Meet the Governors

Headteacher Governor

Mrs Rachel Ray

My name is Mrs Ray and I am very proud to be the headteacher of Weaverthorpe Primary School. Our school is a very happy place to be and so I like coming to school in the morning even though I have to say goodbye to my two dogs Meg and Basil. I have two sons called George and Sebastian who always like to hear about what we do at Weaverthorpe Primary School! 

LA Governors chosen by the local authority

Anne Conroy

I am really excited at being asked to work with the team of governors, headteacher & staff to ensure that the children of Weaverthorpe School have the best education & preparation for life possible. I am also a governor at Langton Primary School and have been for a number of years. I have been asked to chair the Weaverthorpe Governing Board, but we are very much a team, all working to the same end.

Now retired, I was previously a project manager, & as well as my commitment to school, I also enjoy walking, gardening, researching my family history and a variety of crafts.

Carolyn Childs

I am very delighted to be a Weaverthorpe governor and look forward to working hard, helping to give our children the very best education possible.

During my career I have taught in secondary, primary and special schools, and with pre-school children with complex needs.   As an education advisor in a London Borough I developed provision for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities across all schools.  In my next LA post I led on primary school curriculum development, planning and management.  When I became a primary school headteacher, I set up a nursery, developed close partnerships with parents and carers, raised standards, radically increased the school roll and had a lot of fun!.

My subsequent independent consultancy work included supporting local authorities and schools to establish effective leadership and governance and excellence in teaching and learning.   I have taught on under-graduate and post-graduate university courses. I worked for several years as an Ofsted inspector and as a nationally accredited School Improvement Partner.  I have a life-long interest in special needs, health, well-being and physical education, was engaged in the establishment of the National ‘Healthy Schools’ initiative and have written on PE, special needs and on children’s food and nutrition. I have recently retired but I remain a lecturer and international examiner in Sherborne Developmental Movement and have recently joined the Education Committee of the charity Antibiotics Research UK.

I have two married children and two grandchildren.  In my spare time I love painting and drawing, cooking and eating and all the benefits of village life.

Howard Widdall - Chair

I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to join Board of Governors of Weaverthorpe School and look forward to working with my fellow governors to support the Head Teacher and Staff in providing the best possible educational experience for the children.

I retired from full-time employment in 2016, following a 36 year career in the medical devices industry, mostly in management and leadership roles. These included domestic and international senior executive roles with a multi-national corporation and the position of Sales & Marketing Director at a Yorkshire based manufacturing company.

After retiring I did consultancy work, for just over a year, and have since become increasingly involved in a wide range of voluntary work. I joined the Full Governing Board (FGB) at Langton Primary School, as a co-opted governor, in September 2017 and took on the role of Chair of the FGB in September 2019, after previously being Chair of the Finance & Resources Committee. I am Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees of Age UK York and have other voluntary roles with North York Moors National Park, Yorkshire Air Museum, The Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine, where I am a member of the Public Engagement Committee, and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, working principally in their Invasive Non-native Species program.

My commitment, as a member of the governing board, is to draw on my experience of strategy, organisational development and governance, acquired in industry and in the voluntary sector, to help take Weaverthorpe School forward.

Alison Smith

I have worked in education for over 20 years. I am highly committed to supporting the development of educational provision which allows pupils to flourish both ‘academically and personally’, and provision which ensures pupils develop a life-long ‘love of learning’.

I am currently the Assistant Director of Education for the Diocese of York Education Team (effectiveness). I provide a role which focuses upon monitoring the overall effectiveness and performance of all 125 schools across the Diocese of York locality, working in collaboration with key partners.  I also provide support and training for school leaders.

Prior to joining the Diocese of York Education Team, I worked for North Yorkshire Children and Young People’s Service for 16 years, beginning as a Primary School Teacher, and then as an Advanced Skills Teacher who supported teaching colleagues to develop their practice across a variety of schools and settings across North Yorkshire and then as a Primary Headteacher for 9 years.

On a more personal note, I am married and have a very lovable (if a little excitable) dog named ‘Jasper’. She is a VW Campervan fanatic and enjoys the great outdoors!