THE GOVERNING BOARD

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INTRODUCTION

School governors offer their time on a voluntary basis and the board is made up of parents, teachers and members of the local community and local authority. We use our skills and interests to support and work with the Headteacher in managing the school. The governors monitor and evaluate the school's progress by regularly reviewing what is happening in the school - from pupil progress, to absences, facilities, finance and health and safety.

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Parents are welcome to contact the Chair of Governors by e-mail ( michelle.saas@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk) or by telephoning the School Office. However, it should be noted that governors do not get involved in individual pupil issues or specific complaints about, for example, teaching or playground matters. Parents and carers should speak to the class teacher in the first instance or to the Headteacher. If a matter is not resolved to the satisfaction of all parties, then governors may become involved via the school’s formal Complaints Procedure, but this would always be a last resort.

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WHAT WE DO

The Governing Board’s main roles are to ensure:·

• that the vision, ethos and strategic direction of the school are clearly defined

• that the headteacher performs their responsibilities for the educational performance of the school

• the sound, proper and effective use of the school’s financial resources

• that the voices of all school stakeholders are heard.

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Governors also act as a ‘Critical Friend’ to the school, working in partnership with the Head, Senior Leadership Team and other school stakeholders to help provide the best possible education for pupils, including those with special educational needs.

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HOW WE WORK

To be effective, governors need to understand how the school works and how regulation and policy impact the school and the educational progress being made by pupils. In particular, governors are expected to:​

· Attend the formal Full Governing Board meetings (normally 6 per year) and strategy days (1-2 per days per year).

· Undertake a range of training courses relevant to their role in the Governing Board.

· Become a governor link or part of a monitoring pair for a particular area of school activity such as pupil educational data, curriculum implementation, finance, well-being, health and safety and safeguarding.

Governors (other than associate governors) have equal rights to participate in the work of the Governing Board and to state their own views, but always work as a team and are bound by the collective decisions of that team.

​Minutes of meetings (other than for confidential matters discussed) are available from the school office on request.

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ALL ABOUT THE GOVERNING BOARD

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STRUCTURE OF THE GOVERNING BOARD

Governors are volunteers nominated and appointed for four-year terms by the school staff, parents, Local Authority or the Governing Board. The constitution of the Sauncey Wood Governing Board comprises:-

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- Five Parent Governors - elected by and from the parents.

· Two Staff Governors - the Headteacher and a Governor elected by the staff.

· Five Co-opted Governors - appointed by the Governing Board.  These are often people from the local community who have specialist skills e.g. finance, marketing, HR, management.

· One Local Authority (LA) Governor - nominated by the LA and appointed by the Governing Board.

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CURRENT GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS

​​Michelle Saas – Parent Governor and Chair of Governors​

​​​​​​​​​​​Date of Appointment: 10th May 2023

Elected By: Parents

Declaration of Interests: None

Michelle became a Parent Governor so that she could help the school maintain the ethos and values

that have served her own children so well.  Michelle currently works as a software solution architect, 

with prior experience in project management and business analysis. She hopes that she can use the

range of skills she has developed over the years, to help support and govern Sauncey Wood.​​​

Susan Dean – Co-opted Governor​​

​​​​​​​​Date of Appointment: 21st January 2019

Appointed By: Governing Board

Declaration of Interests: None

Susan is a practising artist with a background in art education. As a visiting artist in schools, she

continues her interests in children’s art practice and is keen to support the creative activities that take

place at Sauncey Wood.  Susan has grandchildren at Sauncey Wood who are benefiting from the broad

and stimulating curriculum offered at the school. She is keen to support the mission, vision and values

that underpin all aspects of school life at Sauncey Wood.

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Dan Dures – Co-opted Governor​​​​​​​​​

Date of Appointment: 14th October 2023 (first appointed 14th October 2019, by Parents))

Elected By: Governing Board

Declaration of Interests: None

Dan has been a Sauncey Wood parent for over five years now, and would like to be able

to offer something back to the school which has given so much to his kids. He is a

passionate believer in education, loves the values our school aims to instil in our children,

and would be proud to be a little part on helping to build on that. Professionally, Dan has

been in major companies for two decades, specialising in data analysis, strategy and

commercial insight.

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Rebecca Crawford – Parent Governor

​​​​​​​​Date of Appointment: 10th May 2023

Elected By: Parents

Declaration of Interests: None

Rebecca was so impressed with the amazing learning environment that has been created at Sauncey

Wood that she wanted to be part of the Governing team to ensure that the environment, caring attitude

and the broad curriculum remains exciting and accessible to all.  Rebecca comes from a construction

background having been responsible for, amongst other things, the management of the EFA Framework

in the South East and London.  Rebecca enjoyed liaising with the multiple stakeholders involved in

designing and building new schools and will bring these skill sets to the role of Parent Governor.

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Jamie Brewis - Headteacher

Date of Appointment: 1st September 2024

Appointed By: virtue of office

Declaration of interests: None

Jamie joined the school in September 2024 as the Headteacher.

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Margaret Stocks - Co-opted Governor and Chair of School Improvement Committee                  

Date of Appointment: 21st July 2023      

Appointed By: Governing Board

Declaration of Interests: Governor - Batford Nursery School, Harpenden; Headteacher/Governor - Birchwood Nursery School, Hatfield​ 

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Sam Smith – Parent Governor​​​​​​​​

Date of Appointment: 10th May 2023

Elected By: Parents

Declaration of Interests: None

Sam has been a parent at Sauncey Wood for a number of years and has been impressed with the schools

caring and supportive learning environment and feels strongly about giving something back to the school.
Professionally Sam works as a strategic maintenance planner for one of the leading travel companies, this

can be a high pressured role that requires critical thinking and problem solving with a direct and balanced

approach to tasks.

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Emma Day - Parent Governor

​​​​​​​​Date of Appointment: 17th May 2024

Elected By: Parents

Declaration of Interests: None

Emma became a new parent to the school in September 2023.  Impressed by the warm inclusive

community of this school and the excellent educational foundation the school provides, Emma decided to

seek appointment as a Parent Governor to help uphold these high standards.  Emma works in Project

Management currently with a tech start-up and previously worked with Apple in the UK, Dubai and California. 

Her experience will help her in her role as Parent Governor to work alongside other stakeholders in upholding

the values of the school and ensuring the quality of delivery is maintained at all times.

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Ashley Lam - Co-opted Governor:

Date of Appointment: 18th September 2024

Appointed By: Governing Board

Declaration of Interests: None

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Imogen Jayes - Parent Governor:

Date of Appointment: 3rd July 2024

Elected By: Parents

Declaration of Interests: None

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Jonathan Harris - Co-opted Governor:

Date of Appointment: 13th January 2025

Elected By: Governors

Declaration of Interests: None

 

​As required by the DfE, we publish full details of governors' terms of office and their attendance at meetings here.

 

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