Governors

The Governors of the school are a representative group of people who are appointed to be responsible for various aspects of the school; these have included overseeing the financial administration of the school, curriculum issues, personnel and sites and buildings.  Their work is conducted through half termly meetings, with  sub committees and occasional working parties.  The Head Teacher of the school presents frequent written reports and strives to ensure that Governors are kept fully informed of the school work, changes in educational practice and the law, in order that they can effectively carry out their responsibilities.

The Governing Body is made up of representatives from the Church (Foundation governors),  parents (Parent Governors), staff (Staff Governors) and the community (Co-opted Governors).  Foundation governors are elected by the Parochial Church Council from its electoral roll; Parent governors  are elected by ballots of parents of children at the school; Staff Governors volunteer and are elected by their colleagues and Co-opted governors are appointed by the Governing Bodies. Governing boards may chose to have associate governors, who attend meetings and offer advice and suggestions or expertise in a particular fied but do not have voting rights.

Sub Committees

There are two permanent sub-committees, one for financial and premises matters known as the Operations committee .  The other one is the Curriculum Committee that examines in detail the teaching and learning and pastoral support for children in our school. Other sub-committees re called as required to look at particular aspects of school life in detail.  Each committee has Terms of Reference, which set out the responsibilities and the amount of decision-making authority they hold.  In addition individual Governors have responsibility for developing their expertise and understanding of the role of particular issues in school.  There are named Link Governors with responsibility for:

• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
• Child Protection/Safeguarding
• Training

Governor Visits

School governors provide support and direction to our school and bring together views from the Parish Church, school staff, parents, the Local Authority and the local community. In full governing body meetings each half-term and sub- committees each half term covering personnel, curriculum, premises or finance, the twelve governors consider all matters affecting our school. These range from government legislation or local authority initiatives, development and review of school policies, maintenance or improvement of our buildings, to budget monitoring and staffing.

Who's Who

The current Governing Body is a board of 12 members who represent different parts of the school community and who all bring different skills to the task of leading this very good school forward.  The Governing Body consists of:

• 3 Parent Governors who are voted onto the Governing Body by the parents/carers of children who attend the school.  Parent Governors play an important role in shaping the education and experience of their children at the school.
• 2 Staff Governors one of whom is the headteacher.  The other Staff Governor is elected by the staff team.  Staff Governors represent the views of the staff at the school at Governing Body meetings.
• 3 Foundation Governors who are appointed as follows: 1 by the Diocesan Board of Education, 1 by the Parochial Church Council of St Peter and Paul, Chingford and 1 Ex-Officio, who is the Rector of St Peter and Paul, Chingford. Recognising its historic foundation, the Foundation Governors help the school to preserve and develop its religious character in accordance with the principles of the Church of England.
• 3 Co-opted Governors these are appointed as a governor by the Governing Body as they have, in the opinion of the governing body, the skills required to contribute to the effective governance and success of the school.

Each term of office lasts 4 years with the exception of the Headteacher and the Ex-officio foundation governors.

Below is a brief introduction from each governor:

Graham House - Chair of Governors - Parent Governor

I currently have 1 child in the school and 1 child in secondary school. I am a volunteer STEM ambassador with 18 years industry experience in software development and have a keen interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics as well as a BSc in Physics and an MSc in science and technology studies.  As such I am keen to ensure that that in my role as governor I advocate that the school:

• engage and enthuse young people about STEM;

• Give teachers a unique perspective on how the STEM curriculum can be demonstrated in the world of work;

• Encourage young people to consider STEM careers and qualifications;

• Contribute to improved academic achievement in STEM subjects;

• Develop other employability skills in young people, including confidence, team-work, presentation and creativity;

Victoria Harris - Vice Chair of Governors - Parent Governor 

I have 2 children at the school, my youngest has just started in Reception. I am passionate about education and am keen to support the school to continue to be successful and strive to continually improve.

In my professional life, I am a solicitor who specialises in employment law for charities and schools. My experience of management issues and financial oversight, helps the school determine both its strategic direction and ensure clarity of its vision and ethos. I want to support the school in its drive to enrich the lives of all the children who attend there.

Miklos Sagi - Parent Governor
I believe schools have a significant positive impact on our children’s development and through that, on our society. I can see this positive impact on my son, who has just started in Reception. I am passionate about giving back to our communities, let it be participating on a DIY day, raising money for a good cause, or volunteering my skills and experience in the fields of management, engineering and information security. I am keen to ensure that the school has ambitious plans providing the best possible education for each child and is successful in achieving those.

Vacancy - Parent Governor

Saffron Hillier - Safeguarding Link Governor

I  am a Co-opted Governor. My reason for applying for the role of co-opted governor is that as a local resident (I live on Station Road) I was looking for ways I could be contribute to my local community. I have worked for Barclays Bank for 27 years and my current role is in Corporate Banking in the Chief Risk Office looking after Prudential Risk. I am an independent person with a community, financial and risk background who likes to challenge the status quo and look for efficiencies. I sit on the Operations committees. I have a passion for football and I am the Ryan FC child welfare officer. The school promises to the children are what attracted me to apply to serve on this Governing Body in particular.

Our Promises:

• You will know what it feels like to be good at something and have achieved your very best

• You will love learning new things and want to keep on learning more

• You will understand just how incredible you are, believe in yourself and have confidence in your abilities

• You will have grown healthy and strong and understand how to look after your body

• You will have known friendship and learned how to get along well with other people

• You will feel part of your local community and proud of your school

Debbie Torrie

I am a Foundation Governor and I was appointed by by the Parochial Church Council of St Peter and Paul, Chingford. My two sons attended CCofE Primary and loved their time there. My role helps to strengthen the link between the parish church and the school and I am proud to help the school grow and flourish keeping its mission statement close to all they do, "Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too."(Philippians 2:4)

Hannah Birkett - Chair of Curriculum Committee

 Prior to becoming a Co-opted Governor , I was  a parent governor. My daughter attended CCofE for seven years and was proud to attend the school. In my professional life I am a deputy Headteacher in a neighbouring LA. This means that I bring experience of how other Governing bodies and schools work. I  am the Chair of the Curriculum Committee and enjoy working with the school in this capacity. I feel very privileged to work with the CCofE Staff who are professional and passionate about teaching your children to reach their maximum potential. 

I feel very privileged to work with the CCofE Staff who are professional and approachable at all times and are passionate about teaching our children to reach their maximum potential. I want to be the bridge between the parents and school and the voice for the parents, collectively.

Rev'd Dr Justin Lewis-Anthony  - Foundation Governor 

I am the  Rector of Chingford Parish, and was until recently the Deputy Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome, the body which supports the work of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s personal representative to the Holy Father. Before that I worked in Alexandria, Virginia (as Dean of Students at a theological college), Canterbury (as Rector of a parish in the city), Oxford (as precentor of Christ Church Cathedral), and Cirencester (as curate and team vicar in the parish). I was born in Singapore, and educated there, in Germany and North Yorkshire, England, studied history at the London School of Economics, theology at the University of Oxford, and was awarded a PhD from the University of Kent. I have been a governor of almost every kind of school (including county, controlled, aided, secondary, and special), and I am the son of schoolteachers. I have four (now grown-up) children, so I didn’t have time for hobbies, unless you count watching films! I support Wales for Rugby, England for cricket, and, heaven help me, Middlesborough for football!

Anne Clayden - Foundation Governor 

Lindsey Lampard - Headteacher

I have been a headteacher at CCofE Primary School since January 2013 and I love my job! I am proud of each and every one of the children who come to this school and will settle for nothing but the very best for them and their families. I enjoy working closely with the school's ambitious and forward thinking Governing Body to ensure that CCofE keeps on getting better.

Charlotte Shah - Staff Governor

My position on the Governing body will ensure that I will represent the CCofE staff and that they are informed about issues being discussed by Governors. I look forward to working closely with the Governing Body to ensure that CCofE keeps on improving.

What do we do?

As governors we make collective decisions as part of the Governing Body. Our main purpose is to help raise the educational standards and performance of CCofE by supporting the work of the Headteacher and school staff. Recognising its historic foundation we work to ensure that the school will preserve and develop its religious character ensuring that it promotes Christian values through the experience it offers to all its pupils. We ensure that the school runs effectively, that quality teaching and learning is happening across the school, that the budget is spent wisely and that CCofE provides good value for money.

We make strategic decisions on how the school is run and are answerable to parents, the wider community and most importantly the children who attend CCofE. We govern rather than manage, giving direction and focus. The management of the school remains the responsibility of the Headteacher. We are responsible for:

• Appointing Headteachers and Deputy Headteachers and ensuring the implementation of a range of HR procedures
• Managing the school's budget
• Determining aims, policies and priorities for CCofE Primary
• Monitoring and evaluating the work of the school and setting targets
• Ensuring high levels of attendance and good standards of pupil behaviour
• Ensuring that all children in the schools have access to a broad and balanced curriculum, suitable to age, aptitude and ability, which prepares them for adult life
• Ensuring the health and safety of pupils and staff

We meet at least once every half term.  In addition to these full Governing Body meetings our sub-committees also meet half termly.

If you are interested in becoming a Governor, please contact the Chair of governors via the school office or school@ccofe.waltham.sch.uk

Hard copies of Governor Minutes are available on request from the school office.

Governor Meetings

The timetable of Full Governor meetings are advertised at the start of each academic year. If you wish have copies of the minutes of any governors' meetings, please request them via the school email address, or at either front office. Parents/carers may observe full governors' meetings with prior notification to the Headteacher that they wish to attend.