Governors

Keith Jennings (Chair)

David Bunkell (Vice Chair)

Adrian Crossland

Cath Fox

Jenny Shervington

Jill Horne

Katy Carpenter

Sarah Smith

Suzanne Downie (Associate)

David Bunkell (Chair)

Adrian Crossland

Cath Fox

Keith Jennings

Jenny Shervington (Chair)

Adrian Crossland

Jill Horne

Sarah Smith

Katy Carpenter

David Bunkell (Chair)

Adrian Crossland

Sarah Smith

Katy Carpenter

Jenny Shervington

Keith Jennings

Chair of Governors
DNEAT Trustee
Term of office: 11/05/2019 – 9/05/2023
Appointed by: Trust Appointed
Governor’s pecuniary interests: None

I have lived in Westhall, Halesworth for 23 years with my wife. We have a 30-year-old daughter who lives and teaches in Norfolk.

I originally came from London (Islington & Hackney) where I taught outdoor education before moving into Islington’s Education Department as part of their inspectorate team. We moved to Suffolk in the year 2000. I worked for Suffolk Council’s Children and Young People’s Department until my retirement as County Youth Manager and Transitions Manager in 2014. Education and studying have been a main driver throughout my working life and I have achieved Masters and B.Ed. Hons. Degrees in education.

My wife and I run and help manage our community owned pub in Westhall (The Racehorse) We also enjoy skiing and hill walking and have done so all our lives.

Until we moved to Suffolk, I was a governor of a large secondary school in Hackney and whilst time and work pressures for Suffolk County Council constrained me resuming this worthwhile activity, I am now delighted to be able to contribute to Kessingland’s governing body.

Adrian Crossland

Headteacher
Ex-Officio

Term of office: Ex-Officio
Appointed by: Ex-Officio
Governor’s pecuniary interests: Headteacher at Kessingland Church of English Primary Academy.  Spouse is an English Support Advisor who has supported in the school.
Relationships between other governors or school staff: None

David Bunkell

Vice Chair of Governors
Chair of Resources Committee

Term of office: 06/02/2019 – 05/02/2023
Appointed by: Trust Appointed
Governor’s pecuniary interests: former SIAMS Inspector, Self employed educational and musical consultant, Friends of East Suffolk Performing Arts (FESPA), Justice of the Peace (Magistrate) Norfolk bench
Relationships between other governors or school staff: None

Following a degree in music at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, David completed a PGCE at Keswick Hall Church of England College of Education (now subsumed into UEA). His first teaching post was at a voluntary controlled Church of England middle school in Norfolk. He later taught in London, holding senior management positions.

After 24 years of teaching, since 2003 David has pursued a portfolio career in education and music. Having always been a church organist, he is currently Director of Music at St Margaret’s Church in Lowestoft. In addition, he plays regularly at the Electric Picture Palace in Southwold. Work in education has been very varied, and has included consultancy work for governemnt departments, and reviews of school governance when required by Ofsted. He still has QTS. Until recently he was a Reporting Inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), leading more than 30 inspections throughout England, along with further inspection work abroad for other organisations. He now carries out church school (SIAMS) inspections. For several years he was clerk to the governing body of a total of 16 schools and a pupil referral unit for Suffolk County Council and Norfolk County Council, including Roman Catholic and Anglican voluntary aided and voluntary controlled schools. He has been a school governor since 2004, including six years as chair of governors at a local primary school. He is also a magistrate, has been the chairman of a local council, and reviews concerts and theatre for the Eastern Daily Press and other newspapers.

Jill Horne

DNEAT Trustee
Term of office: 17/03/2020 to 16/03/2024
Appointed by: Trust appointed
Governor’s pecuniary interests: None
Relationships between other governors or school staff: None

After many years’ experience as a primary school teacher, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator and deputy headteacher I joined a team of specialist teachers advising on the education of children with autism. In 2014 I retired as lead specialist teacher for autism in Essex and moved to Southwold, a town with which I and my family have had connections for many years.
In Southwold I am active in parish church affairs, help with the local Girl Guides and am a member of the Trefoil Guild. I enjoy spending time with my three children and four grandchildren.

Sarah Smith

Staff Governor
Term of office: 28/09/2020 to 27/09/2024
Appointed by: Staff Election
Governor’s pecuniary interests: Employed by Kessingland C of E Primary Academy

Jenny Shervington

Term of office: 14/05/2020 – 13/05/2024
Appointed by: Trust Appointed
Governor’s pecuniary interests: None
Relationships between other governors or school staff: None

I have been in education now for over 10 years and work currently at Pakefield High School as the Assistant Headteacher, Teaching and Learning.

I started my career by completing a degree in classical music, but I always had a passion for teaching and very quickly completed my PGCE through Cambridge University where I had the pleasure of working with some outstanding colleagues and schools.

I have worked in a number of secondary schools now as I have developed in my senior leadership role and this has enabled me to observe and nurture outstanding teaching and learning. I thoroughly enjoy working with colleagues to ensure excellent outcomes for young people. This is an area of expertise I will bring to my governor role at Kessingland Church of England Primary Academy.

My desire to become a governor stems from wanting to support my local community and I know I will thoroughly enjoy the role and demands it brings.

In my spare time I still enjoy playing and composing music, particularly the piano and developing this talent within my eldest daughter. I am also an avid reader of many genres including crime fiction and the works of talented new writers.

I look forward to supporting Kessingland CofE Primary Academy in my new role and working with them to support the learning and development of our young people.

Cath Fox

Term of office: 01/01/2020 – 31/12/2023
Appointed by: Trust Appointed
Governor’s pecuniary interests: None
Relationships between other governors or school staff: None

I have lived in Reydon near Southwold for the past 21 years.  I trained as a PE teacher and have a B.Ed.  I initially worked at Bungay High School for seven years.  I then moved on to Halesworth Middle School where alongside PE I also taught Geography and ICT and was Head of Year 8 for many years.  I completed two terms as a Teacher Governor and I was Deputy Head of the school for the final three years before the school’s closure in 2012.  I then joined Bramfield House School, a special school for boys with social, emotional and mental health issues. I was initially a Year 7 teacher but then became Head of Education until my recent retirement in December 2019.

In my spare time I enjoy sailing, pottering in my garden and helping out at Southwold museum.

Katy Carpenter

Term of office: 01/10/2019 – 30/09/2023
Appointed by: Trust Appointed
Governor’s pecuniary interests: None
Relationships between other governors or school staff: None

I have lived in Kessingland since 2015 and love the community life here.  I became a Governor in the hope I can support the school to be the very best it can and to be more involved in the community in an environment I have never been in before (other than when I was a student!) whilst developing my knowledge and experience.

I have worked in a range of full time roles for BT since 1990 and am now a Diagnostic Capability Manager.  I have a wealth of business and commercial experience under my belt which I hope will enable me to support the school and other Governors in their endeavours to continue improving.

I somehow manage to juggle my demanding work with being a Mum and step-Mum to three  (and our gorgeous little dog) – quite a range of interests and demands there!  I have amazing support from my wonderful partner (and Dad to all three children) John, who works shifts on the wind farm in Lowestoft.

Our youngest daughter attends Kessingland Church of England Primary Academy where she is extremely happy and has a wonderful network of friends.  My step son attends Bramfield House School down in Halesworth where he is getting on incredibly well after leaving mainstream school in 2019 and my step daughter is training in hairdressing at Norwich City College.

I studied Business and Marketing at Guildhall University and am also a fully qualified therapist.  I love spending time with my family doing lots of fun things.  We love having days out and especially love walking our puppy on lovely beaches.  We also have ducks, chickens and fish so life is fairly busy!  When we do have time, we love travelling, skiing, scuba diving, walking, reading, visiting castles and the theatre.