St Mark's CE Primary School

"LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE" Matthew 5:16

Welcome to St Mark's CE Primary School

Governors

The Governing Board – what do our governors do?

Governors work with senior leaders in the strategic development of the school and in raising standards of achievement. Duties include setting the school’s vision, aims & objectives, approving the school budget and appointing the headteacher. Governors must both support and challenge the headteacher; consequently, they need to gain an understanding of the school’s overall performance in order to explain its decisions and actions. They do this by attending regular meetings, carrying out school visits and meeting with senior leaders. They also attend training in order to keep up to date with the requirements of their role. Governors work as a team and make collective decisions.

 

Structure of the governing board

 Amanda Healey  (Foundation Governor) and Allistare Smedley (Foundation Governor) are Co-Chairs of Governors. The full governing board (FGB) meets 9 times a year. At these meetings, it carries out its three core functions as identified by the Department for Education in the Governance Handbook:

  • 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
  • overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure money is well spent.

Minutes of FGB meetings are published on the school's website (minutes of meetings page) after approval by the governing board. Please follow this link to read our Code of Conduct for Governing Boards. Associate members do not have voting rights at Full Governing Board meetings but are welcome to attend.

The Governing Body also has a Resources Committee  (Terms of Reference), an Admissions Committee  (Terms of Reference) and a Pay Committee (Terms of Reference).  Minutes of these meetings are published on the website (minutes of meetings page) after approval at the following Committee meeting.  For membership details, please scroll down the page. 

The Governing Board

Instrument of Government 24.03.2015 - 2 Parent Governors, 1 Local Authority Governor, 1 Staff Governor, 1 Headteacher, 7 Foundation Governors (6 of whom appointed by the Diocese, and 1 ex officio)

Name of Governor Type of Governor Date Appointed Appointment Details Term of Office
End Date
Archdeacon Martin Lloyd Williams Foundation Ex Officio (Diocesan)
 
 03.09.2018 Appointed by Diocese of Chichester 02.09.2022
Jane Fendley Headteacher  01.05.2011 Member by virtue of position N/A
due to role on GB
Vacancy Parent Elected  by parents
Sophie Brinkworth

Parent

 

08.02.2018 Elected  by parents 07.02.2026
Brian Ward Staff 24.07.2018 Elected by staff 23.07.2022
Amanda Healey Foundation (Diocesan) 14.09.2017 Appointed by Diocese 13.09.2025
Allistare Smedley Foundation (Diocesan) 07.10.2019 Appointed by Diocese 06.10.2023
Christine Bartley Foundation (Diocesan)  10.10.2019 Appointed by Diocese 09.10.2023
Sebastian Dawson-Bowling Foundation (Diocesan)  20.11.2020 Appointed by Diocese  19.11.2024
Kate Newman Foundation (Diocesan) 10.12.2020 Appointed by Diocese  09.12.2024
Vacancy Foundation (Diocesan) Appointed by Diocese
Vacancy LA  Recommended by LA, appointed by Board
Phil Davis Associate Member (Resources Committee) 16.11.2020 Appointed by Board 15.11.2022
 
Governors who have stepped down/terms of office expired during the past 12 months
Name of Governor Type of Governor Date From Date Ended Reason
Bente Bjornholt Parent 28.09.2018 20.07.2021 Resigned
Nicki O'Neill Local Authority 06.02.2018 19.04.2021 Resigned

Governor attendance at meetings: attendance record for September 2020 - July 2021

There is no obligation for associate members to attend meetings of the Full Governing Board.

Governor Admissions Committee  Resources Committee FGB Meetings 
Leanne Amarylis n/a n/a 1/1
Christine Bartley 2/2 n/a 10/12
Bente Bjornholt n/a n/a 8/12
Sophie Brinkworth n/a n/a 12/12
Sebastian Dawson-Bowling n/a n/a 6/7
Jane Fendley 2/2 5/5 10/12
Amanda Healey 2/2 5/5 11/12
Archdeacon Martin Lloyd Williams n/a n/a 7/12
Nicki O'Neill n/a 4/4 5/9
Kate Newman n/a n/a 6/6
Allistare Smedley 2/2 5/5 9/12
Brian Ward n/a n/a 8/12

 

Register of Interests of Governors and Associate Members 2021-22

Name and category

Contracts/suppliers/ companies/securities/

employment

Other Educational Establishments

Family members

Gifts and Hospitality

 

Organisations/ Secret Societies

Date updated

Christine Bartley

Foundation

Business Development Marketing Manager at IT Company

Governor at Mile Oak Primary

Trustee of BOAT (Bishop Otter Academy Trust)

None

None

None

13.09.21

Sophie Brinkworth

Parent

Seaside View Child Development Centre

Audiology support at Hamilton Lodge School for Deaf Children

Husband Phil Davis is Associate member

One child at the school

 

 

10.09.21

Phil Davis

Associate member

 

None

None

Wife Sophie Brinkworth is governor.

One child at the school

None

None

08.10.21

Sebastian Dawson-Bowling

Foundation

None

None

None

None

None

12.09.21

Jane Fendley

Headteacher

None

None

None

None

None

13.09.21

Amanda Healey

Foundation

None

Volunteer at Into University

Trustee of Education West Africa

None

None

None

10.09.21

Archdeacon Martin Lloyd Williams

Foundation

 

Trustee at Bishop Otter Academy Trust

 

 

 

18.10.21

Kate Newman

Foundation

Employment:  Roedean School

Also employed at CofE Foundation for Educational Leadership

Children attend Ringmer Primary School

None

None

Member of:

NEU13.09.21

NGA

Student at University of Buckinghamshire

11.09.21

Allistare Smedley

Foundation

Employment: Brighton and Hove City Council

Governor at St John the Baptist School and

Mile Oak Primary School

None

None

None

Brian Ward

Staff

None

None

None

None

None

13.09.21

Governor Responsibilities

  • Behaviour:  Allistare Smedley
  • Child Protection:  Amanda Healey
  • Children in Care:  Kate Newman
  • English:   Kate Newman  
  • Health and Safety:    Allistare Smedley
  • Maths:   Sophie Brinkworth
  • Pupil Premium:   Brian Ward, Amanda Healey 
  • RE/Ethos:  Christine Bartley, Archdeacon Martin Lloyd Williams
  • Roedean Partnership:   Amanda Healey
  • SEND:  Allistare Smedley
  • Sports Premium:   Kate Newman
  • Training and Development: Kate Newman
  • Wellbeing:  Sophie Brinkworth

Committee Membership

Resources Committee:  Phil Davis (Associate Member), Sebastian Dawson-Bowling, Jane Fendley, Amanda Healey (committee chair),  Allistare Smedley

Admissions Committee: Christine Bartley (committee chair), Jane Fendley, Amanda Healey, Allistare Smedley 

Pay Committee: Christine Bartley (committee chair), Sebastian Dawson-Bowling, Amanda Healey  

Headteacher Appraisal Panel:  Sophie Brinkworth, Kate Newman, Allistare Smedley