Governors
The Governing Body of a school is a formal, legal entity which has certain areas of responsibility. Parliament has given a range of duties and powers to governing bodies under the Education Acts.
The Governing Body has a general responsibility for the conduct of the school with a view to promoting high standards of educational achievement including:
- setting targets for pupil achievement
- managing the school's finances
- making sure the curriculum is balanced and broadly based
- appointing staff
- reviewing staff performance and pay
- ensuring the safeguarding of all children and staff
The Governing Body delivers these responsibilities collectively through the action of the governing body as a whole, through committees (smaller groups of governors which focus on particular areas) and occasionally by individual governors. The Full Governing Body will usually meet once each term and will discuss issues affecting the school as a whole. The full governing body hears reports from committees on their individual areas of responsibility. At Thorntree we have main three committees:
- Curriculum and School Improvement Committee
- Finance and Personnel Committee
- Premises and Health and Safety Committee
- and also a Pay Committee and a Pay Appeals Committee
The committed and active Governing Body is made up of fourteen school governors and one associate governor:
- one appointed by the local authority
- five elected parent governors
- one staff governor
- the Headteacher
- six co-opted governors
- and also one associate governor
Current Governors and Governors in office during the last academic year are as follows:
Mr Matthew Warburton, Chair of Governors (appointed 6/11/19), appointed by the Governing Body. Governor since 27/10/2008, current term of office 2/11/22 to 2/11/26. Mr Warburton sits on all committees and is Co-Safeguard Lead Governor. Attendance at meetings during the academic year 2023-2024: Full Governors 3/3, Committees: Curriculum and School Improvement Committee 3/3, Finance and Personnel 3/3, Premises & Health and Safety 2/3. No business or pecuniary interests. No staff or governor relationships. No governance roles in other schools.
Ms Ann Marie Walker, Headteacher, ex officio, attends all Full Governor meetings and sits on all committees. Governor since June 2010. Attendance at meetings, in her capacity as Headteacher, during the academic year 2023-2024: Full Governors: 3/3; Committee meetings: Curriculum and School Improvement Committee: 3/3. Finance & Personnel 3/3, Premises and Health & Safety 3/3 No business or pecuniary interests. No staff or governor relationships. No governance roles in other schools.
Mr Andrew Blundy, Longstanding Co-opted Governor, appointed by the Governing Body. Governor since 05/03/1999, current term of office from 2/11/22 to 2/11/26. Mr Blundy sits on the Headteacher Performance Management committee and is Chair of the Premises Committee. Attendance at meetings during the academic year 2023-2024: Full Governors: 3/3. No business or pecuniary interests. No staff or governor relationships. No governance roles in other schools.
Mrs Laura Coleman, Parent Governor. Appointed by parents 2/11/22. Current term of office 2/11/22 to 2/11/26. Mrs Coleman sits on the Curriculum Committee. Attendance at meetings 2023-2024: Full Governors: 3/3. Committee Meetings: Curriculum: 3/3. No business or pecuniary interests. No staff or governor relationships. No governance roles in other schools.
Ms Alison Chubb, Co-opted Governor, appointed by the Governing Body. Governor since 09/09/1999, current term of office from 2/11/22 to 2/11/26. Chair of the Pay Committee and Co-Vice Chair. Ms Chubb sits on the Finance & Personnel committee and the Pay Committee. Attendance at meetings during the academic year 2023-2024: Full Governors: 2/3, Committee Meetings: Finance & Personnel 2/3, Premises and Health & Safety 3/3. No business or pecuniary interests. No staff or governor relationships. No governance roles in other schools.
Mrs Siobham Curtis, Parent Governor, appointed by parents on 18th October 2019. Current term of office 18/11/19 to 19/11/23. Pupil Premium Governor. Mrs Curtis is Chair of the Curriculum Committee. Attendance at meetings 2023-2024: Full Governors 2/3. Committee Meetings: Curriculum 3/3. No business or pecuniary interests. No staff or governor relationships. No governance roles in other schools.
Mr Gary Dillon, Governor since 26/11/15. Local Authority Governor, current term of office 15/6/2022 to 15/6/2026. Mr Dillon sits on the Premises and Health & Safety Committee. Attendance at meetings during the academic year 2023-2024: Full Governors: 1/3, Committee meetings: Premises and Health & Safety 2/3. No business or pecuniary interests. No staff or governor relationships. No governance roles in other schools.
Ms Helen Gibbs, Associate Governor, appointed by Thorntree staff on 01/09/2020. Current term of office 6/11/24 to 6/11/28. Ms Gibbs sits on the Curriculum and School Improvement Committee. Attendance at meetings during the academic year 2023-2024: Full Governors 3/3, Committee meetings: Curriculum and School Improvement Committee: 3/3. No business or pecuniary interests. No staff or governor relationships. No governance roles in other schools.
Ms Suzanne Hunt, Co-Vice Chair of Governors, Parent Governor, appointed by parents. Current term of office from 8/12/21 to 8/12/25. Ms Hunt sits on the Pay Committee and is Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee. SEN Governor. Attendance at meetings during the academic year 2023-2024: Full Governors: 0/3, Committee Meetings: Finance & Personnel 3/3, Pay Committee 1/1. No business or pecuniary interests. No staff or governor relationships. No governance roles in other schools.
Mrs Janine Khoshnevisan, Co-opted Governor, appointed by the Governing Body. Governor since 01/11/2010, current term of office from 2/11/22 to 2/11/26. Member of staff: French Tutor, Learning Mentor, website administrator and Library administrator. Mrs Khoshnevisan sits on the Premises and Health and Safety Committee. Attendance at meetings during the academic year 2023-2024: Full Governors: 3/3, Committee meetings: Premises and Health & Safety 3/3. No business or pecuniary interests. No staff or governor relationships. No governance roles in other schools.
Mr Alex Tavares, Parent Governor. Appointed by parents 6/11/24. Current term of office 6/11/24 to 6/11/28. Mr Tavares sits on the Premises Committee. No business or pecuniary interests. No staff or governor relationships. No governance roles in other schools.
Mr James Whalley, Parent Governor. Appointed by parents 6/11/24. Current term of office 6/11/24 to 6/11/28. Mr Whalley sits on the Finance and Personnel Committee. No business or pecuniary interests. No staff or governor relationships. No governance roles in other schools.
Ms Gemma Wick, Parent Governor. Appointed by parents 2/11/22. Current term of office 2/11/22 to 2/11/26. Mrs Wick sits on the Curriculum Committee, is a Member of the Pay Committee and is Co-Safeguarding Lead Governor. Attendance at meetings 2023-2024: Full Governors: 3/3. Committee Meetings: Curriculum: 3/3. No business or pecuniary interests. No staff or governor relationships. No governance roles in other schools.
There is currently one vacancy for a Parent Governor and another Staff Governor vacancy.
Governors who served in the previous 12 months who are no longer on the Governing Body:
Mrs Vivien Francis, Co-Vice Chair of Governors, Parent Governor, Safeguarding, Child Protection and CLA Governor, appointed by parents on 26/11/15. Last term of office 03/02/2020 to 3/02/2024. Mrs Francis sat on the Premises and Health & Safety Committee. Attendance at meetings during the academic year 2023-2024: Full Governors: 1/1, Committee meetings: Premises and Health & Safety 1/1. No business or pecuniary interests. No staff or governor relationships. No governance roles in other schools.
If you want to contact anyone on the Governing Body then you can do so via the School Office.
