Irene Kasapi Philips (Co-opted Governor - Chair of Governors).   I am currently working as a Health and Safety Advisor for a very large Housing Association, a position I have held for nearly seventeen years.  My current duties include carrying out site inspections and audits as well as delivering Health and Safety Training and Food Hygiene Training (up to Level 3), to the 2000 staff and managers of the association and providing advice as and when necessary.

Up until last year, I was also a school Governor, a position I held for years at my son’s Primary School, in Erdington.  I was Vice-Chair of the Standards Committee and Treasurer for 4 years of the school’s Parents’ Association.   I feel that I have a great deal of experience, skills and knowledge that would be beneficial to Featherstone Primary.

Jason Hayles (Co-opted Governor).  I am a serving Police Sergeant with the West Midlands Police Force and have been a member for 20 years.  My role and responsibility is within the Criminal Justice Service whereby I oversee individual’s welfare, rights and entitlements and make decisions on charging and bailing for Court purposes.  This is a challenging role that I have overseen for 7 years now.

I was excited at the prospect of becoming a Governor at Featherstone School and see it as a challenge, honour and a great responsibility to work with the Head Teacher and school for the foreseeable future.  My aim is to fulfil the role with honesty and integrity and to maintain a good working relationship with our partner agencies.

My experience of growing children is not an easy role and responsibility today, but one that you must embrace as they get older and wiser each day.  I have grown up into a Pentecostal Christian family, with strong values and beliefs and realise how this has created a positive impact on my life to date.

Catherine Foster (Local Authority Governor). I wanted to become a governor at Featherstone Primary school because I am passionate about all aspects of education. I have lived in Erdington for over 12 years and have two children, one at the school. I have worked in education since 2000, working at universities in Hull, Lincoln and Birmingham. 

I am currently completing my PhD (part-time) looking at the role of parents for first year undergraduate students, identifying in what way parents influence the adjustment process and their young person’s academic achievement. My work roles have involved working with parents and young adults, helping to support them and their families make decisions about university.  I have also worked supporting students in their studies and also supporting students and graduates set up their own businesses. I welcome the opportunity to work with the school to ensure pupils are encouraged to fulfil their full potential and are able to study in a safe and supportive environment. I am very honoured to work with the school in this capacity and will strive to ensure we offer the best education for all our pupils and their families, to contribute to their continuing development and to help shape the future of the school.

Sharon Warmington (Co-opted Governor).  Being an expert in School Governance and holding a degree in Leadership and Management, I aman experienced and highly motivated entrepreneur, public speaker, executive coach, strategic manager and writer with focused and targeted goals for achievement. Born in Birmingham,  I have had a varied and exciting journey that has taken me across mainland Europe, Scandinavia and North America, all of which have allowed me to draw on established and unique skills. I am always able to create from a ‘blank canvas’ and have set up and supported several businesses including my own.  With executive and life coaching as part of my remit of skills, I work with national and international businesses in leadership development and governance practice.

My breadth of knowledge and expertise stems from my many years in business, which started in 2000.  In 2006, I created a manufacturing company by securing substantial international investment and generated sales of a unique renewable energy in; the UK, Norway, Spain and the Czech Republic.  My role relied heavily upon her strategic management experience and unique leadership skills that gave me the platform to create my own consultancy business working with Chairs, CEO’s and Director’s of growing and established companies.  I also faced the Investors on BBC Dragon’s Den and despite not achieving the investment, went on to successfully promote and sell the products across Europe.

I served as a Parent Governor at Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls for 7 years and as an Interim Executive Board (IEB) Vice Chair.  I assisted in bringing a local primary school out of Special Measures after being appointed by the Department of Education due to my expertise in governance.  As a Licensed Assessor for Governance, I put Chair’s, Head’s and their Clerk’s through the bespoke Governance Assessment Process (GAP).  Being an international mentor for the University of Cambridge working specifically with the winners of the Queen’s Young Leaders International Programme, I now delivers governance services and support on an international level, primarily in the United Arab Emirates. 

Khizar Hyatt (Parent Governor).  I qualified as a solicitor in 2004 and I am on the Board of Directors of Green Solicitors practice in Birmingham City Centre. I specialise in Criminal and Prison Law and I am also a Duty Solicitor.  Even though I spend a great deal of my time representing people in court for a range of good and not so good reasons, I am a very approachable person and enjoy bringing my children to school each morning before going to work.  I feel that with my skills as a solicitor, I can support the school with any legal advice should this be needed and also ensure that as a Parent Governor, the children are all getting a fair, equal, just and most importantly, value for education.

Kiersty Sinclair-Davies - Parent Governor. I moved to Birmingham from London 13 years ago.  Initially working in an Erdington school for 7 years.  It is here I was a teacher governor for 5 years. 

I have 20 years teaching experience mainly in early years. I have led EYFS, Science, PHSE, Music and EAL.  I have worked as supply across Birmingham, Experiencing many types of schools and teaching across the phases. 

I wanted to become a governor at Featherstone because my daughter. I have a strong knowledge of how schools work and look forward to supporting staff and the leadership as they continue to improve and raise standards across the school.