Governing BodyGoverning Body

Our Governing Body

Norma Collin has had a career in the education and social care sector for many years, building her experience of working with children and families in a variety of settings. She has run her own Day Care centre and been a senior manager of a group of day nurseries.

The skills and knowledge that her experience has helped her to develop is broad and comprehensive, including recruitment, training, staff supervision, behaviour management, additional learning needs, mental health management and wellbeing of staff and children. She’s also proficient in managing budgets and using data and information to analyse trends and set targets.

Norma has three children at Ysgol Treffynnon and has seen first-hand the commitment and passion from school leaders and staff to develop students’ resilience and determination to realise their aspirations.

Norma says, “I feel I have the transferable skills which, alongside a parent’s perspective, can make a positive difference and help the school achieve its aim to become outstanding.”

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Jane Berry is an ex-pupil of Ysgol Y Fron and Ysgol Treffynnon (formally Holywell High School) from 1990 to 2000 after settling in to live in the local area at the age of 6. Leaving school early, Jane returned to education in 2005 and completed an Access to Higher Education Course followed by a 2:1 BA Hons Degree in Education and Childhood Studies from Glyndwr University. Jane began working in the charitable sector in 2009 supporting people with mental health and substance misuse to be empowered and have a voice in the services they receive. In 2015, Jane returned to Glyndwr University whilst working full time and completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Education to become a qualified higher education teacher.

Jane commenced working for the NHS and currently works for CAMHS as a Patient Experience Lead. Jane’s role within CAMHS is responsible for ensuring health services include the voices of children and young people in the development, monitoring and evaluation of services. This involves working within a framework of youth leadership that engages and empowers children and young people to participate in what matters most to them. Jane is a champion of Children’s Rights and passionate that adults inspire and support children and young people to know and claim their rights. Jane is currently studying a Master’s Degree in Children and Young People’s Participation and Leadership and hopes that this learning will strengthen her knowledge and guidance in both her working role and as a Community Governor. 

Jane has one daughter currently in Ysgol Treffynnon in Year 11 and an older daughter who left Ysgol Treffynnon in 2021 following completing her GCSE’s and now has a career in Engineering with Airbus. Jane is passionate about supporting Ysgol Treffynnon to continue and build on its successes and in providing excellent opportunities for future generations.  

Lisa Cust is a Police Constable in the Flintshire area. She was a response officer for sixteen years and now uses that experience in her role with the Neighbourhood Policing Team.

She works closely with many external agencies who help to support her work with young people. Witnessing first-hand the problems that the younger generation are dealing with has helped Lisa develop an intimate understanding of the difficulties they encounter and she has an insight into what can be done to deal with these issues.

Lisa firmly believes that school, working closely with families and others, can provide young people with the support and guidance that will help them overcome their challenges and be successful in whatever they commit themselves to. Along with other parents, she actively supports her daughter’s dance school, getting involved in fund raising and social events, and can testify to the positive impact that supportive families can have on their children’s prospects.

As an ex pupil of our High School, Lisa is passionate about making a difference to the lives of the young people of Holywell and the wider communities the school serves.

Lisa says, “I relish the opportunity to be involved in Ysgol Treffynnon’s improvement journey and will be a proactive and effective governor. I want to help the school build on the great work that’s been done over the last year and become the excellent school it’s aiming to be. I firmly believe that if we all work together, the outcomes for our children in the next few years will be outstanding.”

Steve Doleman is a former Holywell High pupil who, after leaving school, served an apprenticeship in printing before joining North Wales Fire and Rescue Service. He has been a full-time firefighter since 2002. It’s a demanding role which involves working closely with colleagues and the other emergency services to respond to the needs of the community. In this respect, his teamworking skills are at a premium.

His fire safety role, together with his knowledge of the local communities, has given him opportunities to develop an insight into the problems and sometimes struggles that families have to deal with on a regular basis.

He is local man who built up his experience of school governance before joining the Ysgol Treffynnon governors, serving the Board of Ysgol Bro Carmel, one of our partner primary schools, since 2013.

He has a son in Year 9 and two younger children who are yet to make the transition to their secondary education. He has a passion for sports and during his formative years at high school he played football for Wrexham F.C and Tranmere Rovers. His weekends are now spent coaching his eldest son’s football team and watching his younger sons play.

Steve says, “I want to be a part of the team that helps develop the excellent standards the school is aiming for. Holywell and the surrounding districts deserve to have a school we can all be proud of. As a parent as well as a governor I want to encourage all of us to make that a reality.”

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I am a former Holywell High School Student, who then went on to Bangor University to complete a Degree in Business Admin.

After completing my Degree, I started work in Finance and then went on to work in the Leisure Industry where I worked for 20 years. Most of that time I spent managing several Fitness Suites in the area. Working within the leisure industry led to me to working with people of different ages, backgrounds and abilities which made every day unique. I specialised for several years working with clients from cardiac rehabilitation and managed the county referral scheme for a period of time. The time I spent working in this area was so rewarding, as you could see the difference you made in people’s lives being part of their recovery and health development.

After making a career move to Ysgol Treffynnon, I started in February 2022 as the school’s Attendance Officer, to then moving into a new role within the school as the Safeguarding Support Officer in November 2022.

I pride myself on my professional nature and being part of the team here at Ysgol Treffynnon. My appointment to Governors is an extra exciting opportunity to be part of the bigger picture and part of the whole school development.

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I attended St David's High School in Wrexham, before attending Yale Sixth Form College. I worked as a Civil Servant for 2 years in the Department for Social Security, as a Finance Officer and then as an Administrative Officer.  This brought me face-to-face working with the public and inspired me to want to help and support others. I gave up this job to study for a BEd Honours Degree in PE and Maths at St Paul's & St Mary's College, Cheltenham (now the University of Gloucestershire).  I have worked in education for almost 30 years. During this time, I have worked across both England and Wales, in both mainstream education and in specialist provisions in Flintshire and Cheshire, including teaching within a Children's Care Home and Young Offenders Institute in Nantwich. I was a county instructor for positive physical intervention within both Counties for many years.

I have previously been a teacher governor whilst working as the Head of Centre within Flintshire’s Portfolio Pupil Referral Unit. I joined Ysgol Treffynnon in September 2019 as part of the ALN Department and I am very proud to be part of the school. As the ALNCo/Assistant Head, I am very passionate about education for all young people regardless of their needs. I work relentlessly to improve the outcomes for the students in our school and hope that by representing the teachers of Ysgol Treffynnon as a governor, I will be able to contribute towards even greater success for the community of Ysgol Treffynnon.  I pride myself on my integrity, professionalism, honesty, and reliability, all traits, I feel, are important for the role of governor. 

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Ex-student of St Richard Gwyn High School

Married to Sue, with 3 teenage children

John began his teaching career in St Joseph’s College all boys Catholic High School (1200 students) in London where he was quickly promoted to KS3 Science Co-ordinator. After 2 years he moved to Sawtry Community College (900 students), a mixed non-denominational high school in Huntingdonshire, as Head of Chemistry and later as Second in Science and Head of Year. After 3 years he moved to an International English School in Kuwait – the Gulf English School (2000 students) – as Head of Science, and became a Senior leader in only his second year.

It was in Kuwait that he met his wife. They had both travelled nearly 4,000 miles from home, while their families lived only an hour apart in the UK! He drove from Kuwait to the UK twice in the 6 years he lived there, taking 4-5 weeks to drive across most of the middle east. His many adventures ranged from having automatic rifles pointed at his face whilst travelling along the Jordan-Israeli border, to being invited to swim in sulphur pools with local Syrians in the town of Palmyra… sadly most of which has been destroyed over recent conflicts and tragically so many of the people killed. After the birth of his daughter, the second gulf conflict started and having a new family changed John’s priorities, driving the decision to come back to the UK.

On his return he was offered a position at Holywell High School as a classroom teacher and, again, promotion came quickly with his appointment as Head of Chemistry by Christmas, Head of Science at the end of his first year and Assistant Head after 3 years. He completed his MA/MEd over the following years and after being asked to become Acting Head Teacher in January 2014, he completed his NPQH in May 2015. Appointment as the Head Teacher of Ysgol Treffynnon soon followed, in October 2015, and within a few months of accepting that position the school was inspected by Estyn.

In his first year as Head Teacher, the school recorded the best academic results in its history and in September 2016 the school moved into the current state-of-the art building, having relinquished the sixth form as part of Flintshire’s modernisation programme.
He has just completed his term as Chair of the Flintshire Secondary Head Teachers’ Federation.

John’s pride in being the Head Teacher of Ysgol Treffynnon is clearly evident to anyone who meets him. He is totally committed to ensuring that Ysgol Treffynnon earns the reputation of a great school and he and his team will work relentlessly to achieve the vision of ‘Aiming for Excellence’ in everything the school does.