Welcome to the Winhills Primary Academy website.

Winhills is part of a family of 15 schools in the Diamond Learning Partnership Trust; 6 in the St Neots hub, 6 in the Fenland hub, 1 in Peterborough and 2 in Royston.

The Local Governing Body (LGB) meets every term to discuss Winhills specific matters. In addition to this, we have termly Standards meeting where, alongside our sister schools, we analyse our strengths and also the areas we need to improve on. We strive to offer the highest standards of education, care and guidance to the young people entrusted to our care.

We scrutinise data and results regularly and have access to the attainment and achievement of our pupils both within the taught curriculum and throughout their lives within the school; from Little Gems to when they leave us at the end of KS2.

We support our skilled and experienced staff; we care and challenge where under achievement exists.

The LGB members will be working very closely with the Head of School and support Academy events to celebrate their many achievements.

I will be meeting with the Head of School on a regular basis and am frequently in school; this gives me a useful insight into the life of the Academy. I also meet frequently with the Executive Headteacher l and am able to maintain a trust-wide perspective.

Below you will find information about those on the Winhills LGB. 

If you have any matters that you need to refer to the Local Governing Body, please write to me, Jim Malin, Chair of Winhills Primary Academy Local Governing Body, at the school address, or alternatively please contact;

Jackie Schad The Diamond Learning Partnership Trust Governance Manager and Board Clerk 

Email: jshad@diamondlearningtrust.com

Jim Malin

Chair of Winhills Primary Academy LGB

Jim Malin- Chair of the LGB

 I was brought up and went to school in St. Neots. I did an engineering apprenticeship at Bosch Rexroth limited (across the road from Winhills School), where I have been employed as an engineer for 38 years now. The company specialises in the design and manufacture of hydraulic systems which are used in a huge range of applications, such as JCB construction machines, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, heavy industry, offshore and many more. The huge variety of different applications is so interesting, it is the main reason I have stayed with the company all of my working life.

I undertake as much outreach work with schools and colleges as possible, as well as supporting engineering events for schools. We have engaged with several local schools, including all the year groups at Winhills, where we have spoken to the children about energy and forces and provided activity sessions at the school and visits to our factory. We also speak to the children about careers in engineering and job opportunities in industry.

I also led a project with year 12 engineering students at the JCB Academy in Staffordshire. Our company has been an industrial partner of the Academy since it opened in 2010 and the project is based on the hydraulic system of the London Eye.

I really enjoy working with young people; it is very hard work but also very rewarding (and challenging at times). Seeing them develop from school children into well-educated, well-rounded, well-behaved young people who are ‘ready for work’ is inspiring (and exactly what our country’s industry requires).

Carol Besant - Head Teacher

I have been teaching for 27 years and am proud to be the Headteacher of Winhills Primary Academy. I began my teaching career at Ramsey Spinning Infants, where I became Head of School. In November 2018, I joined the Diamond Learning Partnership Trust as Deputy Headteacher of Glebelands Primary. I moved to Middlefield Primary in January 2020 as Deputy Head and was appointed Headteacher in September 2020. In September 2025, I became Executive Headteacher of both Winhills and Middlefield Primary Academies.

Over the course of my career, I have taught across all year groups and have been committed to supporting both the development of pupils and the professional growth of teachers.

I am originally from a small town in Wales called Aberdare and still like to start each day by greeting the children with a cheerful “bore da!” Outside of school, I enjoy walking my dog Marvin, reading, and playing tennis with my husband.

Duncan Nelson- Deputy Head Teacher

I began my teaching career in 2004 after completing a BEd (Hons) in Primary Education. I have taught in five different primary school settings across all year groups, with the majority of my experience in Key Stage 2. Most of my teaching has been within mixed-year classes, giving me strong expertise in curriculum progression and adaptive teaching.

Since joining the DLPT in 2013, I have been a member of SLT and have helped lead schools through several Ofsted inspections. I have played a key role in developing teaching and learning, led mathematics as a core subject, and worked as a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE), supporting schools across the Trust and county.

In September 2023, I became Deputy Headteacher at Winhills, further developing my leadership within a larger school and a different demographic context. I firmly believe that all decisions within school should place children at the centre, ensuring the best possible education and opportunities for every learner.

Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my dog, Clark, visiting the theatre and cinema, and keeping fit—although early mornings and late evenings are not my preferred times to exercise.

Evelyn Fujar - Winhills Parent LGB Member

St Neots has been home to my family and me for the past ten years. I have three wonderful children of different ages, which makes life exciting and keeps me involved in every aspect of education.

Over the years, I have been active in the preschools and schools my children attended, serving on the committees and the PTA.

During my school years, I also actively volunteered for a national charitable organisation called Polish Humanitarian Action, which aims to alleviate human suffering and promote humanitarian values. As part of this work, I organised social campaigns, facilitating college educational workshops addressing, e.g., tolerance, racism, diversity and inclusion.

Over the past eight years, I have worked as a Business Simulations Manager and Executive Development Consultant at Cranfield University where, amongst other things,  I design, and deliver business simulations to executives and master students. I love working at a University with a strong heritage in engineering, which continues to have an incredible international presence in Management and STEM research. Working at the University enabled me to undertake outreach work with colleges across three counties: Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes. The Schools Business Challenge I organised for many years brought management skills to 16–18-year-olds, helping them connect studies with the industry. I enjoy working with students of all ages, from primary to Master's level.

Since I hold a Master's in Business Administration, I strive to use my personal and professional skills to contribute to the community. I passionately believe that every child should have equal opportunities in receiving an education and that a well-delivered education can give children the best start in life and enable the surrounding communities to thrive.

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