Governor Profiles 

Sue Furness

I have been the Foundation governor for Siddington for many years and I am Chair of the Governers currently.

The role is both challenging and rewarding and is a means of gaining a greater understanding of the educational world. I work part time as a Certified Accountant which ties in well to the voluntary governor role.

My three daughters are all past Marton pupils starting in nursery and leaving in year 6. They all have very fond memories of their time at Marton which provided an excellent foundation for their future. My two elder daughters , having been to university , are now working in professional roles whereas my third daughter is currently travelling , gaining life skills and seeing the world from a different perspective !!

I have been an active member of All Saints Siddington church for over 30 years and am involved in the services and support that our church provides.  In my spare time I enjoy cooking , gardening , travelling and walks with our two springer spaniels. 

Sheila Kent 

My involvement with Marton School goes back to my very first teaching practice there when the school was very new, and the school choir came to sing at my wedding in the following year! Prior to my University work I spent many years as head of music departments in secondary schools, but worked as a general subject Primary Supply teacher for a further 10 years after this.

I have retained my interest and involvement with Marton School as PCC secretary for Siddington Church, and I am delighted to say that it is still a happy and friendly learning environment. I am a music examiner and Festival adjudicator, working across the country, which takes me into many different schools, but also still find time to enjoy music and drama in a more practical sense as a hobby. 

Kaite Worlock 

Hello everyone, I am Kaite Worlock and am privileged to be vice chair of our Governing Body. Having served a 4yr term as a Parent Governor from May 2014 - 2018, I was delighted to become the Foundation Governor for Eaton where I am a resident.

Although my daughter has now left Marton, my enthusiasm, commitment and involvement at Marton is undiminished. As a Governor at Marton I am involved in a number of committees; standards (which looks at the curriculum, teaching & learning), Foundation (which focuses on our Christian ethos and worship) and Admissions. In addition I have responsibility for school data, so am involved with the progress and attainment of every pupil in our Marton family.

Some of you will recognise me as the netball coach at Marton, so if I’m not in school on governor business I’ll most likely be there in a sporting capacity. Sometimes I do find time to just pop in for a quick catch up…particularly when cheesy oatcakes are the menu at morning break.

I was educated locally at Whirley Primary School and Henbury High School before heading off to University in Staffordshire where I gained a Master of Science in Marketing. My working life has been spent in advertising and marketing and for the last 20 years I have run my own marketing consultancy. I know that the experience gained in my professional role serves me well in my role as a Governor in supporting, improving and promoting our school.

Away from work I love my outdoor lifestyle of dogs, ponies, tractors and Land Rovers. I’m a huge fan of equestrian sports, play and coach netball every week and like to sing, cook, eat and spend time with friends and family. Oh, and I’m a lover of gin!

Bob Phillips

I am a newly elected (Autumn 2022) Foundation Governor here at Marton, currently sitting on the management and foundation governing boards. This is my first time as a school governor and I am very much looking forward to the challenge of helping to shape the future of the young people who are part of our school family.

I have lived in nearby Macclesfield for the best part of 20 years following my graduation for University - originally growing up on the other side of the country in Lincoln. My day job is as a director of town planning consultancy Urban Imprint, based in Macclesfield. I founded the company in 2012, following the early part of my career working for small and medium sized planning consultancies in and around South Manchester and north Cheshire. I hold the role as honorary teaching fellow at the University of Manchester where I taught for over a decade up until July 2022.

I am an active member of my local church in Macclesfield (Holy Trinity Hurdsfield) where I help run one of the many youth groups (for ages 10 – 14) as well as occasionally leading the congregation for Sunday worship. I’ve also recently using my professional skills to help the church deliver their new community hub in place of two very dilapidated temporary classrooms.

In my spare time I enjoy walking – especially in the nearby Peak District – and travel around the UK and Europe, often as a ‘busman’s holiday’ looking at architecture and design. Beyond this I enjoy two very old fashioned hobbies - breeding canaries and building a model railway.

Ann Danson

I have been a member of the team of Governors at Marton School since September 2022, acting as Foundation Governor for Lower Withington.  

When I first moved to the Marton area my son started in Reception class at Marton School and we were made to feel very welcome.  Although my son is now an adult, the friends that I made at Marton are still some of my closest friends.

 I worked as a solicitor for a number of years, taking time out to raise my three children and I now support my husband with his landscape photography business.  As a former international athlete, I am passionate about sport and the benefits that it brings to children to participate in sport at all levels.  

In my spare time I enjoy walks with my dog, singing in a choir and I am currently training for my first half marathon!

Amy Rudgyard

I am proud to be a newly elected parent governor (2022). I am mummy to two children (4 and 2). My daughter started in reception last September and is thoroughly enjoying her time at Marton.

I work as a research scientist at the University of Manchester, having graduated from the University of York with a degree in biochemistry and the University of Manchester with a PhD in cancer biology. My current research is in the area of radiation biology, with a particular focus on how we can make radiotherapy and proton beam therapy more effective and kinder for children living with cancer. I am also involved in teaching in higher education, including as the unit lead for radiation biology on a Master’s degree programme.

We moved to Congleton last year and in our spare time enjoy exploring outdoors, baking and going on holiday. We were completely sold on Marton by Mrs Owen when we looked around and I’m pleased to report that we have been incredibly impressed with the school so far, so much so that our son (currently 2 years old, and chief book bag carrier) is already excited for his turn to join reception. It has been brilliant to see the excellent relationship between the school and its governors and I’m really looking forward to helping shape the school going forward.

Jenna Andrews

My name is Jenna Andrews and I am an Assistant Headteacher at Eaton Bank Academy of which Marton is a feeder school to. I have been a Physical Education teacher at Eaton Bank Academy for the past 18 years and have shared many an afternoon or afterschool session delivering PE or school sport sessions to Marton pupils.

My previous leadership role at Eaton Bank has been as a Head of Year 7 and Leader of Transition which I did for 14 years. During this role I have been heavily involved with our local primary schools for both the Year 6 Transition process and primary school sport.

In my spare time, I play netball weekly and support my own two daughters, age 9 and 7, with their many sports clubs. I am the chair at Sandbach Netball Club and support in encouraging children to get active by playing netball. You will often see me on the side lines for my own children in their football games on Saturdays and netball games on Sundays.

Last year I took on the role of Assistant Headteacher and began my first year as a Marton governor. As an Assistant Headteacher I have led on improving Teaching and Learning, Professional development, Fluency and leading Initial Teacher Trainees and Early Career Teachers through the start of their teaching career. This academic year my role focuses on behaviour and safeguarding. I am also a Designated Safeguarding Lead for Year 7 and 8 at Eaton Bank. I hope my experience and links to our local high school can provide smooth transitions for our Marton students to high school whilst continuing to develop our already strong partnership between the two schools.

Claire Venables

I am delighted to be one of the parent governors at Marton and District School. My children are currently in year 6, year 4 and year 2 and they enjoy every aspect of school life at Marton. 

 I have worked as a teacher for nearly 20 years and have held posts as a Music Teacher and Head of Performing Arts within two local 11-18 high schools and my current role is as Head of Performing Arts at a local prep school.  I have taught across a number of subjects and have experience of working in different education settings as a supply teacher in Melbourne, Australia.

 In my spare time, I like to be outdoors walking, helping out with Marton F&F, helping out on my parent’s farm and supporting my husband with his marketing business. We are often at the side of a football or rugby pitch, at All Saints Siddington Church and we like to get involved in the local community when possible. I also sing with a choir, performing and competing across the UK. 

 Our children love Marton school and everything it has to offer and we have felt very supported as a family over the last 7 years. I am delighted to help further develop a kind and nurturing school community for our children to learn and grow.

Simon Wain

You could say Marton school is in my blood, I attended Marton when I was a lot smaller than I am now and have been involved in various ways with school for a big proportion of my life.
I am very involved in Marton Church and was privileged last year to be take part in some of the worship in school as well as help out with School visits to Church.

I work on the railway and was able to come in and take part in the careers events at School last year, when I was asked some very challenging questions about how I deal with some of the passengers on board!  Whilst working shifts on the railway makes it difficult to be present a lot of the time, School is never very far from my thoughts.

Through Church, Marton school has always been part of my life, not the least of which has been organising the Marton Wakes fete each July which we hold on the school field and which we have received much support from school for.
I see my role as very much encouraging closer and closer links between Church and school and was very happy last year to take on the role of link governor for RE. Something which I feel is becoming more and more relevant in these modern times.

It is a joy to be able to give a little bit back to a place that has given me so much.

Reverend Jim Cartlidge

I’m currently the Vicar of St James & St Paul, Marton; All Saints’, Siddington; Holy Trinity, Capesthorne; Christ Church, Eaton; St Michael’s, Hulme Walfield; and St Peter’s, Swettenham. I have served as a school governor for over 11 years across three primary schools, previously being a chair and vice-chair. Before ordination, I began my career as a software developer, later managing large-scale IT systems, before going into ministry.

I have four children, and am an active scout leader, having been a beaver leader for 8 years, a scout leader for 3 years, as well as helping out with cubs. I’m currently a team member in the explorer section at Macclesfield and Congleton – Titans. When not out scouting, I enjoy cooking, reading and sci-fi.