Governor Profiles
Debbie Marshall - Chair of Governors
I joined the Governing Body at Bailiffe Bridge School in 2018. Both of my daughters attended this school, so I have been a part of the school community as a parent since 2015. I am currently the named Safeguarding Governor, Pupil Premium & Attendance Governor. I am also the Vice Chair of the Pay and Performance Management Committee, and will be serving my 4th term as Chair of Governors for 2026/26.
My professional background is in the Ministry of Justice, working for HM Prison and Probation Service since qualifying as a Probation Officer in 2004. I have worked in a variety of roles, including Community Offender Management, Prisons, and Public Protection, and I am currently an Area Manager for the North East Approved Premises. My work within HMPPS has provided me with experience in risk assessment, report writing, safeguarding, health and safety, multi-agency working, HR processes, and operational and strategic management.
I am proud to be part of such an excellent school and am committed to working closely with its senior leaders and teaching staff as part of the governing body. I thoroughly enjoy being involved in all aspects of school life, from monitoring visits and governor meetings to assemblies and school trips!
Sarah Plowman
I joined the governing body at Bailiffe Bridge School as a parent governor in June 2023. I live locally with my husband and have 2 children. My son is currently in Year 5, and my daughter is in Year 1.
My professional background is predominantly in education. I gained my BA Hons degree in Education with QTS in 2009 and have been a primary school teacher for over 13 years. I have gained a range of experience over the years, including being part of a successful senior leadership team, an Early Years Co-ordinator, an Art subject lead, and a student mentor for aspiring teachers. I have also had the wonderful opportunity to teach across all year groups. I thoroughly enjoy working in the education sector, and I hope the knowledge I have will be an asset to the governing body team. I am also a very creative person and partake in many creative pursuits during my spare time.
I am delighted to be a part of the governing team and look forward to supporting the school, getting involved in all aspects of school life, and learning new skills along the way.
Anna-Marie Henry
I am honoured to have served as a co-opted governor at Bailiffe Bridge School for almost three years. As a parent, my youngest child is currently in Year 3, while my eldest is now in Year 8 at high school, having previously attended Bailiffe. This has inspired me to become actively involved in their education beyond the role of a parent.
I hold a BSc in Design & Technology with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which I completed in 2000. Following this, I joined Lightcliffe Academy, where I have held various roles, including Head of Department and class teacher. In addition, I spent several years as an examiner, which provided me with valuable insights into student understanding and significantly informed my teaching practices. I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Environmental Health, driven by my passion for continuous learning and my desire to engage in academic study once again.
I have also had the opportunity to work with students at Bailiffe Bridge School, assisting them with Design Technology and Food Technology, subjects I thoroughly enjoy teaching.
Outside of education, I am a qualified reflexologist with a strong interest in holistic practices. I believe that these skills contribute to the well-being of others, and I am always intrigued by the positive impact they can have.
As a mother of four, I manage a busy life but remain actively involved in a local community group, helping to raise funds for charitable causes.
I look forward to continuing to develop in my role as a governor and contributing to the ongoing success and growth of our school.
Emma Haigh
I joined Bailiffe Bridge Junior & Infant School in September 2020. After completing my teaching degree at Nottingham Trent University, I taught at a school in Nottingham for 4 years before returning home to Huddersfield and joining Bailiffe as a class teacher.
During the 4 years, I have been at Bailiffe Bridge, I have taught in class 4 before moving to teach class 6 in 2023. I was appointed as the school SENDCo in 2021 and have recently completed my SENDCo qualification through Huddersfield University, achieving a distinction. In 2024, I was successfully appointed as Assistant Headteacher and have responsibility for leading science and computing. Within these roles, it is a pleasure to work alongside my colleagues to support the children in achieving their potential.
It is a privilege to be the staff representative on the governing body, and I look forward to working in collaboration with the other governors and seeing this brilliant school continue to flourish.
Emz Addy - Vice Chair of Governors
I joined Bailiffe Bridge as a Governor in July 2022. I live locally, and my little boy now attends Bailiffe Bridge School. I believe that primary schools can be such formative places for young children, and I’ve always enjoyed supporting them in any way I can. As a student, I spent my volunteering time reading with children in Reception and Year 1 and loved to see their progress across a school year, so now I’m really excited to be involved with Bailiffe Bridge School differently.
Professionally, I work in a strategic HR Leadership role and have experience working in specialisms such as Talent Management, Performance and Leadership Development and Diversity and Inclusion in some big corporate organisations. I am also the Safeguarding Lead in the church I attend in Bradford, so I’m sure these two voluntary roles will be mutually beneficial. I hope my professional experience will enable me to add real value as a Governor, and I know I will learn many new skills through the role.
I’m looking forward to being involved in the local community and seeing the school grow from strength to strength.
Chris Thornton
I have dedicated over 25 years to the education sector, driven by a singular focus: ensuring every learner, regardless of their starting point, has the opportunity to thrive. My career has evolved from direct student support to shaping strategy and policy at a national level, allowing me to bring a wealth of specialist knowledge to the Bailiffe Bridge governing body. Currently, I serve as the Director of Inclusive Provision & SEND at Luminate Education Group, where I lead complex teams to ensure that inclusion is the genuine heartbeat of the organisation. I also serve as the Lead for one of only four national SEND Centres for Excellence within the FE sector. This partnership with the Education Training Foundation allows me to stay at the absolute forefront of policy changes and bring that high-level insight directly back to our local school.
As of 2026, I have served as a governor at Bailiffe Bridge for eight years. This tenure included three years as Chair of Governors, during which I led the board through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. That period gave me firsthand experience in the delicate balancing act of managing statutory compliance and school safety while never losing sight of the children and families those decisions represented. I understand the importance of being a "critical friend"—providing the necessary challenge to the leadership team while offering steadfast support to maintain the school’s excellent track record. I am particularly passionate about ensuring that the curriculum and environment at Bailiffe Bridge support both the academic progress and the wellbeing of every pupil.
Craig Roberts
I joined Bailiffe Bridge Junior & Infant School in 2012 when I was appointed as Assistant Headteacher. Before this, I had taught at two contrasting primary schools: Hartshead Primary School and Battyeford CE (VC) Primary School. During my 18 years as a class teacher, I have taught across the primary age range (Years 1 – 6), held various roles and responsibilities, and led numerous subjects and initiatives.
Being the Headteacher at Bailiffe Bridge School is an absolute privilege, and while it can sometimes be difficult, it is also highly rewarding – no two days are ever the same. I am fortunate to work with many great families, wonderful children, talented colleagues and an aspirational governing body. By working with these stakeholders, I aim to ensure that the school's mission statement, vision and values are achieved and that the children get what they deserve – the very best possible start to their lives.
Osman Chohan
I joined the Governing Body as a parent governor in October 2024. I am passionate about education and, as a father of three, want my children to have an interesting, fun, challenging, rewarding time at school.
I am an experienced health care professional working at a senior level in the NHS. I have skills, knowledge and qualifications in management, leadership, quality improvement, project management, finance, and governance, which I want to draw on to support our local school to be outstanding.
The teachers do a fantastic job with dedication and enthusiasm, and I want to build on that by providing professional challenge as a parent governor to help ensure our children get an education that focuses on all their needs – physical, mental, emotional, social and educational, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status – thus developing an inclusive, supportive learning environment.
I know I am no different to any other parent in that we all want the best for our children – we want to see them happy, healthy and safe when they are at school. I hope to be able to support the school in providing the best for our children so that they get the best start in life and flourish.
Rhys Jowett