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Enjoy, Achieve…. Flourish

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Meet the Governors

Welcome to our Governors’ section.

In order to support the achievement of our vision Enjoy, Achieve...Flourish Hampsthwaite's School Local Governing Board plays a key role in ensuring the school is strategically well led. Governors are volunteers who want to make a positive contribution to children’s education.

 

The three core functions of governance are;

  1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
  2. Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the effective and efficient performance management of staff
  3. Overseeing financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent

 

Local Governing Board Operation

The Governing Body meets 4 times throughout the academic year. Much of its work is carried out through two committees; School Development and Finance & Resources. Copies of agendas, approved minutes and any reports, documents or other paper considered at each meeting are available upon request via the school office. 

 

To understand more about the role of school Governors and Trustees, please watch the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRqJ_bFipHk

 

Below are details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.

Governors at Hampsthwaite regularly visit school bringing with them a whole host of skills and experience. They play a key role in monitoring and evaluating the impact of provision.

 

Our Scheme of Delegation can be located here

Governing Body 2024 - 2025

 

The values and aims of our school are built firmly on Christian beliefs and principles, embodied not only in our heritage as a Church School but also in our everyday interactions and activities. It is through the support we give to each other that we build up respect, friendship and effective teamwork. We put children's enjoyment and achievement at the centre of everything we do, working with creativity to develop imagination and skills in an exciting yet challenging way

 

Responsibilities:

Together, the Governors are responsible for:

  • Setting aims and targets for the School/Academy and checking the Academy’s progress towards attaining these.

  • Monitoring how well the School/Academy’s policies and plans are working.

  • Accounting for the performance of the School/Academy and the Governing Body.

  • Working with the Headteacher to make sure that teaching at the School/Academy is effective and good quality and the children are making the best possible progress.

  • Taking general responsibility for the School/Academy and its budget.

  • Challenging and supporting the senior management team and taking opportunities to show interest in and appreciation of staff and pupils.

  • Promoting the interests of the School/Academy and its pupils in the wider community.

 

Types of Governors:

There are several different types of Governor:

  • Parent Governor

    • Elected from parents at the school by parents at the Academy.

  • Staff Governor

    • Elected from staff at the school by staff at the Academy

  • Co-opted Governors

    • Appointed by members of the Governing Body. They are intended to be representative of the local community and may add particular kinds of expertise.

  • Foundation/Academy Governors

    • Foundation governors are representatives of the Church of England. 

 

Our Governors

Chair of Governors: Rebecca Gale (r.gale@hampsthwaite.ycway.uk)

 

Name

Type

Term

Full Governing Body

School Development

Finance

Attendance at FGB

2024/2025

Amy Ross

Head Teacher

 

 

 

  

1/4

Michelle Coghlan

Staff

14tth March 2018- 13th March 2026

 

 

  

0/4

Sophie Fisher 

Parent

28th May 2021 - 27th May 2025

   

1/4

Rebecca Gale - Chair

Parent

25th May 2022 - 24th May 2026   

1/4

Chulanga Jayawardana

Co-opted19th July 2022 - 18th July 2026   

1/4

Gordon ScammellCo-opted8th April 2024 - 7th April 2028   

0/4

Jennifer BowlesCo-opted16th April 2024 - 15th April 2028   1/4

 

Meeting attendance 2023/2024

Name

Full Governing Body

School Development

 

Finance

Amy Ross

4/4

3/3

4/4

Michelle Herrington

4/4

3/3

-

Rebecca Gale

3/4

1/3

4/4

Sophie Fisher

4/42/3-
Chulanga Jayawardana4/41/3

4/4

Mike Harris3/4-3/4
Nuno Arroteia1/4-1/4
Jenn Bowles1/11/1-
Suzy McCarter 3/32/3-
Gordon Scammell--1/1

 

Meeting attendance 2022/2023

Name

Full Governing Body

School Development

 

Finance

Amy Ross

4/4

3/3

4/4

Michelle Herrington

4/4

2/3

-

Andrew Wood

4/4

-

4/4

Rebecca Gale

4/4

3/3

-

Abhishek Khurana

3/4

-

4/4

Claire Mace

4/4

3/3

-

Sophie Fisher

4/43/3-
Chulanga Jayawardana3/4-3/4

 

Meeting attendance 2021/2022

Name

Full Governing Body

School Development

 

Finance

Amy Ross

4/4

3/3

4/4

Michelle Herrington

4/4

2/3

-

Andrew Wood

4/4

-

4/4

Geoff Ellis

2/4

-

4/4

Abhishek Khurana

3/4

-

4/4

Claire Mace

3/4

3/3

-

David Barker

3/4

3/3

-

Simon Bollon

1/4

-

3/4

Sophie Fisher

4/42/3-

Robert Smith

3/42/3-

 

Meeting attendance 2020/2021

Name

Full Governing Body

School Development

 

Finance

Amy Ross

4/4

3/3

4/4

Michelle Herrington

4/4

2/3

 

Andrew Wood

4/4

 

4/4

Gill Hart

3/4

3/3

 

Geoff Ellis

4/4

 

4/4

Michael Nunns

2/4

 

2/4

Abhishek Khurana

4/4

 

4/4

Claire Mace

3/4

3/3

 

David Barker

4/4

3/3

 

Simon Bollon

2/4

 

1/4

 

Meeting attendance 2019/2020

Name

Full Governing Body

School Development

 

Finance

Amy Ross

4/4

3/3

3/3

Michelle Herrington

4/4

3/3

 

Anna Ashford

4/4

3/3

 

Andrew Wood

4/4

 

3/3

Gill Hart

3/4

2/3

 

Geoff Ellis

3/4

 

3/3

Michael Nunns

3/4

 

3/3

Abhishek Khurana

3/3

 

3/3

Claire Mace

3/4

3/3

 

David Barker

4/4

2/3

 

Simon Bollon

2/4

 

2/3

                       

CLERK TO THE GOVERNORS

Alex Mawson 

REGISTER OF GOVERNOR INTERESTS

 

Governor Name

Declared Pecuniary Interests

Other Governance Roles

Relationship to Staff

 

Amy Ross

None Declared

None

None

Michelle Herrington

None Declared

None

None

Suzy McCarter

None Declared

None

None

Gordon Scammell

None Declared

None

None

Sophie Fisher 

None DeclaredNoneNone

Rebecca Gale

None declaredNoneNone
Chulanga JayawardanaNone declaredNoneNone
Nuno ArroteiaNone declaredNoneNone
Jennifer BowlesNone declaredNoneNone

 

RESIGNATION FROM THE GOVERNING BODY

Sally Haigh – December 2018

Joy Walker – September 2019

Anna Ashford - September 2020

Gill Hart - September 2021

Mike Nunns - September 2021 

Geoff Elis - July 2022

Simon Bollon - July 2022

David Barker - August 2022

Robert Smith - October 2022

Andrew Wood - July 2023

Abhi Knurana - July 2023

Claire Mace - January 2024

Mike Harris - March 2024

Suzy McArthur - May 2024

Nuno Arroteia - July 2024
 

Governors' profiles and interests


Mrs Ross
I was appointed as the Headteacher of Hampsthwaite School in September 2019 and have never looked back. In my 4 years as a Headteacher, I have certainly been thrown in at the deep end thanks to COVID, but due to our wonderful school community, I feel the luckiest Headteacher alive. I have two children and in my spare time I love watching my son play football (and my husband managing the team) and watching my daughter perform as part of her dance class. I am also an avid runner (although now more of a plodder) and enjoy long walks and the great outdoors with my family. 

 

Mrs Coghlan

I have worked at Hampsthwaite School for 19 years in the EYFS and KS1 classes. I have enjoyed leading a variety of subjects over the years including P.E. and PSHE. I am now English leader and EYFS leader, both of which I am particularly interested in. I am also part of the Senior Leadership Team, a role which I really enjoy.

Having grown up in a village close to Hampsthwaite, I am very passionate about small village schools and enjoy being part of the village community. I have seen the school change whilst working under the last 2 headteachers and am looking forward to the new opportunities and challenges in the future.

I live in Knaresborough with my husband and two children, who all enjoy walking and going out for Sunday lunch.

 

 

 

 

 

Sophie Fisher (s.fisher@hampsthwaite.ycway.uk)

I live in Hampsthwaite with my husband and two boys. My eldest son is currently in Year One. His positive experiences and love of school life made me incredibly supportive of the ethos that has been created at Hampsthwaite Primary School. As a family, we feel very lucky to live here and have this school at the heart of our community!   

I am a Primary School teacher in Ilkley and for the last ten years have taught Early Years and KS1. Since becoming a Mum, I have worked part time. I would like to use my experience and bring my passion of education to the school in the hope to support the staff, pupils and families.   

It is always such a pleasure to visit and work with the staff and children of Hampsthwaite School. I feel very privileged to be able to be involved as a parent governor. 

 

Chulanga Jayawardana (C.Jayawardana@hampsthwaite.ycway.uk)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chulanga-jayawardana-6138953/ 

I live in Hampsthwaite with my wife Rebecca and two children who both attend the school. We moved up to Yorkshire over 6 years ago to be closer to family and feel very lucky to call this beautiful part of the country home. I care deeply about my children’s education and contributing to society, and therefore I am extremely delighted to be appointed on to the board of governors.

I have over 22 years of experience working in the accounting profession with a background in financial due diligence, auditing, financial reporting, and corporate governance. I will use my skillset and experience to support the leadership team to help drive the strategic direction of the school, and help it continue to meet its high standards and the quality of education it offers the children in this community.

 

Rebecca Gale (r.gale@hampsthwaite.ycway.uk)

I live in Bishop Thornton with my husband and two children (both at Hampsthwaite), having made the move from London to be nearer family. We struck gold when Mrs Ross said she had space for our son back in 2020: we couldn't believe the warmth, dedication and quality of the learning environment. I am delighted to be part of the Governing Board to support the leadership team to continue to take the school from strength to strength. I am currently the Assistant Director of Primary Care at NHS Confederation, a national organisation for NHS leaders, advocating for our members and influencing national policy makers on their behalf. The majority of my career has been spent in health and care regulation, and I hope to translate some of that expertise to an educational setting.

 

Jenn Bowles (j.bowles@hampsthwaite.ycst.co.uk)

I live in Hampsthwaite with my husband and our son Samuel who attends Hampsthwaite School. My boys keep me regularly educated in all things Star Wars and Lego!

I am incredibly proud to be a part of our school (including PTA) and community and am entirely invested in ensuring all can enjoy, achieve and flourish.

Although I do not currently have a teaching role, I completed my PGCE in 2013 after a period of volunteering abroad in school settings.

I have a history in psychiatric hospital management so have experience in communication, organisation and management of people and resources. I hope to bring some of these skills to my role as Governor.

When not working or at school, we enjoy appreciating our exquisite Yorkshire countryside walking, cycling or travelling in our Campervan.

 

Gordon Scammell (G.Scammell@hampsthwaite.ycst.co.uk)

I live in Harrogate with my wife Lucy and two children Orla and Neve. Orla attends Hampsthwaite School and Neve is in the nursery, with her starting in the school in September 2024. Originally from the South Coast, I moved up to Harrogate 9 years ago and love living here.

I have my own accountancy practice and have over 34 years of experience working in the accounting profession. I put myself forward for the position of Governor as I want to be able to offer my financial sector experience and abilities to the school and help the team continue with the excellent work it does.

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