Meet our Governors
Mrs Fiona Boulton (Chair)
Co-opted Governor As a local resident for many years with my own children and grandchildren I passionately believe in the right of every child to have access to an outstanding education. I have worked within education myself for 26 years with experience within mainstream and special education across all key stages. I have had the privilege of undertaking educational research nationally and internationally and working with a local Teaching School. With practical experience as a classroom teacher; a specialist teacher providing outreach; and various leadership roles including headship, I hope that my role as governor will enable me to use my prior experiences and knowledge to support Baldwins Gate Primary School as it endeavours to provide all our children with an outstanding education, tailored to their individual needs, which develops them spiritually, morally and intellectually. 
Mr David Convey
(Vice-Chair) Co-opted Governor I have two sons at Baldwins Gate – in Reception and Year 2 with my two year old daughter set to follow. I am keen to play a part in supporting the school however I can. I grew up in Kidsgrove and then went to University in Sheffield and Law College in York before heading home to work at Knights Solicitors, where I am a Partner and Head of Department. That role involves the ability to organise, listen and work as a team, so to find solutions to challenges. I would hope to use these skills in helping the school to provide the children with the best possible encouragement and education. 
Mr Paul Stern
Parent Governor Our eldest daughter started in Reception at Baldwins Gate in September 2016 and we have already been very impressed with both the ethos of the school and quality of teaching, demonstrated by our daughter’s progress so far. It is for this reason that I wished to become an active part of the school as a Parent Governor. I have some experience of working in a primary school. I was a Teaching Assistant at a school for children with severe and complex learning difficulties in London before studying at university. In particular, I had the pleasure of working with children with autism spectrum conditions. I am confident that this experience will enable me to contribute to many aspects of school policy including that of Special Educational Needs and Disability. My professional background is in Physiotherapy and Clinical Exercise Physiology, although I now work as a member of the senior management team within the Heat Centre at the University Hospitals of North Midlands. As a Clinician I have a particular interest in physical activity and public health. Now as a parent I am passionate about ensuring that children are given appropriate opportunities and encouragement to take part in physical activity, both of a recreational and competitive nature. I am keen to be involved with this area of school strategy and policy, as well as the area of health promotion in general. As a manager in the National Health Service, I like to believe that I not only share the same values encouraged by the school but that I also understand how important these values are to the development and future success of our children. I am also able to offer to the school my experience of managing budgets, strategic planning, performance monitoring and recruitment of staff. In addition, I have developed confidence and experience in presenting to individuals and groups both within and outside of my organisation. My other great interest is music and I have both studied and performed since I was at primary school myself. This is another area in which I am very passionate about ensuring that opportunities are provided for children to learn and participate. Mrs Katie Leonard
Local Authority Governor 
As a parent with two children at Baldwins Gate Primary School and my son at Madeley High School, I welcome the opportunity to support Mrs Lowe and her wonderful teaching staff as Local Authority Governor. I have over 17 year’s experience of working in education settings and cultural arts organisations within the West Midlands, Cheshire and Stoke on Trent.
Through art and culture, we come to understand and articulate ourselves; the arts illuminate our inner lives, enrich our emotional world, teach us compassion and engage us in a dialogue about values. Alongside literacy and numeracy, another skill needed in our workforce today is creativity. Cultural education subjects help young people to unlock their innate creativity, enabling them to become more rounded and confident citizens. I actively advocate for the benefits of arts and culture on the lives of young people on a daily basis at local, regional and national level. I proactively do this by being a strategic and founding member of the Stoke Cultural Education Partnership and as a Lecturer of Education on the PGCE teaching courses at Staffordshire University. I also represent the Cultural sector on the board of NSEAD (National Society of Education Art and Design). My commitment to the value and importance of learning and engagement within the Arts & Cultural sector is proven in the roles I have undertaken during my career. I am a passionate advocate for the development of arts and culture, determined to improve the quality and access to the arts for all young people. I firmly believe that wherever children start in life, a high quality cultural education in every school should be a right, not a privilege. |
Rev Nigel Clemas
Foundation Governor Since becoming Rector of Whitmore, Maer and Chapel Chorlton in 1998, I have served 'ex-officio' as a governor. I visit school each Wednesday to take assembly and some years ago set up the Wednesday Lunch Club, when we seek to pass on to the children stories from the bible and what it means to be a Christian. I have tried to develop links beween the local churches and the school. We welcome class visits to the churches and we are delighted that the school has a special service at Whitmore church at Christmas. We try and cater for children in Sunday Worship. At Whitmore on the third Sunday of each month we have a special service specifically for families, especially children. For me it is important that amidst the changes in education, the school maintains its distinctive Christian ethos and that the children leave knowing their bible and what it is to be a Christian. 
Mr Edward Cavenagh-Mainwaring
Co-opted Governor I have spent my entire life living and working in Whitmore. My work covers the interaction of different, sometimes competing land uses, including; Farming the soil organically and conventionally through arable and dairy farming; energy production; green waste recycling; wildlife habitat management including wetland, hedges and wildflower meadows; fish farming and commercial coarse fishery, and others including forestry and equine livery. I also work with local schools providing farm education days. I have a strong environmental awareness and wish to bring this to school. From day one I have always enjoyed coming to school taking my daughter Adelaide. I have found the teachers and atmosphere positive and driven to ensure and improve the experience for all the children. I am inspired by their drive to better the school and wish to contribute in my own way - I have an abundance of common sense and ability to see new trends arise, but was never academic. 
Mr Charles Follwell
Parent Governor I am a proud father of two children attending Baldwins Gate Primary School. I have lived and worked in Chapel Chorlton all my life as a dairy farmer and in recent years successfully diversified my business into other areas. I am also the vice chairman of Chorlton Parish Council. I attended the school in the 1980’s! Followed by Madeley High, S-O-T sixth form and higher education at Harper Adams University studying Bsc Agriculture with land and farm management. My Interests include country sports, sailing and skiing, as well as supporting my children in their interests, including assisting in coaching at Madeley White Stars football club. As a member of the governing body I hope to support the fantastic job Mrs Lowe and her team are already doing and also hope to provide a commercial input towards existing and future changes and challenges we will inevitably face. The school has a wonderful Christian ethos, quality approachable teaching staff and flexibility to suit different needs. I feel privileged to be part of it, to see changes over the last 30 years and help continue in its success. |
Mrs Claire Lowe
Headteacher It is a pleasure to work in partnership with our Governing body. Our governors provide both support and challenge to ensure high expectations and outcomes for all. As Headteacher I report to, and attend, all committee and full governor meetings. I strive to ensure that all children at Baldwins Gate have outstanding teaching which stimulates their creativity, curiosity and enquiry and that, as unique individuals, they are respected and valued. I wish for each pupil, through our care and nurture, to flourish and have values which they will hold dear throughout their lives. 
Mr Andrew Talbot
Parent Governor I am proud to be a governor at the school I attended and it is nice to see how the school has developed over the years. I am looking forward to my time on the governing body and helping the school and children as much as possible utilising the wide range of skills and knowledge I have to offer. I have lived in Whitmore all my life and attended Baldwins Gate Primary School, before going on to Madeley High School. My daughter started in nursery at Baldwins Gate in 2015. I have been really impressed with every aspect of the school, from the friendly atmosphere and greeting at the gates each morning by a member of staff, to coming into school and helping the children build differently themed outdoor play stations from everyday materials. Watching how they use them to learn and further their development is very rewarding. I am also looking forward to my son starting nursery in 2018. My work covers a number of areas. I am a fully qualified driving instructor and have run my own driving school for the past ten years. It has been a challenging and rewarding experience, which has helped me to develop good teaching, listening and interacting skills which I will look forward to bringing to my governor role. I also work on my parents beef farm in Whitmore, which has been proudly farmed by four generations of my family for over 60 years and is still going strong today. More recently I have returned to a great passion of mine, carrying out body work on motor vehicles and restoring classic vehicles such as minis and scooters. My career in this line of work began in 2001, when I started as an apprentice at BS Marson & Sons. I still work there and enjoy the different challenges thrown up each day. At the age of twenty my car spraying skills were recognised nationally and I was presented with an award by HRH Prince Michael of Kent for being one of the top five young sprayers in the country. My interests outside of work include spending lots of time with my family creating lots of happy memories as they are grow up. I also enjoy watching Stoke City and keeping fit. 
Mr David Edwards
Foundation Governor I am the very proud father of two daughters, one who is currently at Baldwins Gate primary school and one who has now left to start at Madeley High School. I enjoy family time at home in the village and love the community spirit which has the school at its centre. I have lived in Baldwins Gate for the last eleven years and always admired the way the school develops its pupils into confident, polite and enthusiastic young people. I became Foundation Governor in November 2016, a position that links the church with the school and I have found this a perfect fit as I attend Whitmore church with my family. My background is in construction; I am a carpenter/joiner and have worked in all aspects of the building trade. My current job is as a multi-trade operative on social housing and this has enabled me to cover different trade skills and liaise with customers, which I feel I can use to help our school continue to improve the work it has achieved so far. With my building background and in work training, I feel that I can contribute to the school’s future expansion ideas and any issues that may come with it and look forward to any challenges ahead. |
