Governors

Governance at Wrington Primary

Wrington Cof E Primary School and Burrington Cof E Primary School are federated. We are also part of the Lighthouse Schools Partnership (LSP) as a Local Governing Board. This means that the two schools share one board of governors who oversee the work of both schools, provide strategic direction, and challenge and support the schools to ensure that they meet the needs of all pupils within the context of our Multi Academy Trust, LSP.

The federation governing body has three main responsibilities:
- Implementation of each school development plan.
- To hold the Headteacher to account, and to be a 'critical friend' for the Headteacher.
- To ensure compliance with legislation which relates to the running of the schools.

Importantly, school governors are not directly involved in the day to day running of the schools.  This responsibility lies with the Headteacher and the Senior Leadership Teams.

Along with the Headteacher, the federation governing body is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the teaching and academic staff are delivering the highest standards of education to all pupils, in an inclusive, safe and friendly environment. We are also responsible for the recruitment of staff.

Governors have a wide range of skills.  We have members who work or have worked in education, business the church and other areas of public service, providing a blend of experience and commitment. 

The governing body is also responsible for reviewing everything from educational achievement across the curriculum, the Christian ethos, the school budget, to the management of building programmes.  

The governors are actively involved in working with the school on a range of matters and are regularly involved in the development of religious education, with regular attendance at church services.  All governors have a link subject, and periodically visit the school, including visits to classrooms to observe teaching.

The federation governing body is made up as follows:
- Foundation Governors (appointed by the diocese).
- The Headteacher.
- One Staff Governor (appointed by ballot).
- Two Parent Governors (appointed by ballot, one from Burrington and one from Wrington)
- Co-opted Governors (usually formerly elected governors who bring experience to the governing body).

Details of the federation governing body, together with attendance at committee meetings and areas of responsibility, are shown below.  You can get in touch with any of the governors either through the school office, or through the clerk to the governors, Janet Gent (clerk.governors@bwcfederation.org.uk).

Governance Structure.

Committees

 

Roles within the governing body

Chair of Governors

Laura Laird

Headteacher

Sarah Joskey (all committees)

Staff Governor

 LJ Annandale (associate governor)

Heads and Chairs (Including Leadership and Management) 

Laura Laird, Sarah Joskey

Finance Group

Sarah Bagnall (Chair), Deborah Yamanaka, Clare Parsons

School Improvement Group*

Laura Laird (Chair), Nick Hardie, Corinne Clarke, LJ Annandale, Belinda Kumpel, Martin Curtis,  Alice Lang

Ethos Committee

David Gent (Chair), Belinda Kumpel, Alexis Mackie, Sarah Joskey

Safeguarding Governor

Laura Laird

Health & Safety Governor

Deborah Yamanaka

SEND Governor

Nick Hardie

Governor for Disadvantaged and Looked After Children

Martin Curtis

Governor for Services and Estates/HR

Clare Parsons

GDPR Governor

Alexis Mackie

Clerk to Governors

Janet Gent

 * From Sept 2024 The School Improvement and Standards Committee responsibilities will be allocated to the LGB

Governor Profiles

Mrs L J Annandale (Associate Governor and member of staff)

I was born and raised in South Africa so, not unsurprisingly, I have that Southern Hemisphere passion for team sports (Go Bokke!)... although strictly as a spectator only. I moved to the UK after university and worked initially for a global advertising agency as Brand Manager for a number of multinational companies, including Nestlé and Proctor & Gamble. I changed career paths because I have always had a passion for education; and as a full-time mum, I became heavily invested in my own children’s early learning. I have worked at Burrington Primary School as a Year 5/6 class teacher for 4 years; developing my love of literacy and global dimension pedagogy. Outside of work, I help with Wrington Guides; take art lessons (albeit badly); travel the world, and walk my badly behaved dog in the forest (just not all at the same time). 

 

 Ms Sarah Bagnall (Co-opted Governor)

I am a parent of a child in Burrington pre-school.  Since joining the Burrington  community I have been struck by the strong community spirit, and would like to do my bit to help. 

I have set up and run my own independent financial adviser company for 12 years and I feel that my experience of running a regulated company, managing employees and managing clients’ finances could be useful in this role.

Reverend David Gent (Co-opted)

. 

David is Rector of Wrington with Redhill, Burrington, Butcombe and Langford, so is well-known to the children particularly through leading collective worship etc.  As a member of the Governing Body, he takes a particular interest in ethos matters and in our preparation for SIAMS (the church school inspection)

 Mr Nick Hardie (Co-opted Governor)

I wholeheartedly believe in the values of compassion, integrity, curiosity and wisdom that the schools represent.  I would personally take great pride in being part of ensuring those values are upheld.  Having seen the quality of leadership and teaching at the Burrington since my son joined in September, I truly believe in the vision of the school community to nurture and broaden the Pupil’s horizons.

With regards to my experience, my role as a documentary director has taught me how to foster strong teams and encourage creativity with compassion and humility.  The role has taken me around the world, giving me a broad perspective of the wonderfully diverse cultures our planet has to offer, and fueled a strong desire to protect it. 

I’ve also developed a meticulous approach to the coordination, both logistically and financially of large teams in rapidly changing environments.

Over my schooling years, I have had first-hand experience of both large-scale comprehensive schools, and small-scale private school environments, which I feel has given me a broad overview of the benefits and drawbacks of both approaches.  This is another reason why I believe in the nurturing child-focused environment and broad progressive outlook that Burrington provides.

Mrs. Alice Lang (Foundation Governor)

 

I joined the Governing Body as a Foundation Governor in February 2022. My son attends Wrington C of E Primary School and I hope that my daughter will also be able to attend in due course.  My professional background is in law and I work as a construction solicitor for a full service law firm in their Bristol office.  I enjoy family time, walking our young yellow Labrador, music, travel and photography. 

 

Ms. Sarah Joskey (Headteacher)

  I was born and grew up in the Mendips and I have many associations with this beautiful area. After university, where I studied music, I developed a passion for primary education.  I have a Masters degree in Education and I have taught in schools in Berkshire, Outer London and North Somerset.  Governing bodies play such an important role in the success of a school and I have been pleased to serve as a governor in four schools. I have been Headteacher at Wrington since 2010 and Headteacher at Burrington since 2018 when the two schools federated. I now live in Somerset with my family which includes three children and a rather timid golden retriever who occasionally visits school. Music remains a great love: I play the harp, piano, I sing in choirs in Bath and SW London and I support musical activities in my local church.

 

Dr Belinda Kumpel (Foundation Governor)

 I am a retired scientist, having worked in Blood Transfusion (latterly NHS Blood and Transplant) for nearly 30 years in Bristol. I worked with many students studying for higher degrees and lectured there and abroad. Our children were at Wrington School which gave them a lovely start to their education. As a new Governor, I hope to be able to support the governing body and the teachers in ensuring the best education for children at Wrington and Burrington primary schools. 

  

Laura Laird (Chair of Governors and Safeguarding Governor)

 

I have lived in Wrington for many years with my husband and two sons, both of whom attend Wrington Primary School.

After several years working in banking, I retrained as a primary teacher and have been teaching for more than 15 years.  I currently teach part-time at one of the largest primary schools in Bristol, and am Writing Lead. I have been involved in Girlguiding UK for almost 20 years and lead a Brownie unit in Wrington.

In my spare time, when I’m not cheering on children’s sports or drama activities, I enjoy knitting, reading and the theatre.

 Alexis Mackie (Co-opted)

 

I have lived in the lovely community of Burrington since 2016, serving as Secretary on the Burrington PCC for several years. My professional background is in Client Account Management within Technology and Financial Services. After achieving an RHS qualification in 2019, I recently followed my passion for horticulture and am now gardener in the local area. Having dual citizenship, I moved to the UK almost 15 years ago from Canada, settling in the West Country. The Mendip Hills are a great place to enjoy my pastimes of bike riding, running and walking.

Burrington is a wonderful place to live with my little family. I look forward to serving as a school governor, making a difference to the lives of the students and staff, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

 Clare Parsons (Parent Governor)

  

I have lived in the local area for nearly 20 years and the village for 15 of those. I love our school and village and I feel strongly that both should be supported to ensure they can continue to be an important part of our community. I feel I offer an insight as someone who lives within the parish and as a parent to a pupil at Burrington. I am self employed within the agricultural and veterinary sector. In my spare time I enjoy cooking and running and I am also on the Burrington Parish Rooms committee.

Mrs Deborah Yamanaka (Local Authority Governor)

 I am now a co-opted Governor, having previously been a Local Authority Governor appointed by North Somerset Council for many years. I am also the Health and Safety Governor.

 

 

Vacancy

 

 

 

 Governor Appointments and Terms of Office Details 2023 2024

Governors contact details types and terms of office 2023 2024 (2)x

 

Governor Attendance Record 2023 2024

FGB		16th October 2023	27th November 2023	29th January 2024	18th March 2024	20th May 2024	15th July 2024
LJ Annandale	Associate	√	√	apologies	√	√	✓
Sarah Bagnall	Co-opted	√	√	√	apologies	√	✓
Corinne Clarke	Staff	√	√	√	√	√	✓
Martin Curtis	Co-opted	√	apologies	√	apologies	√	✓
David Gent	Foundation	√	√	√	√	√	✓
Ruth Gillbanks	Foundation	√	√	resigned	√	√	✓
Nick Hardie	Co-opted	√	apologies	√	apologies	√	apologies
Sarah Joskey	Head	√	√	√	√	√	✓
Belinda Kumpel	Foundation	√	√	√	√	√	✓
Laura Laird	Parent	√	√	√	√	√	✓
Alice Lang	Foundation	√	√	√	√	√	✓
Alexis Mackie	Clo-opted	n/a	√	√	√	apologies	✓
Stephen Miles	Co-opted	apologies	√	√	√	√	✓
Clare Parsons	Parent	√	√	√	√	√	✓
Deborah Yamanaka	LA	apologies	√	√	√	√	apologies

 

 

 

 2023/24 Governor Meeting Schedule

 

Term 1	Term 2	Term 3	Term 4	Term 5	Term 6
Finance and Pay Committee		Finance		Finance Incl budget
	School Improvement Group		School Improvement Group		School Improvement Group
	Premises		Premises		Premises
Safeguarding	Safeguarding	Safeguarding	Safeguarding	Safeguarding	Safeguarding
Ethos			Ethos		Ethos
LGB,	LGB, Heads report	LGB,	LGB, Heads report	LGB Sign off budget	LGB, Heads report

 Meetings schedule 2023 2024

Term 1
LGB	Wednesday 16th October  2023 (6pm)
SIG	Mon 25th Sept
Finance	9th October
Term 2
LGB	27th November
SIG	Mon 13th Nov
Term 3
LGB	Monday 29th January (6pm)
SIG	Mon 15th Jan
Finance	Wed 24th Jan
Term 4
LGB	Monday 18th March (6pm)
SIG	Monday 4th March
Term 5
SIG	Tuesday 29th April
Finance	To be confirmed
LGB	Monday 20th  May
Term 6
SIG	Mon 1st July (tbc)
LGB	Monday 15th July