Mr. Mike James

Chair of Governors

LA Governor

I have been a Governor at Christ Church since 2010 and Chair of Governors since 2012. I am interested in achievement of all at the school, particularly in Reading and Writing. I enjoy working with the professionals at the school and particularly enjoy the time when we get to talk to the children about their learning.

Outside of governing, I am retired now from an education-related career. I spend much of my time working on my house which I enjoy renovating and learning new skills in the process. It keeps me grounded as I have to work hard and take care to make sure that the results are the best I can achieve. Family is also important to me and so I enjoy time spent with them.

Mrs. Debby Simpson

Clerk to the Governors

I have been Clerk to the Governors at Christ Church Pellon since 2011. I am the Governor Support Officer for Calderdale LA which enables me to be one of the first to know about changes in legislation, good practice and all matters relevant to governance. In this role as well as arranging for training for all governing bodies in Calderdale, I also give advice to our governing bodies if they have concerns.

I am also Clerk to Calderdale and Kirklees SACRE's (Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education) which helps me keep up to date with all the various faiths and beliefs of people within the community.

Mr. David Gott

Co-Opted Governor

I am a Co-Opted School Governor. I am a member of the Curriculum Standards Committee and I am Health & Safety Governor. I have a lot of experience to bring to the role as I am a retired Primary School Headteacher.

I may be retired but I am still kept very busy. I am a Primary School Inspector for The Diocese of Leeds, a Co-Opted member of Calderdale Council Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel, a member of Calderdale School Admissions Forum and a member of Calderdale Local Authority Governor Appointments Committee. When I do have spare time, I like to travel.

Mrs. Karen Morley

Additional LA Governor

I am very pleased to have been asked by the Local Authority to become a governor at Christ Church Pellon. I bring with me over 11 years' experience in school governance and as a retired chartered accountant (Chartered Institute of Public Finance) many years of financial experience with the local authority (including the role of Education Group Accountant) and a social housing provider (as Head of Finance).

My experience of governance includes being a Trustee at Scout Road Academy since 2011 where I am a Vice Chair and Responsible Officer (Finance) and Trustee of Together learning Trust in 2019 and was elected as Chair of Audit Risk and Finance shortly after joining the trust and Vice Chair of the Board in September 2021.

I am a member of Calderdale Schools Forum (since 2019) and currently the governor representative for the Calder Valley Cluster.

Mrs. Joanne Bastian

Headteacher

I am the Headteacher of Christ Church and I am very excited to be involved with such a skilled Governing body. I have been a senior leader for 18 years and a Governor for 5 years.

I have worked in this community for 9 years now and have developed very positive relationships with pupils, parents/carers and staff/Governors. I am aware that the school has made huge improvements over the last few years and I am thrilled that I will be part of the Christ Church family. The job as a Headteacher, I know is a challenging one, however it is also extremely rewarding at the same time.

Mrs. Laura Jackson

Co-Opted (Parent) Governor

I have been a Parent Governor with Christ Church since October 2016. My working life has been spent mostly working in administrative departments for local solicitors firms and the NHS.

The staff and pupils at Christ Church have always been incredibly friendly and welcoming and I'm looking forward to working with them in the future. Outside of school I am three and enjoy reading and cooking.

Mrs. Yolande Shire

Foundation Governor

I am very pleased to be asked to join the team at Christ Church Pellon. I bring with me 20+ years of school experience, firstly as a teacher and a member of a Senior Leadership Team as a Governor.

My experience of governance includes staff governor, member of the Management Committee of a Pupil Referral Unit and as a Foundation Governor and Chair in the local VA Primary School that my three children attend. I am especially interested in Special Educational Needs and Inclusion as well as Global Citizenship.

Much of my free time has involved working with young people through my links with Girlguiding. Away from this, I enjoy gardening at the allotment and cooking.

Dr Cheryl James BSc(Hons), PGCE, PGCHE, MSc, FHEA, PhD

Co-Opted Governor

I was a Teacher Educator, and a Teaching Fellow at the University of Huddersfield. I am also a Fellow of the Higher Education Authority.  Becoming a Co-opted Governor at Christchurch Pellon is my first experience of school governance and I am learning a great deal and enjoying the role.  It allows me to continue that lifelong interest in how people learn and how good teaching can open doors and help children fulfil their potential.

I grew up in Ovenden and in Mixenden and still have strong family ties to Halifax.

I also have a lifelong love of knitting. My Mum taught me to knit when I was six. I had very little spare time during my working life, but now that I am retired, I always have at least one sweater or a pair of socks on the go!  

Mrs. Stephanie Dearlove

Staff Governor