Governors

The Calder Learning Trust Governors 

The Calder Learning Trust Governing Body is responsible for ensuring that the school provides the best possible quality education for our pupils and students.

Whilst the Headteachers are responsible for the day-to-day management of the school, the Governing Body is involved in developing the school’s aims and policies as well as a number of other important duties including monitoring and evaluating the school’s effectiveness and safeguarding and holding the school to account for its performance.

if you would like to contact our governors, please email our clerk, Gilly Guy at gguy@calderlearningtrust.com

Chair of Governors

Jean Bradbury

I am a retired health and social care manager and have been a governor for over 20 years, starting as a parent governor and I am now Chair of Governors for The Calder Learning Trust. With years of working in mental health services, I believe that schools play an important role in preparing young people to become resilient healthy adults, who can go on to achieve their full potential and I am passionate about ensuring we prepare and support our young people to do so. I love young people; they are the future.I am also keen that we implement policies that are protective of the environment that they will inherit.

Vice Chair of Governors

Geraldine Wrathall

I am a retired teacher who has thoroughly enjoyed teaching across all ages from Reception to A-levels. I was Head of Years 10 and 11 in Cambridgeshire before moving to Mytholmroyd 25 years ago. I then spent many years teaching in the primary sector as SENCO, Safeguarding Lead , and a Deputy Headteacher. I have served as a governor in 4 different schools and have been a member of Calder Governors for several years. I feel my experiences in education including several OFSTED inspections, working with other agencies and services supports my role as a governor. I am a grandparent to a child in Calder Primary and all 3 of my children attended Calder High. I am involved in different community groups including a very successful drama group for young people.

Members of the Governing Body

Jon Hairsine - Co-opted Governor 

After over 30 years working in commercial businesses, leading change and transformation programmes in the legal, insurance, financial services and technology sectors, I now spends much of my time working, in a voluntary capacity, in the education sector. I have over 20 years years experience as a governor and trustee in a range of schools in varying settings across West Yorkshire and currently serve on several governing/trust boards. I am able to make good use of the experience I have gained in board level business roles, which have included responsibility for areas such as strategy, human resources, finance, IT, project management and business operations. I also hold a masters degree in education. Recognising that excellent teaching changes lives, I am passionate about improving the quality of education and about the important role governors can, and must, play in driving up standards.

Roz Wood-Ives - Co-opted Governor 

I am proud to be a member of Calder Learning Trust’s governing body. I have been a secondary teacher for 21 years and have held several leadership roles during this time. I was previously the headteacher of a local secondary school which I successfully led out of special measures. I now work for a local multi academy trust as the lead for secondary school improvement. I have a proven track record of effective school improvement which enables me to fulfil my responsibilities as a quality of education governor. As a parent, I have a vested interest in ensuring all children receive the best possible education.

Ian Bairstow - Co-opted Governor 

I have spent the last 38 years of my career working in local government. I retired in 2014 having spent my later years at Bradford District Council as a chief officer. I have extensive experience of developing and managing multi-disciplinary day to day services as well as large capital projects delivered through in house teams and external contractors. I have dealt with all aspects of direct employee management and external contracting. During my employment I served as a school governor at University Academy, Keighley and after retiring I was fortunate enough to sit on the governing body of both The Brooksbank School and Calder High School. I was a member of the MAT board at The Brooksbank School and served as a member of the Schools Forum. I stepped down from my volunteering work in 2020 due to family bereavements but feel that I am now ready to serve again wherever I can be of help. I am looking forward to working on the governing body at the Calder Learning Trust.

Jacqui Thomas-Pilka - Co-opted Governor

I have been a Governor at the Calder Learning Trust since 2021, and before that was a parent governor at Cragg Vale Junior and Infant School. I became a school governor as I wanted to support and work with our school to provide the very best education and opportunities for the children. My children have both attended Calder Primary and my eldest is at Calder High. I work as a family law barrister and am acutely aware of the limited resources available for local authorities and public services across the country. I’m also Trustee of two charities working with care experienced young people and promoting social mobility. I believe it’s vital that as a school we do all we can to support families and their children, so that everyone has the same opportunity to learn. I hope to continue to work with our school and contribute my skills and experience to support our teaching team.

Waqar Hussain - Staff Governor 

I have worked in Calderdale schools for over 15 years and joined The Calder Learning Trust in 2019. I have been a staff governor since 2022 and enjoy working with such dedicated individuals. I endeavour to do my best to ensure that every student feels safe and happy in school. I am passionate about education and understand the importance a quality education to young people. This is one of the reasons why I would like to continue to put something back into the community and the system that has got me to where I am today.

Raymond Kelly - Parent Governor

With two children currently attending Calder High School, I am delighted to be a parent governor at for The Calder Learning Trust. I think it’s really valuable to have the perspective of parents and carers represented on the Governing Body – so that we can contribute to key decisions. I’ve been working in recruitment and marketing within education for more than 20 years, so I have a good insight into the sector. And having lived within a stone’s throw of the school for the last 14 years, I also have a good appreciation of local issues. Outside of work and school, I’m a member of Calder Valley Fell Runners, and one of the club’s press team. And you’ll also find me on the sideline of Hebden Bridge Saints’ football matches every Sunday (even refereeing when called upon). I’m pleased to have the opportunity to play a part in the Trust’s ongoing development and success.

Sophie Craven - Parent Governor 

I have worked in education for over twenty years, working with young people across all phases from primary to Higher Education, setting up projects to support specific groups including the most able to the most disadvantaged. I've developed work-related learning and mentoring programmes and am currently a programme manager for schemes that support widening participation into higher education. I have co-authored a number of education publications including the Learning to Learn Toolkit and the G&T Co-ordinators Handbook and I regularly deliver teacher CPD. I strongly believe in opportunity for all and the transformative power of education and so have dedicated my career to initiatives that support young people to achieve their full potential. I hope that as a governor I can contribute my skills and experiences during this time which, although challenging, also presents lots of opportunities for us all collectively as a school community to support our young people so they can achieve and thrive.

Andy Bridger - Co-opted Governor

I have been a Governor of the Calder Learning Trust (TCLT) since 2018, initially as a parent governor and then as a co-opted governor. My particular areas of oversight are Estates and Health & Safety, Behaviours and Exclusions and as lead Governor on these matters I undertake regular reviews and provide mentoring support to the sector leads. Since 2023 I have been the Trustee representative for the Pennine Alliance Learning Trust (PALT) Multi Academy Trust working group for TCLT to support it’s proposals to transform into a new dynamic Multi Academy Trust. My background is in architecture, and I have spent the past 25+ years working with large-scale public-sector clients. This has given me extensive experience and a detailed knowledge of capital development and effective change management to facilitate these projects. The clients I work with often have complex needs with multiple stakeholders who requirements, hopes and aspirations all need to be brought together within the regulatory frames works and tight financial constraints. In my work I look for simple practical solutions to seemingly complex issues and I bring this same analytical, solution focused, pragmatic approach to my role as a Governor. I have personally gained a huge amount in my role as a Governor of TCLT as it enables me to support the pupils, Staff and Governing body in delivering the best possible educational experience across TCLT. This is of particular interest to me because my three children have all attended TCLT since Calder Primary first became part of the family of schools.

Clerk to Governors 

Gilly Guy 

I have been in education for over 35 years as a specialist music teacher and composer crossing all age groups - primary, secondary and adults. Latterly teaching piano, singing and composition. I have also co-owned businesses including a Hot air Balloon business, two farms and a Livery Yard. I returned to education after teaching, in the form of a Clerk to governors and have been doing so for the last 12 years. I currently work freelance for state schools, private charities, local councils and private businesses providing administration, and also as a financial officer. I have a variety of interests, some of which include; walking, reading, kayaking, skiing, motorbiking and vintage cars.

Please click here for our governor attendance, interests and status. 

Please click here for our Code of Conduct

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