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Governors

The Governing Body works as a team to make sure the school is a safe and happy place for children to learn and staff to work. Governors have a general responsibility for seeing that the school is run effectively. The strength of the Governing Body lies in the collective knowledge, experience and expertise of its members.

The Governing Body has three main roles:

  • To work with the Headteacher and staff to provide and support the strategic direction and vision for the school.
  • To have responsibility for monitoring and evaluating the school's effectiveness, asking challenging questions and pressing for continuous improvement to promote the interests of the school and its pupils.
  • To ensure accountability. The Headteacher and staff report to the Governing Body on the school's performance. In turn, the Governing Body is answerable to parents and the wider local community for the school's overall performance.

The full Governing Body meets once every term to discuss the strategic issues facing the school at the time. In addition, there are two sub-committees that meet once every term. These sub-committees cover:

  • Curriculum and Special Educational Needs*
  • Resources – Finance, Health & Safety, HR, Premises

*For the Curriculum sub-committee, meetings take place in the Autumn and Summer term but Governors visit the school and their Subject Leader counterparts every term. 

Governors can include parents, staff members, local authority representatives and members of the community. The Governing Body is supported by a Clerk and by the local authority. Governors often visit the school to observe different aspects of its activities and may receive training run by the local authority.

The current members of the Governing Body are listed below. The usual term of office is 4 years. The Governing Body can be contacted through the school office.

If you are interested in becoming a governor, please come and speak to us. Minutes of our governing body meetings are also available on request. For all enquiries please contact our clerk clerk@bri.rbksch.org

Instrument of Government

Governors Meeting Attendance Record

 

Name of Governor Category of Governor and Term of Office Roles and Committees Any relevant business interests/other governance roles/relationships with school staff

Mrs Ellie Evans

Parent Governor (appointed by Parent Elections)

15.12.16-15.12.20

Chair of Governors

Resources Committee Chair (holding till new starter joins)

Curriculum Governor for Maths

  

Mrs Marian Freedman

Local Authority Governor

1.9.16 - 1.9.20

 

Resources Governor for Attendance

Trustee of Kingston Upon Thames United Charities

Mrs Michelle Dalby

Parent Governor (appointed by Parent Elections)

15.12.16 - 15.12.20

Curriculum Committee Chair

Curriculum Governor for English

Self-employed independent Usborne organiser operating under the name My Book Bug

Director of Crew Technology Ltd

The school uses My Book Bug to purchase Usborne books

Ms Hannah Lee

Parent Governor (appointed by Parent Elections)

1.6.15 - 1.6.19

Resources Governor for HR, Staffing and Safeguarding

 

Mr Dale Vearncombe

Co-opted (Elected unopposed by Governing Body)

1.1.17 - 1.1.21

Resources Governor for Health and Safety, Premises and GDPR

  

Mrs Mary Arbuthnot

Co-opted (Elected unopposed by Governing Body)

11.10.18 - 11.10.22

Curriculum Governor for Science and Special Educational Needs, English as a 2nd Language and Pupil Premium Grant

  

Mrs Navita Rathod

Co-opted (Elected unopposed by Governing Body)

14.5.18 - 14.5.22

Resources Governor for Communications

Curriculum Governor for Foundation Subjects

  

Mrs Vivienne Quan

Co-opted (Elected unopposed by Governing Body)

12.2.20 - 12.2.24

Resources Governor for Finance

  

Mrs Jane Curtis

Co-opted (Elected unopposed by Governing Body)

12.2.20 - 12.2.24

Curriculum Governor for EYFS

  

Mrs Su Yay-Walker

Ex Officio Governor (appointed by virtue of position)

1.4.14 -

Headteacher

Resources Committee

Curriculum Committee

 

Mrs Michelle Docwra

Staff Governor (appointed by school)

1.9.17 - 1.9.21

Curriculum Committee

 

 
Governors who have stepped down within last 12 months:
Dr Meetiksha Malhotra
Parent Governor (appointed by Parent Elections)
15.12.16 - 23.09.19
Curriculum Committee
Governor for Special Educational Needs and Disability and Pupil Premium Grant
  
Mr Matt Martin
Co-opted (Elected unopposed by Governing Body)
18.3.15 - 18.7.19
Chair
Curriculum Committee
Resources Committee
Curriculum Governor - Maths
  

 

Meet our Governors

 

Hannah Lee

I became a Governor in 2015 when my child was in Burlington Nursery, having been so impressed with the teaching and care she received there. I wanted to give something back to Burlington and to the local community and am now a member of the Resources Committee as well as the full Governing Body. Since becoming a Governor I have been involved in experiencing Maths teaching through Learning Walks and have supported the recruitment of new staff, as well as helping to judge the Easter Egg Competition! I have over 15 years' experience working in Human Resources in the media and charity sectors, and have been able to apply my expertise in this area to my Governor role.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Michelle Dalby

I am a parent Governor and I have two daughters who are at Burlington Infants and Juniors. I feel privileged to have become a Governor in 2016 to give me the opportunity to support our community, and to contribute towards providing a high standard of education for all of the children at the school.  My background is in academic science, where I worked as a research scientist for 20 years. More recently I started my own business selling children’s books, as I passionately believe that getting young children interested in reading is key to their education. I am on the Curriculum Committee, focusing on reading and writing.
 
 

 

 

Dale Vearncombe

Having started as an Engineer, I have spent the majority of my career working as a Management Consultant across Public and Private Sectors focusing on using technology to solve Business problems, including optimising value with limited resources (selecting the ‘right’ things).
In 2016 my son joined Reception and we have been delighted by the quality of teaching and support the school provides.
I enjoy ‘giving back’ and contributing to the community, so feel privileged to be given the opportunity to apply my knowledge and experience as an Associate Governor on the Resources Committee, focussing on Health & Safety and Technology.
 
 

Ellie Evans

I am a parent Governor on the Resources Committee, having started the role in December 2016. I have two daughters at the 
school. I am very happy with the education that they are receiving and wanted to play an active role in their education and the education of their contemporaries. My background and experience is in economics and mathematics so I was keen to make a contribution on the resources committee where my skills fit best. I run my own small business (an economic consultancy) where my work considers the impact of developments upon the economy and social infrastructure (like schools). I am keen to understand more about the funding and planning of primary schools and how they can plan for the future against a background of limited public funding.