Governors

Welcome to our Governors’ section. 

Please find below details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.

 

Our School Vision

For each child to have a love of learning, hope, confidence, wisdom and respect for all. – Life in all its fullness John 10:10

About school governance

School governors provide strategic leadership and accountability in schools. Governors appoint the Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher. It is the governors who hold the main responsibility for finance in schools, and it is the governors who work with the Headteacher to make the tough decisions about balancing resources.

Each individual governor is a member of a governing board, which is established in law as a corporate body. Individual governors may not act independently of the rest of the governing board; decisions are the joint responsibility of the governing board.

The role of the governing board is a strategic one, its key functions are to:

1) Ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction

2) Hold the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils

3) Oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure its money is well spent.

Volunteering to be a School Governor takes a very committed person who brings with them a wide range of knowledge and skills that should enhance the leadership process of the school.

All school governors have to follow a robust application process and are appointed in a number of ways: through the Diocese, if the school is a Church school; by the Local Authority; or appointed (co-opted) by the governing body.

The structure of St Peter’s Brafferton governing body:

  • 7 Foundation Governors
    Appointed by the Diocese of York. Main role is along with the other members of the Governing Body,  is to ensure that the Christian ethos and character of the school is secured, preserved and developed.
  • 1 Local Authority Governor
    Appointed by the Local Authority
  • 2 Parent Governors
    Appointed by the Parents of the school and who are parents of the school
  • 2 Staff Governors
    Appointed by the staff of the school and who are staff within the school
  • Associate Governors (2 at present)
    Appointed by the Governing body, based on the skills and experience they have to offer. They do not have voting rights.

The Headteacher of St Peter’s Brafferton Primary School is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school. The role of the Governing Body is to provide strategic management support and advice, and to act as a “critical friend”, supporting the work of the Headteacher and other members of staff. The Headteacher is responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of the school and the implementation of the strategic framework established by the governing board.

Contact the Governing Body

To contact St Peter’s Brafferton Governing Body, please email the Chair of Governors on:

cofg@st-peters-brafferton.n-yorks.sch.uk

St Peter’s Brafferton Governors’ Term of Office and Attendance 2023-2024

Name and category of Gov.

Appointed by

Term of Office end date (4 year term)     

Committee Membership

Position

Business Interests/other educational establishments governed

Relationship between govs and members of staff

Non attendance at meetings Sep 2023- July 2024

Virginia Arrowsmith (Parent Gov/associate Gov.)

Elected by Parents

End of term of office

23.03.19

Now an Associate Governor (21.3.24)

 20.3.28

FGB

English Governor

History and Geography

None

None

14.12.23

9.5.24

 

Tom Spilman (Foundation Gov.)

Appointed by GB

8.4. 2026

FGB

Pupil Premium & French

Parent

None

21.9.23

14.12.23

8.2.24

Sarah Anderson (Staff Gov.)

Ex Officio by virtue of office Headteacher

22.1.27

FGB

Headteacher

None

None

 

Pete Hambling (Foundation Gov)

Appointed by the Foundation

York Diocese in consultation with Parochial Church of Brafferton

31.8.25

FGB

Science Link/Finance

None

None

23.11.23

9.5.24

2.7.24

Shirley Sowray (Foundation Gov.)

Appointed by the Foundation

York Diocese in consultation with Parochial Church of Brafferton

01.02.28

FGB

Chair of Govs

Early Years

Communication

None

None

 

Laura Wise (Foundation Gov.)

Appointed by the Foundation

York Diocese in consultation with Parochial Church of Brafferton

01.12.2026

FGB/Vice Chair

Maths Governor

Computing

Parent

None

 

 

 

Mike Dennett (Foundation Gov)

 

Appointed by the Foundation

York Diocese in consultation with Parochial Church of Brafferton

20.11.24

FGB

Safeguarding Governor

Parent

None

8.2.24

Sarah Atkinson (Staff Gov)

Elected by Staff

1.11.24

FGB

Staff Governor

SENCo

None

None

 

Geoff Arnott (LA Governor)

Appointed by LA

22.9.26

FGB

Health and Safety Governor

Parent

None

23.11.23

14.12.23

21.3.24

Anna Blackwall (Parent Governor)

Elected by Parents

20.1.27

FGB

SEND, Art, DT

Parent

None

21.9.23

Katy Cowen

Appointed by the Foundation

York Diocese in consultation with Parochial Church of Brafferton

11.9.27

FGB

Website compliance

RE

Parent

None

 

Scott Simpson

Elected by Parents

9.4.24

FGB

Sports Premium

Parent

None

 

Reverend Lottie Cranfield

Ex officio foundation governor by office

12.3.24

FGB

RE & Music

None

None

 

2.7.24

Jim Brown

Co-opted by the FGB

Associate Governor

 

FGB

 

None

None

Attends at another school

Off site support.