Meet the team at Talocher School

Michael Borland - Principal

Mike qualified as a social worker in 1982. Since then he has worked mainly within the children and families care sector of social services provision. Mike has worked in a number of local authorities, including a county council and various metropolitan boroughs as well as within the private and charitable sectors.

His progression to senior management level within social care has been the culmination of working in a variety of settings, including a children’s centre, multifunctional residential units and social services area offices.

More recently, as Head of Services, Mike has been a director and trustee of private and charitable companies contracted to provide a range of services for young people on behalf of the Isle of Man government.
As principal of Priory Talocher he is responsible for a small complex needs school and associated of Children's Homes. The young people who attend  Priory Talocher School have behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD). Michael is also vice chairperson of the Priory Fostering Panel.

In addition to a social work qualification, Mike holds a Certificate in Management from the Open University.

Claire Imber - Vice Principal

Claire qualified as a Secondary School, Geography teacher in 2002. Her first teaching post was in a large Local Authority Special Educational Needs School in Devon for pupils with Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties (BESD), and Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD). During her time here she had numerous roles; firstly as a teacher and coordinator of Geography, History and Food technology. In 2004 she became the Head of Lower School, and a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Claire also became a visiting lecturer in SEN for Post-Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) students at Plymouth University.

In 2006 Claire was nominated and won the Teaching Award for Special Educational Needs in the South West and went on to become a National finalist placing in the top three Special Needs teachers in the country. In 2007 she went on to become a judge for the Teaching Awards, a role she continues today.

Claire joined the Priory's Learning & Development Team in 2007, where she supported the Priory's Schools training needs. In 2008 Claire became Assistant Head of Education at Priory North Hill House School for pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and then onto become the Head of Education at Priory Talocher School. In 2009 her role was widened to Vice Principal.

As Vice Principal and Head of Education of Priory Talocher School, she is responsible for supporting the Principal in running a small, Special Needs School and associated Children's Homes for Young People with Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties (BESD). Claire has also very recently trained as an Estyn Inspector and is looking forward to going on her first School Inspection!