Gareth Harrison

Chair of Governors- Walbottle Village Primary

Gareth is one of our Local Advisory Board members. He is Deputy Agent in the North East for The Bank of England.
He acts as the ‘eyes and ears’ in the region. His job is to meet people from companies of all sizes, and from all sectors, to understand the business conditions they face. He feeds this intelligence back to policymakers who use it to inform policy decisions on things like what Bank Rate is set.
Before he joined The Bank of England, Gareth worked for the manufacturing trade body EEF. Previously, he worked as a recruitment specialist.
He has a degree in Business and Economics and a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resources Management.
Gareth has a largely unfulfilling lifelong obsession with Newcastle United and a love of travel and cookery.

Amanda Wright

Parent Governor- Walbottle Village Primary

Amanda is one of our parent governors on our LAB with two daughters in Walbottle, where they have thrived since Nursery.
A Chartered Marketer with the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Amanda currently works as a freelance copywriter and proofreader, providing the right words for company websites, blogs, and marketing communications.
Previously, she worked in marketing, communications, and PR roles for educational charity and leader NCFE, and before this at the Credit Services Association. Amanda also volunteers her time writing for the charity Open Arms in Malawi to help encourage further support and donations.
Amanda has a Marketing and Management degree from the University of Newcastle and a Diploma in Mindfulness.
Amanda loves animals, running (or rather a fast walk), and loves supporting her girls with all of their team sports!

Lisa Rayson

Co-Opted Governor- Walbottle Village Primary

Lisa is one of our Local Advisory Board members. She is a School Funding Specialist for Newcastle City Council.
She supports several maintained schools by providing financial advice, assisting schools with their budget setting and budget monitoring, to help schools maximise their use of resources to give pupils the best start in life.
Previously, she worked as a Sure Start Children`s Centre Manager based in Newbiggin Hall in the Outer West of Newcastle. She has a degree in Children and Young People`s Pathway.
Lisa is a season ticket holder at Newcastle Falcons Rugby and loves being outdoors and walking with her dog Alfie, paddleboarding and climbing mountains.

Lynda Coulthard Local Advisory Board Walbottle Village Primary

Josephine Hatfield Local Advisory Board Walbottle Village Primary

Beech Hill Local Advisory Board

Lee Rochester (Chair)

Naomi McGough (Vice Chair)

Angela Campbell (School improvement)

Jo Scott (Legal)

Gaurav Kaushik (educational Specialist)