The Cumbria Education Trust Board Directors delegate to the Local Advisory Board (LAB) members its responsibility and powers as the Governing Body of the school. These responsibilities are discharged by the LAB members in accordance with its constitution, any Cumbria Education Trust Policies and advice from the Department for Education (DFE) and Ofsted.

View the Trust Board membership here: http://www.cumbriaeducationtrust.org/about-us/leadership/

The Newtown Primary School LAB is crucial to helping the school to raise standards.

Some of the roles of the LAB are to:

  • provide the information required by the Trust and not to withhold any information which the Trust reasonably requires;
  • refer certain decisions to the Trust for approval as set out in the Scheme of Delegation;
  • report to the Trust Board Directors on the outcomes and progress within a one-week period of each meeting;
  • act in accordance with the LAB Protocols.

If you have any queries for the LAB or would like to contact the Chair, please email Leanne Coats, Clerk to the LAB, at lcoats@cumbriaeducationtrust.org or telephone 016977 45300.

Composition of Local Advisory Board (LAB) members:

Type of member Number Term of office Elected by who
CEO 1 Indefinite N/A – by appointment as CEO
Headteacher 1 Indefinite Appointment as Headteacher by CEO/Trust Board
Sponsor Board member (including Chair and Vice Chair) Max 7 4 years By the Cumbria Education Trust Board resolution
Parent Board member 2 3 years Seconded parent volunteer -applications to be considered by Cumbria Education Trust Board Directors.*

*If there are more than 2 applications, an election will take place with all parents eligible to vote
Staff Board member 1 3 years Staff election**

** If only one member of staff is nominated they are automatically elected

Kelly Pattison – LAB Chair (Safeguarding Lead)

Kelly Pattison is a communications officer at University of Cumbria.

Prior to this full-time role Kelly enjoyed a 20-year career in local journalism here in Cumbria. From apprentice to holding key roles at Cumbrian Newspapers, Kelly reported on a wide range of local, national and international issues, events and news affecting the county and its residents. Kelly was education reporter for the award-winning News & Star and The Cumberland News for over a decade, a role in which she helped stage the annual Golden Apple Awards that recognise heroes of education, skills and learning in Cumbria.

Kelly and her husband both volunteer at Newtown Primary School where their daughter is a pupil. Kelly helps at breakfast club and is member of the Friends of Newtown School committee.

In her spare time Kelly is a PCC member of a Carlisle church and is a chaperone for children at a Carlisle theatre group. She enjoys getting outdoors to walk, run and swim, and spending time with family and friends.

Lorrayne Hughes – Chief Executive

Lorrayne is the Chief Executive of Cumbria Education Trust, the county’s largest multi-academy school trust.

Lorrayne took up her first Headship at William Howard School in Brampton in 2007 and in 2014 was commissioned by the Local Authority to bring about rapid improvement in two special measures schools in Workington. One of the schools was removed from Special Measures within 20 weeks.

She has led CET since inception to its current position where it is responsible for the education of more than 4,000 children across three secondary schools, eight primaries and West Coast Sixth Form.

Lorrayne passionately believes in inclusion and that all young people deserve a high-quality education. Children are firmly at the heart of all her strategic decision-making.
All schools work closely together following Lorrayne’s lead that collaboration can make a difference to all involved, from pupils and students to staff and their communities.

Lorrayne is a board member of the Confederation of School Trusts, the sector body for school trusts.

Deborah Shaw – Lead Director

Deborah has a long career in Human Resources both in professional services and financial services. An honours graduate of St Andrews University and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, she was the Head of HR and member of the Executive Committee for a number of years in a UK private bank headquartered in London. She developed and delivered the HR strategy through a period of acquisitions and digital transformation, before retiring from full-time employment in 2020. With a strong background in governance and remuneration, Deborah also championed flexible working, corporate social responsibility and diversity in the workplace. Now spending time on consultancy and trustee work and splitting family time between homes in Lancashire and Cumbria, Deborah and her family have a long history of enjoying the Cumbrian fells. She is a regular runner, cyclist and walker, hobbies which she shares with her husband and has passed on to their two sons.

Brought up near Edinburgh she comes from a family with many varied roles in education. She has always involved herself with her sons’ schools and has maintained links with their former senior school supporting older students with career advice and interview skills practice. She is a strong believer in the value to be gained from links between schools, communities and business and is delighted to be able to use her background and professional knowledge in support of the Cumbria Education Trust.

Gemma Brierley – Executive Headteacher

After completing a BA (Hons) Primary Education in Newcastle, Gemma began her teaching career at a large primary school in South East London. Over the next twenty years Gemma taught across 3 other schools in Kent, including serving as a Headteacher for the last five years in school that was transformed under her leadership.

Following her family’s relocation to Cumbria in October 2020 Gemma joined CET in November as the Headteacher of Yewdale Primary School.

Mhairi Roberts – Headteacher

Mhairi joined the teaching team at Yewdale Primary School, then became Assistant Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher and Interim Head of School, before becoming Headteacher at Newtown Primary School.

Mhairi works hard to ensure that children become confident, independent learners and believes that all children should be given the support they need to realise their potential.

Naomi Hodgson – Staff LAB member

Naomi is proud to have worked at Newtown as a Teaching Assistant for the last 5 years. This is the first and only school she has worked at so it has a very special place in her heart. Naomi is thrilled to be part of the Newtown LAB and the start of our journey with Cumbria Education Trust. She hopes her role in being staff LAB member helps improve an already fantastic school. Naomi is passionate about providing every single child with the best possible education and opportunities to help them reach their potential. She thinks school should be a safe and enjoyable place for pupils.

Naomi is a Mum to a 4 year old who keeps her very busy. He motivates and inspires her every day!

Louise Lund – LAB member – Vice Chair

Originally from West Yorkshire, Louise settled down in Carlisle some 20+ years ago to embark on her career as an Environmental Professional. She is now proud to work for the Environment Agency as a Nuclear Regulator.

Louise is passionate about both the environment and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). Believing that all children should be empowered to realise their potential, no matter how great or small,  to making their communities and environment a better place to live in.
Louise’s son is a Year 6 pupil at Newtown and she is really pleased to be able to support his school as it works to achieve the best outcomes for all pupils.

Lydia Hulme – LAB member

Lydia has worked for the NHS in Carlisle since 2019 both in corporate and patient facing roles. In her current role as a Social Prescriber, she is an advocate for improved health and wellbeing outcomes for all residents of Carlisle.

In her free time, Lydia volunteers for Guide Dogs for the blind as well as providing accessibility consulting services on a freelance basis.

Becoming a parent made her want to learn more about the education system and the governance that sits alongside the taught curriculum. She has a particular interest in the EYFS provision as well as the leadership and development of the school’s staff.

LAB members in the previous 12 months:

  • Christine Bowditch – 05/05/23
  • Jennifer Wilkins – 20/06/23

  • Judith Chandler – 20/06/23

Should you require any meeting minutes from previous years, please do not hesitate to contact Leanne Coats, Clerk to the LAB, at lcoats@cumbriaeducationtrust.org.