Joanna Goldthorpe
Left KSJ
1982
Next Steps
I left Helsby High school at age 16 and went straight into work at a travel agency. I later realised I’d made a mistake and went to Halton College in the evenings to complete A levels. I then attended Keele University, graduating in 1997 with a 2:1 in psychology and human resource management. I then became a chartered psychologist doing research into human behaviour and Public Health.
Where Are You Now, and what are you doing?
I now live in Manchester and have two grown up children and two teenage step children. I am married and also have a dog, a horse (my childhood dream) and 2 cats. After 20 years working as a University Researcher I recently joined Manchester City Council as the evaluation lead for “Making Manchester Fairer”, a Public Health programme that aims to reduce the health gap between the richest and poorest people in the city (on average, a man living in one of the poorest parts of Manchester will die 9 years earlier than someone in the richest part of the city). It is my job to make sure that what we do is based on evidence and that we are able to show how and why we make a difference.
Achievements You Are Proud Of?
Going back to education aged 21 and completing my PhD in Public Health in 2012. I am very proud of my children (Ella age 26; Joe aged 23) and step children (Mia aged 16; Joe aged 13). Ella is a Geography teacher, (big) Joe is a post graduate student, Mia has just finished high school and is about to go to college and (little) Joe is a good footballer and skate boarder.
A Memory From Your Time At KSJ
More than one: Being goal attack in the netball team, Mr Haddock’s guitar lessons and our school song “Kingsley St John’s” (sung to the tune of “Mull of Kintyre”), walking to church, winning the yearly disco dancing competition (think that was 1981) anyone who has seen me dance will not believe this!