Barbara Murray

Designated NLG: July 2016barbara-murray

Contact Details: barbara.murray79@gmail.com

Current Governance Roles:

School: Blueberry Park Primary School, Liverpool (Chair)
Governor since: 2007
Ofsted: May 2012 (good)

School: Enterprise South Liverpool Academy (secondary)
Governor since: 2011
Ofsted: October 2014 (inadequate – special measures)

Other Relevant Experience:

  • Teacher 1991 – 2004
  • Staff Governor – Wheathill Special School 1997-2000
  • Teacher Governor Liverpool Schools Organisation 1998-1999
  • Elected member in Yew Tree ward in Liverpool since 2007
  • Member Education Select Committee 2007 – 2010
  • Member Audit and Governance Select Committee
  • Assistant Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services for Liverpool Council 2010 – 2015
  • Chair and member of Liverpool SACRE
  • Council of Governors at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital
  • Lead member for Performance and Strategy at Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority
  • BA (Hons) Philosophy, Liverpool University
  • PGCE (Primary Art Specialism), Liverpool University
  • SENTRAC, Manchester University
  • Multimedia Designers (Post Graduate), Liverpool University
  • Creative Partnerships, Advanced Creatives Course
  • Emotional First Aid / Mental Health trainer
  • Teacher from 1991 to 2004 mainly in SEN schools for pupils with emotional and behavioural needs and supply in many secondary schools on Merseyside

Deployment Experience:

(1) Appointed to a primary school by Local Authority to lead the first Interim Executive Board in Liverpool. The school was in special measures, the governors had been dismissed and the school was in danger of being closed. The school underwent a change of leadership, staffing restructure and rigorous performance was introduced to improve the quality of teaching. The school was judged SATISFACTORY and came out of measures in 2010. A SGB was then instated and a year later became the FBG. The school was judged GOOD in 2012.

(2) Appointed to an Academy by Local Authority which was an amalgamation of two secondary schools in Liverpool. The schools were successfully amalgamated in a new £27m multi-faith Academy in 2012, however, the Academy was judged INADEQUATE in 2014. The leadership of the school has changed three times since 2014 and there have been several staff restructures. The Academy has recently formed a Multi
Academy Trust with another secondary Academy. The school has recently undergone a section 5 Ofsted Inspection and was judged as RI. I am a member of the Challenge Board that will continue to oversee and monitor progress at the school.

Areas of Expertise:

  • Supporting schools in challenging circumstances
  • Raising standards and attainment of pupils
  • Literacy
  • Safeguarding
  • Special Educational Needs
  • Behaviour Management

Other relevant information

  • PGCE (Art Specialism), Liverpool University 1990
  • SENTRAC, Manchester University 2002
  • Post Graduate Multimedia Digital Design, Liverpool University 2004
  • Creative Partnerships Advanced Creative Practitioner 2006
  • Emotional First Aid and Connect 5 Mental Health trainer 2014
  • Youth Connect 5 Mental Health trainer for parents 2017
  • Chair and member of Liverpool SACRE ongoing
  • Member of the Council of Governors at Alder Hey Foundation Trust Children’s Hospital ongoing

Available to Conduct Reviews of Governance?

Yes, training completed Oct 2016