Meet the School Committee Members

 

Catherine Martin

My passion is ensuring that everybody has a chance to reach their potential, which has been a central pillar throughout a varied career. I started my working life as an administrator in a charity working with disabled adults to support them into employment. I progressed to manager of two training centres before being made redundant in 2002. I spent 9 years working in Wigan Local Authority – initially in Supported Employment, then on their Graduate Programme including a secondment on the Core Group for Every Child Matters and in the Education Business Partnership. I was Equality and Diversity Officer when I changed to part-time hours to enable me to be at home more with my small children, I used this time to train as a childminder and worked as respite childminder for Lancashire County Council, alongside working in Wigan. I left both positions to complete my PGCE with a specialism in Early Years Education.

I got my greatest satisfaction working with children with Special Educational Needs and I followed this interest to move into the role of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Officer in Lancashire. I worked with schools, families and other agencies to write Education, Health and Care Plans and advise on the legal requirements on SEND. I am now EHC Team Manager for Rochdale Borough Council, managing a team of 26.

I’ve been a Governor at Leyland Methodist Schools for over 5 years, supported them through Ofsted to retain their Good status, through the federation of the infant and primary schools and more recently as they became part of the Epworth Trust Academy in May this year.

 

Rev Linda Dawkin

Linda is the vicar at St Michael with St Thomas. She leads worship at the school on a weekly basis and is also a parent of the school.

 

Helen Worrall

Helen is the staff elected governor and is also KS2 Leader at the school..


Michelle Slingsby

Michelle has been the Headteacher at St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School since September 2018.

Miss S Dunne

I have worked in education for 14 years. I initially trained as a Secondary Design and Technology teacher. After my NQT year, I quickly decided I enjoyed working with children with SEN and took a number of additional qualifications including an MA to allow me to specialise in this area. For the past 10 years I have worked mainly in primary SEN roles as an SEN teacher and SENCO. I currently work as a Specialist Advisory Teacher for a local authority, advising schools on supporting children with SEN and delivering training to teachers on all areas of SEN. 

 I have worked in schools all over the world, in countries such as Egypt, Kenya and Russia. I recently moved to Widnes to from Blackpool to live closer to my work and family. I am keen to be involved with the local community, as well as volunteering on the committee I also work with a local Rainbows group.

Prior to teaching I worked in the clothing industry for companies such as Shop Direct, Mothercare and Matalan as a merchandiser where I was responsible for analysing sales and managing budgets. The skills I learned in these roles have been incredibly useful when I have worked in schools enabling me to analyse pupil attainment data and effectively manage department budgets. 

I am looking forward working with the school committee and using my knowledge and skills to support the continued growth of St Michael with  St Thomas.

 

Miss N Ellis

Having attended St Michael with St Thomas primary school many years ago, I was thrilled to be able to send my daughter here in 2019 to begin her education. The school has always been an integral part of the local community with many generations of pupils growing up and seeing their own children thrive here and as parents then become grandparents, the sense of togetherness has always shone through.

I have been a primary school teacher in nearby St Helens for over twenty-five years and have held many different teaching and management roles in my career so far. I am passionate about the value of education in children’s early years and believe that the ethos and values so easily identifiable at St Michael with St Thomas’ give our local children the most fantastic start to their educational journey and encourages aspirations that will be with them for a lifetime.

As a school committee member and a local resident, I am pleased to represent the parents and the children to help the school continue to grow and succeed. I feel that in our busy, modern lives, the school is a consistent and valuable presence for our children which we should support and encourage as it gives them the best opportunities, experiences and chances to become the future citizens of the global community.






 

 

 

 

 

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