Governors
The School's Governing Body is made up of parents, parishioners and school staff who all share the common interest of our children's education. School governors are volunteers who want to make a positive contribution to children’s education. They do not need to be education experts or have formal qualifications. As well as benefitting children's education, being a governor can be an incredibly enriching experience for parents and members of the local community.
The duties of governors include:
- Protecting the School's distinctive Catholic character
- Holding the headteacher to account for standards and achievement
- Setting the aims and ethos of the school
- The admission of pupils
- Ensuring that a robust framework is in place for setting curriculum priorities and aspirational targets
- Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils.
- Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
- The maintenance and repair of the building
- Monitoring and evaluating the school’s performance
- Approval, monitoring and accounting for the budget allocated to the school
- Ensuring proper provision is made for pupils with different abilities and needs, including children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction for the school.
- Staffing levels
Foundation Governors are appointed in the name of the Bishop and form the majority of the governing body. They have a legal duty to preserve and develop the Catholic character of the school and to ensure that the school is conducted in accordance with its trust deed. Local Authority Governors are appointed by West Sussex County Council, the Parent Governors are appointed by parent election and the Staff Governors by staff election. If you are interested in becoming a governor please contact the office who will be able to inform you of any vacancies.
St Wilfrid’s is a Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School.
The running costs of voluntary aided schools, like those of other state-maintained schools, are fully paid by central government via the local authority. They differ from other maintained schools in that only 90% of their capital costs are met by the state, with the school's Governors responsible for raising the remaining 10%. These funds have to come largely from parents. Donation forms are available from the office.
We ask each family, where they are able, to contribute £36 a year to the Governors’ Fund. This helps pay for the essential upkeep and development of the buildings.
The Governors’ Fund is entirely separate from money raised by The Friends Association, which is used for ‘extras’ such as the wildlife area and updated computer equipment for the new Learning Resource Centre and new play equipment.
How are the governors organised?
The full governing body meets three times a year and the Annual General Meeting is held in September.
There are non-statutory committees which meet termly and make recommendations to the Full Governing Board, each have a quorum of 3:
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Strategy Team (convened as and when necessary) Portia Ray, Josie Hall and Natalie McCarthy |
Staffing, Pay and Appraisal Portia Ray, Robert Marr (Chair), Jane Taylor, Richard Lucy, Natalie McCarthy |
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Curriculum and Special Needs Portia Ray, Desiree Forde-Gaskin (Co-Chair), Josie Hall (Co-Chair), Natalie McCarthy, Emily Hibberd |
Finance and General Purposes, including Health & Safety Portia Ray, Tony Moger, Dan Sibley (Chair), Natalie McCarthy, Philip McGuiness, Andy Hill |
There are also statutory committees:
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Pupil Admissions Portia Ray, Andy Hill |
Exclusion Review A quorum of 3 governors drawn from any eligible non-staff governors excluding Chair of Governors |
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Staff Dismissal and Appeals Committee A quorum of 3 governors drawn from any eligible non-staff governors excluding Chair & Vice-Chair |
Headteacher’s Performance Review Panel Jane Taylor, Portia Ray, Robert Marr |
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Complaints Panel A quorum of 3 governors drawn from any eligible non-staff governors excluding Chair of Governors |
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Attendance
Committee Attendance Sept 2021-2022
Committee Attendance Sept 2022-2023
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 if preferable, send a letter in a sealed envelope which will be handed directly to the Clerk of Governors. The Governors have up to 5 school days to acknowledge receipt of any correspondence.
We currently have vacancies for 3 foundation governors and 1 co-opted governors – if you are interested in joining our governing body, please contact us for further details.
To contact the governors please email clerktogovernors@stwilfridsbh.org.uk
Meet the governors
Foundation Governors
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Portia Ray - Chair & Foundation Governor Portia has two children who both attended St Wilfrid’s. Portia is a doctor working in A&E and at the local hospice with no other business or financial interests. She is not a governor at any other school. Date of Appointment – March 2012, renewed March 2016, renewed March 2020 Appointment ends March 2024 Monitoring Areas – SEND, Languages, Citizenship, PHSE, RSE, SSCR
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Robert Marr - Co Vice-Chair & Foundation Governor Robert works in education as the Deputy Headteacher of a Catholic Comprehensive Secondary School. He has no specific financial responsibility. Rob is an associate governor at the school where he is Deputy Headteacher. He does not have voting rights in that role. Date of Appointment – March 2012, renewed March 2016, renewed April 2020 Appointment ends April 2024 Monitoring Area – Pupil Premium, Vulnerable Children, Assessment
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Desiree Forde-Gaskin - Link & Foundation Governor Desiree works in a senior management role, 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. Desiree does not hold any other governance position at any other school. Date of Appointment – November 2018, renewed November 2022 Appointment ends- November 2026 Monitoring Area – RE, Catholic Ethos |
Natalie McCarthy - Headteacher & Foundation Governor
Date of Appointment - September 2022
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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, she has no other business or financial interests. She is not a governor at any other school. Date of Appointment – June 2020 Appointment ends - June 2024 Monitoring Areas - Curriculum, English |
Tony Moger - Foundation Governor Tony works in IT as a Network Designer, primarily in the aviation/air transport industry. Tony works on different types of projects with a focus mainly on large scale infrastructure works. Tony is not a governor at any other school. Date of Appointment – June 2020 Appointment ends June 2024 Monitoring Area – Health & Safety, Science, Computing |
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Richard Lucy - Foundation Governor Richard has a child currently at St Wilfrid’s and 2 older children who attended St Peter’s in Henfield and went on to St Paul’s Catholic College. He has been a financial adviser for over 18 years and has previously served on St Peter’s PTA for several years, including a term as Chair. Richard also served in the Army Reserves for 13 years. Richard is not a governor at any other school. Date of Appointment - January 2023 Appointment ends - January 2027 Monitoring Areas - DT, ECT/Teacher CPD |
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Co-Opted Governors
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Philip McGuinness - Co-Opted Governor & Treasurer Philip is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants with over twenty years’ experience of general management and financial planning. He has also enjoyed the benefit of having three sons attend St Wilfrid’s. Phil is not a governor at any other school.
Date of Appointment – March 2021 Appointment ends - March 2025 Monitoring Areas – Maths |
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Local Authority Governor
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Dan Sibley - Local Authority Governor (Previously Co-opted governor) Dan is an experienced commercial banker having worked in the financial sector for c 10 years. Dan has worked for the National Westminster PLC for c 8 years and holds the position of a Senior Relationship Manager. This involves managing a portfolio of SME clients and attracting new ones. Dan is also a member of the Chartered Banker Institute and a Co-opted member of the Executive Council of the Gatwick Diamond Business. Date of Appointment as Local Authority Governor - March 2021 Appointment Ends - March 2025 Monitoring Areas - Early Years Foundation Stage, PE |
Staff
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Emily Hibberd - Staff Governor Emily is staff governor. Emily has taught at St. Wilfrid's for two years and is currently working as a Year 6 teacher. She trained at the University of Brighton and was appointed following a teaching placement at St Wilfrid's. Date of Appointment - September 2022 Appointment Ends - September 2026 |
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Parent Governor
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Jane Taylor - Parent Governor & Co Vice-Chair Jane works in a Learning and Development role within a regulatory body, working at arms 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. Jane is not a governor at any other school. Date of Appointment - February 2021 Appointment Ends - February 2025 Monitoring Areas - Safeguarding, Art, Music Safeguarding Governor |
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 three children, two of whom are currently at St Wilfrid’s and became a parent governor in May 2022. Andy is not a governor at any other school. Date of Appointment - May 2022 Appointment Ends - May 2026 Monitoring Area - History, Geography
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