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Our Trust of Schools

Meet the Governors

The governing body for Matford Brook Academy will be appointed for September 2023.

If you are interested in governance for our new and exciting all-through school, please contact our Clerk via [email protected]. We would love to hear from you.

  • Catherine Gibaud

    Chair of Governors

  • Emily Simpson-Horne

    Ex-Officio

  • Jane Bellamy-Cooper

    Parent Governor

  • Joseph Bispham

    Trust Appointed Staff Governor

  • Rachel Higginson

    Co-opted Governor

  • Ross Morshead

    Co-Opted Governor

  • Theo Zimbler

    Staff Governor

  • Tony Jordan

    Vice Chair of Governors

  • Co-opted Governor Vacancy

    From the Local Community

  • Co-Opted Governor Vacancy

    From a Local School

  • Parent Governor Vacancy

    For Primary Phase

Catherine Gibaud

Chair of Governors

Catherine is the Link Governor for Safeguarding

 

Catherine Gibaud is a Barrister and KC, practising at Gray’s Inn, London and specialising in commercial litigation. Catherine was recently appointed as a part-time Deputy District Judge in Civil and Family law. 

Ms Gibaud has previously been a Governor of a federation of schools in the maintained sector and currently serves as a Governor of Exeter School and City Junior School in London. Married to a barrister, she has three children. The family are based in Devon, near Exeter. 

Emily Simpson-Horne

Ex-Officio

Coming soon. 

Jane Bellamy-Cooper

Parent Governor

Jane is the Link Governor for Careers

 

Coming soon 

Joseph Bispham

Trust Appointed Staff Governor

Joe Bispham is a Deputy Headteacher who has worked in a variety of high-performing schools in both London and Exeter.  He has led in a variety of areas in schools but is still most passionate about teaching English Literature and helping students to explore great ideas and the human experience. 

Joe’s experience in teaching and learning leadership and a coaching model of teacher development has seen rapid improvement in the quality of education for children in the schools he has worked in.

Rachel Higginson

Co-opted Governor

Rachel is the Link Governor for SEND

 

Rachel Higginson is an education consultant and a keynote speaker and has been in education for 25 years.

She is the Primary Adviser for Uffculme Academy Trust, a collaborator for the education platform Myatt & Co and is the Education Consultant for the children’s publisher, Redan.

Rachel designed the ‘Finding my Voice’ project based in Devon. This supports young people to physically and metaphorically ‘find their voice’.

Rachel works in schools to help facilitate school growth with specialisms in transformative conversation, curriculum design, oracy and personal development.

 

Ross Morshead

Co-Opted Governor

Coming soon. 

Theo Zimbler

Staff Governor

I am the Pupil Empowerment Lead and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead.

My role as staff governor is to ensure that the voice of our passionate team is heard. My role at Matford Brook Academy allows me to communicate with every member of our team, therefore allowing me to hear every member of the Matford Brook Team.

Tony Jordan

Vice Chair of Governors

Tony is the Link Governor for Attendance and Health & Safety

 

I was educated in Devon and have worked mainly in the South West, chiefly in education administration for Local Education Authorities and Children’s Services Authorities. I am employed as a business manager at a secondary school in a coastal town in Devon. After over 35 years involvement in education, my professional career is winding down now but my passion for education is undimmed. In my spare time I enjoy tinkering around with bicycles and sometimes even riding them. I am very excited to be appointed as a school governor to continue my work in education.

Co-opted Governor Vacancy

From the Local Community

If you are interested in this role, please contact [email protected] for more information

Co-Opted Governor Vacancy

From a Local School

If you are interested in this role, please contact [email protected] for more information

Parent Governor Vacancy

For Primary Phase

If you are interested in this role, please contact [email protected] for more information

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