GOVERNOR BIOGRAPHIES
NICOLA SCANNELL
Nicola Scannell is the Chair of the Governing Body. She has been a governor since 2011 when her son was at Cookham Nursery school. After a break she returned to the Governing Body as a co-opted Governor. She was a barrister specialising in human rights for 17 years during which chaired a number of committees and boards of non-governmental bodies. She is now a designer and project manager of residential developments. She is passionate about the continued survival of outstanding government funded nursery schools to give other children the opportunity to have the best possible start to their education as her children had.
EDDIE NEIGHBOUR
Eddie Neighbour has been a parent governor at Maidenhead Nursery School since September 2018. He has one son, who currently attends the school. He qualified as a teacher in 1996 and is currently the Co-CEO of Pioneer Educational Trust, made up of a Primary, a Middle and a Secondary School in the Slough/Windsor area. He is a very strong advocate of free play based learning in EYFS and thinks it is very important that children are exposed to a wide variety of experiences from an early age.
karen freeland
GILL COCKLIN
Gill Cocklin is a recently retired primary school Headteacher who worked for 26 years at the same school within RBWM. She was one of the first Headteacher in the country to lead a successful federation and also led a Children’s Centre based within her school. She became a LA appointed governor in September 2017 specifically requesting to serve on the Nursery Federation governing body. Early Years has always been her passion believing that high quality early education is the right of every child and holds the key to success in later life.
Gill is currently the safeguarding governor for the Nursery Federation of schools.
CLAIRE LEACH
Claire Leach recently joined the governing body as a parent governor in 2018. After a brief stint as a writer for Chambers Publishing, she went on to work in banking for over 10 years, where she qualified as a Chartered Tax Advisor and accountant. She is now a full time mum to 2 toddlers, with her eldest currently at Cookham nursery. She is passionate about safeguarding children, and the importance of the nursery setting where children can learn through play. Claire looks forward to contributing as a parent governor, initially on the Finance Committee.
hannah boelrijk
Hannah Boelrijk has been a governor since September 2017. Her youngest son attends The Lawns Nursery. Working as a part time Reception teacher at St Ethelberts Catholic Primary School, Hannah has a keen interest in child development and the learning process. She appreciates the importance placed on play-based learning in the early years, where there is a strong emphasis in providing a rich environment for children to develop a love of learning.
karen drayton
Karen Drayton has a strong commitment to lifelong education in the local community. After a career in Human Resources she has completed her PGCE and works as a lecturer. Karen joined the governing body with an emphasis on staffing and development. After seeing what a fantastic experience both her daughters had during their time at nursery and the love for learning this gave them Karen enjoys the ongoing support her role can provide. Karen is currently Chair of the Staffing Committee.
Jill o'donovan
Jill O'Donovan joined the governing body as a parent governor in 2014, and now works as the School Business Manager for the Federation and is the staff governor. She was born in Canada where she trained as a Chartered Accountant, and lived in New Zealand for a time before settling in the UK. Her three sons do their bit to keep her sharp, and when she is not working in the nurseries or on other projects, she is an avid reader and traveller, preferably together.
VAL THOMAS