Andy Hoggard – Chair of the Governing Board of Hollywell

I’m a parent of 2 children who have both attended Hollywell, with the youngest still attending Hollywell. I’m delighted to be able to spend time supporting the School which means so much to them. In my day job I work in a leadership role for a large financial services organisation, having spent 10+ years working in various management roles I’ve gained considerable experience in areas such as financial management, people management and leadership, delivering change programmes and sit on a number of steering and governing boards.  This set of skills provide me with a great background to be an active part of the Governing Board at Hollywell. I was appointed as a Co-opted  Governor for Hollywell in Nov 2015 and I’m delighted to be part of the governing board at Hollywell, supporting the school but also using the skills Ive acquired from my working life to help Govern the school leadership to deliver the best outcomes for pupils. With 2 young boys much of my time is with my family enjoying them growing up. When time permits I am a keen runner and have completed a number of marathons and ultra-marathons.

Gary Cook - I have been a governor at Hollywell Primary School for over 15 years, serving as Chair of the Finance and Resources committee (previously Finance and General Purposes committee) and currently Vice-Chair of Governors. I originally joined the governing body as a parent in order to become more involved in the school my two daughters attended, and also to be able to offer some of the skills I have developed through my career to benefit the school. When my daughters left for secondary school I wanted to continue to support and help develop what I believe is a very welcoming, inclusive and friendly school. I live locally and work for Rolls-Royce in Derby as an Engineering Design Specialist where alongside my day to day job I mentor young Engineers and graduates during their early careers. My financial, planning, regulatory and risk assessment skills developed through my career are a huge benefit as a governor in helping with our role supporting the school Senior  Management Team, whilst also challenging them to ensure the school continues to develop and improve. 

Brian Brewster - I have a long association with Hollywell as a member of the governing body.  Prior to Nick Johnson taking on the role of Chair I held that position for an extended period.  Now retired I was an accountant by profession.   During the final 20 years of my 42 year career in the public sector I held executive director positions in large NHS organisations in the East Midlands.  As a governor I aim to use my work experience to help the school strive to improve standards and apply good governance to decisions.    The school has a good reputation in the community.  This is based on sound academic and personal development of pupils who attend Hollywell, together with support from parents and carers.   Excellent leadership and commitment of teachers and all support staff at the school make this their focus.  As a member of the governing body it is our role to hold the head teacher to account, set the strategic direction of the school and live within our means.  I am proud to contribute actively to achieve this.

Sophie Saunders -  I am a parent of 3 children who are or will be attending Hollywell, with my youngest being 1 years old, so I have an invested interest in this school long term. I am thrilled to spend my time supporting the school which means so much to my children and us as a family. I also volunteer at the school when I can, on school trips or in day-to-day learning. This is something I love to do and gives me the opportunity to see what a wonderful environment the school is. In my day job I work part as a Talent Acquisition Specialist for an energy company. My experience is strategic planning, stakeholder engagement and policy adherence aligns well with the governance role’s demands. My commitment to diversity and inclusion initiatives is an asset for fostering an inclusive school environment. With 3 young children a lot of my time is spent with my family, enjoying the busy and ever-changing demands of parenthood, watching them grow up is a joy and a pleasure I do not take for granted. As a Parent Governor, my primary goal is to ensure that Hollywell continues to provide a nurturing and stimulating environment for our children.