The Governing Board
Bridget Taylor,
Co-opted/Chair of governors
Appointed by: Governing body
Term of office: 10 May 2022 – 31 July 2023
I was co-opted as a Governor with lead responsibility for Human Resources in November 2021. I believe that all young people should be given the opportunity to develop in a positive and supportive learning environment and look forward to getting involved in supporting the school as a Governor.
In my working life I was Head of Human Resources in local government for a number of years, followed by senior roles in the private sector working in partnership with councils to deliver service transformation. I have been involved in project delivery, managing operations and change; working closely at all times with staff, customers and other stakeholders.
I have been an active volunteer in my community for the last five years and am currently Chair of New Note Projects, a Brighton based charity.
Matt Hillier,
Headteacher
Teresa Dee
Clerk to Governors
I have been supporting Dorothy Stringer’s Governing Body as a professional clerk since March 2013.
I have worked with many other Schools and am currently the Clerk to Governors for 6 schools in Brighton & Hove.
My responsibility is to ensure the efficient functioning of the Governing Body by providing:
- Administrative and organisational support.
- Guidance to ensure that the Governing Body works in compliance with the appropriate legal and regulatory framework, and understands the potential consequences for non compliance.
- Advice on procedural matters relating to the operation of the board.
- Designing structures and procedures for the sound governance of the school.
To contact Governors email – clerk@dorothy-stringer.co.uk
Mick Baker,
Co-opted governor
Appointed by: Governing body
Term of office: 1 July 2018 – 20 June 2026
Retired. Previously Head of Lower School at Dorothy Stringer School then Deputy Head of a comprehensive school in Worthing (30 years)
I have been a Governor at Dorothy Stringer for a little over 10 years and have been a Governor at two other schools.
My two sons both attended Dorothy Stringer. I am also a Trustee of the school’s outdoor centre at Dolawen in Wales.
I would hope to support the school in maintaining its excellent standards.
Sarah Bakhtiari
Co-opted governor
Appointed by: Governing body
Term of office: 29 January 2024 – 28 January 2028
My first involvement with Dorothy Stringer was as a trainee teacher and some twenty five years later, I hope to be in a position to give back to the school which supported me in the earliest stage of my professional journey. My experience as a headteacher equips me with the practical skills to do this in a meaningful way.
I aspire to the very best for every young person in our school community and understand that in order to achieve this we need to work together. By setting clear strategic intentions, using data to inform decision-making, conducting regular evaluation and review, and fostering a collaborative and inclusive approach, we can ensure the best possible outcomes for our young people. Through supporting the strong leadership and through a commitment to excellence, we can maintain and develop a school environment that nurtures and inspires for the benefit of pupils, staff and the local community.
James Bennett
Parent Governor
Appointed by: Governing body
Term of office: 17 March 2023 – 16 March 2027
I am delighted to be part of Dorothy Stringer’s Board of Governors. I am the Director of StoryFutures: The National Centre for Immersive Storytelling, which is based at Royal Holloway, University of London, where I serve as a Professor in Digital Culture. I have extensive experience of higher education and creative industries, with a particular focus on innovative use of new technologies. I am passionate about creative and inclusive education: I have led countless STEAM [Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths] collaborations and believe communication and working across science/technology/arts courses is crucial for developing children’s’ future skills. I love running, swimming and vegemite.
Rob Bradshaw,
Co-opted governor
Appointed by: Governing body
Term of office: 29 January 2024 – 28 January 2028
I have spent my working life in different countries and cultures, ranging from Papua New Guinea to Indonesia and Italy. My roles varied from entry level sales roles through management to board leadership. In recent years, prompted by a lifelong interest in education, I have been teaching business and “Strategic HR” at universities in Asia. I have been on school boards previously, and to better understand how education is delivered, I studied part time for a postgraduate certificate in education. I am a Fellow of UK based CIPD, and continue to consult for companies and a charity here in the UK and in the Philippines, where we lived for a number of years. I hold a couple of board positions and am a Rotarian. I have two children, one at university and one doing A levels.
I hope I can combine experience from my working life with a passion for education; to help the board and the leadership team fulfil the vision of the school and facilitate excellent outcomes for our students.
Eleanor Fagan,
Co-opted governor
Elected by: Governing body
Term of office: 11 March 2024 – 10 March 2028
My professional background is in primary education, having worked as a teacher and Assistant Head in inner London schools. I am passionate about social justice issues and am currently undertaking a MA in Educational Policy at UCL, pushing me to consider the wide range of social issues that can affect policy development. I am very interested in how feminist approaches to knowledge and pedagogy can help to create equity within the education system.
High-quality education is a once in a lifetime opportunity and an essential foundation to positive outcomes, so I am delighted at the opportunity to support the leadership of Dorothy Stringer in realising this for all their students.
Emma Morey,
Parent Governor
Vice Chair of Governors
Elected by: Parents
Term of office: 28 April 2022 – 27 April 2026
I work as a solicitor within the NHS. Additionally, I volunteer as a Scout leader, facilitating enrichment activities for a small group of younger scouts in Rottingdean. I have three children, the youngest is in Year 7 at Dorothy Stringer. I have a specific interest in supporting children and adults who are neuro-diverse and with Children identifying as transgender. I believe I have valuable experience as a parent who has navigated some difficult situations within an educational setting, which would assist both the school and pupils. Our family are particularly LGBTQA+ and I am passionate about providing young people with a safe space to talk about their feelings and to help educate our wider community in inclusivity. I hope that I will be able to provide valuable experience and insight as a parent governor at Dorothy Stringer school.
Catherine Packham,
Parent governor
Elected by: Parents
Term of office: 24 November 2021 – 23 November 2025
I am delighted to be elected to serve Dorothy Stringer School as Parent Governor from Autumn 2021. I have twin girls who are currently in Year 9 in the school. I hope to support the school to make the best possible provision on all fronts for all students in the school, and to be a strong voice for the concerns of parents, carers, and their children in our school community.
I currently teach English Literature at the University of Sussex where I have worked since 2006. I have over twenty years’ professional experience in higher education, including periods working at the Universities of Leeds and Leicester. I was recently Head of English Literature at Sussex for three years, where I was responsible for a significant programme of undergraduate curriculum reform; this sought in particular to address the educational needs of students arriving at university from secondary and college education. I have also been Director of Student Experience for the School of English at Sussex, a role which involved oversight of student support and wellbeing and gave me insight into the mental health needs of many of our young people. Most recently I have been involved in developing and teaching the innovative new Liberal Arts BA (Hons) degree which seeks to rethink university education to equip young people with the skills and knowledge needed to address the pressing global challenges of our time. This has involved establishing partnerships with numerous external organisations, both locally and nationally. I hope that this range of experience will help me assist and support Stringer as best I can in my role as Governor over the next few years.
Bronagh Shevlin,
Staff governor
Elected by: Staff
Term of office: 23 November 2016 – 14 December 2024
Almost 30 years ago I came to Dorothy Stringer to study my PGCE and I’m still here! I worked during that time as a teacher in the Art department and having recently retired from teaching, moved into a position in the Admin team.
I feel I know the school well from a historical and current perspective. In the last six years as a Governor, I have learnt a lot about how the school really works; about the role the school plays in the community and equally how much the local community influences Dorothy Stringer. Although I can only represent my own views as a Governor, I am always willing to listen to the perspectives and ideas of other staff and parents I come into contact with; these conversations help me form my thinking and give me a balanced and fair insight. I believe Dorothy Stringer can continue to evolve and develop, responding to students’ needs with care and accountability.