About the Governing Body
Since the introduction of the Education Act (1988), governors have played an increasingly important part in overseeing the running of schools. It’s our role to ensure the school acts in the best interest of the pupils and the communities they serve. Good governance is vital to every school, and in these changing times, more is expected of the governing body than perhaps ever before.
The Chair of Governors may be contacted via the school office, on 01484 605441. All enquiries will be dealt with in the strictest confidence.
So what do we actually do?
Governors govern. The governing body are there to help shape the strategic direction and focus for the school.
The governing body has a legal responsibility to ensure the school to gives our children the best possible education. We do this by acting as a critical friend to the school’s leadership and staff. We ask challenging, sometimes difficult, questions. We provide oversight and together with the senior leadership team, help shape the long-term direction of the school.
We do this by:
- encouraging the highest possible standards of education
- helping to set the strategic aims and objectives of the school
- making sure the curriculum is balanced and broadly based
- establishing realistic, achievable targets
- monitoring and evaluating the school’s performance against these targets
- making sure the school’s aims, values and culture are reflected in what the school does
- ensuring proper management of the school’s finances
- communicating openly with parents, the local community and the local education authority
- acting as a critical friend to the head teacher
- discuss and ratify school policies.
Previous Governors
| Mrs Sarah Greene (Co-opted) (Vice Chair) | 19/10/18-26/1/21 |
| Mrs Jan Ansell (Co-opted) | 16/10/19-26/1/21 |
| Dr Andy Williams (Trust Appointed Governor) | 22/04/20-26/02/22 |
|
Mrs Caroline Stevens (Parent Governor) |
08/10/20-10/10/23 |
| Ms Katie Hutton (Staff Governor) | 2/11/20 - 10/10/23 |
| Mr John Thompson (Parent Governor) | 30/09/20-18/5/24 |
| Mr Terry Sigsworth (Co-opted) | 01/09/18 - 4/12/24 |
Governor Visits
We also take part in governor visits to the school. These allow us to get a sense of the school itself by seeing how the children are responding to their work, to each other and the staff. It also serves as a reminder how governorship helps the school as a whole, and why we do it.
This first-hand experience of school is vital in informing our thinking and strategic planning.
Meet the Governors
Sian Allen
Chair of Governors
Governor Term 16.10.19 - 15.10.27 Having only joined in October last year, I am still relatively new to the school. But feel it really is a privilege to support, yet challenge, the Headteacher and her team. By working together, we ensure that all pupils are encouraged to achieve their best and perform to their full potential by providing them with a broad, balanced and creative curriculum in a safe and welcoming environment. I am also enjoying learning more about your small but big-hearted Birdsedge community. I have been involved in educating children for the past 35 years and have been both a parent and staff governor. So now, as Chair of Governors, I am able to draw upon and utilise my many and varied teaching experiences, as well as learn and develop new skills alongside both Birdsedge and MAST governors. Working part time work is a revelation and I can now make more use of our National Trust membership. Walking around the beautiful grounds, we see some amazing gardens, nature and wildlife. My new hobby is attempting to replicate the amazing bakes on The Great British Bake off. Some disasters but the babka was a great triumph!
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Phil Marshall
Trust Appointed Governor
Governor Term 18.5.22 - 17.5.27 I've been a governor at BFS since May 2022. I'm also the Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Mast Academy Trust and as such, I am a Trust-appointed governor at BFS. I have the same responsibilities and duties as the other governors and similarly I take the lead on a particular area of responsibility. Currently I lead on financial matters. I was brought up and educated in the HD8 area and now live in Penistone, just a few minutes' drive from the school. I believe passionately in the ethos of the Mast Academy Trust which enables our schools to provide high quality education and safe environments for our children to learn, play and develop. I'm also Chair of Trustees for a mental health advocacy charity in the West Midlands and Vice Chair of the Board at the National Coal Mining Museum for England. I enjoy volunteering for several conservation charities including the National Trust and for a local community garden near Holmfirth.
Karen Howgill
Community Governor
Governor Term 22.2.23 - 21.2.27 I am very happy to be a co-opted member of the Birdsedge First School Governing Body. I have always worked with children, intitially as a paediatric nurse, and latterly as a teacher for the last twenty plus years. During my teaching career I was SENDCo for several years and always the Science Coordinator! I am now a supply teacher and have worked in many of the local schools including all age groups at Birdsedge. I love the nthusiasm of all the staff and children and how welcoming and helpful they have been to myself. The ethos of the school has constantly impressed me and how supportive the children and staff are to each other. I feel extremely privileged to be able to use this opportunity to make a positive contribution to the future of this school and to all the very talented children that attend.
Rebecca Breeze
Staff Governor
Governor Term 18.5.22 - 17.5.27 I was very happy to be appointed as the staff governor for Birdsedge First School. I have worked in childcare and education for over 10 years in schools and nurseries. I love every opportunity to work closely with children to support their development and to help support the families as well. Throughout working in education I have been given many different opportunities to develop my own knowledge and continue to as I work at Birdsedge. I started working at Birdsedge in September 2022 and I feel so lucky to have been given the opportunity to work in such a amazing school. Birdsedge and the children are the reason why I love working there, and every child really does matter. As a Governor I hope to support the school through my time to really be Birdsedge BEST.
Mrs Becky Barrett
Parent Governor
Governor Term 4.12.24 - 3.12.28
Mrs Alice Lowe
Parent Governor
Governor Term 4.12.24 - 3.12.28 Hi, my name is Alice Lowe and my son, Joseph, has just started in reception class. I hope my profession in the NHS as a Child & Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist as well as being a Qualified Teacher enables me to think about both the educational and emotional needs of all the pupils and their families at Birdsedge. As a parent governor I want to champion Birdsedge’s commitment to inclusion for all those within the school community. Enabling all children to fulfil their full potential regardless of background, special educational need, or disability; whilst supporting the school to continue to improve and develop in all areas of educational quality and attainment. I’m keen to complete additional training, attend meetings, and visit Birdsedge to support my goal of being the best governor I can be for the school. I am not afraid to ask difficult questions when required for the benefit of its pupils and staff wellbeing, without whom Birdsedge would not be the small school with a big heart.
Governor Attendance 2023- 2024
Governor Attendance 2023-24
Register of Interest
Governor Register of Interest 2023
Governor Meeting Approved Minutes
A copy of governor meeting minutes may be requested at any time from the school office.
If you would like to contact the chair of governors in writing please use the following details:
FAO: Sian Allen
Birdsedge First School
Penistone Road
Birdsedge
HD8 8XR
Individual Governors can also be contacted by their email address shown on the 'Meet the Governors' tab.