Our Local Academy Committee (Governors)

I became a Governor for the Acorn Federation in 2019, just before Covid. Following Covid I became Chair, and since then I have been involved in 3 Ofsted visits, 1 SIAMS visit, and have been through the process of joining DDAT (a local academy trust). This has given me a vast understanding of the expectations and requirements of education in schools, and how as a committee we can support school improvements. In my role as Chair, I have recruited strong members to join the committee and put in place robust systems to ensure we fulfil our role as a LAC (Local Academy Committee). I am passionate about all children not only receiving the best education, but the skills they need to prepare them for the outside world.

When I am not volunteering as a Governor, I own a business, working as a Senior Event Manager on large global events, my core skills being operations, logistics and budget control. I have 3 boys aged 13, 28 and 31which gives me experience of the challenges we often face as parents and can relate to the high standards we expect as parents to ensure our children become the best version of themselves.

I love to travel, spend time with family and friends, and if you cannot find me, I’ll have escaped to my greenhouse (my little haven)!

I live locally to Long Lane C of E school, and I have four children, three of whom have either attended or are currently at the school. I work part time as an accountant and part time with my husband running our family farm.

I became a parent governor at The Acorn Partnership in 2023 after seeing the fantastic experience my own children were having at Long Lane School and being involved with the PTA for several years. I wanted to support the Partnership in all the hard work they were doing and the changes that were being implemented to offer every child the chance to achieve their goals. I am delighted to have recently been appointed as Vice Chair of the Local Academy Committee. One of the areas that I am responsible for looking at as a committee member is Finance and my career in accountancy has given me the relevant experience for this role.

I have enjoyed getting to know the schools from a different perspective over the last couple of years and I look forward to continuing in this role to help the schools and every pupil go from strength to strength.

I'm Helen Foley and have lived in the local area most of my life, being born on a farm at Sudbury, attended Sudbury Primary School. then Hatton Comprehensive. I trained to be a nurse at the age of 18 at Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham and worked in the NHS all my working life specialising in district nursing working in the various Community settings in and around Derbyshire. Latterly I had a teaching, role supporting nurses in the community in Derby City Centre. I took a career break in 1978 for 4 years when I had my 2 son's Mark and Philip and was involved in the family farm at Alkmonton. I retired from nursing in 2022 and enjoy spending time with my 3 granddaughters: Eva 11; Hollie 7; and Violet 5.

I live in Marston Montgomery, married to Mark Foley. We both attend St Giles Church, Marston Montgomery.
My Christian faith is important to me and fundamental to my being, as it was to my Mum, Mary my role model, who sadly departed when I just turned 19. Following Jesus daily learning and growing, my favourite saying, 'Every day is a school day!'
I volunteer as a Health Care Chaplain for Chaplaincy Derbyshire supporting patients referred through Derbyshire community Health Services, whom may be struggling with life and just need a listening ear.

Joss has worked as a Primary teacher in schools across England and Wales for 18 years, mostly in senior leadership roles, before moving to work with adults in a further education college for nearly 13 years.  She mainly taught on the childcare qualifications and supported learners to develop the professional skills across a range of providers, including schools, as they moved towards employment or higher education.  This interest was fuelled by a love of supporting children to make the best progress possible through building positive relationships and personalising their learning.  Joss is now a Senior Lecturer in Primary Initial Teacher Education and lead both Stage 1/Year 1 of the undergraduate programmes and Admissions across all programmes, meaning that she has an eye for policy and procedures plus data analysis.  Joss is a Level 3 Leader in Forest School, have an NPQ in Leading Teacher Development and am almost at the end of a Professional Doctorate in Education looking at teacher agency in designing a new curriculum in Wales.  Joss continues to have the children at the centre of what she does, and she feels the opportunity to do that through a Local Academy Committee is an absolute privilege, especially in rural areas where the dynamics are very different to those in towns and cities.