Meet the Governors

We currently have 12 governors* on the school’s Governing Body. They are:

• Mr Peter Riley
  Chair of Governors
  Mr Peter Riley

• Mrs Claire Griffiths
  Headteacher/ Associate Governor
  Mrs Claire Griffiths

  I have been working in schools since 1994 (hard to believe as I look so young!)

  I like the fact that every day is different and that the children bring new ideas each day as well.

  My favourite thing - Teaching a lesson and all the children leave with a big smile, knowing they have enjoyed learning and understanding something new.

  A word to describe me "Tenacious!"

• Mrs Lesley Dawson
  Co-opted Governor
  Mrs Lesley Dawson

  As a former police detective working in child abuse, vice and child protection I have extensive knowledge and experience of dealing with children and perpetrators of crime against children.

  I have been a day nursery and childcare provider for children from birth to 13 years, for the past 19 years.

  I have extensive knowledge of personnel and HR issues, finance and business management. Have some knowledge of marketing and as a company we are going through a re-brand process which is increasing my knowledge and understanding particularly of new types of marketing such as social media.

  I have experience of bidding processes and applications for funding.

  I have good communication and interpersonal skills. Not afraid to deal with conflict and happy to challenge.

  I have three sons myself who are now grown up and doing well, so have experience of their education and my expectations are that the children at Valley View will have the same quality of education that my sons had.

• Mr George Cull
  Co-opted Governor
  Mr George Cull

  I joined as a parent governor in May 2022 and I am the parent of Eleanor who started at Valley View in September 2021.

  I want to be a governor to be part of supporting Valley View to provide that great experience of school for all pupils and families.

  I bringskills and experience from working as part of the leadership team of a sport and physical activity charity, supporting staff and overseeing the financial management of the organisation.

  In my day to day work I have lots of contact with schools and headteachers in North Yorkshire andwill bring that understanding and insight from this work.

  Outside of work, and when I am not acting as a chauffeur for Eleanor, I keep active by playing football and competing in triathlon and this demonstrates why I am particularly keen to ensure that health and wellbeing provides a strong foundation for children to learn and grow.

• Mr Anthony Pugh
  Co-opted Governor
  Mr Anthony Pugh

• Mr Iain Hubert
  Local Authority Governor
  Mr Iain Hubert

• Mrs Clare Gregory
  Staff Governor
  Mrs Clare Gregory

  I have been working in education since 2005.

  I love teaching because no two days are ever the same. Each day brings new questions, new challenges, and new opportunities. I enjoy building relationships with the children I work with, getting to know them as individuals, understanding their strengths, and supporting them as they grow in confidence and ability. I am proud to be part of the Valley View School community, because everyone looks out for one another and we work together to help every child.

  I do not have one specific funniest memory, as often it is just little moments in the day where a child says or does something that makes me laugh.

  One word that describes me as a professional is 'caring'.

• Mrs Amy Urmston
  Staff Governor
  Mrs Amy Urmston

  I have worked in schools since 2009.

  I like my job because of the children and their enthusiasm - you never know where a lesson may go because of their questions about a topic.

  One of best things that has happened since working in a school is watching my class perform Hamlet at the Carriageworks Theatre.

  The word that describes me as a professional: 'Committed'.

• Mrs Sophie Davis
  Parent Governor
  Mrs Sophie Davis

  I became a governor in 2024, when my own children were in Years 1 and 4. I am keen to play a small part in the running of Valley View and to use my skills and experience to help ensure that all children and families have the best experience of school.

  In my job as an educational psychologist I am lucky to work across a range of educational settings and with amazing staff in all roles. I see my Governor role as similar in that it is about being a "critical friend" to school; offering support and ideas but also challenging and helping people to consider alterative ways of doing things where necessary.

  Outside of work I enjoy family time, pilates, listening to podcasts - and good coffee and cake!

• Mr Duncan Harrison
  Parent Governor
  Mr Duncan Harrison

  I joined the Valley View Governing Body as a Parent Governor in October 2024, motivated by a desire to give something back to my local community and support the education of young people. Having spent more than 25 years working across the education sector, I have seen first-hand the lasting impact that dedicated teachers, supportive learning environments and strong communitiescan have on children's lives, aspirations and future opportunities. Becoming a governor felt like a natural way to use my experience in service of a local school and its community.

  Professionally, I am Director of Higher Education at Leeds Arts University, where I lead on areas including strategic planning, curriculum development, quality assurance, student experience and staff development. Throughout my career I have held a range of leadership and governance-related roles, giving me experience of working collaboratively, analysing information, making evidence-informed decisions and supporting continuous improvement. I hope these skills can contribute positively to the governing body's role in supporting and challenging the school to achieve the very best outcomes for its pupils.

  Away from work, I am first and foremost a proud dad to my son, Rex. Being both a parent and a governor gives me a personal appreciation of the trust families place in schools and the importance of creating environments where children feel safe, valued and encouraged to develop confidence in themselves. I also enjoy creative pursuits, jiu jitsu and spending time outdoors, and supporting local community initiatives and projects. These interests help keep me curious, grounded and connected to the community that Valley View serves, while providing a healthy balance to my professional life.

• Suzanne Clancy
  Co-opted Governor
  Suzanne Clancy

  When did you join the Valley View governing body?

  I joined the governing body at Valley View in September 2025.

  Why do you want to be a governor?

  I decided to join the governing body as I feel passionate about supporting the incredible work I was part of when I worked at the school between 2019 and 2022. My own experience as a parent of a primary aged child (at another school) inspired me to volunteer and put my energy into supporting positive experiences for school staff, pupils and parents. What better place to support this than at Valley View where I saw first hand the impact that a good nurturing school with an amazing team can have on the outcomes for a child.

  What skills and experience do you bring to the governing body?

  As a previous School Business Manager, I bring experience of finance, safeguarding, H&S and school management. I hold qualifications in Human Resources and Health and Safety.

  What other interests do you have outside of work?

  I enjoy home improvement projects particularly upcycling old furniture to give them a new lease of life!

* We currently have one vacancy for a Co-opted governor.