James Dawson: Chair of Governors

I was appointed Chair of Governors at Allestree Woodlands School in September 2025, after serving 18 months as a parent governor and Chair of the Resources Committee. As a father of two students at AWS, I’ve experienced firsthand what matters most to families – a safe and inclusive environment where every child is valued, supported and encouraged to achieve.

My professional background is in technology – specifically data and analytics – where I’ve worked for 25 years and currently serve as Head of Data and AI for a fund management company. This experience has given me clear insight into the skills young people need for tomorrow’s workplace. Digital literacy, data understanding, and the ability to critically evaluate and leverage technology are becoming as fundamental as reading and mathematics.

As Chair, my focus is ensuring we continue to deliver excellent educational outcomes while supporting our leadership team to build on the school’s strengths. Working within The Two Counties Trust gives us access to expertise and resources that benefit all our students, and I’m committed to ensuring AWS thrives within this partnership.

Ann Merchant: Vice Chair of Governors

Our son joined Allestree Woodlands in 2021 in Year 6 and both prior to and since attending the school, the support he receives has been exceptional. When the opportunity arose to support school by becoming a Parent Governor in 2024, I was very pleased to be appointed to the role.

After a year in role and with the move to Two Counties Trust, I have now been appointed as Vice-Chair of Governors and I was delighted to be given the opportunity to continue to support the students, staff and the wider TTCT community in this role.

Parent Governor at Ashbrook Infants, Borrowash during my son’s time at Primary school. My background is in IT Management, including IT Security, Strategic Planning and Contracts & Finance Management.

Chris Jones

I have been a staff governor since 2019.  I became a governor ensure that the views of staff are represented and to share the impact of the decisions that are made.

I have been a member of staff at Woodlands since 2001, teaching maths across KS3, 4 & 5.  During this time, I have seen many change to education and the school.  Both my children have attended the school and enjoyed their time here.

Joshua Porter

I am the PSHE Curriculum Leader and Teacher of Geography at Allestree Woodlands School, where I have worked since 2015. I have completed my NPQML (Middle Leadership) and NPQLT (Leading Teaching). I am passionate about development of teaching and learning across school, and am committed to developing my own leadership skills at AWS.

My aim for being a Staff Governor is to ensure that Allestree Woodlands School is a place where all students and staff are being supported to be the best they can be, in an environment that is supportive.

Steve Garbett

As a current Staff Governor at Allestree Woodlands School, my reason for serving on the Governing Body is rooted in my commitment to helping our school continue to grow as a place where both students and staff can thrive.

I am the IT Network Manager at Woodlands, supporting the technology that staff and students rely on every day. My role provides a understanding of how the school operates across departments and how technology supports our wider school community.

Steph King

I became a governor at Woodlands as I have a child in the school and wanted to both see more about how the school works and to contribute to the future of the school.

I have previously been a parent governor at other schools but a long time ago. I used to be a teacher and am very interested in education generally and inclusion in particular. I completed a PhD in 2024, which looked at experiences of school exclusion and I now work at the University of Derby as a lecturer and researcher in education. So I have a passion for education but also have a lot of questions about how things are done and what can be done better.

I have three children although one is an adult now, my youngest will be hopefully joining Woodlands in September 2026.