Parent Governor Election

BALLOT FORM

Nominated Candidates

Please tick the box against the candidate you wish to vote for:

David Sankey's Personal Statement:

I am interested in becoming a governor at Cookridge Primary to support a school community my family is part of. My son Jude is a pupil here, and his younger brother Quinn will be joining in the coming years. I bring over a decade of experience as a company director in the education technology sector, where our mission has been to unlock learning for everyone. In this role I have developed and executed strategy, overseen finance, governance and risk, and used data to drive improvement. I have significant experience of board-level leadership and working with stakeholders to deliver both strong results and long-term organisational development. Alongside my professional role, I have also served as a trustee of Leeds South and East Foodbank, where I supported governance in a charitable context, balancing community needs with financial and strategic accountability. I am drawn to Cookridge’s ethos of achieving the extraordinary together and its focus on curiosity, resilience and high aspirations in every child. I would welcome the opportunity to work with fellow governors, the headteacher and staff to sustain high standards, support improvement, and ensure every pupil has the best possible chance to thrive.

Linda Taylor's Personal Statement:

I am Grandma to two children who attend Cookridge Primary. I would like to join your team of governors, I retired from teaching five years ago. I find that I have time to do something useful outside of home and give back to the community. I have a wealth of varied experience which I’m sure could be made use of. I have always enjoyed working with and for the benefit of young people. I firmly believe that anyone can achieve their dreams given the opportunity with support determination and resilience, and that school plays a big part in this. Children when supported by their family, school and the wider community will achieve. I was born and brought up in the North East I went to the local secondary modern school, on to the tec college and finally came to Leeds Polytechnic in 1978 where I studied BSc in production engineering, and worked in industry both in the factory and in the drawing office. I was the first girl on the course, I was treated as a bit of a novelty because ‘only boys do engineering’. I went on to do a cert ed at Huddersfield and spent much of the remainder of my working life teaching in inner city schools here in Leeds, always encouraging inclusivity and diversity. Teaching in inner city allowed me to meet an incredibly varied multicultural group of people all living in the city. I have taught a wide range of subjects including maths, science, metal work, technical drawing, craft design and technology, food tec, catering, child development and health and social care. Latterly dealing with exam boards and exam marking. Married and lived in York for 7 years before moving back to Leeds in 1990 where I ran a play group for a short time while working on Supply before returning to full time teaching. During this time, I did some book keeping and started up a Rainbows group at Adel Methodist. I am usually up for a challenge and enjoy learning new skills, writing this has reminded me that I really do like ‘doing’ and getting involved and best of all being useful.

Adam Broadbent's Personal Statement:

I’m a local parent living in LS16 whose eldest son started Cookridge Primary this September. I’m married to a teacher who works at another school, so I understand both the hopes parents have and the pressure staff face. I want to be a parent governor because I care about practical, fair decisions that help every child to thrive and feel safe. In my day job I manage large projects, budgets and supplier relationships for a global company. That means I’m used to asking the right questions, spotting risks early, and making sensible choices that save money without cutting corners. I’ve led teams to deliver complex launches on time and under budget, and I’m comfortable working with people across diverse backgrounds to get the best outcome. If elected I will listen first, then check the facts, and work constructively with staff, parents and governors. I’ll bring calm, clear thinking and a hands-on approach to help ensure resources are used well and that school decisions put children’s learning and wellbeing first. I’m approachable reliable and ready to get involved.