Catsfield CEP SchoolOur Governors
Role Of Governors
Governors work as part of the Senior Leadership Team of the school. They are involved in the strategic development of the school and are responsible for holding the senior leaders in the school to account. They ensure that the school provides a good quality education, as raising educational standards in all schools is a key priority. This will happen when there are high expectations of what pupils can achieve. They do this together with the Head, to whom they delegate the day to day management of the school. Heads are appointed by Governors - and most heads choose to be Governors themselves.
The number and variety of Governors varies in each school depending on it’s size and community. Appointments are for four years and Governors are responsible to parents, the Local Authority and the community.
The Governors key responsibilities are:
- 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 the staff
- Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent
Governors are at the heart of how a school operates and it is important we get things right. How we do our job affects the interests of pupils, staff morale and how the school is seen by parents and others in the community.
Governors support and challenge heads by gathering views, asking questions and deciding what's best for the school. We are not here to rubber stamp decisions. We have to be prepared to give and take and be loyal to decisions taken by the governing body as a whole.
As long as Governors act within the law we are protected from any financial liability for the decisions we take.
Governor Body
|
Name |
Appointed By |
Term |
Responsibility |
Declared Interests |
Full Voting Rights |
Attendance 2025-2026 |
Attendance 2026-2027 |
|
Lex Beckett Headteacher |
n/a | Employed at the school | Yes | 6/6 | 1/1 | ||
|
Cassie Skevington Staff Governor |
Elected by staff | 20/1/26 - 19/1/2030 | MHEW | Employed at the school | Yes | 5/6 | 1/1 |
|
Father Robert Beaken Ex Officio Foundation Governor |
Diocese of Chichester | 28/3/22-27/3/26 | Ethos | Yes | 2/6 | 1/1 | |
|
Desmond Christian Foundation Governor |
Diocese of Chichester | 15/1/24 - 14/1/28 |
Finance, GDPR |
Yes | 4/6 | 0/1 | |
|
Kirstie Wapshott Co-opted Governor |
Governing Body | 4/12/25 -4/12/29 |
Co- Vice Chair Appeals Pay Panel Curriculum Data Quality of Education |
Yes | 4/4 | 1/1 | |
|
Karen Bye Additional Governor |
Local Authority | 1/9/26 | Acting Chair | Yes | n/a | 1/1 | |
|
Judith Koral Co-opted Governor |
Governing Body | 17/9/26-16/9/30 |
Co-Vice Chair Health and Safety. Premises |
Yes | n/a | 1/1 | |
|
Priya Plowman Parent Governor |
Parents | 1/9/26 - 31/8/30 |
Behaviour and Attitudes EYFS SEND & Equalities Sustainability |
Parent of pupils | Yes | n/a | 1/1 |
|
Paul Swatton LA Governor |
Local Authority | 11/9/26 - 10/9/30 |
Chair of Governors Pay Panel Attendance Leadership & Management Safeguarding |
Yes | n/a | 1/1 | |
|
David Taylor Associate Member |
Governing Body | 17/9/26 -16/9/30 |
Sports Premium |
No | n/a | 1/1 | |
|
Catherine Clissold-Jones Parent Governor |
Parents | 1/10/26 - 30/9/30 |
|
Parent of pupil | Yes | n/a | 1/1 |
|
John Hassell Associate Member |
Governing Body | 11/07/24 - 11/7/28 | Grandfather of pupils | No | N/a | 0/1 |
Governors who have left in the past 12 months:
Mr John Barnes - Ex Officio Governor - left 28/02/26
Mrs Charlotte Buckland - Parent Governor - left 31/08/26
Mrs Jay Chappill - Parent Governor - left 31/8/26
Mr Hugh Hennebry - Additional Governor - left 31/8/26