The Haven CE Methodist Primary School

The Haven VA CE/Methodist Primary School Governors

Mrs H Walshe ~ Chair of Governors, Chair of Resources Committee & Link Maths & English Governor ~ Foundation Governor Methodist Church

I am a lifelong Methodist and a member of Emmanuel Church, I have been married for over 40 years and have one son who, with his lovely wife, has two children both of whom attend the Haven School. I worked for The Inland Revenue, now HMRC, for almost 40 years during which time I qualified as one of Her Majesty’s Inspector of Taxes and reviewed accounts submitted by various businesses. I also have extensive Management experience, my last role seeing me responsible for 23 offices and all staff and work therein spread across Sussex, Kent, and parts of Surrey and Hampshire.

I became a Governor in 2016 and have been Vice Chair and Co- Chair before becoming Chair of Governors in 2019. As a Governor I have, amongst other things, been very involved in the School’s Finances, Personnel and Recruitment, Health and Safety, Safeguarding and Data Analysis. I have been on numerous Governors training events over the years to improve my knowledge and to keep up to date on changes. I shall continue to add to my knowledge in the future. Now retired it is a blessing to have time to dedicate to helping children in their quest to reach their full potential and a privilege to be a Governor at a School that clearly lives up to its motto of ‘God in all we do’.

Mr N Bastin ~ Vice Chair of Governor, Diversity & Link SEND Governor ~ Foundation Governor

I have lived in Eastbourne all my life and met my wife at St Aidan’s Methodist Church, where we later married 40 years ago. We both were youth leaders and Sunday School teachers. We now attend Emmanuel church. We have 2 children and 4 grandchildren, one of whom attends The Haven. I have worked for the Ambulance service locally for 40 years mainly as a Paramedic and have been in a management role for the past 15 years. When our children were at Ocklynge School I became a governor there which I did for 24 years, including 8 years as chair. During this time I was asked to be a transitional governor of The Haven, which meant starting the school from a vacant site until it opened, setting up the schools ethos and policies.

I feel privileged that I have the opportunity to be a governor of the school and will be there to support the school and parents in fulfilling each individual pupils potential.

Mr I Gardner ~ Foundation Governor & Link GDPR Governor

After graduating from Bristol University and being admitted as a solicitor I practised in London between 1972 and 1987 before moving to Eastbourne with my wife and two daughters. From 1987 until 2011 I continued in practice as a solicitor with a local firm, retiring in 2011. I was privileged in that time to serve as a trustee of Tear Fund and subsequently as a trustee of Compassion UK Christian Child Development whose main work in a nutshell is ‘the relief of children from poverty in Jesus’ name’ fulfilled mainly by the sponsorship of children in a number of countries around the world.

My wife and I attend All Saints Church Eastbourne where we both serve as Readers. We also play a regular part in the life of our five grandchildren children. I became a Governor of The Haven in September 2016 and my hope is that I will help to maintain the high standards at The Haven School and preserve its Christian ethos.

Mr N Jewell ~ Foundation Governor & Link Pupil Premium Governor

As Vice Principal of St Catherine's College, I have enjoyed working closely with The Haven School for over 10 years. I was privileged to join the Governing body in 2016. I am a father of two children, both of whom are now at Secondary School. In addition to Senior Leadership experience in Schools, I bring experience of Church School Leadership and two years working as a Pupil Premium consultant for ESCC.

Mr I Coombes ~ Outside Learning & Link PE ~ Parent Governor

I have two children at the Haven School and I have been able to see what a well-run school it is, so when the opportunity arose to join the board of governors I put my name forward and was excepted on board. I wanted to put my ideas into the school to help make a difference and help the children be the best they can be. As a governor, I feel it is so important for us all to make the school the best in Eastbourne and do the best for all the children we have in the school. My children have learnt so much since being at the school and it is great to see how they have changed over the years.

Mrs M Bannister ~ Early Years Governor Foundation

I have lived most of my life in Eastbourne with just a brief break away at college. I think I have attended all the Methodist Churches in Eastbourne at one time or another and I now go to Emmanuel. I am a Councillor on Eastbourne Borough Council, representing Devonshire Ward. I have the position of Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Tourism and Culture on the Council which involves many different aspects of the Council's work.

Prior to retiring a couple of years ago, to look after grandchildren, I was school secretary at Bourne School for nearly 30 years and was a Governor there prior to that. I loved my time at the school and look forward to working with a different school whilst maintaining some links with Bourne, which could be beneficial for both schools.

Ms H Hart ~ Science, PHSE Governor ~ Foundation

I joined the Governing Body in November 2020. I have lived in Eastbourne for over 38 years and my two daughters attended local schools. For almost 30 years I worked at BT in various senior IT roles and latterly as Head of Department for the company’s billing; managing many staff across the UK and abroad. To compliment my work, I studied for a MSc in Information Systems & Technology at City University. Whilst working at BT, I was a non-executive director for the Hastings Academy Trust, representing my employer as a sponsor of the schools in the Trust.

Prior to that I worked as a science teacher for six years at two secondary schools in East Sussex and this, in conjunction with my career at BT has given me an understanding of how schools and other institutions are managed and sustained. I am a Christian and for the last 3 years I have been churchwarden at St. Richard’s in Langney where I am extensively involved in the administration and management of the church. I am passionate about education and the transformative role it can play in the lives of individuals, families and communities. I am committed to supporting The Haven in providing the best possible opportunities and outcomes for its pupils.

Rev A Weaver ~ Foundation Governor

I became the vicar of St Richard’s church, Langney, at the end of September 2021 and became a foundation governor at The Haven School about the same time. I have had almost continuous service as a governor in different schools since 2001, including 8 years as a parent governor at Beacon Academy in Crowborough where our (now adult) children had their secondary education and sixth form. I was Anglican Priest-in-Charge at The Haven Church from when it opened in 2001 until 2005 and my wife and I were both on the new governing body for the school (the night before the school opened, governors and staff were in the school putting together bookcases and desks which had only arrived that day!).

I am also currently a foundation governor at St Catherine’s College, I am keen to foster links between St Richard’s (the C of E parish church for The Haven) and the school as I believe that it is in working collaboratively that we can best serve our community.

I am an Eastbourne boy (although I escaped from Eastbourne three times I am now back again). I was educated at Pashley Down Infants, St Mary’s / Ocklynge Junior, Eastbourne Grammar & High School & Eastbourne Sixth Form College. It is still a joy to meet teachers from my past and my hope is that students at The Haven will feel the same about their teachers many years after their school days are behind them.

Mrs N Vongerichten ~ ICT & Wellbeing Governor ~ Parent Governor

I came to Eastbourne to study at the University of Brighton (BA and MA). After my studies and a trip around the world, my husband and I moved to London for six years where I started to work for IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group). I have experience in Quality, Guest Experience as well as all aspects of Digital Marketing. I am currently managing the Omni-Channel Marketing team that looks after the distribution of Email, Mobile and In-Hotel marketing messages as well as Europe’s websites.

My husband and I returned to Eastbourne in 2016 to settle and raise our children. We now have 3 children, with our eldest attending The Haven School and the younger ones are still at nursery. I feel privileged to have become a Parent Governor in September 2021. I am passionate about supporting The Haven School’s continues improvement efforts, ensuring that we always keep the pupils’ best interest at heart so that we enable everyone to reach their full potential, underlined by our Christian values.

Mrs B Vance ~ Foundation Governor

Although I was born in Leeds in Yorkshire, I have lived in Lewes for the last forty years. I have a retired husband, two grown up children, and four grand-children ranging in age from seven years to six months old. An Oxford graduate, I taught in the English Department at Queen’s Belfast for several years, before settling in Lewes. I have done various bits of part-time and temporary teaching at university level, but gradually moved over to Christian Education journalism, writing regularly for the ‘In Touch’ weekly feature of ‘Roots on the Web’ and also for the Roots adult and all-age magazine materials. Until last year I represented the URC on East Sussex SACRE. I am a URC Elder, a member of Christ Church Lewes LEP, URC/Methodist, and a member of the Central Sussex United Area Executive. I may seem something of an outsider, but I enjoy the stimulus of meeting two denominations in an LEP and am very impressed with The Haven’s welcoming Christian atmosphere.

The Haven School Governors can be contacted by email clerk@thehaven.e-sussex.sch.uk