Learning through the creative and performing arts
The Membership of the LIPA MAT Local Governing Bodies will be made up of a total of 11 Governors, as follows:
Elected Parent Governors |
2 |
Elected Staff Governor | 1 |
Trust appointed Governors | 7 |
Head of School and/or Principal | 1 |
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Nichola Grimshaw (LGB Chair) |
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Date appointed | 1 May 2022 |
Governor type | Trust appointed
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Nichola has worked in education for over thirty years. She completed a Bachelor of Education honours degree with qualified teacher status and specialisms in music and early years education with Manchester Metropolitan University, and then taught young children in two primary schools in Lancashire. She was a class teacher for twelve years at Deepdale Infant School in inner-city Preston, specialising in children’s communication, language and literacy development and the learning of children for whom English is an additional language. While she was working at Deepdale she was appointed as a Leading Literacy Teacher for Lancashire which involved her in delivering training sessions for a cluster of schools, and welcoming teachers into her classroom to observe and learn from her literacy teaching.
Nichola then moved to Edge Hill University’s Faculty of Education as a senior lecturer in primary and early years education, working with student teachers at the very beginning of their careers. She completed a master’s degree in early years education with Lancaster University, and in 2011, progressed to a senior role in Edge Hill University’s Department of Primary Education. In this role she had strategic leadership of phonics and early reading, curriculum, teaching, learning, and student experience. Nichola set up her own independent educational consultancy in March 2022, working with schools across Lancashire and Merseyside.
Nichola’s work in every role, including that of governor, focuses on giving every child and young person a positive, exciting experience in school which ensures that they recognise and achieve their potential, develop a life-long love of learning, and are proud of their individual
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Tony Currie |
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Date appointed | 1 May 2022 |
Governor type | Trust appointed
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Tony has been teaching since gaining his honours degree with Qualified Teacher Status in Primary Education and Religious Studies from Edge Hill University in 2001. Since then, he has taught in three very different schools and lectured in a leading university. In 2009, Mr Currie gained the National Professional Qualification for Headteachers (NPQH), and became Headteacher of Mawdesley St. Peter’s CE Primary School. In 2014, he became Head of Primary Education at Edge Hill University, leading the design and delivery of innovative programmes providing an exciting opportunity for students to train to teach in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. In September 2015, Mr Currie secured his third headship which at All Saints Church of England Primary School. It was at All Saints that Mr Currie worked with the team to launch high quality school based Nursery provision for the families of the village. In 2019 Mr Currie was delighted and honoured to be offered the post of headteacher at Trinity School. Mr Currie loves the buzz and challenge primary and early years education in schools. His approach is centred around creating an inspirational curriculum, full of opportunities and experiences, coupled with innovative teaching and learning. He works to ensure children receive the very best education which inspires them and prepares them for later life.
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John Mather |
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Date appointed | 1 May 2022 | |
Governor type | Elected parent governor
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For the past two years, John has been Chief Executive of Drug Free, a Liverpool-based charity, and has extensive experience of working with disadvantaged people in the community. He is also a carer advocate for the Brain Charity and Liverpool City Council, working with parents and carers of children with physical, mental or behavioural difficulties. John also spent several years working at Toxteth Citizens Advice Bureau.
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Ruth Murphy |
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Date appointed | 1 May 2022 | |
Governor type | Elected parent governor
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Ruth has a son in Year 5 and another son in Year 1. She is a primary school teacher and has taught from Reception up to Year 6.
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Martin Isherwood |
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Date appointed | 1 May 2022 | |
Governor type | Trust appointed governor
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Martin has 37 years’ experience within the music industry as a self-employed professional songwriter and producer (with UK top 15 chart success), performer, sound engineer, gig promoter, music TV producer, label owner, artist manager, performance poet and DJ. He has extensive experience of leadership and management in a variety of organisations and challenging settings. Martin has 37 years’ professional work and voluntary experience in a range of music, HE, arts, charitable, public, private and not for profit organisations, including many positions at board level. | ||
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Joseph Merivale |
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Date appointed | 1 May 2022 | |
Governor type | Trust appointed governor
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After leaving school Joe worked for nearly 20 years in various departments of the Civil Service, two of which included the Inland Revenue and the Health and Safety Executive. Before becoming a teacher he worked for 12 years as a part time youth worker in Knotty Ash. Joe qualified as a primary school teacher in 1995 and initially worked in Liverpool. After two years he moved to Sefton where he taught in a number of primary schools, as a supply teacher and on a full time basis. As a teacher Joe was the PE and History co-ordinator, and was responsible for overviewing all the after school sports clubs. This involved liaising with Everton and Liverpool football clubs along with the local high schools to provide school club provision.
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Mark Featherstone-Witty: Founder, LIPA |
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Date appointed | 1 May 2022 | |
Governor type | Trust appointed
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Mark is devoted to teaching and learning and, for example, recently joined the ‘Reassessing Assessment’ initiative. His background includes acting, editing and journalism. He has the usual clutch of qualifications, including a Master in Education. He was responsible for a variety of start-ups either on his own or with friends, which included three private vocational FE colleges and a TV production company for C4. After watching Alan Parker’s film Fame, he decided his next step was to start a performing arts high school without appreciating quite how hard it was going to be and the years it took. With the support of Richard Branson, the British Phonographic Industry and the UK government, he created The BRIT School, near London, with its fresh, institute-wide curriculum. George Martin had introduced Mark to Richard and went on to introduce him to Paul McCartney, who was concerned about the empty, decaying building that once housed his secondary school in Liverpool. So, with Paul’s help, he restarted the arduous job of raising money to turn a 19th century building into a facility that could house the major skills that needed to be taught to put on an event. He went on to be Principal/CEO of LIPA’s HE provision since inception. He then created LIPA Primary School and then LIPA Sixth Form College. His hope is to create a LIPA High School to complete a youngster’s learning journey from 4 to 22 and to realise again the dream he had when he first saw Alan’s film.
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Morgan Beechey |
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Date appointed | 9 November 2022 |
Governor type | Elected Staff Governor |
Morgan is in her fifth year of teaching at LIPA Primary School. Her current roles include Year One class teacher, ITT Lead and Science Lead and has previously been Computing Lead. Morgan achieved her PGCE through the Schools Direct Program ‘OWLs’ through Edge Hill University (with her Final Placement being based at LIPA). Prior to that she studied Drama and Theatre Studies with Education Studies at the University of Chester. Since joining LIPA Morgan has successfully led our sign language choir and teaching children basic conversation in BSL. Morgan is a passionate, flexible and enthusiastic teacher who incorporates the needs of each individual child in her classroom. She promotes a love of learning in the school and encourages each child to be the best they can be with a positive attitude. |
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Holly Lucas |
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Date appointed | N/A |
Governor type | Head of Primary School |
Holly has worked at the primary school since it opened in 2014 as one of the first Reception class teachers. She completed a Primary Education degree at Leeds Metropolitan University and has taught in both Leeds and Runcorn before starting at LIPA.
When starting her role at the primary school, Holly led on Special Educational Needs and has led the school to developing the high quality provision and to achieving the Inclusion Quality Mark Flagship status.
Since starting at the school Holly has taught in Reception and Year 1 and also covered PPA for class teachers, she has been SENCo for 8 years and developed from Assistant Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher and now Primary Head of School.
Holly knows our children, families and staff well and has built good relationships with them which has helped the transition into the new role.
Holly wants to support every child in our school to achieve the best that they can and aims to provide opportunities which will enhance the experiences and lives of our children and families.
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Andrew Raven |
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Date appointed | N/A |
Governor type | Head of High School |
From leaving fulltime education, Andrew spent the best part of a decade working as a professional musician. Performing live and as a recording artist he played in bands across the country for Sony BMG, Warner Chappel Music and Universal Music group. He also toured extensively including supporting bands such as Badly Drawn Boy, Elbow, Snow Patrol and Ray Davies as well as playing many of the popular UK music festivals. Andrew then moved on to study Music at The University of Liverpool where he graduated with honours. It was during his final year there, when he volunteered on the teacher mentoring programme, that he decided to embark on a career in teaching. Studying a PGCE Primary at Goldsmiths, University London. Andrew began his teaching career committing to a philosophy firmly rooted in the arts, he believes whole-heartedly that every school, should be an art school! After beginning his teaching career in London, Andrew moved to a school in Hebden Bridge when he and his family relocated back to the North West. It was here that he was able to develop his specialism in curriculum design and teaching and learning more broadly. As a part of the Senior Leadership Team he helped lead the school out of requiring improvement to a good judgement, one which they retained 4 years later under the new framework. When leaving, Andrew felt confident that he had led the whole school community to place the performing arts, and learning through projects, at the centre of its curriculum and pedagogy.
Joining LIPA Primary (as it was at the time), was a real moment in Andrew’s career. He had followed the development of the school since it opened and its approach and ethos have had a huge impact on his own teaching philosophy. His trajectory to the position of Head of School has been quite the journey and one that he does not take for granted. Andrew is now focused on building a school that fully embraces the creative and performing arts but equally ensures that our students have the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to be successful in the 21st Century. |