My name is Amanda Ford and I am the clerk to the governing body.  I am a qualified solicitor and I have three daughters; one is now at secondary school, one is in year 5 and my youngest is in Year 3.  As clerk, my role is to act as the official channel of communication to and from the governing body and to enable the governing body to function smoothly and efficiently.  It’s a job I very much enjoy and I find that it gives me a fascinating insight on how the school works.

I teach English as a Foreign Language and am a newly trained Guide leader.

I am a (rather unusual) Sponsor Governor and member of the governing body on behalf of my employer (UCAS), which allows and supports my involvement with the school.  My role is to bring a business perspective to the governors’ work.

My background is in education-related administration and management and in 2005, I moved to UCAS where I first occupied the post of Executive Officer (working very closely with the Chief Executive Officer) before moving on to be Head of Planning and Performance Improvement.  I currently work for UCAS as a senior Business Development Executive.

I  have lived and worked in Cheltenham since 1980.

Neil Penny: Vice Chair/Parent Governor

I'm a parent governor, chair the Curriculum Committee and am numeracy governor. My son Harry's in 5VC and George has left Prestbury for Cleeve and is now in Year 8.  I love cycling and sport, particularly football, and I also enjoy quizzes.  If you've got anything you want to raise, please leave a note at school.   I work for Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust.

I have lived in Prestbury most of my life. I have two children, Matthew in Year 11 and Sophie in Year 9 at Cleeve School, having both attended Prestbury St Mary’s Junior School previously.  My connections with the School go back a long way as I myself was a pupil there. I work at Bushbabies Day Nurseries as the Administration Officer.  I regularly attend St Mary’s Church, Prestbury, and help at Church events whenever I can.  I have a keen interest in education and enjoy being able to support the School in my role as Parent Foundation Governor.  As part of my role as a Governor I am part of the Christian Values Committee and am also the Link Governor.  I enjoy going to the theatre, listening to music, reading and sewing.

I have two daughters, now in secondary and tertiary education, both of whom were pupils at Prestbury St. Mary’s Junior School.  I am a Chartered Engineer, working at GE Aviation Systems in Bishop’s Cleeve.

As Team Rector of the North Cheltenham Team Ministry, Prestbury is one of the parishes which I am responsible for.  I have an ex-officio place on the Governing Body of both the Junior School and St Mary’s Infant School.  I think that the link between the local church and school is very important and so it is very helpful for me to have an overview of both of our schools.  It is also an aspect of my job which I really enjoy and during my time in Prestbury I’ve got to know quite a large number of children!  When I’m not being a Team Rector I enjoy gardening (especially looking at other people’s) and spending time with my family.  My wife is a teacher and both my children, now at secondary school, were pupils at our Prestbury schools.

My main interest (apart from looking after my 2 grandchildren) is music. I teach music at Dean Close school, my son James teaches music at Rendcomb College and my late husband Malcolm was organist of Prestbury St Mary’s Church for 14 years.

I am a LA governor at both the Junior and Infant schools, serving on both Premises and Finance committees. I am a building surveyor by profession, working as a construction project manager for G.C.C.

I am married with three children, two at Cleeve Secondary school  and one at the Infant school.