Governor Biographies
Year 6 Teacher Dearham Primary School
Emily has been a teacher for 10 years, working previously in Flimby Primary School and Arlecdon Primary School. Emily took up a permanent post at Dearham in June 2023. She leads PE in school and has been involved in three Ofsted inspections during her career, undertaking deep dives with Inspectors in two out of the three. Emily currently is the mentor for the Early Career Teacher in school.
Mary McCormick
LLW Repository Limited, Procurement Officer in the Commercial Function
Mary is currently a School Governor at St Beghs Catholic Junior School where she has been part of the Governing body for 11 years, having previously been a Governor at St Benedicts High School for 4 years. Mary’s main focus is the Staffing, Finance and Assets Committee that she chairs, although she is a member of some of the other committees as well.
Mary has 30 years’ experience in Procurement, initially at Sellafield Limited, and latterly at LLWR, with a period in between those working as a SAP consultant. Having studied Business and Accountancy at college she has always had a keen interest in Finance so looking after the school budget and the procurement work she does fits hand in hand. Mary is the Safeguarding Officer for Whitehaven Cricket Club and has vested interest in the wellbeing of the under 18s.
Mary is a local Prospect Union rep for LLWR and works not just with LLWR but across the NDA group and is currently involved with the skills and education subgroups, which sits alongside her Governor work and trying to help and develop all our young people.
Jon Stewart
Deputy Headteacher Houghton C of E School
As the Deputy Headteacher of Houghton School, I bring a wealth of educational leadership experience to our vibrant learning community. With over two decades as a Primary school teacher, I have dedicated my career to fostering a nurturing and dynamic environment where students thrive academically and socially.
My commitment to professional development is evident through my previous held role as the NPQ (National Professional Qualification) and ECF (Early Career Framework) Lead Facilitator for the One Cumbria Teaching School Hub, where I actively contributed to the growth and success of educators across the region.
I am passionate about cultivating a culture of continuous improvement and excellence, ensuring that both teachers and students reach their full potential. My journey in education is driven by a deep-seated belief in the transformative power of quality teaching and learning.
