We are Charles, Claire, Dawn, Jo, John, Julia, Lesley, Linda, Mandy, Nicky, Sarah and Steve and we are currently the Governors of St Mary's school. We are from local churches, are school parents, school staff, or represent the local authority and together we have strategic oversight of the decision-making which enables our school to be the best that it can be.
There are 14 governors on our Full Governing Board, including the Head Teacher and the Rector. We share the responsibility of ensuring that St Mary’s School is providing the best possible Christian education to our children and we do this by monitoring the quality of education, the financial decisions and the leadership. So we are involved in meeting with children, with subject leaders, and with staff, as well as parents and the wider school community. The Full Governing Board meets at least once a term and there are four committees, each with a chair, which also meet regularly: Curriculum, Finance, Nursery, & WrapAround Provision and Personnel. The governors are accountable to OFSTED, to the Local Authority and to the Lichfield Diocesan Board of Education, and are inspected regularly.
Foundation governors (8) are appointed by the Diocese, parent governors (2) are elected by parents of children in the school, the Local Authority appoints a governor, and the staff elect a governor. All governors are encouraged to serve for a four year term of office. Within the board, we need people with insight into finances, all aspects of education, safeguarding, special needs and disabilities, health, management and more. We have a supportive induction process, and training is provided both internally, through online governor organisations and locally. Vacancies are advertised through the school and church newsletters.
Being a school governor is an unpaid voluntary position which requires time and commitment, to work as an active member of the Governing Board and alongside all the staff to raise standards, and to provide a safe environment within which children can learn and grow and reach their full potential. All the governors are enthusiastic and passionate about our school, and believe that children’s education is of utmost importance; for the foundation governors it is also a way of expressing their Christian faith and the love of God for the community.
Our Governing Board:
Lesley White - Chair of Governors - Foundation Governor, appointed 30.9.2024, Curriculum & Personnel Committee, Link Governor for RE, Computing, Maths, SEND, Safeguarding & Vulnerable pupils.
Rev Charles Dale - Foundation Governor, appointed 9.7.2023, Finance Committee and Link Governor for Humanities and Worship.
Jo Moult - Head Teacher, appointed 1.9.2020, all committees.
Sarah Turner - Assistant Head Teacher, Co-opted Governor, appointed 1.1.2022, Curriculum Committee.
Nicola Malkin - Staff Governor, appointed 6.3.2023, Finance Committee.
Claire Weatherhead - Parent Governor, appointed 8.1.2024, Curriculum Committee, Link Governor for Early Years, PSHE & PE.
Amanda Foster - Foundation Governor, appointed 24.9.2025, Finance Committee, Link Governor for Science and The Croft.
Dawn Brinkley - Parent Governor, appointed 15.12.2025, committee tbc. Link Governor tbc
Steve Dobson - Foundation Governor, appointed 15.12.2025, committee tbc, Link Governor tbc
Linda Hammond - Foundation Governor, appointed 16.12.2025, committee tbc, Link Governor tbc
Julia Dixon - Foundation Governor, appointed 15.12.2025, committee tbc, Link Governor tbc
Terms of Reference - Curriculum Committee 2025-26
Terms of Reference - Finance Committee 2025-26
Terms of Reference - Personnel Committee 2025-26
Terms of Reference - Nursery & Wrap Around Committee 2025-26
governor meeting attendance 2024-25
what should be published on a school website - information from Gov.uk