Governance
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About
Governors work with senior leaders in the strategic development of the school and in raising standards of achievement. Duties include setting the school’s vision, aims & objectives, approving the school budget and appointing the Headteacher.
Governors must both support and challenge the Headteacher, so need to gain an understanding of the school’s overall performance in order to explain its decisions and actions. They do this by attending regular meetings, carrying out school visits and meeting with senior leaders. They also attend training in order to keep up to date with the requirements of their role. Governors work as a team and make collective decisions.
To contact the Governing Board, please email the Clerk to the Governors at Clerk@longhill.org.uk
Meet the Governors
Linda Newman - Chair
I have lived in Woodingdean for nearly all my life and I have two sons, who both attended Longhill High School. I have been a school governor for over 25 years and at Longhill High School since 2008. I work for an education trade union as senior resources manager with strategic responsibility for finance, personnel, property and IT. I have worked in and around higher education throughout my career and I hope that I bring that experience to the Longhill High School. I also bring the experience of 40+ years of voluntary youth leadership. I am currently Chair of
Trustees at the Deans Youth Project based at Woodingdean Youth Centre. Our team works in partnership with the Longhill High School.
I firmly believe that young people should enjoy school and that governors help to see that they each leave school with happy memories of their time there, equipped to achieve their ambitions and able to meet the challenges of their adult lives. Education is a 24 hour, lifelong process. I want our students to leave Longhill High School, excited by learning and with all the skills they need to continue their education, whatever future path they take. I believe the whole community has a stake in the education of its young people. In return, Longhill High School has a key role in the communities that it serves. I hope that my governance will help Longhill High School become a centre of excellence in the City.
Appointed by: Local Authority / Governing Board
Terms of Office: 5.12.17 – 4.12.21
Role: Co-opted Governor
I have lived in Woodingdean for over 10 years and feel that Longhill High School is an integral part of the community. My background is in business strategy and direct response marketing. I run my own business and help small businesses to grow rapidly and overcome the challenges they meet. I use this experience to challenge the school in its thinking and to help it find new ways to create the future we all want for our children. I have two children at Longhill High School and I also spend a lot of time working with Cubs and Scouts in Rottingdean.
I have lived in Brighton my whole life and feel privileged to be in position to give something back to my local community. I have three years experience in the education sector in various roles including governance, human resources and administration. I am fully committed to providing the governing board at Longhill High School the highest level of support to ensure the best outcomes for our amazing students.
After moving to the local area almost three years ago, I have always been keen to continue working as a governor at a local school. With over sixteen years’ experience in the education market, I am very much looking forward to being a part of the Longhill High School journey to outstanding and working within a dynamic environment where students and staff are challenged and supported.
As a parent of three children and being married to a teacher, I have long been surrounded by differing perspectives on the education system. When my youngest daughter began her secondary school journey at Longhill High School, I wanted to become a parent governor to use my skills and experience to give something back to our local school and community. I began my working life in the accountancy world, before moving into IT within local government, which has given me a good appreciation of finance and budgeting processes. In that role I also worked with many of the local education authority services, and am very aware of the pressures and challenges that schools have been and are continuing to be faced with as a result of government policy together with the ambition to help every pupil achieve the best they can. I am passionate about education being inclusive and serving the local community in supporting every child to develop and learn, through both the curriculum and extra curricular activities.
I am delighted to be joining the Governing Board as Parent Governor. This is an exciting opportunity and I am looking forward to learning more about Longhill High, contributing to and supporting plans, and being part of its continuing development.
After a 20 year career as a financial consultant in the City, I took redundancy in 2011, and went off travelling for 6 months around LATAM with my then 4 year old. I took French A’ Level at Varndean College and won a place on PGCE Teacher training at Canterbury Christchurch. My placement school, a selective boys’ school, took me on as German teacher, but a year later due to budget cuts, we returned to Brighton. I gained my CELTA English accreditation and now teach English to Chinese students. I have a passion for all things education and am honoured to be co-opted as a Governor of Longhill High School and look forward to working with the team to make this school the very best in Brighton and the number one choice for children, parents and teachers in BN2.
I am 24, and therefore have only recently left school and college and university education. I have completed an undergraduate law degree from the University of Sussex. I am pursuing a career in the legal profession as a Barrister. I was elected a local councillor for Rottingdean Coastal Ward on Brighton and Hove City Council in May 2015, and have a keen interest to ensure excellent local education for local children. As a strong believer in equality of opportunity, I want to ensure that all pupils, no matter of their background, reach their full potential and aspirations.
I taught English and was a senior leader at secondary schools in London, East Kent and West Sussex. As Head of Inclusion in London Borough of Bexley and Head of Behaviour and Attendance in Brighton and Hove I was responsible for alternative provision, Behaviour and Attendance Partnerships for primary and secondary schools and safeguarding in schools. I have delivered a wide variety of training sessions to staff on related subjects to facilitate improved outcomes, particularly for SEMH and disadvantaged children and young people in the classroom. Most recently I was the Head of Standards and Achievement for Brighton and Hove and liaised extensively with Ofsted with regard to school inspections and outcomes.
I was a local Councillor for four years and spokesperson for my group on Children and Young People. I took a very active part in the education of children in our city. I was – and am – very concerned about the widening attainment gap in our schools, between different groups of children. I have three children and ten grandchildren. Some of my grandchildren are in our city schools. I believe that Governors, Staff, Parents, Pupils, Local Authorities and Local Communities should work together to give ALL children in our city the very best education and start in life. I will work with all to try and make a difference.
I have been working at Longhill High School since April 2018 as Premises Manager. During this time, I have become very passionate about the over all performance of the school. I have lived locally for many years and I also have 2 children who I hope will be attending Longhill High School in the future. I am very interested in further developing the school’s engagement with the community. As staff governor I look forward to learning more about the school’s strategic goals and how we will achieve these in order to gain the best results for our students. I intend to offer both my support and challenge to help shape the future of the school.
I have lived in Brighton with my wife and two sons since 2004. Until recently, I ran a development consulting company which managed education, health, environmental and other projects in the UK, the Caribbean and Africa. I have worked with schools, local education departments and Ministries of Education in several countries. I now run a small manufacturing business in Brighton.
I have lived in Saltdean since 1983 and both my daughters came to Longhill High School before college, university and successful careers. I have been a member of the Personnel and Finance committee for many years and also have responsibilities for Safeguarding, Buildings and Health and Safety. For 11 years, until February 2017, I also worked at Longhill High School, as a member of the Cover Supervisor team, taking lessons for Teachers who were absent. This gave me a unique insight into how the School works on a daily basis and gave me access to the Staff to hear their views, enabling me to discuss matters with the Leadership Team, as a Governor, when they arose.