Hugh Samuelson – Chair of Governors – Local Authority Governor

I am pleased to take on the role of Chair after being having been a Governor for 14 years. By day, I am a manager for a Building Society: by night – dad to two children! Whilst my children were at Blean, I got to know the school and staff very well, fully appreciating what a great job they do but understanding the challenges that we face. Being a member of the Governing Body is a role that I enjoy a great deal: the most important part is working with the School and Governors to ensure continuous improvement for everyone. It is our responsibility to help and support the school by working towards implementing the School Improvement Plan. I am also a local Parish Councillor on Blean Parish Council – this enables me to ensure that the school is well represented in the local community. 

If you wish to contact me as Chair of a Governors, please use the email: cog@blean.kent.sch.uk 

Jeanette Read – Vice Chair of Governors – Co-Opted Governor

I have worked in finance since leaving school, and joined KCC’s school’s financial services in 2001. My worked included everyday financial support, monthly monitoring, budget setting and attending Governor meetings.  I left KCC to become a School Business Manager in a large primary school, and in 2016 became the Chief Financial Officer of a multi academy trust, where I remained until my retirement in 2022.

Camilla Webster – Co-opted Governor

Having relocated to Kent last summer, I am very much enjoying getting to know the local area and settling in with my family.

I was an Early Years Governor at a primary school in Norfolk for 3 years before moving down and am looking forward to joining a new team.

My day to day job is working as Head of Pre-Prep at Junior King’s School, on the edge of Canterbury. I run a brilliant department, located in an Oast House, with children aged from 2 to 8. I specialise in Early Years compliance and regulations and am passionate about the use of Continuous Provision within the classroom.

Nyree Scott – Co-opted Governor

I have been working in education for the past 27 years, a large number of these being involved in Initial Teacher Education at Canterbury Christ Church University as a Senior Lecturer. My subject specialism is computing but I also have a passion for physical education and have strong knowledge of all curriculum subjects. I have a keen interest in how children and adults learn. I am currently researching how previous knowledge helps adults to build current knowledge, how that links back to what we have learnt in school and how that can impact on us as adults. I am linked with a number of different schools in Canterbury through the university where I support, where needed, in computing.

Holly Carter – Co-opted Governor

I have been a teacher for ten years, leading on Maths, before moving into Initial Teacher Education at Canterbury Christ Church University as a Senior Lecturer. My passions and research involve; social justice within education – considering how children from all walks of life are able to thrive within the educational environment, trauma-informed teaching – considering the importance and impact of positive relationships, and supporting children in care, previously looked-after children and children with social worker involvement. I hope to be able to support the school in providing a nurturing environment which enables all children to thrive. 

Wayne Wilson – Parent Governor

After leaving Charlton Athletic Football Club as a professional footballer in 2007, I started working within Education and Sport. I am enthusiastic and passionate around working with educational settings to create and deliver a fun & engaging PE curriculum designed to increase participation and develop skills. With sports clubs and educational establishments providing most of the opportunities for children aged 16 and under to further develop PE skills, I feel it right and just to offer my expertise to provide further knowledge and guidance where I can.  

My goal is to encourage the future generations of young people to achieve their full potential within Physical Education. I have previous experience as a Governor at another Kent school which I thoroughly enjoyed and provided an opportunity to give back to the local community. I supported the school to encourage their staff to gain knowledge in further learning opportunities to support both individual and collective development.  

Through my work I have worked with around 250 schools across London and Kent providing PE and School Sport Apprentices. I supported the schools with the development and delivery of a new, innovative, and engaging PE curriculum. This led to increased engagement both within core PE skills and after school PE activities. I am keen to ‘give back’ to the local community, and where better to start by supporting the local school where my daughter attends. 

Rosina Hammond – Parent Governor

Education and pupil outcomes are very close to my heart. I have 12 years’ experience as an English teacher of 11-18 year olds in a mainstream secondary school. During this time, I spent 6 years as an assistant headteacher with two main areas of responsibility. Firstly, overseeing the quality of teacher and learning, and secondly, driving GCSE outcomes as raising standards leader for Key Stage 4. In these various roles I have acquired extensive knowledge and skills that I can bring to the parent governor role. I also understand the challenges facing schools and children.

In a professional capacity, I am experienced in developing positive relationships with staff, parents and stakeholders. I have strategically led school-wide initiatives to drive continued improvement and secure the best outcome for pupils. As such, I have first-hand experience of accountability processes at school leadership level.

I have always wanted the best for the pupils I worked with, whether that be in the classroom as their teacher or as an assistant head. Now as a parent of 2 children, the eldest of whom started at Blean in September 2024, I am passionate about pupils getting the most out of their time at Blean.

Chris Jones – Parent Governor

I’m Chris, a fellow parent who really cares about our school community and the well-being of all our children. I’ve put myself forward for Parent Governor because I want to play a positive, supportive role in helping the school continue to thrive. My professional background spans more than 30 years in hospitality, where I’ve worked in a wide and varied environments including business consultancy and compliance, so I’m used to listening, working with different people, and taking a calm, pragmatic approach. I am proud to represent parents and contribute in a way that genuinely helps our school.

Victoria Hunt – Parent Governor

I have spent many years working in a variety of settings all striving to improve the outcomes for children and young people.  I worked for seven years at Barnardo’s as part of a management team that ran 16 Children Centres for 0-5 year olds and their families. I currently work for the University of Kent in their Student Support Team working with students with print disabilities to achieve their full potential, and I have also just qualified as a SEND Mediator.

Effective, relevant governance which can adapt and grow to ensure the children are always put at the heart of improvements is something that I believe needs input from all aspects of school life.  As a parent I feel I can bring a range of specifically informed opinions which can help feed into creating a strong, effective but rounded strategic leadership for the school.

Dawn Irons – Staff Governor

I joined the Blean Staff Team in 2000 and have taught in all years in Key Stage 2. With an extensive knowledge of the school and the ways that it has changed over the last two decades, I am pleased to be able to help to support the whole school as a Governor as it continues to grow and develop. You will often find me out on the field or in the hall running a sport club as I am passionate about enabling every pupil to enjoy physical activity and find the sport that is right for them.