Thorpe Lea Primary School
'A dedicated community working together, nurturing a safe, happy school where all children can achieve their potential'
Meet the Governors
The Governing Body of Thorpe Lea Primary School is comprised of a group of volunteers, both from within the school community (staff and parents) and the wider community, with an interest in the education of the children of Thorpe Lea.
The Governing Body’s work focuses on three core strategic functions:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
- Holding the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils.
- Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
Governors work together and with the Senior Leadership Team, to ensure the best possible education for all the children in our school, enabling them to realise and achieve their potential at each and every stage of their journey, in accordance with the mission statement of the School:
“A dedicated community working together, nurturing a safe, happy school where all children can achieve their potential.”
The Full Governing Body meets termly, with an additional business meeting at the start of each academic year. There are also two main Governor committees - Resources and Children & Learning who also meet termly. Members of the public (including school staff and parents) can request to attend a Full Governing Body meeting as observers by following the “Open Meeting Protocol”. This protocol constitutes the code of conduct required by the governing body in return for granting access to their meetings.
Governor meetings receive reports from the Headteacher, consider the latest performance data and feedback, ensure that all policies and procedures are in place, that the schools finances are being used effectively and appropriately, that relevant audits are taking place, that the schools have the resources required to do their job effectively, that the premises are suitable and very importantly, that the safeguarding of the children is appropriate.
In addition, governors take on other areas of responsibility e.g. Special Educational Needs or Safeguarding and every Governor has a link to a subject area of the curriculum e.g. science, history or PE.
Governors visit the schools regularly, undertaking learning walks, talking to staff and reporting back to the governing body on the progress they have seen. Governors also attend regular training sessions to keep them appraised of national and local developments in education and to keep their general governance knowledge up to date. Governors are also interviewed by Inspectors during an Ofsted inspection of the school.
The Governing Body can be contacted in writing through the school office or the Chair of Governors can be contacted at Chair@Thorpe-Lea.surrey.sch.uk
Governors
 | Caroline Wright Chair of Governors, Local Authority Governor Responsibilities / Committees: Children & Learning (Chair), Headteacher Appraisal (Chair), Link Governor for MFL and Science Date Appointed: 12/05/20 Term of Office: 12/05/20 - 11/05/2024 Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: None declared Governance roles in other educational institutions: Additional Governor/LLG support at Chennestone and Beauclerc Schools Meetings attended in the previous academic year: 5 FGB 7 Committee |
 | Pete Bailey Ex-Officio, Headteacher Responsibilities / Committees: Resources, Children & Learning Date Appointed: 01/9/2017 Term of Office: 01/9/2017 - ongoing Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: None declared Governance roles in other educational institutions: Governor at Trumps Green Infant School Meetings attended in the previous academic year: 5 FGB 7 Committee |
 | Graeme Smith Co-opted Governor Responsibilities / Committees: Children & Learning Link Governor for RE Date Appointed: 12/03/2023 Term of Office: 12/03/2023-11/03/2027 Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: Deputy Head of independent prep school, Team Inspector for Independent Schools Inspectorate Governance roles in other educational institutions: Meetings attended in the previous academic year: N/A |
 | Alan Gardner Co-opted Governor Responsibilities / Committees: Pay Committee (Chair), Resources, Link Governor for Finance and Computing Date Appointed: 08/07/2020 Term of Office: 07/07/2022 - 07/07/2026 Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: Director of Bowles Rocks Trust Ltd Governance roles in other educational institutions: LA Additional Governor at Beauclerc & Chennestone Federation & and Furzefield Primary School Meetings attended in the previous academic year: 5 FGB 6 Committee |
| Karla Hanna Co-opted Governor Responsibilities / Committees: Children & Learning Link Governor for SEND, Pupil Premium, The Arts Date Appointed: 09/06/2022 Term of Office: 09/06/2022 - 08/06/2029 Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: None declared Governance roles in other educational institutions: Parent Governor at The Magna Carta School Meetings attended in the previous academic year: 1 FGB 0 Committee |
Vacancy Co-opted Governor Responsibilities / Committees: Link Governor for Date Appointed: Term of Office: Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: Governance roles in other educational institutions: Meetings attended in the previous academic year: x FGB x Committee |
Vacancy Co-opted Governor Responsibilities / Committees: Date Appointed: Term of Office: Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: Governance roles in other educational institutions: Meetings attended in the previous academic year: FGB Committee |
 | Ian Downer Parent Governor Responsibilities / Committees: Resources Link Governor for PE/Sport, Sports Premium Funding Date Appointed: 21/10/20 Term of Office: 21/10/20 - 20/10/24 Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: VUE International Partner employed by Penn Wood Primary School Governance roles in other educational institutions: None declared Meetings attended in the previous academic year: 4 FGB 5 Committee |
| Rhys Hayward Parent Governor Responsibilities / Committees: Children & Learning Link Governor for Computing Date Appointed: 11/11/22 Term of Office: 11/11/22 - 10/11/26 Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: None Declared Governance roles in other educational institutions: None Declared Meetings attended in the previous academic year: N/A |
 | Charlotte Ellis Staff Governor Responsibilities / Committees: Resources Date Appointed: 15/09/2022 Term of Office: 15/09/2022 - 14/08/2026 Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: None Governance roles in other educational institutions: None Meetings attended in the previous academic year: 0 FGB 0 Committee |
 | Adam Collin Associate Member Responsibilities / Committees: Children & Learning Date Appointed: 16/09/2022 Term of Office: 16/09/2022 - 15/09/2023 Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: Governance roles in other educational institutions: Meetings attended in the previous academic year: 0 FGB 0 Comm |
Resignations / End of Term
| Janet Franck (Co-opted Governor) | 01/11/20 - 31/12/22 |
| Nick Dolby (Staff Governor) | 10/09/21 - 31/08/22 |
| Rachel McRae (Associate Member) | 1/09/21 - 31/08/22 |
| Gavin Fuidge (Co-opted Governor) | 01/09/20 - 20/04/2022 |
| Sarmila Bhal (Co-opted Governor) | 22/11/2019 - 2/12/2021 |