Our Governor's Personal Statements

Sikander Ali

I have a keen interest in becoming one of the school governors for Parkinson Lane Community Primary School. I have always wanted to give something back to this community and I think one way is to get involved with the local school where not only do my kids attend but I used to attend as well back in the early 1990's.
Some information about myself. I am Sikander Ali, aged 39. Always lived in Halifax. Went to Parkinson Lane school in the early 1990's, then attended Sowerby Bridge High School where I completed my GCSE's and A-levels. From there I went to the University of Bradford where I studied Software engineering and graduated in 2006 with a 2:1 in BEng in Software Engineering. For the past 13 years I have worked for NHSUK and NHS England as a software engineer and recently I got promoted to a Lead Systems Engineer within NHS England.

I am married and have 4 children. My wife works as a TA in the reception class at Parkinson Lane. 1 child has gone onto secondary school and I have 3 children still attending Parkinson Lane.

Being part of the governors will allow me to take more of a vested interest in the school and give me the opportunity to be part of some of the decisions that the school makes which has a positive impact not only on the children but also on the community.

Mrs Saira Lone

My interest in becoming a governor extends beyond that of being a parent. My late brother, Tariq Rafiq was the Chair of Governors at Parkinson Lane Community Primary School and he was also a National Lead Governor. I would like to continue in his legacy to have an input into the improvement of education for the children of Calderdale. I have lived in Halifax all my life and known the varying challenges it faces.

I think it is important to see children flourish and develop in to confident mature individuals. It has been refreshing to witness children excelling in all aspects of their learning and I would like the opportunity to assist in ensuring this continues. It is with this in mind that I feel governors contribute to this through their challenge of a school. I would be a governor who would support a school through their success but would also nurture and guide a school experiencing times of trouble.

These children are our future and it is imperative we do our best for them in terms of educating and nurturing them. I have a sales and insurance background which also involves a level of finance. Although my background is solely in the private sector, the concepts of best value and of following financial procedures were very much at the forefront.

Mrs. Saiqa Riasat

After completing my BA (Hons) in Primary Education with QTS in 2002, I was and am still inspired, determined and motivated to raise the achievement of all children but in particular children from ethnic minority backgrounds. I have worked in the capacity of a teacher, family learning tutor, researcher, trainer, co-ordinator and project developer throughout the years to achieve this. Over the years my passion has led me to host and take part in many seminars and workshops to showcase effective multilingual approaches to teaching and learning. Furthermore, through the delivery of my parent courses I have been able to act as a bridge between school and home and empower English and Non-English speaking parents to play a more active role in their children's education.

I strongly believe, in order for children to achieve their full potential and fulfill our schools aim of becoming “citizens of the world” parents and schools have to work together in a supportive and constructive manner. At Parkinson Lane School I feel the parent and school relationship is very strong and I want to continue to build on this strength by making a positive contribution with my skill set and experiences of the curriculum.

I am a confident personality who thrives on having a positive problem-solving attitude to challenges and opportunities and in my various roles, not least motherhood, I have developed very good interpersonal skills which are essential in this role.

Mr. Usman Moghul

As a parent with children attending Parkinson Lane CPS I have a vested interest in ensuring that the school provides an excellent and well-rounded education for all students and future pupils. As an IT Analyst working for some of the UKs largest companies such as Lloyds Banking Group and Burberry, I believe I have the knowledge and experience to make strategic decisions in regards to the school and alongside the Head Teacher and the Senior leadership team, we will strive to ensure that the education provided to our children will enable them to flourish and that they are given the fundamental skills to become successful people of the future.

On a more personal level, my main hobbies are football and gaming. I have had a pretty successful football career representing Halifax in national tournaments and also playing in the local football leagues.

Finally, if selected to be school governor, I will offer all of my services to support the schools needs to ensure we deliver the highest standard of education to our children and if the educational performances are not met, I will be sure to challenge the senior leadership team and our pupils as our aim is to stand out from the outstanding!!

Mr. Tony Berwick

I retired from my previous Headship in April 2020 and I have now relocated into Calderdale. I have extensive experience of Primary Education and held five headships both in the UK and abroad. I am Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching.

Between 1993 and 2004 I worked in Calderdale as a Headteacher. I am keen to use my extensive knowledge and skills to support a school in the capacity of a governor.

My last job as a Headteacher (2012 to 2020) was in a primary school which was a 600+ pupils in a challenging area with 70% EAL children and high deprivation. I opened the school as an amalgamation of two previously failing schools and took the new school from Ofsted category 4 to 3 so I understand how to support a school requiring improvement and as a governor I would challenge and support the staff to the best of my ability whilst maintaining the discretion and appropriate distance required of a governor.