Governors
School governors are one of the largest volunteer forces in the country.
Boards of governors have 3 core functions:
• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos, and strategic direction;
• Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and
• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
Governors do not manage the school’s day-to-day operation, but are required to oversee its long-term development. The National Governors Association (NGA) have recently published a helpful 2-page document explaining the role of school governors: What does a governor do?
In practical terms, governors at Harmans Water Primary School work closely with the Headteacher and staff to ensure pupils have an environment where they can progress and achieve as well as they should. This is done by taking strategic decisions that support and enable but also challenge the Headteacher and staff, while respecting their professional expertise in the day-to-day operation of the school.
There are several different categories of governor:
- Parent Governors: elected by parents, these governors themselves have children attending the school.
- Staff Governors: elected by teaching and non-teaching colleagues at the school.
- Headteacher: the Headteacher decides whether to take up office as a governor.
- Authority Governors: nominated by a panel of local councillors from Bracknell Forest council, but appointed by the governing body.
- Co-opted Governors: appointed by the governing body as they have complementary skills that will contribute to the effective governance and success of the school.
- Associate Members: governing bodies can choose to appoint associate members to help them with their work. Assoicate members cannot vote on governing body decisions.
At HWPS, we are lucky to have a good number of school governors with diverse backgrounds and skills.
The Governors of Harmans Water Primary School meet once a month at full governing body (FGB) meetings. It is at these meetings that we discuss overarching matters and sign off any proposals.
There are several different categories of governor:
- Parent Governors: elected by parents, these governors themselves have children attending the school.
- Staff Governors: elected by teaching and non-teaching colleagues at the school.
- Headteacher: the Headteacher decides whether to take up office as a governor.
At HWPS, we are lucky to have a good number of school governors with diverse backgrounds and skills.
The Governors of Harmans Water Primary School meet once a month at full governing body (FGB) meetings. It is at these meetings that we discuss overarching matters and sign off any proposals.
We also have several panels to carry out specific functions:
- Pay Panel - who make the decisions on teachers' annual pay awards
- HPM (Headteacher's Performance Management) Panel - where we set objectives for the Headteacher and assess progress
- Hearings & Appeals Panels - where we hear complaints and appeals against decisions
Governors also undertake monitoring visits into school to look at anything which is necessary at any given time.
Meet Our Governing Body
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Andrew Taylor Chair Of Governors Co-opted 1/12/14 - 30/11/22 Safeguarding Finance HT Panel Hearings & Appeals |
Sarah Rose Vice Chair Co-opted Governor 13/9/21 - 12/9/25 Safeguarding Hearings & Appeals |
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Alison Wyld Headteacher - currently on secondment 11/04/16 - ongoing |
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Jemma Shakespeare Staff Governor 18/9/21 - ongoing |
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Sarah Cohen Acting Co-Headteacher 19/4/22 - 31/8/22 |
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Zoe Ayers Acting Co-Headteacher 19/4/22 - 31/8/22 |
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Ed Sant'Anna Co-opted Governor 12/07/16 - 11/07/24 Technology HT Panel (Chair) Hearings & Appeals |
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Donna Sidebotham Co-opted Governor 17/1/21 - 16/1/25 SEND Hearings & Appeals |
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Amanda Hughes Co-opted Governor 09/07/19 - 08/07/23 Pupil Premium Health & Safety Hearings & Appeals |
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Hannah Major Co-opted Governor 01/09/20 - 31/08/2024 Teaching & Learning SEND Pay Panel (Chair) |
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Chris Turrell LA Governor 18/1/2021 - 17/1/2025 Community & Welfare Pay Panel
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Paul Simpson Co-opted Governor 13/9/21 - 12/9/25 Finance Pay Panel
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Daniel De Sousa Parent Governor 13/9/21 - 12/9/23 Health & Safety Development
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Christopher Best Parent Governor 13/9/21 - 12/9/23 Teaching & Learning Pupil Premium Development
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Joanna Chalkley Clerk to Governors 1/2/22 - On-going
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Governor Business Interests
Annually all members of the governing body are under a legal duty to declare any business or pecuniary interests which may conflicy with their role as a governor or associate member.
Governing Body Register of Business Interests 2021-2022
Name |
Person |
Business Interest Declared |
Began |
Ended |
Jemma Shakespeare |
Self
Husband |
Teacher at Harmans Water
Headteacher at Manor Field Junior School |
September 2021
January 2021 |
ongoing
ongoing |
Erica Turney |
Self |
Acting Deputy Headteacher at Harmans Water |
September 2016 |
ongoing |
Zoe Ayers |
Self |
Acting Co-Headteacher at Harmans Water |
January 2013 |
ongoing |
Sarah Cohen |
Self |
Acting Co-Headteacher at Harmans Water |
February 2015 |
ongoing |
Christopher Best |
Wife |
Teacher at Harmans Water |
September 2019 |
ongoing |
Amanda Hughes |
None |
|
September 2017 |
ongoing |
Daniel de Sousa |
None |
|
September 2017 |
ongoing |
Hannah Major |
Self |
Teacher at The Marist School |
September 2021 |
ongoing |
Sarah Rose |
Self |
Employee of Thames Valley Police |
December 2001 |
ongoing |
Ed Sant'Anna | Self | Director of Tavia Digital Limited | April 2021 | ongoing |
|
Self |
Managing Director for Remarkable Focus Ltd |
December 2018 |
ongoing |
|
Self |
Governor at Garth Hill College |
July 2019 |
ongoing |
Chris Turrell |
Self |
MacDonald Hotels |
June 2017 |
ongoing |
Donna Sidebotham |
None |
|
September 18 |
ongoing |
Andrew Taylor |
Self |
Employee at Morrisons |
May 2019 |
ongoing |
|
Wife |
Employee at Harma’s Water |
September 2015 |
ongoing |
Alison Wyld |
Self |
Headteacher at Harmans Water |
April 16 |
ongoing |
Lynn Simkin |
Self |
School Business Manager at Harmans Water |
October 2017 |
ongoing |
Governor Attendance
The governing body is required to publish information about governor attendance at meetings in the last academic year.
Governing Body Record of Attendance at Meetings 2020 - 2021
Current Governors |
Meetings attended |
Possible meetings |
% attendance |
Alison Wyld |
9 |
9 |
100% |
Andrew Taylor |
9 |
9 |
100% |
Sarah Rose |
9 |
9 |
100% |
Erica Turney |
7 |
9 |
78% |
Sarah Cohen |
9 |
9 |
100% |
Zoe Ayers |
9 |
9 |
100% |
Louise Bean |
9 |
9 |
100% |
Stacey Davies |
8 |
9 |
89% |
Ed Sant’anna |
9 |
9 |
100% |
Donna Sidebotham |
9 |
9 |
100% |
Amanda Hughes |
9 |
9 |
100% |
Chris Turrell | 6 | 9 | 67% |
Anthea Wickens | 9 | 9 | 100% |
Hannah Major | 8 | 9 | 89% |
If you would like to know any more about the governing body, or would like to get in touch for any other reason, please email us – chair@hwps.org.uk