Mr Robinson
Head Teacher

Rik started his teaching career as a Science teacher at a high school in Leeds where he began working closely with children with Special Educational Needs. He has worked in both Special education and mainstream as a teacher, SENCo and Assistant Head. He also worked in an advisory capacity for Leeds Beckett University, supporting trainee SENCos across West Yorkshire.

Before arriving at Ravenshall he was deputy Head Teacher at Fairfield school in Kirklees and then Headteacher at a special school in Blackburn. He has a Master’s Degree in the education of children with Special Educational Needs, the National SENCo award, is a Specialist Leader in Education for SEND and holds the National Professional Qualification for Headteachers.
Rik is responsible for providing professional vision and leadership of Ravenshall, ensuring high quality education for all its pupils and maintaining outstanding standards of learning and achievement. He also directly liaises with the Governing Body and the Local Authority.

Miss Maguire
LA Governor – Vice Chair

I currently work as an Assistant Headteacher at a large secondary school in Kirklees. My role involves leading on curriculum implementation, quality assurance and continued professional development. I am passionate about teacher development and am committed to raising standards of education for all children and young people. The Governing Body at Ravenshall is the epitome of values such as respect, integrity and teamwork. I take great pride in being Vice Chair of Governors at Ravenshall School and will remain dedicated to providing both challenge and support to leaders within the school as they continue their hard work to provide the best possible outcomes for all students.

Charlotte Gray-Sharpe
Staff Governor

After previously working as a School Business Manager for over 15 years in both Primary and SEN settings, I decided to take on a new challenge as Fundraising Manager at Ravenshall in January 2023.

I am CIPD associate member and have completed several qualifications in school financial management including a level 7 CIPFA Financial and Operation Leadership Certificate. 

I became a staff Governor in September 2023, and I am looking forward to representing our dedicated staff team at Governing Body meetings and ensuring the best possible outcomes for our pupils by providing an inclusive, challenging and engaging school experience.

Mrs Lee
Governor

After previously teaching across Key Stage 2 and leading French and Science for a number of years, I am currently SENDCo at a large Junior School in Kirklees. I am passionate about inclusive education, therefore look forward to working with all stakeholders to ensure pupils at Ravenshall receive the best quality of education and develop fundamental skills for their future.

Miss Hoffmann
Chair of Governors

 I joined Ravenshall as a Governor in October 2022 as I believe passionately in ensuring that every child has the opportunity to grow and succeed and to lead happy and fulfilling lives. 

In my professional life I work in People Services in the Education sector, using leadership coaching to support managers and departments with personnel matters to ensure service areas run efficiently. I began my career as a science teacher and moved into Special Educational Needs settings where I spent 12 years working in a number of schools across Yorkshire, eventually moving into an Assistant Headteacher role. In addition to this I am a member of the CIPD West Yorkshire Policy Group helping to influence policy-making and day-to-day people management practice. I endeavour to utilise the varied skills, knowledge and experience I have gained to help me to support Ravenshall.

Ravenshall is an outstanding school, and I am committed to helping the school drive forward by working together, supporting one another and putting the interests of the pupils and the school at the forefront of everything we do to ensure the schools’ continued success. 

It is a privilege to be Chair of Governors here and to support our wonderful school.

Mrs Dickinson
Parent Governor

I am currently working for PCAN Kirklees where I provide information and support to families who have children with additional needs. Prior to this I worked for 18 years in the charitable sector undertaking roles in HR, project management and leadership.

One of my children currently attends Ravenshall school and I am passionate about inclusive education and giving all children the skills and knowledge to progress and develop to the best of their abilities. The staff at Ravenshall are dedicated and passionate about what they do and my role as a Governor is to challenge and support the school to give all pupils the best possible outcomes.

Jackie Kilbride

Governor

I recently retired as a teacher at Ravenshall after 30 years of wonderful years at the
school. I have held a variety of different roles at the school with experience of teaching in the Primary and Secondary departments.

I started my career at Ravenshall as an Educational Teaching assistant, eventually becoming, a Cover Supervisor, with responsibility for Pupil Premium funding.
After a career break in 2001, I re-joined the school as a Literacy Support Worker, developing literacy initiatives both within the school and at home. Developing home/
school links has been a passion of mine, which I hope will continue in my role as a school governor.

In 2014 I was given the opportunity to retrain as a teacher in the Primary Phase through the school’s ethos of developing ‘home grown staff.’ I later became Head of
English teaching both Key Stage 3 and 4 pupils.

As a school governor I am committed to ensuring that the school remains somewhere that the pupils thrive in a safe, stimulating, and fun environment.

Mr Sufyan Patel
Governor

I work as a Senior Technical Architect at NHS England where we aim to deliver a world-class technology strategy that will transform healthcare systems and services nationally, giving clinicians and staff more time with patients and empowering the patients themselves to take greater control of their healthcare.

I am involved in designing components of this system that allows effective sharing of healthcare information between settings. This has been acheived through leading/delivering projects through creating standards and engaging with stakeholders to implement them.

I am delighted to be a governor at such an important school and also being a parent for a child here, I look forward to supporting the governing body and the school in maintaining the exceptional standards across Ravenshall.