St Mary's Governing Body
2023-2024
Welcome to the Governing Body of St Mary's
Who are the governors?
School governors are drawn from the school community and are volunteers who wish to make a positive contribution to children’s education. Our priorities include raising standards, improving the quality of teaching and making sure that children are safe.
At St Mary’s there are spaces for 16 governors, including governors elected by parents/carers and by staff, governors from the church community and those appointed by the Local Authority. We meet formally every term and also regularly for committee meetings. The Chair of Governors meets with the Headteacher regularly. All governors visit to see how well we are doing across the school.
What difference do we make?
Governors consider strategic issues, including the appointment of the Headteacher. We spend a lot of time looking at how children are learning, and children’s progress and achievement. We also set and monitor the school budget. We examine lots of evidence about the school – from test results to your responses to the parents’ questionnaire – in order to identify priorities for the coming year. We are responsible for providing support, and we are also under a duty to challenge.
We are always trying to improve our communication with you so that you are more aware of what we are doing in school and have the change to raise concerns with us. Please use the parents’ questionnaire to let us have feedback or you can leave a letter for the Chair of Governors at the school office. Alternatively please email us at governors@st-marys.lewisham.sch.uk.
Thank you very much for your support.
Dave Bassford (Chair of Governors)
March 2023
School governors are drawn from the school community and are volunteers who wish to make a positive contribution to children’s education. Our priorities include raising standards, improving the quality of teaching and making sure that children are safe.
At St Mary’s there are spaces for 16 governors, including governors elected by parents/carers and by staff, governors from the church community and those appointed by the Local Authority. We meet formally every term and also regularly for committee meetings. The Chair of Governors meets with the Headteacher regularly. All governors visit to see how well we are doing across the school.
What difference do we make?
Governors consider strategic issues, including the appointment of the Headteacher. We spend a lot of time looking at how children are learning, and children’s progress and achievement. We also set and monitor the school budget. We examine lots of evidence about the school – from test results to your responses to the parents’ questionnaire – in order to identify priorities for the coming year. We are responsible for providing support, and we are also under a duty to challenge.
We are always trying to improve our communication with you so that you are more aware of what we are doing in school and have the change to raise concerns with us. Please use the parents’ questionnaire to let us have feedback or you can leave a letter for the Chair of Governors at the school office. Alternatively please email us at governors@st-marys.lewisham.sch.uk.
Thank you very much for your support.
Dave Bassford (Chair of Governors)
March 2023
St Mary's Governing Body receive the Bishop of Southwark's Certificate for Governance
Chair of Governors
Dave Bassford
Safeguarding (LAC/SCR), Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
Committees: Standard & Progress and Pay Appeals
Safeguarding (LAC/SCR), Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
Committees: Standard & Progress and Pay Appeals
Vice-Chair of Governors
Julia Pring
Pupil Premium, Maths & Training Committees: Standard & Progress , Resources, Faith Group, Admissions, Pay, HT Appraisal Group & Pupil Discipline/Exclusions |
Paula Anderson
English and Higher Achievers Committees: Standard & Progress, Staff Capability / Dismissal / Grievance Appeals and Complaints |
Governors
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Chris Stringfellow
Behaviour and safety Committees: Standard & Progress , Faith Group, Admissions & Pupil Discipline/Exclusions |
Mohamed Jallah
Financial Resources Committees: Resources |
Kevin Whipps
Health & Safety Committees: Resources, Pay and Complaints |
Vicki Stead
Staff governor 
Christine Graham
Committees: Standard & Progress, Resources, Faith Group, Admissions and Pay 
Ayesha Lahai-Taylor
Equality & Diversity, Community Communications, English Committees: Resources |
Kate Riches
General Data Protection Committees: Resources, Faith Group and Pupil Discipline/Exclusions 
Marcia Skinner
Physical Education and Sports Premium Funding, Equality and Diversity Committees: Pay Appeals 
Mark McLeish
Website review, Parent PTA Committees: Standards & Progress |
Ioana Tica-Horvath
Pupil Premium, Maths Committees: Standards & Progress 
Father Steve
Committees: Faith Group, HT Appraisal Group |