List of Governors
The Structure of the Governing Board
The Governing Board of Sefton Park School is made up of:
- 2 elected parent governors
- 1 Local Authority (LA) governor
- 3 staff governors (one of which is the Head Teacher)
- 9 co-opted governors
Other than the Head Teacher, each governor serves a four year term of office at a time.
The Governing Board is assisted by a Clerk to the Governors, who is employed by Bristol County Council.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, every state school has a governing body, consisting of specified numbers of various categories of governors depending on the type and size of school. Governors are unpaid, but they may be reimbursed for expenses for such as the care of dependents or relatives and travel costs. Under section 50 of the Employment Rights Act 1996] employers must give anyone in their employment who serves as a governor reasonable time off their employ to carry out their governor duties. Employers can decide whether this time off is given with or without pay
There are four types of Governor at the Sefton Park Schools, with one governing body covering the federated schools. These Governor types are:
- Parent Governors: parents of children at the school; (appointed by parent ballot)
- Staff Governor: members of the school staff; (appointed by staff ballot)
- Authority Governors: (previously known as LEA Governors): nominated by the Local Authority; and
- Co-opted Governors (previously known as Community Governors): members of the local community (appointed by the rest of the governing body).
Our current Governors are:
Corrie Bell, Co-opted governor
Chair of Governing Body
Safeguarding Governor
Care, Curriculum and Standards committee
Term: 12 Feb 2023 - 11 Feb 2027
Ben Crowley, Staff Governor
Care, Curriculum and Standards committee
Term: 12 Jan 2023 - 11 Jan 2027
Sally Dore, Co-opted governor
Vice Chair of Governing Body
Finance and Resources committee
Term: 7 July 2023 - 6 July 2027
Sally became a Sefton Park governor when her older child started school 25 years ago, so she has seen many changes. Sefton Park's unusual dedication to delivering a child-led approach while achieving high standards is what made her stay on as a governor, in order to support a very valuable educational beacon in Bristol, and she has been Chair for two periods over that time. Otherwise her experience is in governance and advisory work, mainly in terms of public engagement and membership organisations. She is also the Chair of the Society of Bookbinders.
Claire Kearney, Parent Governor
Vice Chair of Governing Body
Finance and Resources committee
Term: 1 December 2023 - 30 November 2027
Claire is a Vice Chair of the Board of Governors and sits on the Finance & Resources committee. She was elected as a Parent governor in 2023 with two children in the school. Claire works for Better Society Capital, which focuses on growing the social investment market in the UK. Prior to moving to Bristol, Claire was on the Board of a Children’s Charity and Nursery based in London and of Social Value UK, a membership body for promoting social value standards in the UK. Claire is passionate about supporting the Sefton team in delivering an enriching and rewarding education to all children in the school.
Amy Lewis, Co-opted governor
SEND governor
Chair of Care, Curriculum and Standards committee
Term: 07 Oct 2024 - 6 Oct 2028
Andy Lillie, Co-opted governor
Finance and Resources committee
Term: 6 December 2023 - 5 December 2027
Helen Martin, Co-opted Governor
Finance and Resources committee
Term: 26 March 2024 - 25 March 2028
Helen has a daughter in the infant school, and another due to join soon, so is at the start of what she hopes will be a long relationship with Sefton Park. She has always had a strong interest in education, and has worked with kids over many years as a volunteer both in school and in the great outdoors. She is hugely impressed by Sefton Park's ethos and creative approach to education, and is excited to be involved in supporting and shaping that as a governor. For work, she leads a local community energy cooperative, where her role involves a combination of strategic direction-setting, managing people, project and finances, and engaging with communities: all skills she hopes will be helpful in her role as governor.
Emily Shuker, Co-opted governor
Deputy Headteacher,
Care, Curriculum and Standards committee
Finance and Resources committee
Term: 18 October 2023 - 17 October 2027
Emily has worked in education for over 20 years, teaching in London, Coventry and now Bristol. Emily has always felt lucky to have worked in school communities, where for a large percentage of children, English is not their first language and with different cultural heritages. Emily has two young children herself and has lived in Bristol through university and has now settled here with her family in South Bristol. Emily is passionate about nurturing a love of learning for all children. She is driven to ensure that an inclusive environment is created where all children can thrive, enjoy and access learning. Emily enjoys being part of a supportive and caring governing body where the Sefton Park children are always at the heart of decision making.
Alex Powell, Headteacher
Care, Curriculum and Standards committee
Finance and Resources committee
Carrie Spittlehouse, Local Authority Governor
Chair of Finance and Resources Committee
Term: 29 Sep 2024 - 28 Sep 2028
Carrie has worked in schools for 15 years bringing her qualifications as an accountant to education. She is currently a Business Manager in a Bristol Academy and is keen to use the knowledge and experience she has gained through working with schools to support Sefton Park.
Professor Jane Wheelock, Co-opted governor
Health & Safety Governor
Care, Curriculum and Standards committee
Term 03 Oct 2023 - 2 Oct 2027
Jane is an Emerita Professor of Socio-economics at Newcastle University. She lectured and researched in aspects of social policy for more than 30 years. Before studying for a Phd, she had taught in secondary schools in England, Scotland and Malawi. After retiring, she wished to utilise her professional skills and experience by volunteering as a school governor, complementing her new role as a grandmother. She had also volunteered as a trustee for a mental health charity and for Age Concern, and as an community advocate with Mind.
Rachel Wills, Co-opted governor
Finances and Resources committee
Term: 07 Oct 2024 - 6 Oct 2028
Resigned in the last 12 months:
Megan Arnold, Co-opted governor
Shabaana Mitha, Co-opted governor
Amy Campbell, Parent governor
Ben Seal, Co-opted Governor