Pen Profiles

Rob Millington - Head of Newfriars College

Last date of office: January 2019 - September 2024
Record of meeting attendance: Attended all meetings to date
Pecuniary interests: Partner works at Blackfriars Academy
General information:

Rob started his teaching career in September 2005 where he was appointed as an ICT teacher and co-ordinator at Blackfriars. Prior to this, Rob worked as a careers advisor in schools around Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. Rob went back to University to undertake his PGCE alongside a Masters Degree in ICT and Business Systems.

Rob has held various leadership roles in schools and college including deputy principal at Blackfriars and Head of School at the Coppice Academy. Rob is a qualified SENCO and is completing his Masters qualification in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.  Rob has helped establish Newfriars College and Project Search in partnership with the Royal Stoke hospital in September 2018. He hopes Newfriars will build on the outstanding reputation that Blackfriars FE department has held both nationally and in the local area for the past 26 years.

Phil Harrison

Last date of office: June 2022 - September 2024
Record of meeting attendance: 
Pecuniary interests: Shaw Education Trust
General information:

Phil is the National Director of Education: Specialist for Shaw Education Trust. He joined the trust from Ofsted where he was one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors. Phil had a regional lead responsibility for special educational needs and disability. Prior to working for Ofsted, Phil gained extensive senior management experience as a headteacher and executive headteacher of day schools, residential schools and colleges. He has worked as a local authority school improvement partner and as a leadership trainer for the National College. During his time as a National Leader of Education he led and managed a National Support School and Teaching School. He has a postgraduate qualification in special and inclusive education and has worked internationally to support school improvement.

Phil has significant experience in governance having been a school governor in primary, secondary and specials schools, including roles as Chairperson and safeguarding lead. Phil regularly supports local authorities and clinical commissioning groups to improve their offer for children and young people with special educational needs. He is currently an independent chairperson to an improvement board in one of these areas in England.

Phil is a trustee of the national charity Equals which is committed to improving the lives of children and young people with learning difficulties and disabilities through supporting high quality education.

Jane Gaffney

Last date of office: January 2019 - September 2024
Record of meeting attendance: Attended all meetings to date
Pecuniary interests: ESPRIT MAT
General information:

 Jane has worked in education for over 40 years having held a number of different roles .  She started out as a mathematics teacher before becoming a Local Authority Adviser and Ofsted Inspector.  Jane worked as a specialist advisor in monitoring and evaluation for the National Strategies before returning to school in a Senior Leadership role prior to her retirement in 2017.

As well as enjoying the role of Governor at Newfriars College Jane is Chair of Trustees for a small Community Trust in Stoke on Trent, and Vice Chair of an Interim Advisory Board at an Academy in Wolverhampton.

Robert Taylor

Last date of office: January 2019 - September 2024
Record of meeting attendance: Attended all meetings to date
Pecuniary interests: Partner works at Newfriars College
General information:

Rob started his police career in November 1994 as a Police Constable on a response shift within Tunstall. Rob quickly discovered that he enjoyed neighbourhood policing and became a neighbourhood community officer at Normacot and Dresden in 1999. That gave Rob the opportunity to work closely with community leaders to address significant crime and disorder issues such as violent crime and drug abuse. In 2000 Rob was nominated for and won the Police Review National Community Police Officer of the Year for Staffordshire Police.

Rob has had many opportunities to work on all aspects of Leadership and Management and completed a level 5 qualification at Staffordshire University and was promoted to Detective Inspector.

In 2016 Rob was moved to the role of business architect for the SP25 transformation programme completing a full restructure of both the operating model and the IT infrastructure working in partnership with consultants from KPMG and Boeing.

In 2018 Rob moved to become the Head of the Force CID in the North of Staffordshire with the responsibility for all serious and complex investigations, Organised Crime Groups, Counter Terrorism and Safeguarding, working with both statutory and non-statutory partnerships. Rob is currently undertaking a strategic leadership and transformation MSc.  at Derby University; studying subjects such as partnerships, evidence-based research and leadership.

Newfriars College, formerly Blackfriars Further Education, has been a part of Rob’s life for the last 15 years and he is incredibly proud to be associated with the College. Rob is link governor for Safeguarding and will support with Prevent and E-safety alongside other emerging issues related to this area.

Claire Deakin

Last date of office: January 2019 - September 2024
Record of meeting attendance: Attended all meetings to date
Pecuniary interests: 
General information:

Claire is a parent of a current student at Newfriars College and a past student of Blackfriars, Newcastle. She has had a close relationship with Blackfriars from when her son was two and a half years old. Being involved in Christmas fayres and charity events, organisation of annual Proms and a careers ambassador for 'Which way next' careers events.

Claire has held a various roles working in television and theatre. One of these roles being a licensed chaperone for Staffordshire Education authority for the last 20 years. This involved the welfare and safeguarding of children in all aspects of performance.

Karyn Oakley

Last date of office: January 2019 - September 2024
Record of meeting attendance: Attended all meetings to date
Pecuniary interests: 
General information:

Karyn is a serving Headteacher, and has worked on both a local governing body and Board of directors. This has given Karyn an excellent insight into governance at all levels, including the role of chair and subject link governor.

Working in a primary school means that Karyn can offer different experiences and perspectives on education. Karyn is the designated safeguarding lead and will  bring a wealth of experience in safeguarding. Karyn is passionate about education and curriculum development and believes that all young people deserve the very best. Over the past 2 years Karyn has built an excellent relationship with the College, and has offered supported internship and work experience opportunities at her school. Having learnt more about the challenges faced by students at Newfriars, and the exciting creation of the College Karyn would like to support in this exciting new chapter of its journey. 

Jason Jones

Last date of office: January 2019 - September 2024
Record of meeting attendance: Attended all meetings to date
Pecuniary interests: 
General information:

Jason started working in the leisure industry in 1986, quickly progressing from centre assistant to duty manager where he remained for 25 years until redundancy in 2011. During his time working for the council he became a fully qualified swimming teacher specialising in special needs students taking on students that would normally not get the chance to swim in a public swimming pool.

Since joining the Blackfriars federation as a swimming teacher, Jason has progressed to Land Based Studies Teacher and Health & Safety and Premises Manger, adding a number of qualifications such as Award in Education and Training, Iosh Managing safely, Nebosh General Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health. He has also managed three of the college’s improvement projects including a new roof, new fire doors and a 1.7 million pounds extension to the college and grounds.

Jason is passionate about the college, it students and staff, and works tirelessly to ensure the college is a safe, inviting and comfortable place to experience college life.

Nicky Birch

Last date of office: 
Record of meeting attendance: Attended all meetings to date
Pecuniary interests: 
General information:

Nicky Birch is Interim Vice Principal at Stoke on Trent College. She has significant experience of curriculum and management of programmes including learning support and programmes for learners with SEND.

Simon Moseley

Last date of office: 
Record of meeting attendance: Attended all meetings to date
Pecuniary interests: 
General information:

Simon Mosley is a director of monitoring and review within the Shaw Education Trust. Prior to that, he was the trust’s deputy regional directors. Previously, he had served as one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of schools. In that role he led inspections of maintained and independently mainstream and specialist settings. He led seven LASEND inspections and he was Ofsted’s regional lead for SEND. 

Simon is an experienced school leader who led school improvement in mainstream and specialist settings for a local authority. He oversaw governor services for that LA and has experience of being a governor in a range of settings.
 

Emily Petts

Last date of office: 
Record of meeting attendance: Attended all meetings to date
Pecuniary interests: 
General information:

Emily Petts is Deputy CEO of the Alice Charity, created in 2011 to support vulnerable and disadvantaged families across Stoke- on-Trent and Newcastle-Under-Lyme. Emily is also a parent of a learner at Newfriars College. Newfriars College works closely with the Alice Charity to provide opportunities for young people with SEND to gain preparation for adulthood skills. 

Stephen Catchick 

Last date of office: 
Record of meeting attendance: Attended all meetings to date
Pecuniary interests: 
General information:

Steve Catchick is a College staff representative. Steve is the Curriculum Lead for the Independent Living Pathway at Newfriars College.