The Governing Body
We are committed to finding skilled and diverse governors through an independent organisation, Governors For Schools. The quality mark below should be seen as an assurance that the board values diverse governance and is doing all it can to make governance as robust as possible.
School governors are people who want to make a positive contribution to children’s education.
Governors are one of the largest volunteer forces in the country and have an important part to play in raising school standards.
The role of the governing board is absolutely key to the effectiveness of a school.
What do governors do?
School governors provide strategic leadership and accountability in schools. Governors appoint the head teacher and deputy headteacher. It is governors who hold the main responsibility for finance in schools, and it is governors who work with the headteacher to make the tough decisions about balancing resources.
Each individual governor is a member of a governing board, which is established in law as a corporate body. Individual governors may not act independently of the rest of the governing board; decisions are the joint responsibility of the governing board.
The role of the governing board is a strategic one. Its key functions are to:
- set the aims and objectives for the school
- set the policies for achieving those aims and objectives
- set the targets for achieving those aims and objectives
- monitor and evaluate the progress the school is making towards achievement of its aims and objectives
- be a source of challenge and support to the headteacher (a critical friend)
The Full Governing Body meets at least ten times a year and meetings include all aspects of school governance.
Meet The Governors of Cheriton Primary School:
Name | Governor Type | Term From | Term To | Roles/Responsibilities |
Mrs Elizabeth Brett | Co-opted governor | 26th January 2023 | 25th January 2027 |
Chair of Governors Development and Training Governor Safer Recruitment Class 2 Link Governor |
Revd. Christopher Durrant | Co-opted governor | 15th September 2021 | 14th September 2025 | Wellbeing and Mental Health Governor |
Ms Julie Ferguson | Co-opted governor | 7th March 2024 | 6th March 2024 | |
Mr Tom Legge | Co-opted governor | 7th September 2023 | 6th September 2027 | |
Mrs Caro O'Brien | Parent governor | 13th July 2023 | 13th July 2027 |
SEND and Inclusion Governor More Able Children Governor Wellbeing and Mental Health Governor Class 4 Link Governor |
Mrs Ruth Gent | Staff governor | 14th December 2023 | 13th December 2027 | |
Mr Nicholas Parmley | Co-opted governor | 30th September 2020 | 30th September 2024 |
Vice Chair Finance Governor Forum Representative |
Mrs Nicola Pitts | Co-opted governor | 15th May 2023 | 14th May 2027 | |
Mrs Jennifer Reeves | Parent governor | 24th November 2022 | 23rd November 2026 |
Attendance Governor Cyber Security Governor Pupil Premium Governor Safeguarding Governor Safer Recruitment Sustainability Governor Class 3 Link Governor |
Mrs Tamsin Sillars | Interim Headteacher | 15th April 2024 | ||
Mrs Julia Wright | Parent governor | 7th March 2024 | 6th March 2028 | |
Mrs Rhona Hatchley | Clerk to Governors | 21st June 2022 |