CHESTNUTS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Meet the Governors

Welcome to the Governors' Page

The Governing Body are a group of volunteers who work alongside the Head Teacher to support in the strategic leadership of the school.  We have three core functions:

  • Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
  • Holding the leadership 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.

Much of the work of the Governing Body is around the strategic leadership of the school which means we support the school leadership team in making both good financial decisions and also making sure that decisions about children's education are good.  We track the progress of the school which means we look at how well our children are performing in their education.  We also look at how well our teachers are teaching and support school leaders in helping them to get better.  

Members are voted onto the Governing Body by their representative groups.  Each Governor can then stay a member for four years.  

Each half term we hold a full Governing Body meeting and a meeting of both our committees.  A schedule of our meetings can be found in the Governance Pack attached at the bottom of this page.  All our meetings are open meetings and any parents or members of the wider community can attend to observe.  


Chair of Governors: Dan Salem (25/4/2022 - 24/4/2026)
Contact Details: Governors@chestnutsprimary.com 

Vice Chair of Governors: Kaley Foran (03/12/2020 - 02/12/2024)

Standards and Achievement Committee
This committee challenges attainment levels in the school.  We receive reports from school leaders about how well children are doing and ask searching questions about how we can continually make this better.  We oversee any changing to the curriculum or introduction of new teaching styles. 

We oversee the provision for pupils with additional and special educational needs and for looked after children and children in care.

We review the procedures in place to ensure the safety of pupils.

We monitor the provision of wraparound care (e.g. breakfast club, after school club). We also review the school's relationship with parents and the wider community.

Maureen Duncan (Chair) - Local Authority Governor (14/09/2022 - 13/09/2025)

Helen Drummond - Parent Governor (14/07/2021 - 13/07/2025) 

Kaley Foran - Co-Opted Governor (03/12/2020 - 02/12/2024)

Marvis Scott - Staff Governor (19/09/2019 - 19/09/2023)

Alex Davies - Parent Governor (24/03/2022 - 23/03/2026)

 

Finance & Personnel Committee
This committee oversees the financial management of the school.  We work closely with Ms Horwood and Mr Anderson (School Business Manager) to ensure we spend our budget wisely and with the most impact on children's learning.

We consider personnel issues, including the best staffing structure for the school, ensuring appropriate staff policies are in place and monitoring staff wellbeing.

We also review the health and safety proceedures in place.

Dan Salem - Trust Governor (25/4/2022 - 24/4/2026)

Clare Matthai - Co-Opted Governor (03/12/2020 - 02/12/2024) 

Arya Alatsa - Co-opted Governor (24/03/2022 - 23/03/2026)

Vacancies - 2


Link Governors

The Governing Body also has Link Governors to ensure the school are meeting their statutory requirements.  Link Governors gain a greater level of understanding of their particular area, including meeting with their linked member of staff every term. Link Governors report back to the full Governing Body or the appropriate committee.

Safeguarding - Maureen Duncan

SEND - Maureen Duncan

BAME - Vacancy

Pupil Premium - Vacancy

H&S - Dan Salem

Staff Wellbeing - Maureen Duncan

EYFS/Y1 - Kaley Foran

English/Phonics - Vacancy

Parent forum/PSA - Alex Davies

Curriculum - Helen Drummond

Finance - Clare Matthai

Full details of all Governors, the Terms of Reference for each committee, the Work Planners for the Full Governing Body and each committee and the Code of Conduct can be found in the Governance Pack at the bottom of this page.

 

Meeting Attendence

The attendance record of governors for the 2021/22 academic year is set out below and is updated on a half termly basis:

Governor Full Governing Body Finance Committee Standards Committee
Dan Salem 2/2 1/1 2/2
Hannah Marr 2/2 1/1 N/A
Maureen Duncan 2/2 N/A  
Kalvi Nadarajah (term of office ended Dec 21) 2/2 0/1 N/A
Hannah D'Aguiar (resigned Jan 22) 2/2 0/1  
Katie Horwood 2/2 1/1 2/2
Mavis Scott 2/2 N/A  
Chris Lund 1/2 1/1 N/A
Kaley Foran  0/2 N/A  
Clare Matthai  2/2 1/1 N/A
Holly Cassidy 1/2 N/A  
Helen Drummond 1/2 N/A  

 

Retired Governors

In the last 12 months, the following governors have resigned from the Governing Body:

Hugh Merritt - April 2022 (resigned)

Hannah D'Augiar - January 2022 (resigned)

Kalvi Nadarajah - December 2021 (end of term)

Angeline Conaghan - July 2021 (end of term)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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