Governors
The Chair of Governors is Linda Meredith
To contact her or to ask for information about Petersfield Governors please email - clerk@petersfield.cambs.sch.uk
Forward from the Chair
The Governing Body of Petersfield School is committed to steering school improvement. Our governors are a voluntary group of dedicated people that are focused on clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction for Petersfield School.
Our responsibility is to challenge all expectations, to monitor targets for pupils and staff and to set a budget that meets the needs of the school. Working together with the Headteachers, as the school's critical friend, we are helping to improve education for every child in this school.
'Governors know the school well. They offer precise support and challenge to leaders.' Ofsted September 2017.
The Governing Body commissioned a health check from the local authority governance service to take a look from within at its effectiveness, efficiency and ability to challenge. As a result we have endeavored to ensure that we have the tools for the new challenges in the education system and that we concentrate our time and skills effectively.
'Governance is significantly improved. Governors now provide a clearer strategic direction for the school.' Ofsted September 2017.
The purpose of this page is to provide information about the work of the Governing Body and its committees involved in the management of our school, and how, together with the Headteachers we make decisions that affect our pupils and parents.
Linda Meredith
The Governing Body:
- guides and helps plan the school's overall direction
- selects the head teacher, assists with the recruitment of teaching staff and approves decisions on staffing
- sets the policies which define how the school is run and ensures these are followed
- annually sets a balanced school budget
- reviews the progress of the school against agreed targets and objectives
- ensures the National Curriculum is taught
- makes sure that proper safeguarding procedures are in place
- makes sure that statutory duties are fulfilled
Petersfield Governors come from many walks of life. We are a diverse group that includes people with backgrounds in accounting, finance, law, engineering, management, marketing, human resources, logistics, IT, local government, public affairs, decorative arts, performing arts and education. All Governors, except Ex Officio Governors, are appointed for a term of four years.
The Governing Body
| Linda Meredith - Chair | Foundation - Croydon |
| Colin Wilson - Co-vice Chair | Foundation - Tadlow |
| Jane Johnson - Co-vice Chair | Local Authority Representative |
| Laura Penrose | Ex-officio - Co-Headteacher |
| Karen Gwynn | Ex-officio - Co-Headteacher |
| Tabitha Smith | Staff Governor |
| Damian Hales | Co-opted Governor |
| Felicity Couch | Ex-officio - Minister for the Orwell benefice | Sara Metherell | Foundation - Wimpole |
| Katie Reid | Foundation - Orwell |
| Nina Kelly | Parent |
| Imogen Loxam | Associate Governor |
| Gerry Burnell | Associate Governor |
At present there are vacancies for 2 POMs, 1 Parent Governor and 2 Foundation Governor.
The Clerk to Petersfield Governing Body is Clare Kendle. The Clerk is responsible for arranging meetings, circulating relevant materials, ensuring compliance with the governing body's constitution and relevant guidance, and taking and keeping minutes of meetings.
Chairs:
Chair – Linda Meredith
Co-Vice Chair – Jane Johnson and Colin Wilson
Sub-Committees:
Resources - Laura Penrose, Karen Gwynn, Colin Wilson, Linda Meredith, Nina Kelly, Katie Reid, Damian Hales and Gerry Burnell
Standards - Laura Penrose, Karen Gwynn, Tabitha Smith, Sara Metherell, Linda Meredith, Jane Johnson, Felicity Couch, Imogen Loxam and Ian Dugdale
Staff Pay Award Committee – the Resources Committee excluding Linda Meredith
Head Teacher Performance Management Committee – Sara Metherell, Katie Reid, Colin Wilson and Imogen Lomax
Exclusions Committee – Colin Wilson, Jane Johnson and Nina Kelly
Nominated Governors:
Nominate Governor for Health and Safety – Katie Reid
Website and Social Media Working Party – Laura Penrose, Sara Metherell and Howard Carter
Nominated Governor for Training – Linda Meredith
Nominated Governor for Safeguarding – Sara Metherell
Nominated Governor for E-Safety – Damian Hales
Nominated Governor for Inclusion including SEND & Gifted and Talented - Colin Wilson
Nominated Governor for Looked After Children (LAC) and Post LAC – Felicity Couch
Nominated Governor for Pupil Premium – Linda Meredith
Nominated Governors for EYFS – Jane Johnson
Nominated Governor for allegations against the Headteacher - Colin Wilson
Nominated Governor for Curriculum - Sara Metherell
Colbatch & Hooper Representative – Colin Wilson
The Governing Body is charged with making sure that it has the relevant skills to carry out its duties. Governors attend termly briefings, workshops and targeted training courses on subjects relevant to our set objectives as part of the continued development of the Governing Body.
The Full Governing Body (FGB) meets five times a year. It receives reports from the Headteachers and the committees, and monitoring reports from governors who have visited the school. Governors discuss and approve policies that are reserved for the FGB such as Child Protection and Pay Policy, and take time to discuss issues that affect the school's progress and how these issues will be managed.
The majority of the Governors' work is done in committees. Members of each committee are listed above in the section 'Who are Petersfield Governors?'. At Petersfield there are four committees:
- Standards Committee: This committee monitors the taught curriculum and the performance of the school against different educational goals and standards. The committee is also concerned with health and safety, parent-school relations, and communications.
- Resources Committee: This committee is responsible for financial oversight, and issues relating to the school's buildings and grounds. It is also concerned with key management issues, such as human resources and legal compliance.
- Staff Pay Award and Committee
- Head Teacher Performance Management Committee
Membership of the committees is decided upon at the start of each school year. The committees meet at least once per term. Governors usually serve on one committee, but may attend all committee meetings. The Headteachers are on both committees. In some situations (including complaints, grievances, pupil exclusion and appeals/dismissals), three Governors will serve subject to availability / impartiality.
Did you know that every other meeting of the Full Governing Body begins with a parent's forum which starts at 7.15pm where you can meet us all and raise any issues that concern you? Please do come along and tell us what you think. How are we doing? What could we do better?
Meetings have been arranged for 21st September 2017, 7th December 2017, 8th Feb 2018, 3rd May 2018 and 19th July 2018. The FGB meetings on the 7th December, 3rd May and 19th July will start with a Parents' Forum.
For further information about the work of the Governors or becoming a Governor yourself, please feel free to approach any one of us. To help you to recognise us easily, photographs of all the current school Governors are displayed outside the school office.
You can also e-mail us:
- via the school office at: office@petersfield.cambs.sch.uk.
- via the clerk at: clerk@petersfield.cambs.sch.uk.
Prior to 2015-16, Governors produced an annual report to parents:
Annual Report 2014Since September 2015, Governors have been reporting to parents following every committee and Full Governing Body meeting. These reports, detailing the actions of the Governors and the impact of these actions on raising standards at Petersfield, can be found in the school Newsletter.
Governors' Declaration of Interests
Governors' Attendance
Full Governing Body Minutes
Committees
Extra Ordinary Meeting Minutes
Updates from the Chair of Governors
The views of all stakeholders, especially parents, pupils and staff, are essential in shaping our key priorities. Please find below the published response to the questionnaires. The questionnaires are usually issued at the same time as the Spring Parent-Teacher consultations so that these views are gathered and inform budget setting in May and planning for the new academic year in September.
Response to Governor Questionnaires
We actively encourage feedback at all other times of the year. When you have comments to make, please do speak to a member of staff or a governor, use our ‘Ticked pink’ and ‘Green for Growth’ slips available in the school entrance, send your message via the red post-box opposite the school office entrance. Alternatively, you can email school using the clerk to Governors or school email address available on the contact information page of the website.
Latest News
19th Oct - School is now closed for half term. However, holiday sports clubs are running throughout the holiday week. Monday 29th is a staff INSET training day so school will reopen for the new term to pupils, parents and visitors on Tuesday 30th Oct. Happy half term!
19th Oct - Mr Hollands presented the Hollands' Cup to Thomas for his musicality and love of music. He also gave us a treat by dancing for us!
19th Oct - Well done Petersfield, we raised £104.64 for the Shine charity. It was delightful to see all the children dressed in yellow. This money will really make a difference to families in Cambridgeshire.
19th Oct - We enjoyed a wonderful Black History assembly. Children presented work inspired by: Frank Bowling, Chris Ofili, Lublin Himid, Uno Egonu and Hurvin Anderson. The children's work was so good that it was difficult to see the difference between the artist and the children's.
15th Oct - The Lunchtime Company, new lunch providers as of today, received rave reviews from pupils and staff who commented on the amazing taste, delicious smell the moment you entered the dining hall and the significant improvement in the school meals today.
15th Oct - School started with much excitement in assembly as our Story Teller challenged our understanding of stories. Each class is participating in an exciting workshop in preparation for sharing stories with children from Barrington and Foxton school after half term.
12th Oct - Well done to Yew class for their delicious FOPS cake sale fundraiser.
8th-12th Oct - Thank you to our amazing careers' week parent volunteers. Our pupils said: 'fascinating, we didn't know how many jobs there are in the world, quite exciting listening to the people, incredible to hear about the jobs, interesting to hear what other people do for work, and inspiring!'.
10th Oct - We were delighted to welcome The Lunchtime Company into school to tell us all about the exciting and tasty new menu for school meals from October 15th.
8th Oct - Welcome to our PGCE students working in Ash Class.
8th Oct - Our careers week is already inspiring conversations about 'What I am going to be when I grow up' thanks to our talks today on careers in epidemiology, working with wildlife and being a human rights lawyer. Many thanks to out inspirational volunteers.
5th Oct - Our year 6 pupils visited Ely Cathedral today, along with 600 pupils from schools in the Diocese. Their focus was WW1 and what life was like at the Home Front. It ended with poppies falling in the octagon. 'It was so beautiful'.'I loved looking up and seeing the falling poppies'.
5th Oct - As today was World Smile Day, in Collective Worship we discussed the importance of smiles and how it makes you and others feel when you smile. We asked our pupils to go home and give their families a big smile!
5th Oct - It was wonderful to hear our cook praise the whole of Rowan class for their polite manners today. She said that every child thanked her and was so polite. She said that in all the schools she has worked in, she has never had a whole class do that before.
3rd Oct - We are really focusing on our learning behaviours in school and went through this together in assembly. After reading the children's comments in their behaviour questionnaires, we have amended our plans including how we sit in assembly.
28th Sept - Well done to our first Headteachers' Award winners of 2018-19. What a good example to set to others.
28th Sept - Our pupils were delighted, excited and inspired by Jamie, who came from Rocksteady Music School to work with our pupils. They said: 'I want a band of my own when I get older!' and 'It was fun playing the electric guitar'.
28th Sept - Thank you to all who supported our Macmillan Coffee morning and cake sale today. We raised £160 for this worthwhile charity.
27th Sept - Rowan and Yew classes enjoyed a busy day explored Wicken Fen as part of their curriculum topic.
21st Sept - We went to church today to celebrate and give thanks for harvest. The children donated food and money to the Royston Food Bank. Our children read the prayers they had written in buddy groups.
20th Sept - The primary focus of our first Full Governing Body meeting of the academic year was on our Petersfield Priorities to further raise standards. Please do see how you can help your child by reading the weekly update on the newsletter.
Latest Publications
Notices
SCHOOL CLOSURE PROCEDURE: As per County guidance, Petersfield will only close in exceptional circumstances. The decision will be made as soon as possible and displayed first on our school website in the 'Latest News'.
Please see our vacancies page for opportunities for a Playworker and Caretaker.
