Governors
The aim of the Governor team at our school is to work with the staff in helping the children achieve their full potential in a happy, caring environment.
We do this in four main ways:
- Monitoring the performance and progress of our children;
- Working with the staff to help them teach and care for our children;
- Deciding on how the resources of the school are best used;
- Planning ahead so that the performance of our children and our school continues to improve.
To deliver this effectively the Governor team members are representative of all the key groups involved in our school – the Parents, the Staff, the Local Authority, the Community and the Church. Some are appointed and some are elected. All serve for a term of four years.
We meet together at least once a term as a whole team, and into sub groups focused on different areas of school life.
We are always keen to hear your views, so please feel free to contact any of us directly. We look forward to a continued successful partnership with you.
Governing Board Members
| Name | Type of Governor |
|---|---|
| Stuart Warner | Chair of Governors, Foundation Governor, Link Governor for Safeguarding |
| David Hennessy | Vice Chair of Governors, Foundation Governor |
| Payal Gordhan | Foundation Governor |
| Marie Naughton | Foundation Governor |
| Dr Oke Bukola Awoyemi | Foundation Governor |
| Louis Collins | Parent Governor |
| Magdalena Stanisz | Parent Governor |
| Danielle Linley | Principal |
| Molly Dorsett | Staff Governor |
| Sheila Patel | Clerk to the Governors |
Also see:
Governor Profiles
Dr Bukola Awoyemi
Foundation Governor
About me
Hello my name is Bukola (pronounced Boo-Collar). I am a mother of 2 wonderful children who attend St. Mark’s Catholic Primary School. I work to support children with their mental health and I look out for the best interest of these children. I am a practising Catholic who worships weekly at Holy Name Catholic Church.
Why do you want to be a governor at St Mark’s?
I am a kind and passionate person who likes to advocate for little ones. I have a special interest in children with neurodevelopmental difficulties and would like to contribute as the foundation governor at St. Mark’s.
Payal Gordhan
Vice-Chair, Foundation Governor
About me
Hello, my name is Payal Gordhan and I am a Foundation Governor at St Marks Catholic Primary School. At present I am also the Vice Chair of the Governing Board. I am married and I have two daughters, my hobbies are enjoying spending time with my family; I like to go for long walks and I also enjoy my summer holidays visiting my mother.
Why do you want to be a governor at St Mark’s?
It’s a privilege to be a Foundation Governor of St Mark’s Catholic Primary School where I can help and support the senior leaders, staff, governors and parents in the Catholic faith. I work as a full-time Parish Administrator at The Holy Name Catholic Parish Office. At St Marks, both my daughters received their primary education before moving onto secondary school. I have always been an active member of St Marks school since 2011 when I first started working as a lunch time supervisor. Then I was also involved and still am a member of St Mark’s Friends. I also did my teaching assistant placement at St Marks while volunteering for over five years. I feel very much part of the St Mark’s family as the school holds a very special place in my heart and therefore I am passionately dedicated in my Foundation Governor role. In my various roles at St Marks, I have learned so much through my Governor training courses and am learning everyday so that I can be supportive to my Senior leaders and teachers so that every child receive the very best of education and learning support.
Marie Naughton
Foundation Governor
About me
Hello, my name is Marie Naughton. I am a Foundation Governor at St. Mark’s Catholic Primary School and I am currently Chair of the Governing Board. I am married, with three grown up daughters, and I work as an Office Manager, in a Birmingham Catholic Primary School. In my spare time, I enjoy going for walks, my most recent being Hawkstone Park Follies. I enjoy spending time with my family at weekends and always look forward to an annual summer holiday in the West of Ireland. I love shopping, dogs and reading.
Why do you want to be a governor at St Mark’s?
St Mark’s is where my three daughters received their primary education from 1996 to 2011, and holds a very special place in my heart. I became a Foundation Governor in 2007. I consider it a privilege to serve on the Governing Body of St. Mark’s Catholic Primary School. I am committed to the role I have undertaken. I am inquisitive enough to question and analyse the Senior Leaders of the School. I will challenge and support the Senior Leaders to ensure that every child that is admitted to the school, receives the best possible education, to be the very best that they can possibly be. I am always willing to learn in the ever-changing landscape of education.
Stuart Warner
Chair, Foundation Governor
About me
I am secondary school English teacher and I have been teaching since 2006. I have been a Governor at St Mark’s since February 2023. As part of my role as Governor, I particularly enjoy exploring the Quality of Education and St Mark’s and ensuring that Safeguarding is always the school’s priority.
Molly Dorsett
Staff Governor
About me
Hello, my name is Molly Dorsett and I am the staff governor at St. Mark’s Primary School. I am currently the Year 6 teacher and lead RE across the school. I love going on adventures with my family and especially going down to Devon to visit my Mom. I like to walk down the canals of Birmingham, going on holiday and spending time with my friends.
Why do you want to be a governor at St Mark’s?
I have been a member of the St. Mark’s community since 2011 and have had the privilege of working with some fantastic children and staff. St. Mark’s has given me countless opportunities, of which I am very grateful for, and being staff governor is a way I can give back to the school. I am passionate about ensuing the children at St. Mark’s get the very best education, experiences and opportunities. Being staff governor gives me the opportunity to share a staff viewpoint/perspective with the governors, help them to understand what day-to-day life at St. Mark’s is like and how they can help us constantly improve and strive for greatness for all our children.
David Hennessy
Foundation Governor
About me
Hello, my name is David Hennessy and I am a Foundation Governor at St Mark’s Catholic Primary School. I am an electronics engineer by trade and I am married with three children who are all away from home studying at University. I enjoy watching amateur rugby matches in my free time and I regularly attend Sunday mass at Holy Name church.
Why do you want to be a governor at St Mark’s?
My children benefitted from a Catholic primary school education and now that I have a bit more time on my hands, I want to help the current generation of children to have the same great Catholic education that my children received.
Danielle Linley
Principal
About me
Hello, my name is Danielle Linley. Since an early age, I always knew I wanted to be a teacher and to work with children. I owe this largely to the fantastic teachers that taught me as a child and as a young adult. I love to travel, to learn about other cultures and share new experiences. I love spending time with family and friends and going for days out with my husband and son.
Why do you want to be a governor at St Mark’s?
I count myself very lucky to be the Principal of such a fantastic school and to get to work with such great children and people every day. I want nothing but the very best for ALL the children who attend school here. I have strong morals and values rooted in my Catholic beliefs and I strive to ensure the children at St. Mark’s not only receive a first class formal education but also a spiritual, moral, social, vocational and cultural one too. I enjoy and am committed to working with a dedicated team of governors, parents, staff and children to help St. Mark’s school succeed in achieving all its aims and objectives. Our children deserve nothing but the best!
Email: enquiry@stmarkrc.bham.sch.uk
Magdalena Stanisz
Parent Governor
About me
Hello, my name is Magdalena I am a Parent Governor at St Marks Primary School. I work in logistics in Recycling and Recovery industry. I love spending time with my family and friends. We travel a lot as we enjoy visiting and exploring different countries and cultures. I also love reading books.
Why do you want to be a governor at St Mark’s?
It is a privilege to be a Parent Governor at St Marks where my daughter is currently receiving her primary education. I wanted to become a part of St Marks family to be able to support the senior leaders for our children to have the best Catholic education possible. I am always willing to learn and I am fully committed. I am also passionate about Health and Safety and Sustainability which can be very beneficial for St Marks and our children.