Governing Body

our governing body

The Governors are always available and happy to receive comments or questions relating to their work and responsibilities at any time.

Day-to-day administrative queries regarding the school should be addressed to the school office. Teaching or classroom queries should be directed towards teaching staff, and any queries regarding special educational needs should be directed towards our Special Educational Needs Co-Ordinators, Mrs Carla Belling and Mrs Caroline Bromley.

Any further questions or comments relating to the day-to-day running of the school should be directed to the Headteacher.  However, anyone with any comments, queries or questions regarding the overall strategic running of the school, and how the school’s performance is monitored may contact the Governors.

The Chair of Governors, Mr Peter Edgesmith, can be contacted in writing via the Clerk to the Governing Body, Mrs Steph Janice, either by post using the school postal address, or by email: clerk@lamberhurst.kent.sch.uk.

Members

Foundation Governor – Ex Officio and Vice Chair: Rev. Andrew Axon

​Foundation Governor: Mr Andrew Blamey 

Foundation Governor: Mrs Jen Tobin

Co-opted Governor and Chair of Governors: Mr Peter Edgesmith

Co-opted Governor: Mr James Simpson

Local Authority Governor: Mrs Lindsay Denning

Parent Governor: TBC 

Parent Governor: TBC

Headteacher: Mrs Caroline Bromley

Staff Governor: Mrs Lizzy Connors

Clerk: Mrs Steph Janice

Overview

The Governing Body of Lamberhurst St Mary’s comprises 10 governors in total. The membership is made up as follows:

2 Parent Governors
2 Co-opted Governors
3 Foundation Governors
1 Local Authority Governor
2 Staff Governors (of which 1 is the Headteacher)

The Governing Body works through the Circle model of governance, whereby a system of monitoring pairs tasked with overseeing specific areas of the school in greater detail. 

The Monitoring Pairs focus on the outcomes for pupils in terms of both achievement and progress of all children and groups of children, are responsible for understanding the Government’s performance data for our children and monitor the curriculum across the school.  Additionally, they look at all financial matters such as budget monitoring, those relating to the buildings and grounds, such as health and safety, maintenance, staffing and any minor capital projects ensuring that funding is targeted at the main priorities outlined on the School Improvement Plan.

Structure and Remit

Lamberhurst St Mary’s Primary School aspires to be a welcoming, inclusive family with a Christian ethos, a sense of community and a commitment to excellence for all children in our care.

The core purposes of the Governing Body is to support and encourage continuing development and improvement within the school – by ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and setting the strategic direction of the school, challenging the leadership team, and recognizing success, together with overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.  Governors fulfil their function through ‘Full Governing Body’ meetings which are held at least six times per year.  The Governing Body operates a Circle Model of Governance where the governing body works as a 'whole team' without committees.  This means that governors have up to date information regarding the school, and can offer timely support and challenge, as well as take action should the need arise.

The governing body delegates monitoring activities to either individual or pairs of governors.  This delegation could relate to statutory functions, such as Safeguarding, SEND, Pupil Premium, Health & Safety, and Finance, or to priorities identified in the School Improvement Plan. Governor monitoring visits take place regularly throughout the year, and are reported back to the Full Governing Body. The Governing Body may commission assignments or projects arising from the business of any particular meeting which will be recorded in the minutes.  There is an established Pay Panel, and a small panel which reviews Headteacher performance. 

The Full Governing Body is ultimately responsible for school performance and financial probity and is run with constant regard to the standards set out by Ofsted.  The Headteacher reports on current school performance and progress against the School Improvement Plan.  Throughout the year subject leaders may be asked to give presentations on particular subjects or priorities. 

 

Current Membership

Details of the current membership, and for all governors who have been 'in post' during the past 12 months are set out below, together with business interests for current governors, and attendance data for the 2024-25 academic year.

Name and Category	Term of Office and Appointing Body	Area of focus	Relevant Business or Pecuniary interests declared, July 2023	Other education establishments governed	Relationship with school staff, including spouse, partners and relatives	Attendance of FGB meetings
						2022-23	2023-24
Rev Andrew Axon Foundation Governor	07/12/2016- Ex Officio Diocese	Vice Chair of Governors, Act of Worship and Christian ethos; Budget Monitoring	Church of England Vicar at St Mary’s Church, Lamberhurst & St Luke’s Church, Matfield	None	None	6 / 6	5/ 6
Mr Andrew Blamey Foundation Governor	08/11/2021– 07/11/2025 Appointed by Diocese PCC, St Mary’s, Lamberhurst (First appointed  09/11/2017)	Leadership & Management; Performance Management of Headteacher	None	None	None	4 / 6	6 / 6
Mrs Caroline Bromley Headteacher	1/9/06- Ex-officio	Headteacher	Headteacher, Lamberhurst St Mary’s School	None	None	6 / 6	6 / 6
Mr Peter Edgesmith Co-opted Governor	07/04/2023- 06/04/2027 Appointed by Governing Body (First appointed 07/04/2015)	Chair of Governors, SEND, Pupil Premium; Leadership & Management; Performance Management of Headteacher	None	Chair of Governors, Hollington Primary Academy	None	6 / 6	6 / 6
Mr James Simpson Co-opted Governor	09/01/2024- 08/01/2028 Appointed by Governing Body (First appointed  09/01/2022)	Health & Safety; Budget monitoring	Managing Director, Adrian Scripps Ltd	None	None	4 / 6	4 / 6
Mrs Lindsay Denning Local Authority Governor	21/03/2022- 21/03/2026 Nominated by LA, appointed by Governing Body	Safeguarding; Behaviour & Attitudes and Personal development	Teacher, Kent College	None	Spouse, Mr Guy Denning, Specialist Instrument Music Teacher	5 / 6	4 / 6
Mrs Lizzy Connors Staff Governor	04/12/2022- 03/12/2024 Elected by Staff Body		Yr 1 Class Teacher, Lamberhurst St Mary’s School	None	None	4 / 5	5 / 6
Mrs Jen Tobin  Foundation Governor	01/02/2023– 31/01/2027 Appointed by Diocese PCC, St Mary’s, Lamberhurst	Act of Worship and Christian Ethos; Quality of Education (including EYFS)	Teacher, Kent College	None	None	1 / 3	5 / 6
TBC Parent Governor
TBC Parent Governor

Previous Governors, September 2023 - July 2024

Name and Category	Term of Office and Appointing Body	Area of focus	Attendance of FGB & Committee meetings	Relevant Business or Pecuniary interests declared	Other education establishments governed	Relationship with school staff, inc spouse, partners and relatives
Mrs Philippa Caddick Parent Governor	27/11/2020- 26/11/2024 Parent election	Behaviour & Attitudes and  Personal development; Staff Wellbeing; Member of Pay Panel	5 / 6	Director, Innspirit Ltd Partner, Caddick Partnership (Investment Consultancy)	None	None
Mr Andrew Gooch Parent Governor	27/11/2020- 26/11/2024 Parent election	Quality of Education (including EYFS); Staff Wellbeing	5 / 6	Director, HoldFast Training Ltd; Secretary, Charlie Parker Nutrition Consulting Ltd; Trustee, Queen’s Gurkha Engineers Regimental Trust	None	None

 

Diversity

As a school we recognise that a diversity of thought, voices and perspectives is essential to good governance and the effective running of any organisation. We collect diversity information from our governors and, depending on current data, can use this to:

• target recruitment to address gaps in experience and diversity
• develop and adapt board practices to ensure full participation
• prioritise training and awareness-raising in identified areas
• address potential ‘blind spots’ through seeking wider advice and perspectives on current and upcoming opportunities, challenges and risks