Meet Our Governors

Lee is a construction professional working as Head of Design for a UK based national building contractor, with a primarily Architectural background he has been involved in the delivery of a wide range of projects throughout the UK, Europe and Middle East over the past 20 years.

Lee’s son is at Wellington Eagles Primary Academy. Bringing experience of governance and business strategy from the private sector, Lee is excited to learn, support and contribute collaboratively in his Parent Governor role.

Gemma has been working with young people and teachers in secondary schools for 20 years as a science teacher, Lead Practitioner and Assistant Headteacher. She has led in pastoral, departmental and staff development roles in this time with specialisms in teaching and learning, staff development, curriculum and attendance.

Additionally, Gemma is a trained therapist to adults and young people to help them realise their potential in a sustainable way; prioritising good mental health, understanding stress and overwhelm, and gaining agency. She works with BRIYM: Building Resilience In Young Minds and is Director of The WAY, a leadership development program with BRIYM in emotional intelligence and mental health resilience to support leaders to remain and thrive in the education sector.

She is a mother of two boys, and to rest and replenish Gemma enjoys running in the countryside and sings acapella in a vocal group called Avenue. She is also a CFAV with Brakenhale Combined Cadet Force (Army) in Bracknell. Gemma is committed to supporting schools in getting the best out of young people and young people in getting the best out of school; they can and deserve to leave with more than just great academic outcomes.

Sue has been a Detective Sergeant in the Metropolitan Police Service for 24 years working for the last 10 years in the Department for Professional Standards. She is married to a Royal Engineer Officer who has just left the Army after 38 years service and they live on the military patch near the school. Sue is currently on a career break and is now working in her Reserve role Full time for the Army in the Service Complaints Department. 

Sue’s children are both at secondary school now, but she was previously a parent governor at a primary school they attended when they were younger, and she remains interested in education. She is looking forward to her role as a community governor with responsibility for Safeguarding. 

Rupert Whitelegge has had a full career in the Army, and his family put its roots down in the local area 15 years ago. Currently Commander Tidworth, Netheravon and Bulford Garrison, he became a Governor for the first time in Jul 23. With a Garrison of 12000 Service People and 9000 of their family members in 3500 military houses, there is a deep connection between the Army and the Wellington Primaries which can be used for the good of all in the community.

Carl Riva served 22 years in the Corps of Royal Engineers, fulfilling many different and varied roles. After leaving the Armed Forces he took on the role of the Health and Safety Manager for a college in West Berkshire. During his time there and learning how the education sector works, he decided to expand his knowledge and took on other roles such as Career Coach for 16 to 19 years old.

With his daughters enrolled at the Wellington Academy, Carl was delighted to take on the role of a parent governor and be part of that building block to help develop the school going forward.

I left Gillingham School in North Dorset in 1974 and went to Bradford University, West Yorkshire to study for a Pharmacy Degree, it was a sandwich course so during the four year course I spent six months in Worthing working for Beecham Research Laboratories and a second six month period in the pharmacy department at Torbay Hospital, Torquay. In the summer of 1978, I graduated and qualified as a pharmacist and went to work for Boots in Bristol, initially as a relief manager and then as manager of two pharmacies in the Bristol area. In 1985 my wife and myself bought the pharmacy in Tidworth which was then on Station Road about 7 years later we also bought the pharmacy in Ludgershall which was then on Andover Road, now the Chinese Restaurant.  We owned and managed both pharmacies until we sold the business in 2019 having moved both shops to beside the two Health Centres in Tidworth and Ludgershall during this time. Soon after we retired Covid struck we both went back to help out, I eventually finished working two and a half years ago!
From 1985 I have been a Town Councillor for Tidworth and since retiring I have been more involved and also I was a member of Wiltshire Local Pharmaceutical Committee for more than twenty years.
Earlier this year I applied  to join  Wellington Primary Schools as a Governor as my Mother and Sister were both primary school teachers ,I know a  little about the hard work that teachers do.
Recently I was elected as a Governor for Salisbury Hospital for the Kennet Area.