Governors

OVERVIEW

Every school has a governing body, whose role is similar to that of the board of a company or the board of trustees for a charity.  Governors are the strategic leaders of schools and have a vital role to play in ensuring every child gets the best possible education.  Governing bodies have a statutory role and responsibility to raise academic achievement and promote pupil welfare.  

​Governors support, encourage and challenge the headteacher and staff.  Our core strategic functions are:

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• ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction,

• overseeing the headteacher's capability to manage and lead,

• overseeing the school's educational and financial performance.
   

The Headteacher presents a report at each Governing Body meeting, commenting on the life of the school in general and progress in relation to the targets laid out in the school’s development plan.​​

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Members

The governing body here at Bushmead Primary School consists of a total of 14 members as follows:

•  1 Headteacher
• 1 Elected staff governor
• 1 LA Governor
• 4 Elected parent governors 
•  7 Co-opted governors (of which up to 2 could be members of staff)
• Associate members

Headteacher:                 Steve Down - Appointed 01/09/2015- term expires N\A

Staff Governor:              Heather Buckle - Appointed 26/10/2017 - term expires 10/21

LA Governor:                 Maureen Plowman - Vice Chair of Governing Body -Appointed                                        05/09/2008 - term expires 09/20

Parent Governors:        Julia Bresler - Appointed 01/02/2016 - term expires 02/20

                                    Cara Holloway - Appointed 26/11/2018 - term expires 12/22

                                        Paul Dawson - Appointed 26/11/2018 - term expires 12/22

                                         Vacancy

Co-opted Governors:    Rebecca Walker - Chair of Governing Body- Appointed

26/10/2017 term expires 10/21

                                  Sue Brown - Appointed 18/09/2012 - term expires 01/19

                                   Beccy Wyse - Appointed 05/11/2012 - term expires 09/20

                                   Lorraine Durrant- Appointed 01/09/2016 - 09/20

                                   Becky Richards - Appointed 18/07/2018 -07/22

                                   Vacancy                                 

Associate Members:           Mark Leonard -Appointed 01/04/2007 - term expires                                      09/19                                  

                                   Kay Blenkinsopp - Appointed 01/05/2017 - 09/19
                                   Reverend Tim Robb - Appointed 21/09/2011 term expires 09/19

ABOUT OUR GOVERNORS

BECCI WALKER

I have two daughters and I became a governor in November 2013 when my youngest was in reception. It is important to me that Bushmead recognises and meets the needs of each pupil to allow them to be happy at school and exceed in their education to enable them to reach their full potential. recently became Chair of Governors and I chair the Curriculum and Standards Committee. I am also link governor for Sports Premium funding.

MAUREEN PLOWMAN

I have been an LA Governor since 1996 having previously worked as the Bushmead Junior School secretary for 10 years prior to that. I have seen many changes during my time as a governor including the merging of the Bushmead Infant and Junior schools and the building of the newer part of Bushmead Primary School. I have been part of the recruitment process for the three Headteachers of Bushmead Primary School. I was the Chair of Governors from May 2010 until September 2018 and am now the Vice Chair. I consider being a governor such an interesting and worthwhile role knowing that we are giving the children who come here the happy and safe environment in which to learn and develop. It is good to see that parents who were once pupils at Bushmead are now bringing their own children here.

BECCY WYSE

I started my time as a Governor at Bushmead primary school in 2011, initially being a Parent Governor and then moving to become a co-opted Governor. All three of my children have attended Bushmead and I am passionate and committed to not only seeing children reach their academic potential, but to ensure they are within an environment that supports their growth emotionally and socially. I have a background in education working within post 16 education for 12 years and held a designated safeguarding role within that time. I currently work to support children and families and feel that this extends my experience and understanding of the complexities involved in family life and the support that families may need to overcome the difficulties they may face.

SUE BROWN

My name is Sue Brown and I first became a Parent Governor when my children attended Bushmead. Various terms of office followed as staff and Associate Governor and now I am ‘Co-Opted’. I am Link Governor for Pupil Premium and AMA (academically more abled) children, as well as serving on the Curriculum and Standards Committee, plus the HT Performance Management Review Panel. Having worked in education for 20 years, I was an HLTA before my retirement in 2009. With four grandsons under 10, I remain passionate about education! I strongly believe in ensuring that children of all abilities thrive from learning in a school that provides for their individual needs and learning styles.

LORRAINE DURRANT

Originally from Northamptonshire, I have been a resident of Eaton Socon since 2009. I work part time for the footwear brand Dr Martens in their sourcing department as the Sourcing Support Manager. I am a mother of 2 children who both attend Bushmead Primary school. I am very passionate about my local community and my children’s education, and this is what prompted me into wanting to becoming a member of the Governing Body, so that I would be able to contribute and support the team to ensure that Bushmead School continues to go from strength to strength.

BECKY RICHARDS

I joined the Governing Board in July 2018 and have two daughters, of which my eldest attends Bushmead. My career background is within the private sector dealing with legal and corporate governance. I became a Governor so I could contribute my time, skills and experience to the local community by supporting the school in providing a happy and engaging learning environment where each pupil is valued and encouraged to reach their full potential both academically and as an individual by building self esteem and confidence through their learning and achievements.

JULIA BRESLER

I completed my PhD in Biophysics in 1998, since then I have held a number of professional roles, including Head of Chemistry at a College of Further Education and as a Senior Scientific Editor for a London Pharmaceutical Publication. On relocation to Cambridgeshire, I pursued a career in a Headhunting Agency for Pharmaceutical Executives for 6 years. With two young children, I then decided to become self-employed, to enable me to spend more time with my children. I set up my own Private Tuition company - Hadley-Bresler Tuition, offering tuition in Science to GCSE and 'A' Level students. After the birth of my third child I became a stay at home mum for 4 years. During this time I became a member of the Eaton Socon Pre-School Committee, where I held the position of Treasurer. Currently two of my three children attend Bushmead. Since my youngest started school, I have returned to work at Longsands Academy. I joined Bushmead's school Governing Body, as a Parent Governor and am committed to improving Bushmead's OFSTED rating, and to ensuring it is the best school it can be. I feel Bushmead is a very important part of the Eaton Socon community, and I feel very strongly that it deserves the support of the local community.

STEPHANIE MCELHONE

I became a school Governor in September 2018 because I have children at the school, in my day job I am a community care Practitioner, enabling the elderly to stay at home.

CARA HOLLOWAY
I joined the Governing Board as a Parent Governor in late 2018 when my daughter started Reception at Bushmead. I was a former teacher in the US before moving to the UK. I currently teach English as a Second Language from my home and was interested in becoming a governor both to help the school continue it's recent positive growth and to learn more about the school system in the UK. I am passionate about helping the local community - in particular by supporting parents and education. I run the local sling library for St Neots and Bedford and previously spent several years as the Treasurer for our local NCT Branch.

PAUL DAWSON

My son is a pupil at Bushmead and I joined Board of Governors to take a more prominent role in his education and the future of the school.   My career background is within the IT industry and I have previously run my own company.  These roles have given me a great deal of business experience which I feel will be of benefit to the school and help define and support it's future development

HEATHER BUCKLE

I started teaching at Bushmead Primary School in January 2016 and was teaching Year 3 until this September. I am now teaching in Year 1. I have previously worked in Early Years, Year 2 and Year 1 in a school in Bedfordshire. I am married and have 3 children ranging in ages from 17 to 26. I decided to become a staff governor to be a voice on the Governing Body for the staff at school and also to help improve our school.

INFORMATION REGARDING OUR GOVERNING BOARD

Full Governing Board

Becci Walker (Chair) Maureen Plowman (Vice Chair)

All governors and associate members

Curriculum & Standards (C&S)

Becci Walker (Chair) Beccy Wyse (Vice Chair).

Other governors: Steve Down, Maureen Plowman, Sue Brown, Becky Richards. Associate members: Mark Leonard, Tim Robb

Finance, Premises and Personnel

Maureen Plowman (Chair) 

Other governors: Steve Down, Becci Walker, Beccy Wyse, Lorraine Durrant, Julia Bresler, Stephanie McElhone. Associate member: Kay Blenkinsopp.

Headteacher Performance Management (HTPM)

Maureen Plowman, Sue Brown, Beccy Wyse and Becci Walker.

Disciplinary and Appeals Committees

Members to be selected as and when needed from those governors who are neither associate members nor school staff.

Linked Roles

Governors are allocated linked roles to various areas and also to areas of the School Improvement Plan:

Registers

We have also provided a Register of Governor Interests and an Annual Statement of Issues for your information.

You can find out more about the work of our governing body in our school’s newsletter and by reading the minutes of our Full Governing Body meetings. You can also contact the Governing Body through the School Office or by emailing: chair@busmead.cambs.sch.uk