The Governing Board
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 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 everything that is happening in the school - from pupil progress, to absences, facilities 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.
The Governing Board comprises of the following roles, each with a four year term of office:
Five Parent Governors - elected by parents
Five Co-opted Governors - appointed by the Governing Board
One Local Authority Governor
Two Staff Governors - one is elected by the staff; the second place is reserved for the Headteacher by virtue of office
We currently also have two Associate Governors - elected by the Governing Board.
Governors (other then the 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.
Each year the Governing Board reviews and records the impact it has had on the school in an Impact Statement.
Governing Board Impact Statement 2018-19
If you would like to find out more about the role of a Governor, please click here.
Bridgett Pymm - Joint Chair of Governors
I became a Parent Governor in 2016, to make a contribution to the local community by helping to ensure that every child at this fantastic school is valued and supported throughout this crucial stage of their education. I am currently taking a career break from the legal technology industry, but my professional skills in document management and critical thinking are very useful as a Governor. I have two children at Sauncey Wood, in Years 4 and 6, and I also volunteer for the local charity Harpenden Helping Hand.
Responsibilities: Policies and Compliances
Declaration of Interest: none
Date of Appointment as parent governor: 18th Feb 2016
Bpymm@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Colin Noakes - Joint Chair of Governors
Colin is a local authority governor. He 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 2016
cnoakes@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Elizabeth (Liz) Redway - Vice Chair of Governors
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)
Lredway@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Steven (Steve) Lloyd - Headteacher
Steve joined the school in 2015 and holds the post of Headteacher.
Date of Appointment: 1/9/15
Declaration of interests: None
head@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Kam Johal
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 as Parent Governor: 23rd September 2016
kjohal@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Charlotte Photiades
Mrs Photiades is our elected staff governor
Date of appointment: 1/1/17
Declaration of interests: none
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Jo Francis
I am a parent governor (mum to Amelie and Morten) and have lived in Harpenden for over 10 years. Currently freelancing, in my free time I am rediscovering my love of music (through my daughter) and try to keep fit occasionally.
My background is in social regeneration, working in local government for almost 10 years. As well as managing teams, I have commissioned, monitored and evaluated programmes and developed strategies primarily focused on improving social mobility (something that I am passionate about).
Responsibilities: Safeguarding, Health and Safety
Declaration of Interests: None
Date of Appointment as Parent Governor: 11th July 2017
jfrancis@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Steven Rees
I am a local Harpenden resident, a finance professional and the father of two young children progressing through their Primary and Early Years education. I value the support and development that my children are receiving through their education, and therefore hope that by joining the Sauncey Wood Governing Body I can use my background in finance and business to support the school in its development of other young children in my local community.
Responsibilities: Finance
Declaration of interests: None
Date of Appointment as Co-opted Governor: 25th January 2018
srees@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Susan Dean
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
Declaration of Interests: None
sdean@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Alex Voica
I am a marketing communications professional with a track record in the technology, retail and consumer electronics markets. Throughout my career, I have had the pleasure to work with world-class engineering teams at Arm, Ocado and Facebook. I have a background in engineering and hold a MSc in Virtual Reality and Computer Graphics from the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa. I have lived in the Harpenden area for four years, together with my wife and our daughter.
Responsibilities: Marketing
Date of Appointment: 7th November 2018
Declaration of Interests: None
Avoica@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Carmen O'Loughlin
I currently work within the Fundraising department of a legal charity. I manage the corporate partnerships, organise events and support community fundraising activities. Before working in fundraising, I taught secondary school maths. I chose to take the Teach First route into teaching and taught in Essex, London and last year at a school in Mexico City. Alongside my teaching roles I have also been Gifted and Talented Co-ordinator and gained an MA in Leadership which focused on the British education system and enabled me to study education policies over the last twenty years.
Date of Appointment as Parent Governor: 8th October 2019
Responsibilities:
Declaration of Interests: None
co'loughlin@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk.
Dan Dures
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 as Parent Governor: 14th October 2019
Responsibilities:
Declaration of Interests: None
ddures@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Heather Burns - Associate Governor
Mrs Burns is our reception teacher and as associate governor covers the early years and key stage 1.
Date of appointment: 1st January 2017
Declaration of interests: none
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Jade Harkness - Associate Governor
Miss Harkness is our Deputy Headteacher.
Date of Appointment: 23rd January 2018.
Declaration of Interests: None
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Helen Parkinson - (Former Committee Member)
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)
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
mallison@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Natalie Bellwood - Former Committee Member
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
nbellwood@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Linda Williams - Former Committee Member
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
Lwilliams@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
Steph Russon - Former Associate Governor
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
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Jo Williams - Former Committee Member
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.
Responsiblities: Finance, safeguarding
Declaration of interests: None
Date of Appointment as Co-opted Governor: 5th February 2018
Date of Termination: 11th April 2018
jwilliams@saunceywood.herts.sch.uk
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
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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