Welcome to our Governors’ section. 

Please find below details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.

Meet Our Governors

Headteacher, Mrs Heather McGowan, was appointed in January 2015. She is the proud mother of two young boys. Heather is passionate about raising the aspirations and opportunities for the children of St Antony's in the light and love of Christ. 

The Year 4 class teacher, Mr Michael O'Brien, is our Staff Governor.  He has worked at St Antony's for over 1 year and joined the governing body in October 2023. Mr O'Brien's responsibilities within the governing body are science, sports/PE. He is on the Progress, health & well-being and admissions committees. 

Associate Governor, Mr Brian Souter retired five years ago after 42 years of teaching. For 25 years he was Deputy Headteacher at High Schools in Lancashire. Since his retirement, he has worked with the national charity, Debt Advice Foundation, developing their education programme. The programme teaches young people the skills necessary for good money management. Brian has been married for 43 years and has two children - he joined us as a governor in 2017. Brian is also Chair of Governors at All Saints CE Primary in Chorley. Brian's responsibility within the governing body is maths and science. He is an associate member of the progress, health & well-being, finance and the core group committees. 

Father Ged Barry is our Parish Priest and Chair of governors. Originally from Manchester, he is one ten children. He was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Salford in 1991. In 2001, he was seconded to Her Majesty's Prison Service where he spent 12 years as RC Chaplain in HMP Durham and HMP Full Sutton. He became Parish Priest of Holy Family and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour parishes in 2013. He was appointed by the diocese and has led the Core Group of governors in driving St Antony's forward since 2014. Father Barry is also a governor at two other Parish Schools; St Mary and St Joseph's RC Primary and is Vice Chair of Governors at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour RC Primary. Father Barry's responsibility within the governing body is history, able/gifted/talented/SEN, attendance and RE. 

Foundation Governor, Mrs Caroline Palmer, was appointed by the Diocese of Salford in October 2023. She attends St Joseph's RC Church. Mrs Palmer's responsibility within the governing body is safeguarding, Writing and Geography. She is on the progress, health & well-being, heads performance review and core group committees. 

AWAITING PICTURE OF SANDRA 

Foundation Governor, Mrs Sandra Botterill, was appointed by the Diocese of Salford in October 2023. She attends St Theresa's RC Church. Mrs Botterill's responsibility within the governing body is well-being (children in our care), health and safety and pupil premium. She is also the link governor. Mrs Botterill is on the progress, health and well-being, finance, admissions and core group committees. 

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Mrs Lauren Boyd is a Local Authority governor. She is Assistant Headteacher at our feeder high school, Our Lady and St John's College. Lauren's responsibility within the governing body is reading. She is part of the heads performance review committee. 

AWAITING PICTURE OF JOANNA

Joanna Gildart is one of our parent governors who was elected in Spring 2023. She is an active member of our FOSA (Friends of St Antony's) group and often leads meetings to organise events for the children. Joanna's responsibility within the governing body is SEND. She is on the progress, health & well-being committee. 

AWAITING PICTURE OF NAOMI

Naomi Clark is one of our parent governors who was elected in summer 2024. She has a child who attends this school. Naomi's responsibility within the governing body is early years. She is on the finance committee. 

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Mr Andy Jackson is an Associate Governor. He is Head of Year at Our Lady and St John's College. Andy is an associate member of the finance committee. 

Relationships and Pecuniary interests

St Antony's Governors are unrelated and none are married to each other.  The Governors declare a nil interest in respect of relationship and pecuniary interests.  

Voting rights

Associate members are not full Governors but can be appointed to serve on Committees.  They can attend meetings and can only vote on the Committee to which they have been elected.  These Associate members are appointed for the skills that they can bring to the Committee.