Meet the Governors
Tim Smith (Chair of Governors)
I became a governor at Shakespeare in early 2022. I am a lawyer and worked in the Court Service for 40 years until I retired in 2018. Leaving work allowed me time to explore other interests, in particular involvement in the community as a school governor - albeit that, with two children well into their 20s, my knowledge of primary education was rather dated. My introduction to the role came at Knowle in 2019 and during my time there I have worked closely with Mr Lancaster and seen much positive progress. It was a great privilege to then be invited to join the governor team at Shakespeare. From my first visit, I was impressed by the super facilities, and felt the infectious enthusiasm of all the staff. It was lovely to hear the excited buzz of children clearly enjoying everything that the school has to offer. In turbulent times, it's a pleasure to be connected with such a vibrant and positive place and, with our strong team of governors, I look forward to playing a part in the school's progress in the years ahead.
Linda Ludlow (Vice Chair of Governors)
I joined the Shakespeare team in the spring of 2022 with the hope of bringing new energy to the Governing team and to support the leadership team pending the imminent Ofsted inspection. I retired from full time service in the Royal Navy after 22 years as an Aviation & Maritime Forecaster (or weather forecaster!) in 2020 to now be a Reservist and focus on being a Mummy whilst volunteering as a governor at Knowle Primary and be an active committee member on my children’s school PTFA. I have 2 children Abigail (11) and Marcus (7) and love event management, raising money for our schools and being part of the fun events that schools offer. I’m sporty and love getting involved with encouraging the children on the field with Athletics, Netball and Cross Country, as well as being a Royal Navy STEM Ambassador. I’m hoping to bring my leadership, team skills and motivation to support Shakespeare’s staff and students and look forward to giving children the best school experiences and learning that we can offer. My Champion subjects include Pupil Premium and EYFS.
Cameron Lancaster (Executive Headteacher)
I have been an Executive Headteacher at Shakespeare Primary School since January 2022. I took on the role of Executive Headteacher from the long standing Headteacher who had served the school since it's opening in 2009. I am honoured to be the strategic leader in this setting and oversee the rapid changes that our school has seen take place. As a serving Ofsted Inspector and current Director of Education for the Learning Academies Trust, I bring a breadth of leadership knowledge and expertise to the leadership team at Shakespeare. I have a passion for supporting the most vulnerable pupils in our community and develop the whole child. Outside of my working life, I am father to two wonderful children of nursery and primary school age. Weekends and holidays are filled with sporting activities and family time.
Courtney Lobban (Head of School)
I am delighted to be appointed as Head of School at Shakespeare Primary School starting in September 2023. My previous roles include being an Assistant Headteacher, Executive Improvement Lead and I will remain a Plymouth Lead in Education (PLE) specialising in Early Years. I have taught in Plymouth and in London in a range of schools including specialist provision. I am passionate about all children receiving an outstanding education offer and I am excited to build on the amazing work taking place at Shakespeare - where all achieve greatness. Outside of school I have a 15 year old son (Tyler) and a small dog (Alice). Together, we love exploring the outside and enjoying the beautiful coasts that Devon and Cornwall have to offer.
Father David Bailey (Co-opted Governor)
I am delighted to be on the local governing body at Shakespeare Primary School. I have been Parish Priest at St Francis Church Honicknowle since February 2008 and for most of that time I have also been a governor at another local primary school. I have extensive experience as a governor in our local community. I regard my role as a governor as an essential part of my ministry as a priest; it gives me many opportunities to support and serve the local community. One of the Church’s priorities is to “serve the people of Devon with joy” and being a governor enables me to do this personally and also to encourage and enable the local church community to do so. My particular interests are religious education (naturally!), literacy, history, the health, safety and well being of children, families and staff, social justice and community development. I worked as a priest in South Africa for 20 years before coming to Plymouth, where I was involved in a number of schools and for a time chaired a committee responsible for school safety in situations of violence and a place of safety for orphaned, abandoned and abused children. I hope that my experiences there have been of help in my work as a governor at Shakespeare.
James Lloyd (Co-opted Governor)
I qualified as a teacher in 2016 and have taught within primary schools in Devon as well as teaching music at a secondary school in Cornwall. I now work within nuclear training at Babcock, and am keen to continue my involvement in primary education and the local community by becoming a governor.
I feel passionate about learning journeys, Pupil Premium and happy learners. I look forward to bringing both my experience from teaching and from my current role, particularly around attention to detail, governance and my links to the STEM curriculum to support the school community.
In my spare time I am a musician, and enjoy exploring the Southwest countryside with my wife and dog Bertie.
Meryl Orkney (Staff Governor)
Having been the Office Manager at Shakespeare since 2010 my responsibilities involves administration, finance, HR, estates management and supporting staff, parents and pupils. Prior to joining Shakespeare, I have had many positions including Quantity Surveyor, Accountancy and Business Management. The knowledge and experience I have gained in these roles have supported my position here at Shakespeare.
I enjoy working with the excellent staff at Shakespeare Primary School and admire their dedication and professionalism. I look forward to working alongside the other governors to help support the school’s progress.
On a personal note I have two children who are currently away at university and In my spare time I love walking my dog and travelling.