Governors

I have seen our three children through local primary schools and valued the support and independence the governors gave to the running of the schools they attended. I aim to complement the educational expertise of some of the other governors with a layman’s perspective. I hope a career in communications will be useful, too. Above all I would like to play a small part in facing the challenges and supporting the success of Temple Grove Academy.

Richard is the Vicar at St Philip’s Church, Tunbridge Wells. He grew up in Tunbridge Wells, but has since lived in Cambridge and Ealing, before returning to the town in 2016. Before being ordained he was part of the staff team at St Matthew Church, High Brooms, and worked as an advisor in youth and children’s work for Rochester Diocese. He loves being part of the community at Temple Grove and the wider community of Sherwood. He is a keen supporter of the school’s new football team and enjoys reading with year 5 on Monday afternoons.

Jamie is a Fund Manager and has worked in finance for 11 years. He graduated from Durham University with a degree in Economics and is a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Charterholder. He has lived in Tunbridge Wells for 4 years with his young family.

I wanted to become a governor at Temple Grove Academy because I believe passionately in the importance of primary school-level education and in particular because I see huge potential at Temple Grove. This is my first experience as a governor and I am thoroughly enjoying the challenges that the role brings.

I am Claire Cardall and I became a Teacher Governor in 2018, during my NQT year. I came into teaching as a career change from the private sector, where I worked as a company director of a digital agency. I have very fond memories of my past career and I learnt a great deal about how organisations work as well as managing people and projects, but I decided to leave the industry for a role which would actively involve me in the community.

I studied Law at university, embarked upon my first career for eleven years and then became a qualified teacher in 2017. Although I am at the beginning of my journey into teaching, I can honestly say I it is the most rewarding challenge I have ever undertaken. I am proud to have completed my training and first few years of teaching at Temple Grove Academy and I have been overwhelmed with the enthusiasm for learning of the children and the community feel of the school. For me, it is a place of belonging for so many people.  

I became a governor to further my understanding of how schools, as organisations, work and to see whether I could add value in this area, having run an organisation previously. It was also important for me to ensure the governing body had some input from members of staff on the front-line of teaching.