Meet the Governors

I’m Richard Reid. I am the Chair of Governors, having taken over from Rev. Glyn Thomson in September 2019. I’m a charted accountant working in industry. I originally became a governor as part of an initiative to bring in someone from the private sector to give a different perspective on how the school is run and to further broaden the breadth of knowledge and expertise of the governors.

A bit about own background; I grew up in Fazakerley, going to school in Kirkby for both primary and secondary education. I later studied at Warwick University, obtaining a BSc honours degree in Physics, graduating in 2011. From there, I worked in audit at the accountancy firm KPMG, where I completed my training contract and became a charted accountant with the Institute of Charted Accountants of England & Wales in 2014. Outside of work I’m actively involved in charity fundraising and am an avid Everton fan and season ticket holder. My background in education and desire to become a governor comes from my mum, who has worked as a dinner lady then TA in my old primary school for 25 years.

Since joining the Governor board in 2015, I have been very impressed by the community of Mab Lane. I’ve found the manners of the children exemplary and the passion and commitment of the staff to be of the highest standard. 

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I'm Reverend  Glyn Thomson I am the Vice Chair of Governors. I am married with a son and daughter, both of whom are grown up. We have three grandchildren.

Having been involved in senior management for 28 years of my career which culminated in being a Chief Executive, I gained considerable experience in strategic leadership and management, finance, staff development and motivation, personnel issues and monitoring performance. I have needed to draw on this experience, since I became Chair of Governors in October 2013, and Vice Chair in September 2019 as I have worked closely with the Head Teacher in driving forward improvement in the school and seeking to establish strong governance.

In July 2011 I retired after 44 years of work and I then trained for ordination with the Church of England. I was ordained in July 2013 and I am now part of the ministry team for St. Luke's (Princess Drive), St. Jude's, Stockbridge Village, St. George's, Huyton, and St. Mary's (Knowsley Village).

Having three grandchildren makes me passionate about children being provided with top quality education and a positive experience whilst at Mab Lane.

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My name is Neil Morgan.I am a committed governor of Mab Lane Primary School, dedicated to supporting the school’s leadership team and ensuring pupils have the best possible opportunities to succeed.

I graduated from Lancaster University in 2008 with a Law degree and have since developed a successful career in the legal sector. I have held a number of senior positions across Manchester and Liverpool, gaining valuable experience in leadership, governance, and strategic decision-making.

I later became a member of the legal team at Liverpool Football Club, working on a wide range of complex and high-profile matters. Following this, I relocated to Dubai and now hold the position of General Counsel for Ethara, providing legal oversight and guidance within an international environment.

As a parent of two young children, I have a strong personal interest in primary education and the importance of creating a supportive, inclusive, and inspiring learning experience for every child. Although I am currently based in Dubai, I continue to fulfil my role as a remote governor and enjoy visiting Mab Lane Primary School during my regular trips back to the UK.

I am proud to contribute both my professional expertise and personal experience to the governing body and to support the continued success of the school community.

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Parent Governor-Lynn Doyle

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I’m Christopher O’Brien I joined the governing body of Mab Lane Primary School in 2005 and I have responsibility for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) issues and also for Safeguarding and Child Protection.

I currently work as a lecturer in SEND in Liverpool John Moores University but since 1978 I have worked both in special and in mainstream education teaching primary as well as secondary aged children.  I am happy to be able to use my various experiences in teaching over the years to inform my role as a governor.

I am extremely proud to be a Governor of Mab Lane School and will support the school wholeheartedly to achieve its goal of ‘Only the Best’ by creating conditions in which all members of the school community are helped and supported to be the very best that they can be.  

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Staff Governor-Mrs Snape

I am Helen Snape and have worked at Mab Lane Primary School for over 13 years. I currently serve as the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Lead and am passionate about supporting both children and staff to achieve their full potential. I bring a strong understanding of the school’s values and community to my role.

As a mother of two girls, I appreciate the importance of a nurturing, inclusive, and high-quality education. I have previously served as a staff governor and am delighted to take on this role again, contributing my experience, commitment, and perspective to support the continued development and success of the school. I am very proud to work at Mab Lane Primary and thoroughly enjoy my role.

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Nicola Wong-Parent Governor.

I'm Nicola Wong and I was appointed Parent Governor at Mab Lane in 2023.

Currently I work at a secondary school as a Maths teacher - a career that I have enjoyed for 14 years. My genuine passion for education along with my desire to make a positive impact on students' lives has led me to become a Parent Governor.

With two young children who enjoy their everyday here at Mab Lane, I'm thrilled to be a part of the governing body, enabling me to support the headteacher, staff and students to achieve its goal of "Only the Best!"

I am so proud that my children attend Mab Lane and it is heart-warming to see how much fun they have along the way. I look forward to continuing my role as a Parent Governor and learning more about school governance and policy.

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Jeanne Kitchen: 

I am Jeanne Kitchen and I joined the governing body of Mab Lane in 2014.  I support Year 1 and help with reading one afternoon a week.
I am a retired teacher of 43 years and have worked in various secondary schools in Liverpool and Birkenhead. My last role was as an Assistant Headteacher in a large secondary school in charge of Inclusion and KS3 behaviour and pastoral matters.
I consider it a privilege to be a governor of Mab Lane School and will always support the Headteacher, the staff and the students in achieving their goals. 'Only the Best' sums up the school and all who are involved with it and it is something of which we should all be very proud.

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David Barlow:

I'm David Barlow, I'm married to Anne, a deputy head teacher, who taught at Mab Lane between 1993 and 1999, and we have three grown up sons.

I've worked for over 40 years in central government, although I'm now partially retired, in a variety of technical, managerial and accountancy roles.  During my career, although I've been based in Liverpool for the longest period of time, I've also worked from offices in many different parts of the U.K. including the Shetland Isles, the Isle of Man and various locations in London and the South East. As part of my job, I've visited Switzerland, The Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium and Italy.  I was also seconded to the Dutch Ministry of Finance for a period of time as part of an EU initiative.  All in all I've gained a wide knowledge of many very different organisations and people.

I enjoy quite a wide variety of interests which include, various sports, many of which I've played (badly) over the years, skiing which I took up eight years ago, fell walking, running, photography and history.

I've been a member of the Governing Body since the mid-1990s and I feel very privileged to be involved with such a marvellous school and am fully committed to help the school earn its full and well-deserved potential."

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Councillor John Prince 

I’m Councillor John Prince. I am 68 years old, I have a son and a wonderful twelve-year-old grandson. I have dedicated my career to teaching since 1977 and continue to do so with no immediate plans to retire. Although I have not held any significant positions of responsibility, it is always gratifying when a former pupil shares a kind word.

My primary interest has always been politics. I joined the Labour Party in Liverpool in 1974 and served as a Labour Party Councillor for Fazakerley from 1980 to 1983, during which I encountered challenges with the Militant Tendency. From 1983 to 1988, I stood for election with the SDP, albeit unsuccessfully.

In 1999, I rejoined the Labour Party. Despite a defeat in 2004, I persisted and won the Yew Tree seat in 2008, following my colleague Barbara’s victory in 2007. We have since retained both Yew Tree and the newly established ward of West Derby Deysbrook.

I served as Chair of the Education and Children's Services Committee from 2010 to 2021 and have been Chair of the Culture and Economy Committee since 2023.

Beyond politics and teaching, I am an avid football enthusiast. I also play the piano and organ, having been the resident organist at the Huyton RAFA Club and Kirkby RAFA club for fifteen years. More recently, I played the piano at Clayton Square Shopping Centre for four years. Nowadays, you may occasionally find me playing one of the pianos at Liverpool One.