Penny Riddle

Governor
 
"I firmly believe that the first years of a child’s education are vital, and I hope that my perspective from a different area of education might prove useful in supporting Hanbury to continue to prepare its pupils for the world ahead.
 
"I first visited Hanbury about 3 years ago... and was immediately impressed by the warmth and caring environment it offered, the confidence of the children and the dedication of the staff."
My husband Alan and I have lived in Bromsgrove since 2020 when we relocated from a small village near Bridgnorth in Shropshire, where we had lived for 23 years. Here we raised two children while renovating an old farmhouse and trying to be self-sufficient.
 
I was born and went to school in Essex before attending Manchester University, where I gained a degree in Chemistry. I decided to become a teacher, and my first job was in a secondary school in Oldham – before a move to West London, where I continued to teach and manage the Science departments of several secondary schools and a Sixth Form College.
 
A move to the Midlands became necessary for my husband’s job, and I continued to work in education until my retirement in April 2020 as Director of Business Development and Apprenticeships at a Black Country College.
 
Having spent my career within the Secondary and Tertiary sectors, it would be reasonable to wonder where my interest in Hanbury First School came from. Having lived in a small village with its own school, I have seen first-hand what a rich experience such an environment can offer children starting their learning journey.
 
I first visited Hanbury about 3 years ago, when we were looking for a school for my grandson, and was immediately impressed by the warmth and caring environment it offered, the confidence of the children and the dedication of the staff.
 
I firmly believe that the first years of a child’s education are vital, and I hope that my perspective from a different area of education might prove useful in supporting Hanbury to continue to prepare its pupils for the world ahead.