Governors

The membership of the governing body of Mary Rose Academy is determined by the Terms of Reference and includes:   

• Co-opted Governors
• Parent Governors
• Staff Governors

Co-opted and Parent Governors are all volunteers who are not paid.  The staff governors are all paid members of staff but do not receive any additional payments in connection with being a governor. 

There is also a Clerk to the Governors who arranges and attends meetings and helps with legal and constitutional matters, but cannot vote on any matter at any meeting. This is a paid post.

Statutory information about the current governors can be found in this PDF and information about resignations can be found here.

Minutes from meetings of the Governing Body are available on request. 

To contact either of our joint Chair of Governors please email:

Christine.budd@solentacademiestrust.info

Academy Governing Body

• Faye Watton-Lawrence
  Principal
  Faye Watton-Lawrence

  A little about myself

  I have been working in special education for the majority of my career, initially in London and now in my home city of Portsmouth. I am currently in my third year working with the Solent Academies Trust, initially at Redwood Park, I then transferred to be Assistant Headteacher at Mary Rose, becoming Head of School in 2020. I completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Autism in Education in 2015, with a focus on innovative strategies for supporting self-regulation in children with Autism. My focus is, and always will be, on supporting our pupils and their families to achieve the happiest, most independent and fulfilling futures possible.

  Hobbies and interests

  I am married and live in Southsea with two young daughters. Having left London for a life by the seaside, I enjoy long walks and days out at the beach with my family. I am a keen baker and love sharing my cooking with family and friends - as well as the staff and children at Mary Rose!

  What excites me about my role

  It is my absolute privilege to work alongside the pupils, families and staff at Mary Rose. What a joy to work in an environment where no day is ever the same and where having fun is central to everything that we do. The team at Mary Rose is a superb example of how hard work, determination, creativity and nurture combine to make something very special. Together they ensure that every child is given the best opportunity to shine possible - no one could ask for more

• Helen Barter
  Parent Governor
  Helen Barter

  I'm a single parent to three girls.   Mollie, 11, is my youngest.   She has autism.   I am a very social person and enjoy time spent with friends. I also like to paint.  

  Over the years, I have been quite pro-active in the SEN world.   I sat on the Parent/Carer Board as the SEN representative and I was also involved in the design and creation of the Portsmouth Local Offer website.    

  I now run a special needs support group called Stand Up which has been going for four years.   My passion is to help and support SEN families in any way I can.  

• Leone Hill
  Co-Opted Governor
  Leone Hill

  I come from Portsmouth and have always worked in this area. I was vice chair of governors at East Shore School and campaigned for a new special school. I joined the shadow governors for the new school and then the Mary Rose governors.

  It is great to be associated with such a wonderful school where young people can achieve so much.  

  I have worked for Jobcentre Plus, part of the DWP,  for many years helping people find employment, training and support. I also help employers, large and small, with their recruitment.  Our work is largely with people who may find it harder to get back to work because of the various issues, barriers or difficulties they have. This includes people with health conditions and disabilities.

  Supporting young people (18-24) into jobs and apprenticeships is also a priority. Part of my job is to work with all sorts of local organisations in the area including the council, charities and support groups to make sure our clients have the best possible chance of gaining the skills they need to move into work. It is really rewarding when people land a job especially when they have had to overcome lots of barriers achieve their goal.

  Away from work I spend a lot of time in North Wales but haven't yet managed to master the language!

• Jane Dutton
  Staff Governor - Teaching
  Jane Dutton

  I have recently become a staff Governor . My role at the school is a Head of Learning for Key Stage 2 and I am a classteacher in a specialist class for pupils with autism in Key Stage 2.

  I have worked in a variety of schools both mainstream and special needs. I joined the team at Mary Rose some seven years ago.  I thoroughly enjoy my role and feel privileged to work with such talented staff and the pupils and parents in the academy. I hope to bring my personal experience to the governor body as well as being the voice of the great staffing team working with the Governors to move the school into the future.  

  I hope that as a governor I can provide a balanced view point that reflects the staff views. I also bring to meetings the wider school prospective. An important part of my role is to keep colleagues informed and to listen to colleagues views then report back to the governors.

  What excites you about the role

  Being the representative of the staff is something I am proud to be.

   I see this role as being part of a larger team working with the governors to support the academy. To provide the very best for our families who entrust their children to us.

  It reminds me of peeling an onion -there are many layers but we are all working towards the vision with the same purpose and drive. What makes your eyes water is that there a great deal of commitment, teamwork and passion to continue the exciting journey.

  On a personal level I enjoy listening to the diversity of views and it provides a real insight in to leadership and management of the academy.

• Emily Walsh
  Co-Chair of Governors
  Emily Walsh

  I'm a Principal Lecturer in the Law School at the University of Portsmouth.   I qualified as a solicitor in 1996 and then worked in the Middle East from 1996-2004 where I taught English to children and adults. Since returning to the UK I have worked as a commercial property solicitor and more recently a university lecturer. I was a parent governor at Wildern School in Hedge End from 2010-2017.

  I love sea swimming, playing tennis, running and walking my dog. I am interested in literature and enjoy reading.

  I hope to be able to bring my prior experience as a governor and my enthusiasm for education to this role. I want to act as a critical friend, both supporting and challenging the school to achieve the best for  the pupils, parents and staff.

   

• Christine Budd
  Co-Chair of Governors
  Christine Budd

  I am a retired Civil Servant, having spent 32 years in HMRC.   I have held a wide variety of posts, including training, HR and Project Management.   I am Portsmouth born and bred but have traveled and lived abroad.   My father was in the Royal Navy and I have lived in Aden and Malta.  

  I have 3 sons, all in their 40s now and 6 grandchildren. I enjoy making felt toys, gardening and walking.   I care for my mother, who is 87 and enjoy accompanying her to garden centres and the cinema.    

  Having young grandchildren, I am interested in their education and enjoy helping them with reading and projects.   I have also enjoyed, in the past, helping older children to look at life after school and coaching them for interviews or life in the workplace.    

  I would like to make a difference to those children at Mary Rose who need particular encouragement.   I can offer my time and support to the teaching staff and the children.  

• Ruth Kuil
  Parent Governor
  Ruth Kuil

  I first developed my love of working with people with a learning disability in 1997 when I was a volunteer at the special Olympics and this then led to a variety of support roles before qualifying as a social worker in 2003. Each summer of my university years I worked at a summer camp in America for children with disabilities before working as a qualified social worker in the Disabled Children's team in Hampshire. In 2015 I joined the Portsmouth adult Learning Disability Team where I continue to work.

  I live with my son Louis who is 15 and my daughter Isabella who is 8 years old.

  When I have some spare time I really enjoy walking and getting out on my bike. I enjoying spending time with friends and family and love to eat out and go to the cinema. A treat for me is a weekend in London with a show.

  I used to work at an after school club at East Shore school so have always been interested in Mary Rose ever since it was first built. I'm proud of Portsmouth and want the best services and resources to support our children and beyond into adulthood. I'm passionate about positive change and was part of the day service transformation in Portsmouth which has seen the growth of excellent services in the city that we can be proud of. I feel as though my current knowledge and skill set from working in the adult LD team will make me an effective governor who is doing it from the heart.

Governance Documents

• Governor code of conduct 2021
• Solent Academies Trust scheme of delegation 2021 2022