TWO long-serving governors are stepping down after ten years at a specialist Derby school, saying they feel their role is complete now the school is consistently rated ‘Good’ and ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted.
Janet Hall and Heather Flockton – both with extensive experience in education – stepped forward as governors over ten years ago at the Royal School for the Deaf (RSDD).
At the time, a whole new board was introduced — a team the pair say has worked tirelessly to ensure the school is recognised nationally for its outstanding dedication to the deaf community. While they served as governors for ten years, they spent the last six as co-chairs.
The ladies were recently invited to the Education and Skills Garden Party at Buckingham Palace by Lord Lieutenant Liz Fothergill — a truly memorable way to mark the end of their era with the school and a wonderful opportunity to honour their remarkable service.
Janet taught in mainstream education for ten years before volunteering at a specialist youth club, where she discovered a true passion for supporting the deaf community. This inspired her to retrain at Birmingham University, where she completed a degree focused on supporting deaf pupils and went on to spend 25 years working at specialist schools for the deaf.
She said: “Being invited to Buckingham Palace was a surreal and unforgettable experience, something I never envisioned. It was a real honour and such a special way to mark the end of this chapter.
“We’ll definitely stay connected to the school, but we feel now is the right time to step down and give someone else the chance to bring fresh ideas and a new perspective.
“We’d also like to thank all the staff — particularly over the past year — for their incredible hard work in helping the school maintain its Good Ofsted rating for education, and ‘outstanding’ for its residential provision. It’s felt like being part of a close-knit, supportive team and it’s been a real pleasure to work alongside them.
“But above all, watching the pupils grow, progress and achieve has been the most rewarding part of the role. It’s been a real privilege.”
Both say one of the highlights of their role was attending open days, where the school celebrates the achievements of its pupils and staff. At the most recent event, their ten years of dedication were recognised by headteacher Paul Burrows, who presented them with bouquets of flowers and gave a heartfelt tribute to their hard work.
Heather Flockton spent 25 years at St Andrew’s School in Derby, serving as headteacher in her final years. Her career also took her overseas, where she spent six years teaching Primary TESOL (Teaching English as a Second or Other Language) in Malawi as part of Voluntary Service Overseas in Kenya, followed by another six years in Australia, working with children with special educational needs.
She said: “I remember hearing as a child that my grandparents had been invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace and thinking ‘the world has come full circle’ to also have that.
“It was such a beautiful day. We had an exotic tea party in the gardens, the grounds were stunning, and even with around 7,000 people there, it didn’t feel crowded at all. As music lovers, we particularly enjoyed the live band — it all felt really special.
“Being part of the journey with RSDD has been amazing and I feel incredibly lucky to have played a role in it.
“I’ll miss the whole team — especially the children — but we hope to stay involved in some way, while giving someone else the opportunity to continue the fantastic work every single member of staff has contributed to.
“When helping to recruit the next team of governors, we’ve been mindful to ensure there’s a good balance of expertise — in areas like finance, business and beyond — so the board can continue to be the very best it can be for the school.”
Both passionate about music and gardening and still serving as trustees and chairs of other committees and clubs, the pair will now have more time to focus on their personal interests, including attending live performances and cultivating their gardens. Heather has recently taken up bell ringing, which she thoroughly enjoys and since her classes often clashed with governors’ meetings, she’s looking forward to being able to dedicate more time to this new hobby.
Head teacher of RSDD, Paul Burrows, said: “Janet and Heather have been an incredible support to the school over the past decade.
“Their commitment, insight and leadership — especially during some of our most challenging times — have helped shape the positive, inclusive and forward-thinking environment we’re so proud of today.
“They’ve always championed our pupils, our staff and the wider deaf community, and their legacy will certainly live on in the culture they’ve helped build.
“While we’ll miss them greatly, we’re incredibly grateful for everything they’ve done and wish them all the very best in this next chapter.”
This press release was distributed by Penguin PR. To find out more contact Sarah-Louise Elton on 01332 416228 or by email at [email protected]
