Lamberhurst St. Mary's Church of England (VC) Primary School

Lamberhurst St. Mary's
Church of England (VC) Primary School

Governing Body

our governing body

The Governors are always available and happy to receive comments or questions relating to their work and responsibilities at any time.

Day-to-day administrative queries regarding the school should be addressed to the school office. Teaching or classroom queries should be directed towards teaching staff, and any queries regarding special educational needs should be directed towards our Special Educational Needs Co-Ordinators, Mrs Carla Belling and Mrs Caroline Bromley.

Any further questions or comments relating to the day-to-day running of the school should be directed to the Headteacher.  However, anyone with any comments, queries or questions regarding the overall strategic running of the school, and how the school’s performance is monitored may contact the Governors.

The Chair of Governors, Mr Peter Edgesmith, can be contacted in writing via the Clerk to the Governing Body, Mrs Steph Janice, either by post using the school postal address, or by email: clerk@lamberhurst.kent.sch.uk.

Members

Foundation Governor – Ex Officio and Vice Chair: Rev. Andrew Axon

​Foundation Governor:
 Mr Andrew Blamey 

Foundation Governor: Mrs Jen Tobin

Co-opted Governor and Chair of Governors: Mr Peter Edgesmith

Co-opted Governor: Mr James Simpson

Local Authority Governor: Mrs Lindsay Denning

Parent Governor: Mrs Pippa Caddick 

Parent Governor: Mr Andy Gooch

Headteacher: Mrs Caroline Bromley

Staff Governor: Mrs Lizzy Connors

Clerk: Mrs Steph Janice

Overview

The Governing Body of Lamberhurst St Mary’s comprises 10 governors in total. The membership is made up as follows:

2 Parent Governors
2 Co-opted Governors
3 Foundation Governors
1 Local Authority Governor
2 Staff Governors (of which 1 is the Headteacher)

The Governing Body works through the Circle model of governance, whereby a system of monitoring pairs tasked with overseeing specific areas of the school in greater detail. 

The Monitoring Pairs focus on the outcomes for pupils in terms of both achievement and progress of all children and groups of children, are responsible for understanding the Government’s performance data for our children and monitor the curriculum across the school.  Additionally, they look at all financial matters such as budget monitoring, those relating to the buildings and grounds, such as health and safety, maintenance, staffing and any minor capital projects ensuring that funding is targeted at the main priorities outlined on the School Improvement Plan.

Structure and Remit

Lamberhurst St Mary’s Primary School aspires to be a welcoming, inclusive family with a Christian ethos, a sense of community and a commitment to excellence for all children in our care.

The core purposes of the Governing Body is to support and encourage continuing development and improvement within the school – by ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and setting the strategic direction of the school, challenging the leadership team, and recognizing success, together with overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.  Governors fulfil their function through ‘Full Governing Body’ meetings which are held at least six times per year.  The Governing Body operates a Circle Model of Governance where the governing body works as a 'whole team' without committees.  This means that governors have up to date information regarding the school, and can offer timely support and challenge, as well as take action should the need arise.

The governing body delegates monitoring activities to either individual or pairs of governors.  This delegation could relate to statutory functions, such as Safeguarding, SEND, Pupil Premium, Health & Safety, and Finance, or to priorities identified in the School Improvement Plan. Governor monitoring visits take place regularly throughout the year, and are reported back to the Full Governing Body. The Governing Body may commission assignments or projects arising from the business of any particular meeting which will be recorded in the minutes.  There is an established Pay Panel, and a small panel which reviews Headteacher performance. 

The Full Governing Body is ultimately responsible for school performance and financial probity and is run with constant regard to the standards set out by Ofsted.  The Headteacher reports on current school performance and progress against the School Improvement Plan.  Throughout the year subject leaders may be asked to give presentations on particular subjects or priorities. 

 

Current Membership

Details of the current membership, and for all governors who have been 'in post' during the past 12 months are set out below, together with business interests for current governors, and attendance data for the 2023-24 academic year.

Name

and Category
Term of Office and
Appointing Body
Area of focus Relevant Business or Pecuniary interests declared, July 2023 Other education establishments governed Relationship with school staff, including spouse, partners and relatives Attendance of FGB meetings 
 
2022-23 2023-24

Rev Andrew Axon

Foundation Governor

07/12/2016-

Ex Officio

Diocese

Vice Chair of Governors,

Act of Worship and

Christian ethos;

Budget Monitoring

Church of England Vicar at St Mary’s Church, Lamberhurst & St Luke’s Church, Matfield None None 6 / 6 5/ 6

Mr Andrew Blamey

Foundation Governor

08/11/2021– 07/11/2025
Appointed by Diocese
PCC, St Mary’s, Lamberhurst

(First appointed 

09/11/2017)

Leadership & Management;

Performance Management of Headteacher

None None None 4 / 6 6 / 6

Mrs Caroline Bromley

Headteacher

1/9/06-

Ex-officio
Headteacher Headteacher, Lamberhurst St Mary’s School None None 6 / 6 6 / 6

Mrs Philippa Caddick

Parent Governor

27/11/2020-
26/11/2024

Parent election

Behaviour & Attitudes and 

Personal development;

Staff Wellbeing;

Member of Pay Panel

Director, Innspirit Ltd

Partner, Caddick Partnership (Investment Consultancy)
None None 6 / 6 5 / 6

Mr Peter Edgesmith

Co-opted Governor

07/04/2023-
06/04/2027

Appointed by Governing Body

(First appointed 07/04/2015)

Chair of Governors,
SEND, Pupil Premium;

Leadership & Management;

Performance Management of Headteacher
None Chair of Governors, Hollington Primary Academy None 6 / 6 6 / 6

Mr Andrew Gooch

Parent Governor
27/11/2020-
26/11/2024
Parent election

Quality of Education (including EYFS);

Staff Wellbeing

Director, HoldFast Training Ltd;

Secretary, Charlie Parker Nutrition Consulting Ltd;

Trustee, Queen’s Gurkha Engineers Regimental Trust
None None 6 / 6 5 / 6

Mr James Simpson

Co-opted Governor

09/01/2024-
08/01/2028

Appointed by Governing Body

(First appointed 

09/01/2022)

Health & Safety;

Budget monitoring

 

Managing Director, Adrian Scripps Ltd None None 4 / 6 4 / 6

Mrs Lindsay Denning

Local Authority Governor

21/03/2022-
21/03/2026

Nominated by LA, appointed by Governing Body

Safeguarding;

Behaviour & Attitudes and

Personal development

Teacher, Kent College

 

None Spouse, Mr Guy Denning, Specialist Instrument Music Teacher 5 / 6 4 / 6

Mrs Lizzy Connors

Staff Governor

04/12/2022-
03/12/2024

Elected by Staff Body

 

Yr 1 Class Teacher, Lamberhurst St Mary’s School None None 4 / 5 5 / 6

Mrs Jen Tobin 
Foundation Governor

01/02/2023– 31/01/2027
Appointed by Diocese
PCC, St Mary’s, Lamberhurst

Act of Worship and

Christian Ethos;

Quality of Education (including EYFS)

Teacher, Kent College None None 1 / 3 5 / 6

Previous Governors, September 2023 - July 2024

Name

and Category
Term of Office and
Appointing Body
Area of focus Attendance of FGB & Committee meetings  Relevant Business or Pecuniary interests declared Other education establishments governed Relationship with school staff, inc spouse, partners and relatives
None

 

 

 

 

 

Diversity

As a school we recognise that a diversity of thought, voices and perspectives is essential to good governance and the effective running of any organisation. We collect diversity information from our governors and, depending on current data, can use this to:

  • target recruitment to address gaps in experience and diversity
  • develop and adapt board practices to ensure full participation
  • prioritise training and awareness-raising in identified areas
  • address potential ‘blind spots’ through seeking wider advice and perspectives on current and upcoming opportunities, challenges and risks

 However, we are unable to publish this information as it would mean that individual members of our governing body are identifiable.