The Board of Governors

Nick Linney

Chair of Governors

Nick Linney is Chairman of the Linney family business which was founded in 1851 by William Linney. The business is now in its sixth generation and has evolved from a bookshop/printing business into a marketing services group with an annual turnover of circa £100m. Nick’s hobbies include family businesses, golf, and classic cars. Nick can be contacted at the following address: Mr N Linney, Chair of Governors, C/O The Samworth Church Academy, Sherwood Hall Road, Mansfield, Notts.  NG18 2DY

Jane Lewis

Vice Chair

Jane began teaching Religious Education in a secondary school in Doncaster in 1983. After 7 years she moved to Nottinghamshire to become head of Religious Studies at Arnold Hill School, Nottingham. In 2003 she began working for the diocese of Southwell and Nottingham as a school's adviser supporting both primary and secondary church schools with the development of RE, collective worship and Christian distinctiveness. She has an MA in Religious Education, graduating in 2009. Jane has 2 daughters, one a primary school teacher and the other an artist and designer. Over many years involvement in education, not just professionally but as a parent, Jane has become passionate about schools being equipped to deliver the very best education to every child and young person, supporting each one to develop their unique skills and talents along with a resilience to face the opportunities and challenges of life in the 21st century.

Lisa McVeigh

Ex-officio by virtue of office as Principal

Mrs Lisa McVeigh, Ex Officio Lisa joined Sherwood Hall School as a humanities teacher in 2002, later being appointed as Head of History and then Head of Humanities, later incorporating a four term secondment to the Senior Leadership Team. She began work in the Academy as Lead Teacher of Teaching and Learning in the Hardwick School and was appointed to the Senior Leadership Team in September 2009. She formerly taught at The Chafford School in the London Borough of Havering. After graduating from the University of East Anglia with an honours degree in History in 2000, she completed her teacher training at the Institute of Education, University of London. She has taught History, Geography and Religious Studies, including history at A-Level.

Joanna Hall

Joanna has worked in education for the past thirty years as a teacher, Deputy Headteacher and Headteacher, Local Leader of Education, OFSTED Inspector and School Improvement Adviser for the Local Authority. Her career in education has provided a wealth of opportunities and experiences across the East Midlands working in and with diverse and unique settings. Joanna now works for the SNMAT as their Academy Improvement Director, a role in which she feels privileged to work with inspirational, dedicated and innovative colleagues who are as passionate as she is in providing the very best education and life opportunities for all children.

Val Leivers

Val's teaching career began in 1968 at Sherwood Hall Girls Grammar School in Mansfield and this was followed by teaching at other schools in the Nottingham area. Val retired early in 1998 as Deputy Head Teacher of Redhill School to have four major spinal operations. A few years later, after a full recovery, Val volunteered to teach English as a second language in Nottingham Prison for a few weeks, but this was followed by an offer of a contract, so she continued teaching various subjects there for six years. Val is a very experienced School Governor, having been Chair of Governors at Roundwood Primary School prior to its amalgamation. She has been a Rotarian for 25 years and became District Governor for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire in 2010, the first female to hold this office in 62 years! Val is a Trustee of Headway, the brain injury charity and was also a principal organiser for the Poppy Appeal in Nottingham city centre for six years. Val has a love of India and raises funds here to implement projects to provide clean drinking water, finance the building of houses for Below Poverty Line families and improve schools in tribal villages and the Hyderabad slums. Since 2007 Val has spent several weeks in India each year teaching, advising and enabling children to have a better life through education.

Mark Parkin-Coates

With over 25 years of experience in the IT industry, Mark has established a career in developing and writing IT software, performing system analysis, and implementing new IT systems and business change management. His work in system analysis has been pivotal in identifying key areas for improvement and optimizing IT to meet evolving business demands. Mark has a degree in Economics and Business Law and outside of work, he’s a motorbike enthusiast and enjoys riding bikes and oily spanner work in equal measure.

Caroline Whitty

Caroline has spent the majority of her working life in HR Management within the Food industry. For the last twelve years she has been working in education within the academies sector. Initially Caroline workied on behalf of Sir David Samworth managing the setup and build of The Samworth Church Academy and his two other East Midlands based academies. She served on all three governing bodies. Caroline then went on to be Executive Director of the Independent Academy Association (IAA), an independent membership organisation dedicated to supporting the leaders of academies. She now works as a consultant and as well as continuing to work for the Samworth family, current work includes being Editor of MyAcademy Magazine and Company Secretary of The National Induction Panel for Teachers (NIPT).

Jo Yardley

Parent Governor

Jo has worked in primary education for 28 years starting out as a primary class teacher and is now the Head at her own school. She have also recently taken on a 2 day per week Executive head position running a further infant and junior school. Jo is passionate about education and getting the best results for our children. They only get one chance! Having 2 children at The Samworth Church Academy, Jo has seen the chances they have been offered and wish to ensure that the all the children at The Samworth Church Academy are able to do their very best.

Jason Hollywood-Long

Staff Governor

Jason has worked in a professional Health care environment for 21 years starting out as an Office Manager, then working in the physiotherapy service across 4 sites from orthopaedics to general health needs, achieving a teaching and assessor qualification for the last 15 years. He became a wellbeing guardian and qualified mental health first aider, offering counselling support when needed. Jason is passionate about education, and has experience in training, coaching and mentoring people, and is really enjoying working in the education environment as a healthcare lead.