I was brought up in South Wales and left home to spend 4 years studying and working in Manchester. I joined the RAF in 1999 and spent 16 years flying various different types of helicopters and aircraft. During this time I spent two tours as an instructor, teaching different types of pilots from new students fresh out of training, to seasoned operators wishing to upgrade to command on the front-line. This time gave me an insight into the pastoral issues that can affect the way people learn and how important good communication and co-operation between a team is to ensure any issues are addressed before problems become serious. I was frequently tasked with running various teams and committees, some of which were responsible with overseeing sizeable budgets. I also have a degree in Business Studies. I left the RAF in 2015 and now I fly Jumbo Jets out of Heathrow for a major airline. I have two children at Parley, aged 7 and 4 and I leapt at the chance to be a governor because I think Parley is a fantastic school. I am keen to do what little I can to support the dedicated staff who provide great learning opportunities for all our children.

Appointed LEA Governor 23rd May 2020

Appointed Chair of Governors 18th January 2021

My name is Michelle- known too most as Shelly. I live locally in Ferndown, and am married with two girls- one who has already been through Parley First School and now at Ferndown Upper.  My education and working back ground started within early years managing a nursery and after school, which is where I then progressed into Play work and completed a Degree in Play work specialising within the Special educational needs and disabilities as well as therapies field.  
I currently work full time for NHS 111 as a health advisor, which is a job I am very proud to be part of. Prior to this I managed short breaks projects for children aged 4-19 years with severe multiple complex needs for Dorset Council for 19 years which gave me a wealth of knowledge and skills within SEND. I am passionate about ensuring that every child within Parley reaches their full potential and supporting the school in their nurturing and whole child approach.  I am also a SEND Governor within Ferndown Middle School and have been for just over four years which gives me a greater insight into transition and the Ferndown Pyramid.

Appointed Nov 2010
Term of Office ends on 31/08/23

My name is Jonathan Chadd and I am married with two children and live locally in the Ferndown area. I currently work for a local charity as their Building and Facilities Manager with overall responsibility for 10 sites. My areas of responsibility include, Building Services and IT budgets, Health & Safety compliance & Procurement. I also give strategic management to the IT functions for the Organisation. After graduating from Bournemouth University, I became head of IT for a locally based company. I have also undertaken various IT based project management/consultancy roles with major Sports companies, and other well-known organisations. I previously served as a parent governor at Hampreston First School and enjoyed my time there immensely. I am passionate about education and ensuring children get the best start in life. I look forward to supporting and linking with the Local Authority to support the staff team here at Parley First School to continue the excellent work already being undertaken.

Term of office ends on 02/09/2026

My name is Nicola Cucka, I am married to my Husband Niki and have two children that currently attend Parley First School, Jamie and Amelia. I currently work in the HR division for a private Healthcare Charity and I have been working in HR for 10 years.

During my period of furlough last year, I decided to make a change and focus on what I enjoy doing and my passion to make a difference in children’s lives, so after the summer sunshine I enrolled in a Level 3 Teaching Assistant Course, which I complete in April. As a child, I grew up wanting to be a Primary School Teacher (and a James Bond girl of course!) and regrettably I never pursed either and Daniel Craig is still very much a dream, so until he comes along I am pursuing the next best rewarding career of becoming a Teaching Assistant.

I am really excited to put myself forward for this role as a Parent Governor and believe with my desire to progress our children and my HR knowledge and experience I can use these skills to help the School continue to deliver their high standards and developing the talent in our young people.

Appointed April 2021

Term of office ends on 30/04/2025

Parley plays such a pivotal role in our community and to serve as a Parent Governor is a very exciting and important prospect.

As Business Development Manager for an international Oil and Gas Service Company, I have over 20 years commercial, operational and Engineering experience in an industry where health, safety and risk management are paramount. Having worked in many different countries, the most rewarding aspect has been working with people and teams from diverse cultures.

I also progressed through our local school system and a keen supporter of our pyramid structure. Joining the Castleman Trust presents opportunities for Parley to acquire an increased level of operational, strategic and financial autonomy and I would be very keen to offer my support.

I’m also a great advocate for science, Technology, Engineering and Maths and appreciate the importance these subjects have in early development years. I believe these subjects should be fun, relevant and accessible to all children.

Above all, the best job in the world is being Dad to my two girls, both currently attending the school. As a Governor I would be conveying a balanced, committed and passionate parental perspective and ensure we provide our Children with the best start.

Appointed April 2021

Term of office ends on 30/04/2025

My family and I have lived in Ferndown for 4 years and my two boys attend Parley First. Both my parents were teachers (my mum, now retired, is currently a lunchtime supervisor at Parley). From a young age it was instilled in me the importance of the basic building blocks of education, which sets one up for life.

I am a qualified Chartered Accountant working at a local manufacturing company. I trained as an auditor in practice and then ventured into corporate. I was a primary school Mathematics tutor during my university years and a part-time lecturer in tertiary education after becoming qualified. I have worked in diverse junior and senior management roles encompassing bookkeeping, auditing, compliance, governance, budgeting, capital projects, corporate forensic investigations and mediation with employees and unions.

For the past three years I have been the volunteer auditor for the Parley First Voluntary Fund account. As a family we count ourselves extremely lucky to have our children attend a school that shows so much love and care. Any time or expertise that I can give back to our school family, I consider an honour.

Appointed April 2021

Term of office ends on 01/09/2026

My background is in education, when I left school I trained as a nursery nurse and moved through to primary teaching and senior leadership roles.

I currently work within the school improvement team for a Trust of 6 schools, based in Christchurch. In my previous school I was a co-opted member of the governing body. Currently I am a Non-Executive Director for RAFAKidz, a growing charitable nursery group run by the Royal Air Force Association. I would love to share this experience of strategic challenge with the Parley First leadership team, along with my rooted knowledge in educational standards and my passion and expertise as a Specialist Leader in Education for early years and the infant phase. Alongside these skills and experiences is my personal belief that the first years of the primary school phase are to be filled with laughter, wonder and magic for ALL children.

I believe that my nature, skillset and experience will complement the Parley First governing body and I hope to be able to represent parents and share in the school’s continued journey to excellence.

Appointed 7th November 2022

Term of office ends on 7th November 2026