Governors
Caroline Pauls (Chair)
David Clifford (Safeguarding)
Having spent his professional career in public sector service David Clifford sees his role as a Governor as an opportunity to continue this service utilising the skills and experience he gained throughout his working life. David has 38 years of experience within the state education sector in a variety of roles, including 10 years as Headteacher of a large multi-cultural secondary school and 10 years as Leadership and Management Coach. For a number of years, David has served as facilitator and on-line tutor for the National Professional Qualification for Middle Leaders (NPQML) and National Professional Qualification for Senior Leaders (NPQSL). This breadth of experience has given him skills and attributes which he hopes to utilise. These include those associated with the leadership of a large organisation, strategic and financial planning, personnel and human resource development and the inter-personal skills necessary to facilitate a positive team ethos.
Claire Waxman (Behaviour, Attendance and Attitudes)
My name is Claire Waxman and prior to my retirement I spent 40 years at the Regatta Group where I became the senior logistics manager. The company is a highly entrepreneurial and dynamic workplace in which the owner gives his managers a large amount of autonomy to move the business forward and find solutions to problems. Discovering sources of production of both the raw materials and the finished product and getting it to the customer at the right time in the most cost effective way was constantly challenging and required innovative thinking. Global issues such as volatile rates of exchange, Brexit, non- ethical suppliers, new methods of transport and differing cultures always played their part - Encouraging Ethiopian workers to return to work each time they had been paid and getting product on a train all the way from Myanmar over a bridge into China and then onto Germany were typical challenges. I was also involved in promoting the health, safety and education of the workers and their families at companies where production was placed. I was thrilled to be at the first graduation ceremony of the Regatta senior school in Bangladesh. Since retiring I have moved away from the commercial world. 2 afternoons a week I help children with their reading at a local primary school which I find a real joy. In becoming a governor at Piper Hill and entering the world of education I have been overwhelmed by the incredible commitment, the hard work of all the staff and the unshakeable desire to ensure that each child reaches their full potential.
George Austen (Health & Safety)
After time in the Automotive and IT industries, George has spent 25 years in Education. He has been a Mathematics teacher, Assistant Headteacher, Mathematics Advisor for Manchester and, for the last 12 years, Business Director for a Secondary Pupil Referral Unit, responsible for all elements of the organisation outside the classroom. A width of experience he now hopes to utilise to support the school. George has a son who had a Statement of Special Educational Needs and attended a Special school, so understands the challenges and obstacles faced by parents of children in a similar situation.
Jill Usher (Finance)
Jill Usher recently joined the governing body in order to actively contribute to the local community and was particularly interested taking a key role in supporting children with complex needs and their families. Jill is an experienced CFO of a multi-academy trust in Trafford, so offers a keen eye for financial detail and strategic planning, whilst understanding the challenges and priorities of school budget management. She also has many years of industry experience having worked in a variety of commercial finance roles at Kellogg's and is a qualified Chartered Management Accountant. Her professionalism, interpersonal skills and first-hand personal experience with complex needs individuals makes her an excellent fit for our governing body.
