About our Governors

I’m delighted to be Chair of governors at JCSC and I have been a governor for over seven years. I’m passionate about all students achieving well and having the best opportunities.  We are lucky to have a passionate and dedicated team of governors who want the best  for all the pupils of Amble and surrounding area, as well as a dedicated and enthusiastic staff team 

My background was in education and became a headteacher of two very different schools. I then worked for the local authority as a school improvement partner and later as head of school improvement. I’ve also worked as a special needs coordinator and an advisory teacher and understand the very diverse needs pupils have. I’ve enjoyed keeping up with education matters as a governor.

We moved up to Northumberland eight years ago to locate closer to family and love it here. We love walking and exploring Northumberland and the surrounding areas.

Hi. My name is Stephen Shanks, currently on the board as parent governor. I have been on the governing board since 2016 when my first child started and now my second is about to go through their GCSE’s here.

My only link with education before joining the governors was coming through the school as a student..  many many years ago! To say things have changed in that time is an understatement, in fact the changes I have seen since joining the governing body have been remarkable, and now with the current leadership changes and the new build coming I feel the future is looking very bright.  

I was born in Amble and apart from my student days have always lived here. I have had a lifetime of involvement with education and our local schools. I have served as a governor of each of our schools, including the two I attended as a pupil, over a period of forty years. Thanks to good teachers and a supportive family I had the chance to study to Degree level and beyond, which was a rare achievement for a Secondary Modern student then. I was involved in community education in Amble and taught in the prison education service. I know how important the chance of a good education is to the young people of our communities. Achieving the best outcomes for our young people is a passion we share as governors.

I was privileged to serve as a local Councillor between 1983 and 2017 and held several senior positions, as Chair of Council, Town Mayor, and before I retired Cabinet member for Children with Northumberland County Council. I was proud to be awarded the MBE for services to the community in Northumberland in 2017.

I have served as a governor with James Calvert Spence College since 2018 and am currently Vice Chair with responsibility for safeguarding and equalities – another lifelong passion of mine. I am an active member of St Cuthbert’s parish church, write regularly for their magazine and am a member of the church council. Reading is my way of relaxing – whenever I have the time!

I am proud to have been in a school governance for over 7 years, joining JCSC as co-opted Governor in November 2022. I enjoy working closely with the school and Governing body to really make a difference in the children’s education and support the school staff in providing the best environment. My professional background is in Human Resources with 20 years experience across public sector and private sector financial services organisations. My expertise covers recruitment, employee relations, budgeting, resource planning and staff development. 

I moved to Northumberland 15 years ago with my husband who has been based here with the RAF, we have two children aged 10 and 7, a corgi puppy, guinea pigs and pet ducks. I love to walk along the Northumberland beaches and explore countryside in this beautiful part of the world.

My name is Jane Foley, and I have been a Co-Opted Governor at the school since autumn 2023. My husband and I moved here from Derbyshire approximately 6 and a half years ago after taking early retirement. I worked in local government for over 36 years in a variety of professional roles, including working in education at the beginning of my career. 

My Governor responsibilities include Health & Safety, Premises, and e-security. I am enjoying learning how the school operates and contributing to the education of young people in our area. 

As well as volunteering as a Governor I enjoy walking and exploring our beautiful countryside, gardening, photography and eating out.  

I became a co-opted governor at JCSC in May 2022. I have spent many years working in education and have taught in various countries around the world (India, Hong Kong and Turkey) before more recently teaching in Edinburgh for fifteen years. I moved to Northumberland in 2021 and graduated with an MA Education (SEND/Inclusion) at Northumbria University in 2022. I am now working towards a PhD at Northumbria University to support neurodivergent pupils in mainstream UK schools. My mission as a JCSC governor is to ensure that all the SEND pupils are supported as much as possible and thriving in school.

I live in Amble with my husband and 2 young children, having settled down here after moving all over the country for various jobs. I’m originally from Somerset. I became a co-opted governor at JCSC in 2022, as I wanted to serve the community I live in using the skills available to me. 

In my work life I’m a content lead, overseeing a small team researching and producing material that supports schools with compliance. Before this I spent a number of years as an academic, with a job in the History department at Durham University being the original reason for moving to the North East. 

I care deeply about education as the source of opportunity for young people to forge their own way in life. I want to help make sure that all pupils at JCSC get the education, experiences and opportunities they deserve and leave school equipped for whatever they want to do next.

Having grown up in North Wales, I moved up to Northumberland after graduating from my Masters degree due to falling in love with the beautiful area and the kind locals. After initially joining team JCSC as a Learning Support Partner in 2020, I now currently work as an Assistant SENCo and have been recently appointed as the new staff governor. 

From previously supporting homeless teenagers not in education/employment to now working within an educational setting, my experiences allow me to share my knowledge and experiences to further strengthen our vision of making JCSC a great and inclusive learning environment for all students and staff.

I was born and grew up in the North East of England, until I leaving home to train as a teacher.  After marrying, my husband and I made our home in Milton Keynes for thirty years. We raised three children, who all attended our local state schools, before going on to university.  I was a an active member of the infant school PTA and also worked as a volunteer in the school library, as well as helping children with their reading.  As the children started school, I worked in the local preschool and later trained to become a counsellor. For many years I worked for a charity, Manna House Counselling Service in Northampton, and more recently for The Living Way in Sunderland. As a counsellor I worked with a range of clients, from secondary school age to retirees. 

We moved back to the North East in 2022, choosing to live in Amble. We love the town, the sense of community, the sea and beautiful countryside. I am a member of St Cuthbert’s parish church and work on the Highlights team, which brings touring drama and music performances to Amble. I am passionate about good mental health and access to the best possible life chances for every young person, and am thrilled to join the governing body at JCSC.