Chair of Governors, Dr Eric Mahers.

I became a parent governor in 1995 and was elected to be the Chair of Governors in 1996, serving two 4-year terms as a parent governor and then as a co-opted governor.

My philosophy is to give the children every opportunity to learn new skills and enjoy learning in a safe and nurturing environment.

I am Chair of the Finance committee and I endeavour to spend our financial resources wisely and effectively through our teachers, teaching assistants, resources and environment.

I have seen the school develop to be a wonderful place for the children to start their learning adventure and I am proud to be a governor at Brackenwood Infant School.

I have been a governor at Brackenwood Infant School for several years, first as a parent governor when my son, Tom, was a pupil at the school, and then as a co-opted governor. I didn't grow up or go to school on Wirral, so I was keen to be more involved with the community in which my son was growing up: being a school governor felt like a good way to be part of that local community, as well as supporting Tom's first school. Like Tom, I grew to love Brackenwood Infant School and I have been very proud to be part of the Brackenwood family.

I have worked in the safeguarding arena for most of my professional career, and also have a qualification in Post-Compulsory Education - skills which I hope are of benefit in my role as Chair of the Teaching, Learning and Safeguarding Committee.

As a busy mum, I find I don't have much time for hobbies! But I will always find time to spend with the new addition in our family - our handsome black labrador, who has taken over our lives - in a good way!

Having known and worked with Chris Mervyn for several years, when he asked, I was delighted to join the governing body at Brackenwood Infants. I have been a teacher for many years and have spent the majority of my career working with children with special educational needs.

I am currently the headteacher of Hayfield School. This is one of Wirral’s specialist schools for children with Social Communication Difficulties. During my time at the school I have seen a considerable growth in pupil numbers, combined with a complexity of needs.

I hope that during my time on the Governing Body at Brackenwood Infants I can put my experience and knowledge of the world of SEND to good use in supporting the children and their families.

It has been rewarding for me to have been a School Governor for a cumulative period of over twenty five years in infant and primary schools in diverse areas of Wirral where I myself was educated until age fifteen. I am passionate about learning and understand the importance of a rounded, focussed, supportive and enjoyable education - especially at infant and pre-school age.

I have volunteered for a variety of local and national organisations whose beneficiaries include the visually impaired, children and young people, and those with psychological and mental health challenges including members of the uniformed services who have retired on ill health grounds.

After twenty-five years as a dedicated soldier living and working in many countries like Borneo and Jamaica and teaching myself computing in my spare time, I retired from the military and managed computer learning and education facilities in the private and public sector. I was elected the local chairman of the Institute of Training and Development and became a member of and chair of the editorial board of Training Today, (the largest circulation human resources development journal outside of the USA).

Several years ago I obtained a post graduate teaching certificate (PGCEE) at Masters level in Emotional Education from Derby University. More recently I have qualified as a Mental Health First Aider and in Psychological First Aid: Supporting Children and Young People. I am a Fellow of the Institute of Personnel and Development, a Fellow of the Institute of Management and Supervision, a Member of the British Computer Society and a recipient of the Collinson Award for Training and Development in Merseyside and North Wales.

I am proud and thrilled to be the Headteacher of Brackenwood Infant School and see it as a privilege to work with our wonderful children and families each and every day. Our school is not only a place where children can be successful academically, it is a place where they can flourish as young people, learn about the world around them and more importantly, how to shape it for their own futures.

Professionally, I have been involved in education for many years and worn many different hats in that time. For me, there is no greater feeling in the world than when I am working with a child and suddenly they get that ‘light bulb moment.’ That is why I come to work every day.

A little bit about me outside of school; I live on the Wirral with my 2 children, wife and cats. In my spare time I like exercising, visiting the Lake District and watching local sport.

I have taught in Foundation 2 since I joined Brackenwood Infant School and have been Deputy Head for several years. I am passionate about all aspects of early years education and there is something very special about working in an infant school. It is for these reasons that I am delighted and proud to be able to represent our staff on the governing body

I am a semi-retired (my wife calls it a career break, I prefer retired!), self-employed IT professional living in Bebington with my wife and two children. My son thrived in Brackenwood Infants and that compelled me to see what it was all about by volunteering. Since then, my wife’s job has become more demanding so I’ve stepped back from mine to dedicate more time to family life. I decided to go for the role of parent governor as I believe my volunteering role gave me a valuable insight into the day-to-day running of the school, as well as being able to see things at our student’s level. As a governor I am passionate about keeping our children safe in a happy and friendly environment, with particular focus on their learning environment and encouraging active travel to and from school. I think this is a wonderful, caring, friendly school with excellent teachers and staff, and I want to ensure other children get the same start in education that my children have.

My role of Parent Governor started from June 2023. I have two sons who have attended Brackenwood Infant School. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting more involved in school life through the newly formed PTA and this led to my interest in becoming a governor. I am a busy, working mum. Through the week I work as a NHS Neurological Physiotherapist and most evenings and weekends are spent on the side of a football, rugby or cricket pitch cheering on my boys, which I love!

During the last few years, our family has come to love Brackenwood Infant School. I hope to be able to share the parent viewpoint at Governor’s meetings and bring up any pertinent issues. I am very open to parents contacting me if there is anything you’d like me to raise on your behalf. Please see me at school or find my school email address via the office.

I have been part of the school community since my son started at Brackenwood Infants in Autumn 2023. I was keen to get involved in further supporting the school so joined the PTA and I have really enjoyed helping to organise recent events.

My educational background is in performing and creative arts but I now work full time as Senior Group Procurement Manager for Village Hotels. I manage financial budgets and data analysis on a daily basis and continuously challenge the supply chain ensuring they are delivering the agreed standards. I believe this diverse skill set and experience will positively impact my role as governor.