Governors

The School's Governing Body is known as the Local Governing Committee.  It plays a very important role in the life of the school and consists of parents, parishioners, and staff who are committed to supporting children's education.

 

Governors do not have to be education experts or have formal qualifications but are dedicated volunteers who bring a wide range of expertise and experience to the role and offer a different perspective to school leadership.  They work in partnership with the Headteacher and leadership team and can help shape the strategic direction of the school.

Serving as a governor not only benefits pupils but can also be a rewarding experience for parents and community members.

 

The core responsibilities of the Local Governing Committee include:

 

The Local Governing Committee constitution currently allows for:

5 Foundation Governors – Foundation Governors are appointed by the Bishop for a term of 4 years and form the majority of the LGC. They have a legal duty to preserve and develop the Catholic character of the school.

2 Parent Governors – parent governors are appointed by parent election for a term of 4 years.

1 Staff Governor – staff governors are appointed by staff election for a term of 4 years.

2 Co-opted Governors – co-opted governors may be appointed because they bring a particular element of expertise to the LGC; their terms of office may vary.

1 Headteacher

 

 

BOSCO Catholic Education Trust

St Wilfrid’s is part of the Bosco Catholic Education Trust, and the Local Governing Committee (LGC) operates within the wider structure of Trust governance.

The Board of Trustees is the legal governing body of the Trust and holds ultimate accountability for all schools within it. Trustees are responsible for setting the overall strategic vision, ensuring financial compliance, and maintaining statutory responsibilities. The LGC works in partnership with the Trust, with certain responsibilities delegated through the Scheme of Delegation.  This allows local governors to focus on the specific needs of St Wilfrid’s while contributing to the shared mission of Bosco.

The Bosco Catholic Education Trust is a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales with company number 10573272. The registered office is at Jane Murray Way, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 8GA

 

You can read more about the Trust’s governance structure, responsibilities and policies on the Bosco Catholic Education Trust website.

 

If you require more information, please contact info@boscocet.org.uk

 

Attendance & Declarations of Interest 

 Committee Attendance Sept 2021-2022

Committee Attendance Sept 2022-2023

Committee Attendance Sept 2024-2025

Governor Membership and Declarations of Interest 2025-6

Financial Benchmarking

You can view a school or academy trust's financial data, see how it compares with others via gov.uk's Financial Benchmarking website.

To view the financial data for St Wilfrid's and how our expenditure compares with other schools please visit here

 

Contact

If you would like to contact the Governors, please send an email to the school office or email  clerktogovernors@stwilfridsbh.org.uk

 

Alternatively, please send any letter in a sealed envelope which will be forwarded directly to the Clerk to the Governors. The Governors have up to 5 school days to acknowledge receipt of any correspondence. 

 

 

Meet the Governors 

Foundation Governors 

Portia Ray - Chair & Foundation Governor  Portia has two children who both attended St Wilfrid’s.  Portia is a doctor working in A&E and a the local hospice.	Josie Hall - Foundation Governor  Josie has two children who attended St Wilfrid’s and became a parent governor in 2016.  Josie works in education as a Senior Leader in a comprehensive secondary school in Brighton.
Desiree Forde-Gaskin  - Link & Foundation Governor Desiree works in a senior management role for the NHS, which involves all aspects of management duties, including finance.  Desiree has worked as an emergency nurse for over 26 years, over 20 of which have been at senior level in Autonomous Practice.	Natalie McCarthy - Headteacher & Foundation Governor   Date of Appointment - September 2022   Business Interest - Yes, as headteacher. Last recorded 29.1.24
Janet Brailey - Foundation Governor Janet has two adult sons both of whom attended St Wilfrid’s and went on to attend St Paul’s. She is a retired teacher who worked in Liverpool, Croydon and latterly at St Wilfrid’s where she taught for over 25 years across both key stages and as SENCo as well as being part of the Senior Leadership Team. She is not a governor at any other school.	Paul Bilton - Foundation Governor Paul is a deacon in the parish. He currently works as Monastery Bursar at Worth Abbey and has previously worked in central government, as a COO at an independent school and as a CFO in a multi-academy trust. He has three children all of whom have attended local Catholic schools.

 Co-Opted Governors 

Jane Taylor – Co-Opted Governor & Vice-Chair Jane works in a Learning and Development role within a regulatory body, working at arm’s length from the Home Office. She has over 20 years’ experience in HR, focusing in more recent years on the learning and development side. She currently has a child attending St Wilfrid’s and became a parent governor in January 2021.

Staff

Emily Hibberd - Staff Governor Emily has taught at St. Wilfrid's for 5 years and is currently working as a Year 6 teacher and head of English. She trained at the University of Brighton and was appointed following a teaching placement at St Wilfrid's.

Parent Governor 

Sarah Duddridge - Parent Governor Sarah became a governor at St Wilfrid's in July 2025. She is a parent to three girls who all attend the school. She is currently a Product Manager for American Express, having worked at the organisation for nearly 20 years.

Andrew Hill - Parent Governor Andy has nearly 15 years’ experience in local government finance and governance, gained working at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. He is based at Brighton & Hove City Council where he works for a regional partnership that includes six local authorities, the South Downs National Park Authority and the two universities in Brighton. Andy has four children, three of whom are currently at St Wilfrid’s and became a parent governor in May 2022