Sauncey Wood Primary School
"Growing Curious Minds"
Pickford Hill, Harpenden, Herts, AL5 5HL
Tel: 01582621514
Email: admin@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
All enquirers to our Office Manager via our admin address please
THE GOVERNING BOARD
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. You may like to join our Governors for an informal chat during the annual Governors Day, usually held in September.
Parents are welcome to contact the joint Chairs of Governors by e-mail (bpymm@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk or cnoakes@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.
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.
The Code of Conduct for Governing Boards can be found here
https://www.nga.org.uk/Knowledge-Centre/Good-governance/Ethical-governance/Model-Code-of-Conduct.aspx
WHAT WE DO
The Governing Board’s three main roles are to:
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Ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction of the school
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Hold executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the effective and efficient performance of school staff
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Oversee the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent
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.
WHO WE ARE
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 Body includes 14 formal roles:-
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Five Parent Governors - elected by and from the parents.
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Two Staff Governors - the Headteacher and a Governor elected by the staff.
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Five Co-opted Governors - appointed by the Governing Body. These are people from the local community who have specialist skills e.g. finance, marketing, HR, management.
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One Local Authority (LA) Governor - nominated by the LA and appointed by the Governing Body.
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One Associate Member who attends Full Governing Body meetings, the School Improvement Committee and / or the Resources Committee. The Associate Member has no voting rights on any committee.
Bpymm@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
I became a Parent Governor in 2016, to make a contribution to the local community, and to play my part in making sure that every child at this fantastic school is valued as an individual and given the best start to their education. My professional background is in project management, training and technical writing in the Legal Technology Industry.
I have one daughter at Sauncey Wood and one at a local secondary school, and I also volunteer for the local charity Harpenden Helping Hand.
Responsibilities: Policies and Compliances
Declaration of Interest: none
Date of Appointment: 18th Feb 2020
Appointed By: Parents
kjohal@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Kam is a parent governor. She currently works in the NHS as a Counter Fraud Manager and has extensive experience of financial systems, governance and performance management.
Kam is a working mother of two children and her eldest has just joined Sauncey Wood this year. Kam is very passionate about education and how it influences children’s lives.
Responsibilities: GDPR, School Improvement Committee Chair
Declaration of Interests: None
Date of Appointment: 23rd September 2020
Appointed By: The Governing Body
sdean@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Susan is a practising artist with a background in Art education. She is currently the Artist-in-Residence at a secondary school in St. Albans, as well as a visiting artist in schools.
Susan has two grandchildren at Sauncey Wood who are benefiting from the broad and exciting 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.
Date of Appointment: 21st January 2019
Appointed By: The Governing Board
Declaration of Interests: None
Kjamoula@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Hi! I am a newcomer to Sauncey Wood as my daughter started in Reception class in September 2020. I was impressed with the ethics and work practices of Sauncey Wood so when the opportunity arose I decided to become a Parent Governor. I am a Nursery Nurse with 12 years of experience in the Early Year's Foundation stage in childcare, and I understand how important teamwork is in education. I believe that every child has the human right to have a good education and if I can do anything to help, I consider it a blessing.
Responsibilities:
Date of Appointment: 5th October 2020
Appointed By: Parents
Declaration of Interests:
Cnoakes@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Colin is a local authority governor. He is married with two grown up children and has lived in Harpenden for thirty years. He has been directly involved in school activities as Chairman of the Parents Association at Crabtree Schools and as a Parent Governor at Roundwood Park School chairing the School Development and ICT sub committees. Professionally he has held several senior management roles in large companies and he hopes to use this experience to help the school build on its current success.
Responsibilities: Staff Wellbeing, Contract Management
Declaration of Interests: none
Date of Appointment as L.A. Governor: 23rd October 2020
Appointed By: The Governing Board
Jwiltshire@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Mrs Wiltshire is our elected staff governor.
I joined Sauncey Wood Primary School in April 2016 as a Year 1 Teacher. Since then,
I have also taught in Year 3, which has allowed me to gain experience in both Key Stages within the school. I am currently Subject leader for Science and R.E. Prior to teaching at Sauncey Wood, I spent 15 years teaching at a school in Welwyn Garden City and 3 years at a small village school near Hatfield. I live in Hertford with my husband and two children who are 13 and 15. I am looking forward to bringing my viewpoint as a staff member to the meetings and also helping the school to continue to create an amazing learning environment for all of our wonderful Sauncey Wood children.
Date of appointment: July 2021
Declaration of interests: none
Appointed By: Staff
ddures@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
I have 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 my kids. I am a passionate believer in education, and love 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, I've been in major companies for two decades, specialising in data analysis, strategy and commercial insight.
Date of Appointment: 14th October 2019
Appointed By: Parents
Responsibilities: Resources
Declaration of Interests: None
Steve joined the school in 2015 and holds
the post of Headteacher.
Date of Appointment: 1st September 2015
Declaration of interests: None
Appointed By: virtue of office
jharkness@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Miss Harkness is our Deputy Headteacher. She teaches in Reception and has a daughter in Year 6.
Date of Appointment: 23rd January 2018.
Declaration of Interests: None
Former Committee Members
Tom Jefferies
tjefferies@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
With a background in engineering and company management and having lived locally for the past 28 years, I look forward to being able to put something back into the local community through the challenge of joining The Governing Board. Married with four children and six grandchildren my hobbies include playing golf, gardening and socialising. My interest in becoming a Governor was also inspired by my brother who became Chair of Whitings Hill Primary School in Barnet.
Responsibilities:
Date of Appointment: 22nd October 2020
Appointed By: The Governing Board
Declaration of Interests: None
Elizabeth (Liz) Redway - Former Vice Chair of Governors
Lredway@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
I became a parent governor in 2012 to give support this wonderful primary school. I feel passionately about the way we grow curious and well-rounded children at Sauncey Wood, and have been delighted by the broad learning opportunities my own children have had here. I have two children, one of whom is will at Sauncey Wood, the other having recently moved on to a local secondary school. I have a background in Human Resources and run my own small business.
Responsibilities: Resources Committee Chair
Declaration of interests: Self employed as freelance HR consultant through Redway HR
Date of Appointment: 9/3/12 (re-elected in 2016 and 2020)
Appointed By: Parents
Heather Burns - Former Associate Governor
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Mrs Burns is our reception teacher and as associate governor covers the early years and key stage 1.
Date of appointment: 1st January 2017
Helen Parkinson - (Former Committee Member)
HParkinson@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
I was a Community Governor at Sauncey Wood when my children attended the school. I enjoyed the varied challenge of the role and seeing the school develop and continue to improve. I worked in Luton tackling obesity and physical inactivity amongst children and at home I love walking with my great dane and practising yoga.
Responsibilities: Early Years Stage
Date of Appointment as co-opted governor: 10th June 2017
Date of Termination: July 2019
Declaration of interests: Director of Harpenden Secondary Education Trust
Martyn Allison (Former Committee Member)
mallison@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Martyn had a background in critical and constructive reviews of organisations, supporting them through periods of significant change, and leading targeted performance improvements. He would like to use his skills as a management consultant specialising in strategy and business planning, and his particular focus on finance and efficiency improvement. Martyn strived to make a positive contribution to the long-term future of schools in the local area, to secure better education for young people of all abilities regardless of their background.
Responsibilities: Key Stage 2, Strategy KPI
Declaration of interests: Allison Thompson Consulting
Date of Appointment as Co-opted Governor: 10th June 2017
Natalie Bellwood - Former Committee Member
nbellwood@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Natalie was a Co-opted Governor and joined the Board in January 2018. I was very keen to get involved in the local community and am passionate about early years education. I am also a Partner in an international law firm, and I specialise in employment law, so I felt that I could bring my legal and anayltical skills to the Governor role, offering support to the Headteacher and his team of teaching staff. I live in the local area with my husband and son.
Responsibilities: Equality
Declaration of Interests: none
Appointment date as Co-opted Governor: 5th February 2018
Date of Termination: 10th January 2019
Linda Williams - Former Committee Member
Lwilliams@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Linda was a co-opted Governor. She was appointed Vicar of All Saints Church, Batford in 2010. in Harpenden. Before becoming a priest, Linda was a trained HLTA and brings 15 years experience of Primary/SEN education. Linda also worked as a chaplain at Croydon University Hospital. Linda is most interested in pastoral care and well-being of the whole school community as well as RE, Art & DT which were her school specialism.
Responsibilities: Key Stage 1
Date of Appointment as Co-opted Governor: 25/3/14
Date of termination: 31st August 2018
Declaration of interests: Works in many other local primary schools through her work as associate vicar
Steph Russon - Former Associate Governor
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Mrs Russon was our year 4 teacher and as an associate governor covers key stage 2.
Date of appointment: 1st January 2017
Declaration of interests: none
Jo Williams - Former Committee Member
jwilliams@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
I enjoy using the skills I have gained over the past 14 years as a School Business Manager at a Primary School in St Albans. I have set and managed the school budget, interviewed and appointed HT’s, teachers and support staff etc. Although I have now recently retired, I have a lot to offer to a school to enable them to educate and nurture children for the future.
Responsibilities: Finance, safeguarding
Declaration of interests: None
Date of Appointment as Co-opted Governor: 5th February 2018
Date of Termination: 11th April 2018
Ada Jabaru - Former Committee Member
Duties: Behaviour and Equalities
Declarations of interest: Nistad Ltd Consutlant
Date of appointment: 11th July 2017
Date of termination: 31th October 2017
Fiona Snailham - Former Committee Member
Fiona was community governor and a secondary school English teacher. She lives in St Albans with her family.
Declaration of Interest: None
Responsibilities: Year 6, Literacy
Date of appointment: 22nd January 2016
Date of termination: 14th September 2017