More About Our Governors

• Mr Richard Blanchard
  Chair of Governors
  Mr Richard Blanchard

  "I am a parent governor who is also chairman of one of the governors sub-committees, which is responsible for pupil welfare. After a long career in retail marketing and new business development in Littlewoods Shop Direct, I now run my own e-commerce consultancy. I am also a Novelist and have published my first novel "Snow Blind".

• Mr Joseph Rowe
  Co-opted Governor/Vice Chair of Governors
  Mr Joseph Rowe

  "Hi, I am the National Citizen Service (NCS) Manager at Everton in the Community, a leading charity on the international stage. I have worked at Everton since 2011 as a volunteer, volunteer coordinator then moving onto NCS. I have worked with young people for a number of years now providing opportunities to grow and excel.

  Before entering the world of work I attended Liverpool John Moores University studying Sport Development for three years. I am extremely excited to be a part of the Calderstones Family to support the school and its students is something I am very proud of."

• Mrs Jacqueline Sale
  LEA Representative Governor
  Mrs Jacqueline Sale

  "I joined the Governing Body at Calderstones in November 2017 as the Local Authority appointed Governor. I worked in the education sector in the North-West of England throughout my career.
  
  The roles I have undertaken have included classroom teacher, Headteacher of a Secondary School, Head of a Specialist provision, as well as work within a Local Authority education department. I have been a resident in South Liverpool for over 40 years and am delighted to become part of the Calderstones family to support the school and its students."

• Mr Lee Ratcliffe
  Headteacher
  Mr Lee Ratcliffe

  "I've been Headteacher at Calderstones since March 2017 following a short period of time as Acting Head.

  In total I've been at Calderstones for 12 years in various roles: Head of English; Assistant Headteacher; Deputy Headteacher. Before working here, I spent 6 years at Rainhill High School in St Helens. I trained as a teacher up in Lancaster which is where I also did my degree in English Literature. I have two children, both girls, and so my hobbies and interests have changed dramatically since they arrived in my life. I still read but less frequently; I still love football but I watch it and certainly play it less frequently. Instead, I now cycle a lot when I get the opportunity. Ultimately though, my family have become my hobby. I do what they want me to do."

• Dr Jenny Craske
  Co-opted Governor
  Dr Jenny Craske

  "I am a nurse specialist at Alder Hey and a Liverpool City Council foster carer. The skills I bring to the governing body are from these roles along with governance, data analysis and data presentation."

• Mr Matthew Clough
  Co-opted Governor
  Mr Matthew Clough

  I have previously been a governor at a primary school on the Wirral and I’m very much looking forward to serving as a governor at Calderstones.

  For me, the importance of education is in its ability to enable individuals to reach their best selves. Schools play a key role in helping pupils understand who they are and what they might want to be.

  I have worked for over 25 years in the education sector and I have experience in several areas, including operational management, change management, strategic planning and people management. I am currently Director of Campus Services at the University of Liverpool, where I lead a team of about 550 staff. Together we are responsible for running areas including cleaning, security, catering and our student accommodation.

  In my spare time, I enjoy indoor and outdoor cycling.

• Professor Alan Hudson
  Parent Governor
  Professor Alan Hudson

  Alan retired as an Oxford University Lecturer (Fellow of Kellogg College, Oxford) in 2019. Alan taught sociology and contemporary history. Alan oversaw collaborative projects with Shanghai Jiaotong University to develop further educational programmes. Alan has an interest in further education, humanities and curriculum.

• Mr Gwynfryn Jones
  Co-opted Governor
  Mr Gwynfryn Jones

  Gwyn is an Associate Principal Engineer with AstraZeneca and has an interest in further education, careers and STEM.

• Mr Neil McCarthy
  Staff Governor
  Mr Neil McCarthy

  Neil is a Staff Elected Governor. Â As Head of Technology at Calderstones, Neil has a deep interest in the curriculum and wellbeing of staff and students.

• Mr Terence Mensah
  Co-opted Governor
  Mr Terence Mensah

  My name is Terry I am a local lad, and I see myself as a Ghanian-Scouser. My parents are from Ghana, but I have pretty much lived in Liverpool all my life.

  This will be my first year (2022-23) as a Governor, and I am excited about the prospect of supporting Calderstones School build on the fantastic work it is already done for its pupils and parents.

  Growing up there were two things that really helped shaped my career. One was my father, who as a teacher always spoke to me and my brothers about the importance of education and the love for learning. The second was my Maths teacher, who one day said to me, Terry you are good at Maths aren't you , and because of that one encouraging comment I went on to be a Charted Accountant. That is the power of teachers. I know school goes beyond preparing children for exams. It is where their development into young adults begins, it is where they start to learn about themselves and others. I have already  seen how much Calderstones school cares about their pupils, and I want to be part of delivering the best outcomes for those pupils, their teachers, their parents, and the local community.

  Throughout my career I have been lucky enough to work in roles that I believe will be beneficial to the Governing body:

  • Charted account and financial analyst: I am comfortable with budgets, forecasts and reporting. I can cut through the detail to get to the crux of what the figures are telling us and articulate that story.
  • Strategy Manager: This is where my passion is. Understanding the challenge, what the goals/objectives are and building a roadmap to deliver those objectives - identifying KPIs to ensure we are on track.

  My personal interests are; keeping fit (gym, boxing and I did the couch to 5k which I am really proud of), reading when I get time - particularly positive mindset / self-help type books. Â

• Mr Matthew Wilson
  Co-opted Governor
  Mr Matthew Wilson

  As a former Primary School Teacher, I have a keen interest in Education, and have served as a Primary School Governor for many years. I have a firm belief in the power of strong Governance and its ability to make an difference for the children within the school and also for the community that supports it.

  Prior to teaching, I had a background in facilities maintenance, administration management and financial management which has been extremely helpful in my Governor roles.

  From September 2024 both of my children will attend Calderstones School.

• Mrs Jenny Proctor
  Parent Governor
  Mrs Jenny Proctor

• Miss Eleanor Slater
  Co-opted Governor
  Miss Eleanor Slater

  This will be the first time I have been a Governor and I am eager to learn more about the role. I came from a very good school and I am aware how important education is for different groups of children who have different needs and differing abilities. I am passionate about each child being given the right support and education as it sets you up for life and future careers. As a solicitor I believe that I bring skills that would assist with challenging the information provided by the school as well as asking pertinent questions where necessary to ensure that we as the governing board are holding the school to account as well as working collaboratively with them in the best interests of the children.

• Ms Joanna Rowlands
  Co-opted Governor
  Ms Joanna Rowlands

  I am a new co-opted governor. I have a son in Year 7 and during visits to Calderstones I have been encouraged and enthused by the passion and drive shown by both staff and pupils at the school. I believe in the values and culture at the heart of the school’s ethos and would like to support the staff in encouraging pupils to feel inspired and empowered to achieve their potential.

  I have over two decades of experience as a marketing and communications specialist and am currently Director of Marketing & Communications at ACC Liverpool, where I am responsible for consumer and B2B marketing, PR, internal comms and digital platforms. For the last 6 years, I have held the position of Chair at Heart of Glass, a socially engaged arts organisation based in Knowsley and St Helens, and was previously on the board at Open Eye Gallery. As Chair and board member I have provided strategic leadership, gaining experience of safeguarding, policy development, employee relations, financial and risk management.

  I worked in the cultural sector for many years, holding positions at National Museums Liverpool, FACT and the Bluecoat, and spent 5 years at a branding agency where I worked on accounts such as Liverpool Football Club, Unilever, Primark and Nuffield College, Oxford. In addition, I am a qualified coach and mentor.

  As well as sound judgment and experience, I hope to bring enthusiasm, pragmatism and a commitment to creating the very best environment for every young person at Calderstones. We are living through very challenging times and I would like to play my part in contributing the continuing development of our community.

• Mrs Sonia St.James
  Parent Governor
  Mrs Sonia St.James

• Mr Thomas Vandewiele
  Parent Governor
  Mr Thomas Vandewiele

  I am a teacher and SENCo at a primary school in south Liverpool. I started my career in publishing in London, before training as a teacher at Edge Hill University, and have worked in a variety of schools in Merseyside.

  I am originally from France and have lived in the UK for the last 20 years. I have two children and enjoy spending time outdoors with my family.

  As a supporter of inclusive education, I am looking forward to working with the school as a parent governor.

• Vanessa Eyres
  Governor Clerk
  Vanessa Eyres

  COMING SOON