'High quality school governance is one of the most powerful levers we have to lift standards in our school and the life chances of the students in them.' 

                                                                                                                                             Lord Nash

Governors at our school provide confident, strategic leadership and create robust accountability, oversight and assurance for educational and financial performance. 

They have three core functions:

• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction of Daisyfield Primary School;
• Holding the Headteacher to account for the educational performance at Daisyfield and its pupils, and the effective and efficient performance management of staff; and 
• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure money is well spent

At the present time, we do not collect and publish information about the diversity of our governing body.

For further information on how to become a governor please click on the link: How to become a governor.

Governor Attendance 2023/24

Meet Our Governors

Mr Sid Rifai

Chair of Governors elected 5/6/23

Co-opted Governor

Appointed Spring 2018

Term of office ends 30/09/26

My name is Sayed Rifai (Sid). I have had a long connection with Daisyfield Primary school going back nearly 30 years. My children attended Daisyfield and are now in their thirties. I had been a governor at Daisyfield for quite a few years while my children attended the school but I had to give it up due to work commitments.

I was fortunate a few years ago to be able to re-join the governing body after my circumstances became more attuned.  I am now retired, but until recently I was employed at a local wallpaper company which has close links with the local community.

I believe that schools should have high expectations no matter what the starting point of the children. The expectation should extend to everyone who works in our school so they strive to discover and develop the children’s talents to enable them to be the best they can be. I hope I provide both a challenge and support to the head teacher and staff as they work to achieve the best outcomes for all of our children.

Mrs Lisa Banks

Headteacher - ex officio

Appointed April 2023

I'm Lisa Banks, Headteacher at Daisyfield Primary School. The majority of my teaching career has been in schools with a similar context to Daisyfield which is one of the reasons I wanted to be the headteacher here. Our children deserve the best education possible and I am committed to making sure that this is what the receive during their time here. 

Outside of school life, I enjoy spending quality time with my husband, two children and our dog at our caravan in Wales. I love reading and can often be found with my head in a book or a work email. I am currently reading a book that one of our governors has given me called 'The Little Village School' by Gervase Phinn. Whilst the school in the story is set in a village, there are many similarities to our school. 

Mrs Pat Fowler

Vice Chair of Governors elected 5/9/23

Co-opted Governor

Re-appointed 27/04/22

Term of office 27/4/22 - 26/4/26

I was born in Sale, Cheshire and then trained to be a teacher in Liverpool, where I met my husband, David, who was training to be an architect. When we had both qualified we moved to Blackburn which was his home town. I taught in several schools in Liverpool, Blackburn and Accrington.

In 1985 I was appointed as the Headteacher of Daisyfield, a post I held for 20 years before retiring in 2005. Daisyfield  is a very special school and I loved my time working there. The children, staff and families have always meant a great deal to me, so I was particularly pleased when I was asked to take on the role of school governor.

Following my retirement I was appointed as magistrate, working mainly in the Blackburn courts. This was a very new role that I found to be very interesting. In my spare time I enjoy travelling, walking and swimming. I also spend as much time as possible on the canals in our narrowboat.

Mr Riyaz Patel

Associate Governor

Appointed Autumn 2004

Term of office ends 29/9/26

I lived in Daisyfield for nearly 20 years, both my sons attended Daisyfield. I have been a governor at Daisyfield for almost 20 years. I am a civil servant by day and teacher at my local mosque in the evenings. It is a great honour to serve the school and give whatever I can to the community.
I greatly believe these children are the future of our community and investing in them with good solid primary education will help them achieve great things as valued members of our society.
To achieve this requires giving support to the teaching staff and leadership team to push and challenge the pupils to the best of their abilities.

Mr Shakeel Basharat

Co-opted Governor

Appointed Spring 2001

Term of office ends 30/09/26

Hello, I'm the vice chair of the governing body, I have been a governor for over 20 years, first as a parent governor and now a co-opted governor. I work in the community, many of you will have seen me out and about.

Daisyfield has an excellent ethos for teaching and learning, this is lead through by the SLT and the teachers, and is proven by the success of our children have when they leave Daisyfield, and attend high school, college, university and as an adult into industry. 

I am proud and privileged to be part of Daisyfield school, in laying the foundations for great and successful futures of our current children and generations to come."

Miss Farzana Sidat

Local Authority Governor 

Term of office 1/12/21 - 30/11/25

My name is Farzana Sidat and I am a former Primary School Teacher. My passion for wanting to work with children stemmed from a very young age and I was very keen on wanting a role which allowed me to make a positive difference in the lives of children. Becoming a teacher was fitting as it presented me with vast opportunities in ensuring children had a good education and the support required in order to achieve their dream. I now work with a local charity in Blackburn (IMO Charity) as their Community Development and Resilience Lead and this role further allows me to work with a vast age range of young people as well as adults in ensuring they have access to many provisions that allow for a better quality of life.

Mr Suhail Valli

Parent Governor 

Appointed Autumn 2010 re-elected

Term of office 10/2/23 - 10/02/26

Mrs Tahira Ramzan

Staff Governor

Appointed 11/9/23 

Term of office 11/9/23 - 11/9/27

Mrs Bernie Kaye

Co-opted Governor

Appointed 9/10/23

Term of office 9/10/23 - 9/10/27

Ms Rahima Solkar

Co-opted Governor

Appointed 17/10/23

Term of office 17/10/23 - 17/10/27

Mr Ahmed Deshmukh

Parent Governor

Term of office 10/2/23 - 10/2/26

My name is Ahmed Deshmukh, I have recently taken up the position as parent governor. I am born and raised in Blackburn, and spent many a weekend playing football on the all weather pitch, that is now the KS2 playground. 

Having come from a working class family, and being a second generation British Asian, I have much in common with the children that attend the school today. I see the language barriers faced by parents in the understanding of the children’s curriculum, I believe I can play a key role in breaking these barriers. I believe every child no matter what background they come from should have the same opportunity to progress and become whatever they want to be. As a school it is our responsibility to make sure that every child can realise what they are capable of and to nurture that potential.   

With a strong background in Science and Mathematics, as well as a passion for Technology, I feel I can assist in the ambitions we have for the children at Daisyfield.

As an optician by trade, I also understand the role health and wellbeing plays in the life of a child, and will champion this to the best of my abilities.  

In summary as a Blackburn lad, I have come from the same humble beginnings as most of the children that attend Daisyfield Primary School, and I see no reason why they cannot go on become the Leaders, Doctors, Opticians, Dentists, Engineers or Teachers of the future. I am here to challenge the norm and help the children in any way that I can.  

Mrs Kelly Preston

Co-opted Governor

Term of office 27/4/23 - 27/4/27

I am a Business Manager in a primary school in Lancashire. I manage the school budget, HR and administration. I also have experience in the areas of health and safety, site, GDPR and governance. I have worked in education for over 15 years, in high schools, multi academy trusts and now at primary level. I feel my strengths are in finance/ budgets and management of school administration systems. I have 3 children of my own, ranging from 5 to 14, so I have a good understanding of what is expected from parents and the importance of good relationships and communication.

Left in the last 12 months 

Tasneem Moulvi 

3/2/19 - 3/2/23 (Parent Governor)

Kimberley Barnes 

10/2/23 re-elected as (Staff Governor) - 31/8/23