Governors

All Governors serve a four-year term of office from their date of appointment. The Headteacher can make arrangements for anyone to contact the Governors, and any correspondence should be addressed to the Chair of Governors care of the school address. The Governing Body meets twice a term – the minutes of meetings are available for inspection at the school office. Parents can contact the school if they want anything discussed at these meetings.

We have two committees: Standards and effectivenss and Resources. Any decisions taken at any of these committees are always taken to Full Govenors for ratification. 

The Governing Body comprises of the following: 9 co-opted governors, 2 parent governors, 1 LA governor, 1 Headteacher and 1 staff governor; making 14 governors in total.

If a vacancy for a Co-opted Governor becomes available this is reported on our website.  Governors recruit new Governors based on any skills gaps within the existing Governing Body.  If you are interested in becoming a Governor, please contact the school and leave your details.

If a vacancy for a parent governor becomes available, the headteacher will send written notice of the election in a letter to be taken home by the children. 

Currently, our school governors include:

 

1) Name: Mrs Pat Brook (Chair of Governors)

Category: Co-opted Governor

Term of office: 4 years (From 10 October 2022 to 18 October 2026)

Appointed by: The Governing Body

Member of: Standards Committee and Resources Committee

Professional Bio: Mrs Brook has been a primary school teacher and SENCO before retirement. Currently, she is a HR & Finance Director covering 3 Offices for TaxAssist Accountants in Huddersfield, Barnsley & North Sheffield.

Mrs Brook believes that education should be open to all and that schools should develop children’s full potential no matter what their backgrounds are. All children should be part of an inclusive system that keeps them safe and nurtures them while instilling in them respect for the environment as well as cultural diversity.

Mrs Brook enjoys cooking and entertaining friends at home and walks her dog daily on the hills above Holmfirth. She loves to travel and visit new places espevially in theri motorhome.

Mrs Brook has been a member of Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club since 1986 and supported them in a number of ways, such as scoring for races both at club and national level, running the galley at the club so that sailors can have food between races, providing meals for sailing events to bring extra income into the club.

 

2) Name: Cllr Andrew Cooper (Chair of Resources Committee)

Category: Co-opted Governor

Term of office: 4 years (From 5 October 2024 - 4 October 2028)

Appointed by: The Governing Body

Member of: Resources Committee

Professional Bio: Cllr Cooper has worked in the housing and energy sector since 1993 when he became Kirklees Councils first Energy Efficiency Coordinator. He went on to work for Calderdale Council introducing the UKs first universally free insulation for pensioners. He has since then worked on Regional Energy Policy for Yorkshire and Humber Assembly and has been Head of On-Site Renewables for the Renewable Energy Association and Director of Advice and Policy at Yorkshire Energy Services. He went on to be an Energy Consultant working for TADEA.

Cllr Cooper was elected to Kirklees Council in May 1999 as a Green Party Councillor and has been re-elected six times in the Newsome Ward. He proposed the UK’s first universally free insulation scheme which has seen over 50’000 Kirklees homes insulated in the district. In 2000 he initiated the Council’s Renewable Energy Fund which has seen Kirklees become the leading authority in the deployment of microgeneration technologies with over 5% of the UK’s Solar Capacity in the borough in 2009. In 2008 Cllr Cooper successfully obtained funding for the Kirklees Re-Charge scheme which provides householders with renewable technology for their homes with no upfront costs or monthly payments. In 2009 he was recognised in the Independent on Sundays list of the top 100 Environmentalists and was the only Councillor on the list.

As the Chair of the Resources Committee, Cllr Cooper is keen to see that the school site is not only fit for purpose, both has all the state of the art educational developments needed to ensure that the school is the most effective educational establishment for primary school aged children in the locality.  

In his free time, Cllr Cooper enjoys a number of hobbies including walking, travelling and camping with his young boys.


3) Name: Mr Tim Archer (Chair of Standards Committee)

Category: Co-opted Governor

Term of office: 4 years (From 12 February 2024 - 10 February 2028)

Appointed by: The Governing Body

Member of: Resources and Standards Committee

Professional Bio: Mr Archer has been a teacher for over 30 years, working mainly in secondary schools, starting in London to the Midlands and then and moving to Yorkshire. He has held several positions including leadership roles.  Mr Archer is currently teaching Mathematics at Greenhead College.

Mr Archer serves as a Trustee on The Sheiling Trust UK supporting education overseas. He also works for the UK Alumni for Hebron School, India where he attended as a pupil, recruiting and interviewing staff in the U.K. During the summer of 1999, he arranged a trip for 125 people to India visiting the school where he had attended as a pupil.

Mr Archer is an active member of his local church and has been involved in several outreach programmes into the local community. This includes organising Christmas lunch for many families on Christmas day.

Mr Archer is a keen musician and plays the piano and keyboard; he enjoys listening to music. Other interests include travelling.

 

4) Name: Mrs Bridget Crabtree (Vice-Chair)

Category: Co-opted Governor

Term of office: 4 years (From 17 August 2024 to 16 August 2028)

Appointed by: The Governing Body

Member of: Resources and Standards Committee

Professional Bio: Mrs Crabtree has many years of experience teaching students from as young as 11 years to learners as old as 92 years. She has led on several education projects that aim to raise aspirations plus increase individual life opportunities by working with communities, to encourage and promote the love of learning.

One of Mrs Crabtree’s most important commitments is serving as the Chair of Governors at Mount Pleasant Primary School. She has witnessed first-hand the great work of the talented and hardworking staff and the impact that the school has made on the lives of children, local families, and the wider community.

Mrs Crabtree is a Director of Cowersley Out of School Club and Nursery which works with SEND children. She also works with Friends of Honley Library Children’s Book Festival which runs children’s activities to promote development in literacy. Her recent interests include the development of a Food Bank which are open to all needy households. She enjoys art and crafts, cake baking, hillwalking, cycling, playing tennis and is learning calligraphy.

 

5) Name: Mrs Joanne Gamble

Category: Staff Governor

Term of office: 4 years (From 10 January 2022 to 9 January 2026)

Appointed by: Election by the School Staff

Member of: Standards Committee

 

6) Name: Mrs Roma Manisha Kaushik

Category: Co-opted Governor

Term of office: 4 years (From 18 November 2024 - 17 November 2028)

Appointed by: The Governing Body

Professional Bio: Mrs Kaushik has a background in education having taught at high schools and colleges in Kirklees and Leeds. She is a fully qualified Information, Advice and Guidance professional and worked in partnership with both voluntary and statuary agencies across Kirklees.

From 2016 to 2024, Mrs Kaushik has served as a Local Councillor in Kirklees bringing in extensive experience of working with the local community.  She has been a strong supporter of local sports and youth clubs in the area and has also worked with disadvantaged individuals to better access education. She is passionate about helping young people develop and access opportunities that aid them in realising their full potential.

Being a mother of two children  now graduated from university, Mrs Kaushik understands the challenges faced by children and how important it is to equip them with the skill sets and resilience to realise their ambitions. She is keen to see Mount Pleasant Primary achieve its goal of becoming the best Primary School choice for local families.


7) Name: Mrs Naeem Nazir

Position: Headteacher

Term of office: Permanent (From 20 December 2016)

Appointed by: The Governing Body

Member of: Resources and Standards Committee


8) Name: Dr Alia Sarwar

Category: Parent Governor

Term of office: 4 years (From 16 June 2026 to 15 June 2030)

Appointed by: Election by the School Parents

Member of: Standards Committee

 

9) Name: Mr Paul Tonner

Category: Co-opted Governor

Term of office: 4 years (From 19 September 2025 to 17 September 2029)

Appointed by: The Governing Body

 

10) Name: Cllr Alex Vickers

Category: Co-opted Governor

Term of office: 4 years (From 19 September 2025 to 17 September 2029)

Appointed by: The Governing Body

 


Governor Vacancies (as at September 2026):

1x Co-opted Governors

1x LA Governor

1x Parent Governor

 

Governor Register of Business Interest 

 

Governor name

Category

Relevant Business

Or personal interest

Other Educational Establishment

Relationships with school staff inc spouse, partners, relatives

Date form completed

Committee Attendance

Sep 2025-July 2026

Full Governors Attendance

Sep 2025-July 2026

Tim Archer

Co-opted

11.2.24-10.2.28

Nil

Greenhead College

Nil

17.9.26

Resources 4 / 5

Standards 5 / 5

6 / 6

Pat Brook

 

Co-opted (Chair)

19.10.22-18.10.26

Tax Assist Accountant – accountancy service for small businesses

Nil

Nil

21.7.26

Resources 4 / 5

Standards 5 / 5

6 / 6

Cllr Andrew Cooper

Co-opted

6.10.24-5.10.28

Kirklees Council

Councillor

Nil

Nil

17.9.26

Resources 2 / 5

Standards

4 / 6

Bridget Crabtree

Co-opted (Vice Chair)

18.8.24-17.8.28

Storth House CIC Nursery foodbank community support in Cowlersley

Nil

Nil

20.7.26

Resources 5 / 5

Standards 4 / 5

5 / 6

Joanne Gamble

Staff

10.1.22-8.1.2030

Nil

Nil

Nil

3.9.26

Standards 4 / 5

5 / 6

Sajhad Hussain

Co-opted

25.1.25-24.1.29

Nil

Nil

Nil

15.9.26

N/A

0 / 6

Manisha Kaushik

19.11.24-18.11.28

Nil

Nil

Nil

16.9.26

N/A

 

0 / 6

Dr Alia Sarwar

Parent Governor

16.6.26-16.6.2030

GP Partner – Lister Lane Surgery, Halifax

Nil

Brother is School Business Manager

2.7.26

N/A

1 / 1

Paul Tonner

Co-opted

19.9.25-18.9.29

Nil

Nil

Nil

17.9.26

N/A

4 / 5

Cllr Alex Vickers

Co-opted

19.9.25-18.9.29

Kirklees Council

Councillor

Sunny Days Preschool

Nil

2.7.26

N/A

4 / 5

Former Governors who served within the last 12 months

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shafina Akhtar

Parent Governor

15.5.23-14.6.27

Nil

Nil

Nil

3.7.25

N/A

4 / 6

Rabia Kauser

Parent Governor

17.1.22 -16.1.2026

QRS facilities

(spouse business)

Nil

Nil

7.7.25

Standards 2 / 5

0 / 2

Dr Andy Williams

Co-opted

16.2.24-20.1.25

Nil

Birkby Infants Governor

Nil

16.6.24

Resources 0 / 2

Standards 0 /25

0/2

 

 

 

 

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