Governor Profiles

Dr A Langman – Chair of Academy Committee

Adam has served as a Governor since 2005 and was Deputy Chair before being elected Chair in 2016. His two sons both studied successfully at John Spence. With the eldest being gifted and talented and the youngest having special educational needs Adam has experienced the full range of curriculum and pastoral support that the school offers. He initially relocated to the North East in 1984 to study for his PhD in Mining Engineering at Newcastle University. Adam then entered the world of finance with KPMG and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales. He has worked in the property, leisure and care sectors and is currently Finance Director at The Exchange 1856 a venue offering theatre, bar & restaurant and office space in the heart of North Shields.

Ms J Clifford Swan – Vice Chair of Academy Committee

Joanne has been involved in education in the North East for her entire career, qualifying as a primary teacher in 1985. After a number of senior leadership and Local Authority advisory roles, Joanne joined the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) team at Northumbria University in 2011, going on to lead teacher training at Northumbria for a number of years. As part of Ofsted’s external advisory group, she contributed to the design of the current inspection framework for ITE. In partnership with the National Literacy Trust, Joanne also led a project to support reading for pleasure in schools in challenging socio-economic areas. Having left Northumbria in 2022, Joanne now works in a quality assurance capacity with teacher training providers across the country. Joanne is currently Chair of Trustees at Prosper Learning Trust, a small specialist multi academy trust, based in the North East, having previously been a governor of Newcastle Bridges School, the founding school of the trust. Joanne is also a member of the NEP SCITT management committee, based at John Spence.

Mrs P Blyth

Pat has worked within the public and private education sector for over 30 years. Until June 2018 she was Head of Apprenticeships and Employer Engagement at Tyne Metropolitan College. From July 2018 she worked at Sage Gateshead where she was responsible for Creative Apprentices at Cultural venues from Berwick to Teesside. She also assisted with recruitment and progress of all Apprentices at Sage Gateshead which included Finance, Catering, IT and Creative. These Apprenticeships ranged from Level 2 (GCSE equivalent) to Degree Level. Pat recently retired during the lockdown. Pat has been a governor at John Spence Community High School since 2016 and is particularly interested in Curriculum, Employer Engagement and progress into sustainable employment and training for students.

Mrs L Eyres

Laura joined the board of governors for John Spence in February 2024. She lives in North Shields and is a mother of two young boys.
Laura has over 15 years of experience in graphic design and photography services. She has worked in many different industries such as retail, events, education, catering, care, and creative services. During her time as a playground design manager, Laura developed a passion for inclusive user experience design. Now, Laura is a Senior UX/UI Designer for retail systems. She concentrates on creating sympathetic digital experiences that are easy to use and which support business solutions. She is excited to help the children, parents and teachers at John Spence in nurturing a better, stronger and happier community for future generations.

Mrs V Reid

Vicky joined the board of governors for John Spence in July 2024. She is a Social Worker with over 25 years of experience working with children and young people. Vicky began her career working in residential schools with children with disabilities, then completed her social work degree and began working in Child Protection. After the birth of her son, Vicky joined the NSPCC where she worked until 2021. She now works in Newcastle as an Education Supervising Social Worker, providing support to the Designated Safeguarding Leads in schools. Vicky was a pupil at John Spence over 28 years ago and her son currently attends – with strong ties to the school and community, alongside her experience of working with children, young people and their families, Vicky is looking forward to her role as a governor of the school.