Meet our Governors here at Flushing School

In February 2025 I was delighted to take on the role of Chair of Governors, having become a co-opted governor at the end of 2024. I was previously a governor of both a village primary school very similar in size to Flushing, and a large Secondary school, where I was Chair of Finance.
I moved to Cornwall with my husband in 2019 from just outside Saffron Walden, south of Cambridge, where we had lived for almost 20 years. We moved into Flushing in May 2024.
In the 1980s I qualified as a Chartered Accountant at KPMG where I worked for 10 years and, amongst other things, was involved in training graduates. I am also a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation.
I have three grown up children and have juggled bringing them up with various roles; these include Operations Director of a charity, teaching music in primary schools, setting up a local cinema and being an advisor for Citizens Advice. My final career was as a secondary school maths teacher.
I hope that my breadth of experience will enable me to work with the rest of the governing body to provide support and strategic guidance to Flushing School.

Having lived in Cornwall all my life, I moved to Flushing with my husband in 2001. We were drawn to the village due to its proximity to the water, as we are both keen sailors, and because of the thriving local community, of which the school is a key part.
When we started a family in 2007, there was no question in our minds that they would attend the village school. It offers such a warm and friendly setting and gave my children the very best start to their educational journey.
Wanting to get more involved with all aspects of the school, I joined the governing body as a parent governor in 2014, helped out with phonics sessions one morning a week and was also the Treasurer of the Friends of Flushing School parent fundraising group for many years.
Although my children left the school in 2020, I have stayed on as a governor and have recently been appointed as the Chair of the Resources Committee. I am a qualified Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Advisor and have over 20 years of experience in the accountancy sector.

I have been a governor at Flushing School since 2005 and served as chair of governors from 2006 until recently. Previously I was a governor at Penryn College in the 1990’s.
My parents, my wife and I plus our son and two grandchildren have been pupils at Flushing and have always had the welfare of the school at heart.
The majority of my working life was spent with HM Coastguard as an operations room manager and latterly as Sector Manager. The SM role included the training and welfare of cliff rescue teams in South Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

I was very happy to be co-opted onto the governing body in November 2024 and I am part of the Quality of Education Committee. I was a primary school teacher in Devon and then Cornwall and for twelve years held the role as SENDCo in a large primary school. Two years ago, I had to give up working to support my daughter who is 23 and has complex disabilities. I also have a son who is 25.

I am thoroughly enjoying getting to know Flushing School and building relationships with staff, pupils and governors. I am very grateful to have this opportunity to share some of my experience and skills in such a wonderful environment.

As well as my particular interest in special educational needs, I enjoy anything creative, travelling and walking my dog.

Leslie Hygate
I am a retired teacher and my husband and I moved to Flushing nearly 20 years ago having enjoyed decades of family holidays by the sea. I enjoy gardening, swimming and watching cricket and tennis. We have 4 children and 10 grandchildren who all love to visit and reminisce about their camping and boating experiences. My faith, which resonates with the ethos of the school, gives me a passion for helping individuals navigate through life’s challenges with strength and resilience.

Revd Emma Durose - Oversight Minister for Penryn Benefice

I grew up locally in Point and went to Kea School, Penair and then Truro 6th Form Collage. I left Cornwall to study Music and English before taking a career change into Nursing and becoming a Health Visitor in a number of urban priority areas. I was ordained a Priest in the Church of England in 2010 and took up my current post as Oversight Minister for Penryn in November 2023. I live in Penryn with three of my four children who are now in their 20's, two dogs and two cats.