Governors

The School Governing Body is made up of community and local authority representatives, parents and school staff.

Once a vacancy arises, governors are elected on to the governing body and perform their role on a voluntary basis.

The focus of the governing body is as follows:

• To ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
• To hold the Head Teacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff;
• To oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure its money is well spent.

Who Are We? 

The closing date for receipt of ballot papers in the recent parent governor election was 12 noon on Tuesday 14th March 2017.  We are pleased to welcome Matt Stephenson as the new parent governor. 

	Peter Woodhouse (Chairman of Governing Body) Local Authority Governor, nominated by Local Authority Term of Office: 4 years until 23 March 2020 Committees: Resources & Curriculum I became a school governor in January 2012 and have had children at the school for 10 years. I have had previous experience in both the public and private sectors and for the last 10 years have run my own companies.  I think Bexton School is excellent – as recent results demonstrate. However many changes are occurring in the education system and we need to be alert and prepared to ensure Bexton stays ahead of the game.
	Peter Kingdom Co-opted Governor, appointed by governing board Term of Office: 4 years until 6 July 2020 Committees: Curriculum Peter is Head of School (Years 7 - 9) at Knutsford Academy. Peter sits on the Curriculum Committee and is link governor for 'Mastery and deeper Understanding,' a key priority on the 2016-7 School Development Plan.
	Charlotte Davies Co-opted Governor Term of Office: 4 years until 21 November 2020 Committees: Curriculum (Chair) I was a parent Governor for four years and have recently been appointed by the governing board as a co-opted governor. I have two children at Bexton Primary. My key role is the Chair of the Curriculum Committee.  I lead meetings where aspects of the quality of the Teaching and Learning and attainment are discussed. Additional roles include Assistant Link Governor for Assessment, approval of Curriculum Policies and  Link Governor for Early Years and Ethical Enterprise. I have a  previously worked as a Secondary School teacher and more recently as an Early Years Professional and Deputy Manager at Bexton Pre-School/ Nursery.
	Jim Lovett Co-opted Governor Term of Office: 4 years until 30 October 2017 Committees: Resources (Chair) I have been involved on the Governing body for four years first as a Parent Governor, and more recently as a co-opted governor, appointed by the governing board. My key area of focus is on the schools finances and resourcing and I have been the Chair of Resources for the last two years. I have three children currently at Bexton. Outside of the school I work for a specialist catering business based locally and am one of the junior coaches at Knutsford Rugby Club.
	Lucy Goldsmith Parent Governor Term of Office: 4 years until 23 May 2020 Committee: Curriculum I have two children at Bexton Primary and have been actively involved in different aspects of the school throughout their education.  As a Communications Manager I am passionate about further developing an inclusive communications process that involves not only parents, governors and teachers but most importantly the children. We all have a part to play in taking Bexton from good to great, and communication sits at the heart of this.  We need to ensure that Bexton is placed at the centre of our strong community to enable it to thrive during an exciting, but also challenging time. Lucy was elected as a parent governor by parents of pupils at the school and is link governor for consistency, a key focus area on School Development Plan 2016-7.
	Catherine Hulme Co-opted Governor and Vice Chair of Governing Body Term of Office: 4 years until 30 October 2017 Committees: Curriculum & Nursery I am a member of the local community with two young children. I left my role as a Secondary English Teacher and Assistant Headteacher to raise my family but am keen to use my expertise and experience in education to benefit all of our children. I recently became vice chair of the Governing Board for a two year term of office until July 2018. I have worked closely with the Senior Leadership Team to encapsulate the Vision and Ethos of the school and I was vice chair to Curriculum Committee until October 2016. I am link governor for SEND, Data and Assessment.
	Kathryn Woolf Parent Governor Term of Office:  4 years until 28 October 2017 Committees: Curriculum Special Responsibility: Governor Training Link Governor: Maths I am a parent governor with two children at the school. I currently sit on the Curriculum committee and hold the position of Training liaison governor. I help the school governors acquire relevant skills through training sessions and e-learning modules. I previously worked as a buyer in the food industry and now teach foreign languages to primary school children. Kathryn was elected as a parent governor by parents of pupils at the school.
	Parent Governor vacancy as at 21st July 2017
	John Squires Co-Opted Governor Term of Office: 4 years until 30 October 2017 Committees: Resources, Nursery & Pay Committee Link Governor: Health & Safety I have been a governor at Bexton for nine years, firstly as a parent, then a Local Authority and now a Co-opted governor, appointed by the governing board. During that time I have helped out as a lunchtime assistant, football coach, Chair of the Resources sub-committee, Vice Chair and Chair of the governing body. For my day job I run an architectural practice in Mobberley.  Throughout my 20 year career I have specialised in designing school buildings.
	Jon Webb Parent Governor Term of Office: 4 years until 23 May 2020 Committee: Curriculum I have two children at Bexton Primary School (Year 3 and Year 1). I am the Managing Director of an independent weed control company having previously worked for a Premier League football club, including establishing and running their 1st team and Academy Sports Science deprtments.  I also assist the junior coaching at Knutsford Rugby Club. I would embrace the opportunity to be a parent governor, to assist the other governors in overseeing the effective and responsible running of the school to ensure the holistic development of our children to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. I am link governor for PE and sit on the Curriculum Committee. Jon was elected as a parent governor by parents of pupils at the school.
	Mike Braun Co-Opted Governor Term of Office: 4 years until 19 March 2018 Committees: Resources (Vice-Chair) & Nursery I am a co-opted governor, appointed by the governing board, and vice chair of the Resources Committee. I have one daughter at Bexton. I am a chartered accountant with more than twenty years experience in a variety of financial and risk management roles. Recently, I set up my own accounting firm which supports local businesses and non-profit organisations.
	Sandra Bland Staff Governor (elected by staff) Term of Office: 4 years until 23 January 2019 Committees: Resources Mrs Bland has experience of a wide range of posts from midday supervision through to headship. With both children attending Bexton, Mrs Bland has seen the school from a parental perspective, and through the experience of her children has seen various models of secondary education including academies, the independent sector and sixth form college.
	Co-opted governor vacancy from 21st July 2017
	Emily Armstrong Head Teacher Governor Committees: Resources, Curriculum, Nursery
	Jill Sach Deputy Head Associate Governor (appointed by Governing Board) Committees: Resources and Curriculum
	Matt Stephenson I was appointed as an Associate Governor by Governing Board on 6 July 2016 for 4 year term of office until 6 July 2020. I am delighted to have been recently elected by parents of the school to be parent governor for a four year term of office from 15.3.17 to 15.3.21.  Committee: Resources and Nursery
	James Hulme Associate member of nursery commitee, appointed by governing board in July 2016 for a four year term of office.

What do governors do?

Individual governors keep up to date on school policy, new regulations, school development plans and government drives on a local and national level. They attend training and they also visit the school regularly to gain an in depth understanding of the school, which enables them to perform their role more effectively.

Associate governors do not have voting rights at FGB or committees. 

Governors also attend the following meetings:
 

Full Governing Body:  All governors attend the full governing body meetings which take place once per term.

Resources Committee: This committee meets once per term to look at everything financial and to approve spending. The committee reports back to the full governing body. The governors that sit on this committee are as follows: Jim Lovett (chair of Resources Committee), Peter Woodhouse, Emily Armstrong (Headteacher), Julie Griffiths (School Business Manager),  Jill Sach (associate member), John Squires, Sandra Bland, Mike Braun (vice chair of Resources Committee), Matt Stephenson, Georgina Blake (clerk).

Curriculum Committee: This committee meets once per term to look at everything to do with teaching and learning, and pupil progress. The committee reports back to the full governing body. Governors on this committee include the following: Charlotte Davies (chair of Curriculum Committee), Kathryn Woolf (vice chair of Curriculum Committee), Catherine Hulme, Lucy Goldsmith, Jon Webb, Peter Woodhouse, Emily Armstrong (Headteacher), Peter Kingdom, Jill Sach (associate member), Georgina Blake (clerk).

Nursery Committee: Emily Armstrong (chair), Charlotte Davies, Catherine Hulme, John Squires, Mike Braun, Matt Stephenson, Julie Griffiths (School Business Manager), Louise Barker (Nursery Manager), Andy Lynes (associate member), James Hulme (associate member), Georgina Blake (clerk)

Becoming a Governor

Parent governors are elected by parents of children attending school at the date of election, co-opted governors are appointed by the Board of Governors and the staff governor is elected by staff members of the school.  The local authority governor is nominated by Cheshire East Council and appointed by the governing board.

The mot recent parent governor election was held in March 2017- there are currently some governor vacancies to be filled, watch this space for details of upcoming elections. 

Bexton Governors in last 12 months

We are required by law to publish information on anyone who has been a Bexton Primary School governor in last 12 months. Barbara Austin, LA governor (nominated by Local Authority and appointed by governing board, term of office 6.6.14- 6.6.18), member of Resources Committee and Bexton's longest serving governor, resigned on 2 November 2015. Doug Angus parent governor (term of office 21.11.12- 21.11.16, appointed by Bexton parents), member of Curriculum Committee and vice chair of governing board resigned on 18 May 2016 due to his relocation to U.A.E. Andrew Middleton, co-opted governor (appointed by governing board term of office 19.3.14- 19.3.18) and member of Curriculum Committee resigned on 23 March 2016 due to relocation. Kathryn Zuger, co-opted governor (appointed by governing board, term of office 19.3.14- 19.3.18) and member of Curriculum Committee resigned on 7 March 2016. Paul Dolan, headteacher governor and member of Resources, Curriculum and Nursery Committee resigned in December 2015. Sarah Draper (appointed by the governing board on 30.10.13 for four year term of office), co-opted governor and member of the Curriculum Committee, resigned as Bexton Governor on 21 June 2017. James Routs (elected by parent vote for four year term of office on 23.01.15), parent governor and member of the Resources Committee, resigned as Bexton Governor on the 21 June 2017. 

Contact the Bexton governors

If you have any ideas or comments for the governors in relation to the strategy or vision of the school, please do get in touch with us at governors@bexton.cheshire.sch.uk

Remember the school governor has a strategic role and does not deal with day to day running of the school. Any questions of this nature should always be directed to school staff in the first instance. 

Please see below for some downloadable files which may be of interest. Some of these files are historic. Please note, the Curriculum Committee Newsletter is from 2016. For more recent information, please look at the subpages off the governor main page, where you can find the 2017 annual statement together with most recent information on governor attendance at meetings and governor declarations of pecuniary interest. 

Files to Download