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Governors

Welcome to the Polehampton Local Governing Board page of our website!

The Polehampton Local Governing Board works across both Polehampton CE Infant School and Polehampton CE Junior School. Governors are responsible to The Keys Academy Trust (“TKAT”) for monitoring and evaluating the performance and effectiveness of our school, working closely with the Heads of School and staff, as well as the CEO and Trustees of TKAT.
Governors act as a critical friend, with the following core functions:
  • To ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction for the school;
  • To hold leaders to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils and the performance management of staff;
  • To oversee the financial management of the school; and
  • To maintain ultimate responsibility for safeguarding: are children safe – and do they feel safe?
Our Christian Vision:
In all of their work with the school, TKAT and the wider local community, the Local Governing Board aims to promote and protect the schools’ Christian vision –to “Let your light shine” – with this vision sitting as a foundation stone under our curriculum vision and our school values.
Governors recognise that we are all special in God’s eyes and have unique talents, which must be nurtured so that each of us has the opportunity to become the very best person that God intended us to be. Through faith and conviction, the Local Governing Board wants to encourage all of our children - and staff and governors! - to aspire and to let their light shine; to make a difference and be proud of this; and to value and respect the light of others.
We want every one of our school community to shine a light and make a difference in their classrooms, throughout the school and when they return home and into their community. 
Governance Structure:
Governors are appointed by TKAT (with the exception of parent and staff governors, who are elected by parents and staff respectively). Governors are all volunteers, bringing with them a broad range of skills. Work is undertaken through participation in twice-termly Local Governing Board meetings, together with regular visits to the schools and conversations with School leadership - and participation in three delegated committees:
  • Quality of Education Committee
  • Finance and Human Resources Committee
  • School and Community Committee
Governors are not involved in the day-to-day working of the school but work more strategically.  The day-to-day running of the school – and responsibility for the implementation of the schools’ strategic vision – sits with the Heads of School and the School Leadership Team.
 
For information about governance in The Keys Academy Trust, please see here
 
Getting in touch:
It is our aim as a Local Governing Board to be as open and as approachable as possible, therefore we are keen to hear from you if you have any questions relating to the school from a strategic perspective. Please continue to speak with your class teacher and the Heads of School for all other matters relating to your child – as they will be best-placed to assist.
To reach governors, please drop an email to governors@polehampton-inf.wokingham.sch.uk  or leave a message at either schools’ reception with your question and we will come back to you.
Governor details:
Please find below various useful information regarding the current Local Governing Board:
 

Committee Membership:

Type

Name

Committee

Area of Responsibility

Trust

James Smith

Chair of Local Governing Board

Chair of Finance & HR

Address:

c/o Polehampton Infant School,
Hermitage Drive,

Twyford, RG10 9HS

GDPR

Governor Development
Sports Premium

Trust

Brian Rogers

Member of School & Community

Health and Safety

 

Trust Louise Cockrell Member of Finance and Human Resources  
Staff - Infant

Nicola Bradshaw

Member of Quality of Education

Foundation Stage Governor

Parent - Junior

Anna Lippett

Vice Chair of Local Governing Board
Chair of School & Community
Member of Quality of Education

Listening and Wellbeing Governor

Parent - Infant

Sarah Tang

Chair of Quality of Education

Inclusion Governor (SEND and Pupil Premium)
Safeguarding and Looked-After Children

Executive Headteacher

Philip Sherwood

All committees

 

Staff -Junior

Cherry Gale

Member of Quality of Education

 
Foundation Anna Stevens Member of School & Community  
Foundation VACANCY    
 

Lisa Spooner

n/a

Clerk to the Governors

Terms of Office:

Name

Start Date

End Date

Term

Appointed By

James Smith

01/09/2020

31/08/2024

4 years

Trust

Brian Rogers

14/07/2022

13/07/2026

4 years

Trust

Anna Stevens

22/09/2022

21/09/2023

1 year

Diocese/Trust

Henry Carruthers

01/09/2020

31/08/2023

3 years

Trust

Philip Sherwood

01/07/2023

ongoing

ongoing

Staff

Sarah Tang

01/09/2022

31/08/2026

2 years

Parents

Anna Lippett

01/09/2022

31/08/2026

2 years

Parents

Louise Cockrell 06/12/2022 05/12/2026 4 years Trust

Cherry Gale

16/06/2023

15/06/2027

4 years

Staff

Catherine Abell 01.09.23 31.08.27 4 years Trust
Anna Stevens 22.9.23 21.9.24 1 year Foundation
VACANCY       Diocese/Trust

Governors’ prior academic year attendance:

Name

Local Governing Board Meetings 2022/2023

Committee Attendance 2022/2023

James Smith

6/6

12/13

Helen Ball

2/2

5/5

Nicola Bradshaw

5/6

4/6

Brian Rogers

3/6

2/3

Sarah Tang

6/6

6/6

Anna Lippett

6/6

8/8

Anna Stevens

3/6

4/5

Phil Sherwood

1/1

n/a

Henry Carruthers

6/6

6/7

Barbara Carr

0/2

0/3

Louise Cockrell 2/4 3/4
Cherry Gale 1/1 1/1

Previous Governors:

The following governors left the Governing Body in the last twelve months:

Category

Name End date
Executive Headteacher Helen Ball 30.06.2023
Foundation Barbara Carr 16.12.2022

Trust

Henry Carruthers

31.8.23
Staff Nicola Bradshaw 31.8.23

Register of Other Interests as at September 2022  - Updated July 2023

Relevant interests:

Name

Other Interests

James Smith

Trustee of David George Trust

Nicola Bradshaw

Staff

Brian Rogers

Trustee of Twyford Snooker Club

Anna Stevens

Parent

Helen Ball

Staff, Trustee of David George Trust - left GB 30.06.23

Anna Lippett

Parent

Sarah Tang

Parent, Employee of NFER

Henry Carruthers

Grandparent

Barbara Carr

Trustee of WI - left GB 16.12.22

Phil Sherwood

Headteacher of Sonning CE Primary School

Cherry Gale Parent