Governors

The Corporation currently comprises:

Dr Charles Freeman – Chair

Dr Stephen Wyn Williams - Deputy Chair

• Paul Mangnall - Principal
• Rachel Basnett - Support Staff Governor
• Adam Clarke
• Karen Clarke
• Balvir Dhillon
• Joan Durose
• Possible Etumnu - Student Governor
• John Gething - (Co-opted member of Audit Committee)
• Professor Garth Hastings
• Rob Hewitt
• Kevin Onions - Parent Governor
• Thessalie Robinson - (Co-opted CQS member)
• Sarah Robinson
• Paul Stanier - Teaching Staff Governor
• Ian Starkie
• Laura Tulley - Student Governor
• Professor Tony Dugdale
• Edgar Williams (Clerk to the Corporation)

Members of the Public who are interested in becoming members of the Corporation are welcome to contact the Clerk to the Corporation, Mr Edgar Williams, for further information. (01782 854217 or 01782 843209)

CITY OF STOKE-ON-TRENT SIXTH FORM COLLEGE

MEMBERS’ PEN PORTRAITS

Rachel Basnett

As a former student of the Sixth Form College (2001-2003) Rachel returned to work at the College as the Schools Liaison Officer in July 2006 after studying Sports Studies at Staffordshire University.

Rachel joined the Corporation in December 2009 as the support staff governor and she was re-elected in December 2011. She is a member of the Audit Committee.

Adam Clarke

Adam is a Chartered Accountant and a director of a local accountancy business, Mitten Clarke. He has a top-four accountancy firm background together with six years industrial experience and has worked extensively overseas.

He holds the corporate finance diploma and advises corporate clients, UK subsidiaries of overseas companies and specialist audit clients.

Adam has been a governor since March 2006 and chair of the Audit Committee since November 2007.

Karen Clarke MA, ACA

Karen joined the Corporation in October 2006. Currently she is Chair of the Finance and Resources Committee. She is Director of Finance and IT at Keele University, Staffordshire. She commenced working at the University in January 2004 prior to which she worked in the NHS where she was a Director of Finance and IT for an NHS Trust. She was originally trained as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG.

Balvir Dhillon, MBA, PGCE, MCIM, MIfL

Balvir is an educationalist with 25 years experience in the FE and HE sectors in Wales and England. She is a qualified Estyn Peer Inspector. She owns her own business, Golden Ethics , which focuses on spiritual leadership, entrepreneurial development, employability and self awareness. She is also a non-executive director of voluntary charity organisation, Nishkam Civic Centre, and a Governor for the local primary and junior school. She joined the Corporation in July 2010 and currently is a member of the Curriculum, Quality and Standards Committee.

Tony Dugdale BA, BCL

Tony joined the Corporation in 2005 and was the Chair from June 2007 until September 2010 and Vice-Chair from September 2010 until July 2011. He was a Law Professor at Keele University where he was a member of the senior management team, retiring as Deputy Vice Chancellor in 2004. He has also been a governor of Harper Adams University College and of a Shropshire secondary school. He has been an auditor for the QAA which is responsible for auditing the standards and quality of educational provision in universities and currently provides consultancy advice to universities on management and standards issues.

His hobbies include walking, gardening and cooking - subject to instruction.

Joan Durose PhD, MSc, DMS

Joan Durose has been a member of Corporation since 1996 and in that time has served on each of the committees of Corporation. She currently serves on the Search and Governance, Remuneration and Finance and Resources Committees. Her first introduction to the College was many years ago when her daughter was a student.

Joan is a Senior Associate of the Health Services Management Centre at Birmingham University. Her role includes consultancy, teaching and research in matters related to health service management. Previously she held several roles in health service organisations within North Staffordshire, particularly in the field of human resources, was a community worker in the area and began her working life in teaching.

Joan is also a member of the Trustee Board of Stoke-on-Trent Citizens Advice Bureau. She lives in Wood Lane, near Audley and is enjoying working with her husband to recreate a cottage garden around her recently renovated house

Possible Etumnu

Possible is a former student of Mitchell High School and is currently studying Chemistry, Physics and Maths at the College. Possible aspiration is to be a Chemical Engineer after obtaining his degree at Imperial College of London. In his spare time he enjoys drawing, dancing and adventure but at present his main focus is on achieving his academic goals.

Charles Freeman PhD, MA(Ed), BSc

Charles has served the College as Governor since 2002 and has been Chair of Corporation since September 2010 and Chair of the Curriculum, Quality and Standards Committee since 2005. From May 2000 to August 2008 he served as Headteacher of Wolstanton High School, Newcastle-under-Lyme which is an 11-16 mixed comprehensive school with 1100 pupils coming under Staffordshire Local Authority. Previously Charles was Deputy Head in a similar sized school in Hampshire and prior to that he was Head of Year in two schools also in Hampshire. Having studied Physiology and Biochemistry at Southampton University and then researched a Biochemistry Ph.D. (Mechanistic Aspects of Cholesterol Biosynthesis!!) it is not surprising that he taught Science as his main subject. In September 2008 Charles retired from teaching after 32 years service but he continues to provide voluntary support to education in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire on various committees and panels.

In his spare time Charles is an avid gardener, wildlife photographer and all things practical. He is an expert rifle shooter having shot for the Great Britain Junior team in his younger days but aging vision mean that he no longer reaches such dizzy heights of achievement.

John Gething BA, BTP, MRTPI (Rtd)

John has served as a co-opted member on the Corporation's Audit Committee since 2010. He is a Chartered Town Planner and is a graduate of the Common Purpose Programme. Formerly the Business Support and Investment Manager for Stoke-on-Trent City Council, John has worked in the public sector for over thirty years. His experience includes master planning, community regeneration, housing renewal and leading major bids for external funding.

He is currently Vice-Chair of EPIC Housing Association, a board member of Urban Vision North Staffordshire and a member of the Supervisory Committee of Staffordshire Credit Union.

John enjoys travelling, the theatre, running, and is interested in art and urban design

Garth Hastings, DSc, PhD, BSc
Garth joined the Corporation in 2003 and has served on the Finance and Resources, Audit and Curriculum (AP&Q) committees as well as being a link governor for student pastoral matters. He was a Foundation Professor in Biomedical Engineering at Staffordshire University, specialising in research into new materials for surgical use, mainly for orthopaedic surgery. He became an Associate Director of the IRC in Biomedical Materials at Queen Mary & Westfield College, University of London and subsequently Programme Director in the Institute for Materials Research & Engineering & Visiting Professor of National University of Singapore. As a Consultant for the UN (UNIDO) he has
had experience in several countries advising on medical uses of plastics materials and particularly in SE China for an artificial limb project. He has had active engagement with the development of Standards for Surgical Implants and represents the UK on ISO Committees.
Locally he was Chairman of the PPI Forum for the University Hospital until a recent government revision. This was concerned for adequate representation of the public and patient voice in health care matters. He is an active Reader in the Church of England.
His hobbies include theatre, concerts, films and photography. Gardening is always a delight. Books are ever present too.

Rob Hewitt

Rob joined the Corporation in October 2011 and is a member of the Audit Committee. He is a Chartered Member of the CIPD (HR professional body) and works as a HR manager with Michelin Tyre plc. He has worked in a number of management roles within the manufacturing industry including strategic planning before moving into HR in 2007. He has studied both business and management and completed several post-graduate qualifications at Staffordshire University including the CMS, CBA and DBA. Since moving into HR in 2007, Rob has completed a three year post-graduate CIPD qualification also at Staffordshire University.

Rob enjoys travelling, DIY, gardening, keeping fit and trying to maximise his family time with his wife and daughter.

Paul Mangnall BSc

Paul joined the Corporation in 2012 following his appointment as Principal. Paul previously held the post of Deputy Principal at the college since appointment in 2002 after first joining the College in 1981. Paul has extensive experience of the further education sector, with a particular expertise in leadership and management, quality assurance, and information systems. Paul has represented the Sixth Form College sector on a number of national representative bodies responsible for the development of funding and information systems policy. For over ten years, 1995 to 2005, Paul was a registered part-time Inspector with the Further Education Funding Council and subsequently transferred to OfSTED. Paul also has extensive experience of curriculum development and assessment. During the period 1987 to 1999, Paul held the position of Chief Examiner for a national assessment board and was subsequently Chair of Examiners from 2000 – 2004. Within the local context, Paul has extensive contacts across educational partnerships and was Vice-Chair of governors at a local school for over 12 years.

Paul has been a long distance runner for over 35 years, the loneliness time used to for reflection on the day’s events. Paul is also a keen skier and aims to spend every Christmas Day hurtling down the slopes in the mountains of his beloved Austria.

Kevin Onions MSc CGeol FGS SiLC

Kevin worked for over 18 years as an underground mine geologist for British Coal in South Wales and North and South Staffordshire. He joined Technical Services in the early 90’s and advised on remediating contaminated land left by the mining legacy.

On the closure of the Coal Industry, Kevin has been employed as a consultant, leading teams of specialists and advising the public and private sector on the risks of land affected by the industrial past and its remediation in building a new future.

Kevin now lives and works in Stoke-on-Trent, he has a wife and three children and his interests include swimming, gardening, cycling, Bridge and if absolutely necessary, the gym.

Sarah Robinson OBE

Sarah was appointed to the Corporation on 4 October 2011 and is a member of the Search and Governance Committee. Sarah is Principal and Chief Executive of Stoke-on-Trent College, a position which she has held since January 2010.

Sarah was Principal and Chief Executive of Darlington College in the North East for 8 years. Under her leadership the college relocated to a purpose built campus in the centre of Darlington in 2006, and achieved a Grade 1 Outstanding OFSTED inspection report in 2009 and subsequently was awarded Beacon status.

Sarah was also appointed as Chair of Governors of Darlington Education Village in 2007, leading a federation of three schools (primary, secondary and special) in a PFI funded education village. She also served as a school governor and college governor in the town.

She was appointed at Deputy Lieutenant of County Durham in 2006 until her departure and was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours 2009 for her services to further education.

Thessalie A T Robinson BSc, BA, PGCE (FAHE), CEng, MBCS, CITP

Thessalie was co-opted to the Curriculum, Quality and Standards Committee in 2010, having retired as a Senior Lecturer in Business Strategy at Staffordshire University. There she had responsibility for the HND Business programme, and taught aspects of small business and enterprise. Prior to this she worked for ICL in mainframes systems software for 25 years, latterly involved in quality.

She has experience examining ICT, Maths and Business nationally, and is currently involved in developing a new curriculum for a professional IT association. She supervises Engineering Project Management dissertations at Manchester University, and is Award Manager at Staffordshire University for the part-time CIPD entry qualification.

Retirement has allowed her to start studying for an MA in History, to catch up with theatre going and 19th century literature, and to return to Industrial Archaeology – though she is disconcerted to see her old computers in museums.

Paul Stanier

Paul has a background in teaching having taught in schools and further education (Stockport College for 13 years and currently employed at the Sixth Form College as a teacher of Law, since 2002). He has also worked in retail and distribution and the manufacturing industry.

Paul is from Stoke but has lived and worked in other parts of the country before returning to the area. His academic qualifications include a BA Hons degree, MA in Government and Law, Certificate in Legal Studies and Post Graduate Certificate in Education, having attended Liverpool, Leeds, Keele and Staffordshire Universities.

His interests include an involvement in community associations, music and football - helping to run local teams and supporting his local team, Stoke City FC.

Ian Starkie

Ian re-joined the Corporation in December 2007, having previously been a member between 1993 and 2005. He currently serves on the Corporation's Audit Committee.

A history graduate who converted to accountancy, Ian was previously the Director of Finance at Staffordshire University and Director of Corporate Affairs for Foundation Degree Forward. Recently retired, Ian now acts as the National Treasurer of a small charity and is a Director of the Institute of Knowledge Transfer.

Ian's outside interests include travel, reading contemporary fiction and the increasingly despairing support of a Midlands football team!

Laura Tulley

Laura is a former student of Endon High School and she is currently studying English Language & Literature, Geography, History and Law at the sixth form. Her plans after college are to continue her study of Law at University with possible aspirations of entering the legal profession.

The main reason that she put herself forward for the role of Student Governor was because in a school assembly she was told about a man called Larry Walters. This man had dreamed of flying in the US Army but was unable to due to his poor eyesight, and so he decided to attach weather balloons to a patio chair to experience his dream. Unfortunately on his return to the ground Walters was arrested and when asked why he had done what he had carried out he replied, ‘You can’t just sit there.’

This is something that she felt was relevant to the college and her aim is to make sure every Student becomes more involved in college life; after all, ‘You can’t just sit there.’

Laura is also a keen musician, playing the Clarinet and Saxophone in the North Staffordshire Regional Wind band.

Steve Wyn Williams BA, PhD, FRSA, FRGS

Steve has been a member of the corporation since 2004 Currently he serves on the Curriculum, Quality and Standards Committee, is chair of the Search and Governance Committee and Deputy Chair of the Corporation. Steve has worked in the region for a number of years, initially in the Geography Department at Keele University and subsequently at Staffordshire University. In the latter institution he has held a number of roles including Head of Geography Department, Associate Dean Science, Head of the Academic Development Institute and currently Director of Academic Policy and Development. Steve believes that it is vitally important to continue to be involved in the practice of learning and teaching and lectures in geography (when permitted by colleagues!) and is a Chief External Examiner at the University of West of England. He also is closely involved in the University Quarter project and the Academies developments in the City and is Governor and Trustee of the Cooperative Academy at Brownhills.