Governors

As the Chair of Governors, I am delighted to welcome you to the Governor's page of our school website.

As governors, we all work closely with all stakeholders to ensure our school serves the children, parents and local community in the spirit of “INSPIRING EXCELLENCE ” – our school motto. We are all passionate volunteers from differing backgrounds, beliefs and ages but we work with one common purpose, to promote the education and well-being of children.

We work closely with the Local Authority, other external bodies, all our staff, parents and children to ensure the highest possible standards. We encourage children to aim for the stars and use achievements within the school as an inspiration for other pupils.

The Governor’s role is a strategic one – holding all those engaged in the work of the school to account. We have high expectations of the Senior Leadership Team and this is filtered through the entire school body building an ethos of responsibility and accountability. Every Governor has ownership of and responsibility for a variety of aspects of school life in order to achieve this.

Our school has been the centre of our community for just over eighty years and it is the intention of all the Governors that this should remain to be the case well into the future.

What makes our school very special is the welcoming, happy and courteous ethos we promote and parents and visitors often remark on this. It is our aim to ensure our children are able to learn in a positive and enjoyable environment.

Thank you for visiting the Governor section of our website and we hope you enjoy learning about our truly wonderful school.

Jo Bromige – Chair Of Governors

	JO BROMIGE Chair of Governors I joined as a Parent Governor in 2015. Both my children have attended Coppice and I am passionate about being a part of the school. I believe that a school functions at its best when parents, staff and governors work together. I am an accountant and Financial Director and have worked in many different industries over my career. This helps me to see the overall picture and how correct governance can help build a better future for everyone involved and the wider community.
	SARA BREMNER Co-Vice Chair / Safeguarding Governor I became a co-opted governor in 2016 and enjoy being involved in the continued development of Coppice Academy. I have very strong ties to the school and the local community as both a former pupil and my child attended the school. My background is in marketing and events and involves project management, operations and logistics. I run my own business and also assist in business development. I enjoy utilising my skill set to contribute to the school’s continued success
	JOHN BOTTEN Lead for Teaching and Learning As a resident of Coppice Road, the school has been part of my daily life for some 30 years. As a former Head of History in Secondary Schools, I spent 17 years teaching 11-18 year olds and I then led a curriculum project in South Warwickshire before managing the Warwickshire Education Partnership for 15 years. I twice chaired the National Education Business Partnership during this time and worked closely with Primary and Secondary schools and a variety of businesses. I am now retired and have been a governor since 2010 and volunteer at Solihull Citizens Advice and the Bible Learning Centre.
	MEL GREEN Associate Headteacher / Associate Governor I am the Associate Headteacher at Coppice Academy which I joined in November 2022. It is a thoroughly rewarding job to be leading a forward thinking school with a dedicated and passionate team of staff and governors.
	Mark Folwer Deputy Headteacher / Associate Governor
	LOUISE LUCKETT Parent Governor I became a parent governor at the beginning of 2021, having previously volunteered for the PCF where I sat on various meetings including the special educational needs board at Solihull Council. My oldest attended Coppice Academy and my youngest is a current pupil in Year 5. I am very passionate about all children getting a good education regardless of any additional needs they might have.
	LIZ CROWFORD Staff Governor I am a staff governor. I have worked at Coppice in several different roles for the last 8 years and have seen many changes in that time. I am currently a part time class teacher, having taught in Years 4, 5 and 6 at Coppice. I enjoy working at Coppice, the staff team is really supportive and the children and their families bring a smile to my face every single day.
	ALEC RICHMOND Co-opted Governor I joined the Board of Governors in April 2023, as the lead for Finance. Born in Warwickshire, I have lived in Solihull for over twenty years and have two children at another school in the borough. I am a member of the Parent Council at that school. Before I retired, I worked in the area for many years for both a large confectionery company and a large water company. I hope to bring my business experience to support the Governors and Coppice to achieve success.
	JULIE SKIPP Co-opted Governor/ Community Champion Governor I am a former pupil of the school and a local resident, joining the Board as a co-opted governor in 2023. I’m passionate and committed to supporting Coppice Academy in being an enriching and inspiring environment for both pupils and staff and to ensuring that all pupils have access to the best possible education, enabling them to reach their full potential. I run my own business and using the experience I’ve gained within my professional career in project management and sales, I’m developing the schools relationship with the wider community and local businesses.