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: 6 FGB 5 Committee
Adam Collin
Ex-Officio, Headteacher
Responsibilities / Committees: Resources, Children & Learning
Date Appointed: 01/9/2023
Term of Office: 22/03/2024 - ongoing
Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: None declared
Governance roles in other educational institutions: None declared
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: 6 FGB 2 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: 5 FGB 4 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
Fiona Shepherd
Co-opted Governor
Responsibilities / Committees: Children and Learning
Link Governor for PE/Sport, Sports Premium Funding
Date Appointed:
Term of Office: 21/10/2020 - 20/10/2024
Governance roles in other educational institutions: None declared
Meetings attended in the previous academic year: FGB Committee
Ian Downer
Parent Governor, Vice-Chair of Governors
Responsibilities / Committees: Resources (Chair)
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: 6 FGB 5 Committee
Rhys Hayward
Parent Governor
Responsibilities / Committees: Children & Learning, Headteacher Appraisal
Link Governor for Computing, Governor skills and training
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: 4 FGB 2 Committee
Charlotte Ellis
Staff Governor
Responsibilities / Committees: Resources
Link Governor for Website compliance
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: 3 FGB 3 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:
Resignations / End of Term
| Adam Collin (Associate Member) | 01/09/23 – 21/03/24 |
| Martin Belfrage (Interim Headteacher, Ex Officio) | 01/09/23 – 21/03/24 |
| Pete Bailey (Headteacher, Ex Officio) | 01/09/17 – 31/08/23 |
| Graeme Smith (Co-opted Governor) | 13/01/23 - 16/08/23 |
| Claire Bolton (Co-opted Governor) | 04/03/23 - 21/03/23 |