Our Governors

Fairfield Park Lower School Full Governing Body (FGB)

Fairfield Park Lower School board of governors is constituted of eleven members. The board operates under the leadership of a chair, vice chair with the help of a professional clerk.

The board meets twice a term and additionally operates with two committees (Resources and Pay) and a working group (Quality of Education).

Governors (parents, staff, the local authority and the wider community) come from various backgrounds and we aim to fill vacancies with people who have a range of relevant skills and most importantly are committed to acting in the best interests of the children and their learning.

Please click on the pictures to see pen portraits for each governor.

• Jenny Stone
  Headteacher
  Jenny Stone

  I have been Head of Fairfield Park since opening the school in 2007. I was involved in the build of the new school, designing and formulating the vision and ethos of the school community with the governors. I am married with 2 grown-up children and a grandparent to a school-aged child. I have been in education since 1995. Prior to teaching, I worked in the commercial industry and have a background of accountancy, selling, managerial and customer care. I have taught in all year groups from 4-9, but have specialised in the Foundation Stage and Year 2. In 2005, I worked as a part time Early Years consultant for the local authority, visiting and supporting many schools. I have completed the NPQH head teacher certificate and have led awards in Investors in People and Investors in Excellence. I have been a Well Being facilitator and a Healthy Schools facilitator since the pilot projects in Beds and have worked with the Work Life Reform Agency and many Beds agencies. Since we achieved our outstanding status in 2012, I have been designated as a National Leader of Education (NLE), which empowers our school to celebrate and share our skills and expertise with other schools that are under-performing. I have always been passionate about teacher and staff professional development and have worked alongside Initial Teacher Training (ITT) courses and universities for over 15 years. I have also been an external examiner for ITT providers in East Anglia. I have been a strategic partner of the Central Bedfordshire Teaching School Partnership since 2012 and work with Robert Bloomfield Academy and all stakeholders. Since the decommissioning of the Local Authority, I have collaborated with 17 local schools in Central Bedfordshire and set up the 1st Alliance.

• SUE HOWLEY MBE
  CHAIR OF GOVERNORS
  SUE HOWLEY MBE

  I have been a governor since 1990 and involved with Fairfield Park from 2006.

  I am currently serving a second term as Chair of Governors at Fairfield Park Lower School. I was Chair of Governors from 2007 for 10 years when we were awarded the prestigious National Governors Association (NGA) award for outstanding governance in 2017.

  I have chaired governing boards in several schools including the Diocesan MAT.

  From May 2012 - 2021 I was a designated National Leader of Governance (NLG) and successfully supported a number of schools in Central Bedfordshire.

  I was delighted to be awarded an MBE for voluntary services to education in the 2009 Queens Birthday Honours.

  I have a very thorough understanding of education having previously been an Ofsted Inspector for 12 years, an External Advisor for Headteacher Performance and a governor trainer. I was a member of the Central Bedfordshire Children's Safeguarding Board for over 5 years and the Schools Forum for 10 years as well as being a member of the Partnership Vision for Education Board

  I have a background in HR with extensive experience of strategic planning, recruitment, organisational management and training at a senior level with a major retailer.

  I am committed to high standards in schools through professional development, challenge and support and keep up to date with the changing education landscape.

  I am very committed to ensuring that all students have the best possible experience whilst at school and I have a reputation for being demanding and having high expectations. I am retired from paid employment which gives me the capacity for my governance work.

• JENNY MACDONALD
  VICE CHAIR OF GOVERNORS (CO-OPTED GOVERNOR)
  JENNY MACDONALD

  I am married with two daughters and I have lived in Fairfield since 2010. I returned to work in 2019 following a long career break to a large accountancy firm as an experienced Senior Manager in their Risk and Quality department. I qualified as a chartered accountant in 2000 and have worked in Manchester, London and Sydney. I have considerable business, financial and people management experience. I joined the governing board in January 2014 and am delighted to contribute to this outstanding school. I have previously served as Chair of Governors and as part of succession planning for the board in September 2020 I became Vice Chair and continue my role with the Resources committee supporting on finance.

• CRAIG MITCHERSON
  CO-OPTED GOVERNOR
  CRAIG MITCHERSON

  I am married with two children, we have lived on the park since 2008. My professional career has been in education, I have been a teacher for twenty years, teaching in schools across Hertfordshire and Central Bedfordshire. My current role is in senior management at a large Luton secondary school with responsibly for student behaviour and wellbeing as well as a designated safeguarding officer. I have been involved in school governance for the last thirteen years and I have been part of the governing body at Fairfield since 2013. I am currently the chair of the standards committee and also lead governor for Pupil Premium. My interests outside of education include rugby, sadly watching no longer playing, cricket, golf, skiing and kayaking.

• SABBIR HUSSAIN
  CO-OPTED GOVERNOR
  SABBIR HUSSAIN

  I am married with a young son and have lived on the Park since 2014. I qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2007. Since I qualified, I have been working as a Treasury Accountant for a FTSE listed Upstream Energy Services Company based in London. I am the Treasurer for the Sunday league football team based in Fairfield Park. In my spare time I enjoy playing football for the Sunday league team (if selected!). I cherish spending time with my family, travelling and exploring the outdoors. I am a keen investor and part of a small investment club trading equities and futures as a hobby.

• PENNY HOLLANDER
  CO-OPTED GOVERNOR
  PENNY HOLLANDER

  I moved to the area in April 2021 after a working lifetime in education. I have taught in primary and secondary schools in Berkshire and Oxfordshire in a variety of roles, as classteacher, head of year, deputy headteacher and mentor. On moving to Cumbria I was involved in initial teacher training and latterly as educational consultant to church schools in Carlisle diocese where I offered support and training to teachers and senior leaders. Additionally, I was trained as a church schools inspector.

  My educational philosophy and passion that every child is given the opportunity to flourish and achieve their full potential, regardless of ability or talent has always been the driving force. I wholeheartedly believe in fully inclusive schools that both recognize and celebrate diversity in all its forms. Pastoral support has always been a key part of my role in each of my teaching positions.

  Having been a school governor previously, in both primary and secondary schools, I look forward to bringing my educational knowledge and experience as a governor at Fairfield Park Lower School.

• LAURA SHORTERS
  APPOINTED PARENT GOVERNOR
  LAURA SHORTERS

  I am married with two young children and we have lived on Fairfield Park since 2017. I am a qualified chartered accountant, with a Masters in Chemistry and currently I am a Finance Director in a FTSE 100 Telecommunications company based in London. I'm looking forward to my role as governor, as it allows me to give back to the community and support local children to get the best education possible.

• OLIVIA DIXON
  CO-OPTED GOVERNOR
  OLIVIA DIXON

  I am currently a serving police officer for Hertfordshire Constabulary. I have had a variety of roles including neighbourhoods and the response team and I am now in intelligence in specialist operations. Whilst on neighbourhood policing I ran a scheme at the primary schools on my patch to educate children on crime and anti-social behaviour. Since I left neighbourhoods I've missed being a part of children's education and I'm excited to see schooling from a different angle and be able to influence it.

• NICK ANDREWS
  LOCAL AUTHORITY GOVERNOR
  NICK ANDREWS

  I am Nick Andrews, an impassioned yet pragmatic advocate dedicated to the well-being of the residents in Fairfield and Arlesey. My commitment lies in taking decisive actions and rectifying issues that have been overlooked in the past.

  Having served as the former Chair of Fairfield Parish Council, I made the choice to step away from local governance when elected as the Ward Councillor for Arlesey and Fairfield in Central Bedfordshire Council. Currently, I hold the position of Vice-chair of the corporate resources scrutiny committee and proudly contribute as a board member of the River Ivel Internal Drainage Board.

  In addition to my public service, I take a hands-on approach in community development. As the Chair of Fairfield Community Trust, I collaborate with trustees and employees to ensure the smooth operation of the Community Hall and organize engaging events in Fairfield. I am also a Director of the Middlemarch Residents Association Ltd., fostering community spirit and collaboration.

  Beyond my civic engagements, I navigate the dynamic landscape of the commercial world. As the Managing Director of Boundless Promos UK Ltd and Boundless Network BV, I lead operations across the EMEA region for the Boundless Network, headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA. Simultaneously, I manage my own promotional and marketing consultancy business, N5 Consultants, combining my expertise and entrepreneurial spirit to deliver impactful results.

  My multifaceted roles have equipped me with a unique perspective, allowing me to bridge the gap between public service and private enterprise. I am driven by a sincere desire to contribute meaningfully to the growth and prosperity of the communities I serve, both locally and internationally. My experience has honed my ability to bring people together, navigate challenges, and implement effective solutions. I look forward to continuing my journey of service and leadership, fuelled by a passion for positive change and a commitment to the well-being of those I represent.

• OLEKSIY SYDORUK
  PARENT GOVERNOR
  OLEKSIY SYDORUK

  My child has been attending the school since 2023. My career has been in higher education, and I am now a lecturer at a Russel-group university. I hold a PhD degree in Physics and am a Chartered Engineer.

• GARGI MITRA
  CO-OPTED GOVERNOR
  GARGI MITRA

  I am married and mother of two girls and one of them is already a pupil in Fairfield Park Lower School.

  I am passionate about creating opportunity for children to receive excellent education and I hope to make sure we can give them an environment where they can thrive and reach their true potential, make great memories and long-lasting friendships. I have around 20 years of work experience across geography. I am working in one of the big 4 leading Financial services organisations in senior leadership role for last 10 years. People management, stakeholder management, managing major incidents, reporting risks, communication, portfolio management, financial planning, defining and implementing process, digital operations, IT innovation and business strategy delivery, are at heart of my job and I am keen to extend these skills to become a great governor.