain to the University of York. Prior to this, she was Vicar of the Ampleforth Benefice and was part of the diocesan training team as IME 2 training advisor for the Cleveland archdeaconry. During her curacy in Ingleby Barwick, Catherine was a Foundation Governor and part of a school chaplaincy team.
Catherine spent several years at university, some of which included her PhD in Philosophy at St Petersburg State University in Russia. She has a particular interest in liturgical theology and continues to write in this area. Catherine is an academic tutor at the York School of Ministry and especially enjoys how this teaching context makes meaningful connections between learning and discipleship.
Catherine is married to Andrew and they have two young children.