Governors

Nigel’s involvement in Academies stretches back to 2002, when as Chair of the Chamber of Commerce in the North East he was determined to address the issue of historic under performance of many of the regions LEA secondary schools. He was a lawyer in an international law firm and his positions included International Head of Engineering and Construction, Global Head of Energy, and Managing Partner.

He was an accredited Mediator, and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He is a trustee of the theological training college, St John’s and Cranmer Hall, Durham University. Nigel joined the Board of United Learning Trust in 2011, and was elected Chair in 2014. He is Lead Trustee for the Northern Secondary Academies. Like other ULT Trustees he firmly believes that his knowledge and understanding of educational improvement is enhanced by chairing a Local Governing Body of the Trust’s Academies. 

He is married with five children, many grand-children, living in Cumbria, and his interests are fell walking, mountain biking, (watching) rugby, most things Italian, and supporting the Diocese, including its educational responsibilities.

Mike has served as a school governor since 1992 in a number of primary and secondary schools in London including a number of years as vice chair of governors at the United Learning sponsored Lambeth Academy. He also set up and chaired the Lambeth Governors’ Forum and served on the borough’s education committee, schools finance forum, school organisation committee and admissions forums.

Professionally Mike had a successful 25 year career in marketing, working for organisations such as the Quaker Oats company, the English Tourist Board, Center Parcs and the Central Office of Information. More recently he worked for a DfE roster consultancy in education planning and organisation, and before that headed a pan-London education-business links charity.

Now semi-retired in Cumbria, where he has family roots, he is also a trustee of the Northern Fells Group community charity.

Liz retired from University of Cumbria two years ago. She lives in Stainton but was born in Carlisle. Liz’s career spans many different roles in higher education from lecturing to policy development and university management.   Liz has been on the Governing Body of Central Academy for the past 6 years taking over as Chair of the Local Governing Body in 2014. She is also a member of the Morton Academy LGB and of the overarching School Improvement Board.

As Chair of the LGB, she has membership of the sub-committees, with particularfocus being the overarching school improvement, strategic development and sixth form curriculum.

Sue joined the Governing Body at Morton Academy in 2015, having retired as Head of Fir Ends Primary School, Smithfield to run a B&B in Lanercost with her husband. She has 3 grown-up children and three grand-daughters. She has a degree in Business Management with French from Loughborough University and after working as an Analyst Programmer, she re-trained as a teacher, gaining a PGCE from Brighton University.

Having taught at a Primary School in Brighton for 3 years, she moved to Cumbria and took up a Headship in a failing school. Having increased the number on roll from 29 to 65 and being judged “Good” by Ofsted, she left education to run the family pub. She was later employed by the Local Authority, specialising in Change Management in schools and training as an Ofsted inspector, before returning to headship at Fir Ends Primary School. She is also a Maths Recovery trainer for Cumbria, working with teachers and teaching assistants to deliver the international intervention programme which was developed in response to the problem of children's failure in early numeracy and primary mathematics.

Ben Crystal is a Solicitor at Bell Park Kerridge and a former student of Morton School. Ben joined Morton in 2008 as a year seven pupil, leaving after obtaining his GSCE’s in 2013. Whilst at Morton, Ben was a member of the first Joint School’s Council in the city and played Cricket on behalf of the school.

Ben moved to Newcastle to study in 2010 and graduated from the Northumbria University Business and Law School in 2014. During his time at Northumbria he competed in an international Legal competition with over 92 universities in New Delhi and also represented their student law office at Buckingham Palace; where they won an award from the Queen. He moved back to the area to work and joined the Board of Governors this year.

Laura is a former Morton School pupil who went on to study Biological Sciences at Lancaster University in 2004. After gaining some work experience at a local school, Laura decided to pursue a career in teaching and so completed a PGCE in secondary science education at The University of Cumbria. Laura joined the Academy in September 2009 as a newly qualified teacher of science, she then became a Lead Teacher in 2012, before progressing onto Subject Leader in 2014. During her time at the Academy she has also gained a Masters in Teaching and Learning.

On retiring from teaching Mike worked part-time for Inspira where he worked mainly with disadvantaged teenagers, trying to get them into employment or further education.

He is married with three grown up children and three grandchildren. Mike’s interests are sport, gardening and spending time with his family. He has a very active interest in sport, organising Carlisle Schools' Sports Association activities for junior and secondary schools.   Mike is also Chairman of Cumbria Schools' Football Association as well as a County Team Manager.

Andy ndy is a former Morton School pupil, who lives in the City with his wife and three children.  Andy is currently the serving Headteacher of Belle Vue Primary School, having previously spent eight successful years as the Headteacher of Kingmoor Junior School.

Andy’s interests include sport and music, which flourished during his time as a Morton School pupil, and which he went on to study for his degree.

Andy coached football both at home and abroad, before completing his PGCE at the University of Exeter.  He has over 17 years of experience working in schools both in Devon and Cumbria.

David was Principal of Cumbria Institute of the Arts (CIA) from September 1991 until retirement in August 2007, when the University of Cumbria was formed. He previously held teaching and senior management roles in the creative arts at universities in Lancaster, Liverpool, Brighton and Sheffield and at the CNAA as Associate Registrar. He also undertook reviews with the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA).

David was the first Chair of the Management Board of Higher Education Academy – Art Design Media Subject Centre from 1999 to 2007. He established GLAD (the Group for Learning in Art and Design) as a UK wide HE learning and teaching forum in 1989, being Chair from 1990 to 2007. He chaired the Higher Education Art and Design Trust from 1996 to 2005, now leading the HEAD Trust Project to support greater advocacy of the Art, Design, Media schools to HE subject sector as Trustee.

He was a Director of UCAS from 2000 and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors from 2004 to 2009 - a member of the Audit Committee and Chair of the UCAS Pensions Trustees. Vice Chair of GuildHE from 2003 to 2007, Chair of the National Arts Learning Network - a member of the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE) Quality Assurance Learning and Teaching Committee, the Quality Assurance Framework Review Group and a member of the committee which established and funded Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETLs). Until October 2010 (when its work was completed) he was Vice Chair of the Delivery Partnership, set up by government/GuildHE/UUK to make changes to the UCAS applications processes.

David was a member of the Crafts Council and Chair of the Education Committee from 1990 to 1997, a Director of Northern Arts Board from 1993 being Vice Chair from 1998 to 2000 and a member of its successor body Arts Council England, North West Regional Council from 2002 to 2004.

David chaired the Grizedale Arts Trust from 2007 to 2010, seeing through a multi-million pound lottery funded building development programme.

He has also been Chair of Governors of Shankhill C of E School since 2005.