Governor Profiles

Christine Russell

Christine is the Chair of the Governing Body and the Chair of the Premises Committee. She was appointed to serve on the Governing Body by Cheshire West and Chester Council. Christine has lived in the Garden Quarter for over 30 years. Her children attended the former Victoria Infants and St Thomas' Junior School. From 1997-2010, Christine was the MP for Chester and served as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Children's Minister. In addition to her role and responsibilities at Bluecoat Primary, Christine chairs the Board of West Cheshire College, Chester Civic Trust and the Bluecoat Committee of Chester Municipal Charities.

Paul Brand

Paul became a governor in 2019, the same year that his son joined Chester Blue Coat (with a daughter to follow in a few years time). He is a qualified English teacher with experience across a range of schools in London and Cheshire. Since 2016 he has worked as a content writer/editor for the digital educational publisher Twinkl, creating resources for teachers across the globe. He is also a dedicated member of the Garden Quarter community, serving on the Festivals and Events Committee and chairing the Funding and Planning Committee.

Erin Elston

Erin

Russell Frankland

Russell

Susan Harrison

Susan has been a Governor at the school since 2007, previously a Parent Governor at St Thomas of Canterbury and now a Foundation Governor for the Blue Coat Foundation, serving on the finance committee, Performance and as link Governor for English. She has two children both former pupils of Victoria and St Thomas, her eldest is at University studying languages and youngest at Queens Park High School. She served 7 years as a Trustee for a National Children’s Charity and was part of the Finance and risk committee, she became a Trustee for Age-UK in October 2016. Susan is a Chartered Accountant by profession and has worked in many roles in the local authority, in ICT, education and Adult Social Care, currently working as a Management Accountant and Business Information within the NHS.

Jan Tapp

Jan has been a Governor since 2012, becoming a Foundation Governor in 2014. She is Chair of the Teaching and Learning Committee, Early Years Link Governor and Community Governor. She has spent over 30 years working in Early Years and KS1, initially as a teacher, then as lecturer in Early Childhood Education and Care. She is an active member of the Garden Quarter community.

Chris Mann

Chris, who has a background in education both as a teacher, but also as a Principal of an all-through, 3-19 years, state funded academy, joined the Governing Body in 2018 and serves on the Teaching and Learning Committee, with particular oversight of data and Pupil Premium. She has lived in the Garden Quarter for over 35 years, and her 3, now grown, children attended the former Victoria Infants School. In addition to her role and responsibilities at Bluecoat Primary, Chris chairs the board of Chester Sexual Abuse Support Service.

Ron McLone

Ron became Foundation Governor in 2021 and serves on Finance and Premises committees, also the Church Distinctiveness Group.  He has previously been governor at three schools, a 3-18 Methodist Church independent school (Chair of Pre-Prep and then Chair of full school), 11-18 Academy joint sponsored by Church of England and RC (on Assessment and Standards Ctte) and a CofE Primary School.  Ron has led a life in education – an applied mathematician, he had academic posts at Sheffield and Southampton Universities before moving to Cambridge University during which time he became Director-General of Assessment and CEO of exam board OCR.  He was also for a time Chair of Joint Council for Qualifications. Now in Chester, he worships at St Thomas of Canterbury being on PCC and in the choir. Besides the church and choral singing, he is a keen amateur meteorologist, keeping records from his own weather station for over 50 years. He is Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society, Institute of Mathematics and its Applications and the Royal Society of Arts.       

Suzie Stacey

Suzie

Ann Harrop

Ann

Amie Harris

Amie is currently serving as a Co-opted Support Staff Governor.