A very warm welcome from the Governors of Newberries Primary School.
The role of the Governing Body is a strategic one and by working closely with the Headteachers and their senior leadership team, we aim to ensure that the school is providing the best possible education and standards for its pupils, as well as financial management. The Governors, who are all volunteers, bring a diversity of knowledge, skills and experience and act as a ‘critical friend’ to the Headteachers by asking questions and providing support and strategic guidance. Our key responsibilities are to:
- Ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
- Hold executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and
- Oversee the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
The full Governing Body convenes three times a year and the three main sub-committees: Resources & Finance, Curriculum and Personal meet at least termly.
The Governors are all passionate about education and committed to ensuring that Newberries maintains its high standards and continually improves to ensure the best possible outcomes. Newberries already has a fantastic reputation and one that we wish to see continue for years to come.
If you wish to contact the Governing Board you can do so by emailing the Chair of Governors: gb@newberries.herts.sch.uk
If you want to find out more about school governance, you can read the Governance Handbook, published by the Department of Education and available on the gov.uk website.
We will be very happy to hear from you.
| Name | Category | Roles and Responsibility | Committee and Attendance | Date of First Appointment | Renewal | Pecuniary interest | FGB attendance 01/09/2019-31/08/2020 |
| Ms Ness Peters | Head Teacher | Head teacher | Resources and Finance Personnel Curriculum |
N/A | 2/3 | ||
| Mrs Anna Traxon | Associate HT Governor | Head teacher | Resources and Finance Personnel Curriculum |
N/A | 2/3 | ||
| Sarah Ginsberg | Chair Of Governors LA Governor |
Safeguarding Governor | Resources and Finance Personnel Curriculum |
27/06/2016 | 24/06/2024 | 2/3 | |
| Lewis Myers | Vice-Chair of Governors Co-opted Governor |
Equalities Health & Safety |
Curriculum, Personnel and Finance, Personnel | 21/06/2017 | 20/06/2021 | 2/3 | |
| Iain Blakely | Co-opted Governor | Panels | Curriculum | 09/11/2020 | 08/11/2024 | 2/3 | |
| Neil Caplan | Parent Governor | Panels | Curriculum | 20/10/2017 | 20/10/2021 | 2/3 | |
| Richard Finer | Parent Governor | Grants Website Compliance |
Resources and Finance (Co-chair) | 01/02/2017 | 25/2/2025 | 2/3 | |
| Natalie Gurevitz | Co-opted Governor | Well-being | Curriculum | 10/03/2021 | 09/03/2025 | 0/1 | |
| Josh Handel | Co-opted Governor | Resources and Finance (Co-chair) |
09/11/2020 | 08/11/2024 | 2/3 | ||
| Claire Ridgway | Parent Governor | Resources and Finance | 26/02/2021 | 25/02/2025 | 0/1 | ||
| Lucy Selby | Co-Opted Governor | PTA Training and Development Governor Stakeholder Engagement Panels |
Personnel (Chair) | 20/11/15 | 19/11/2023 | Local Councillor | 2/3 |
| Rachel Wright | Co-opted Governor | Stakeholder Engagement | Curriculum | 27/03/2019 | 26/03/2023 | 2/3 | |
| Mrs Heather Morris-Bowman | Associate Governor | Senior Leadership Team Representative | Curriculum | 02/09/2020 | 01/09/2023 | 2/3 | |
| Mrs Nicola Webster-Smith | Staff Governor | Senior leadership team representative | Curriculum | 19/03/2018 | 19/03/2022 | Mat. leave | |
| Mrs Erica Cook | Observer | School Business Manager | Resources and Finance | 5/03/2021 | 04/03/2025 | 1/2 | |
| Former Governors | Date left | ||||||
| Mrs Jo Baxter | Associate Member | Senior leadership team representative | Resources and Finance | 19/03/2018 | 25/07/2020 | 0/0 | |
| Mrs Jane Woods | Associate Member | Senior Business Manager | Resources and Finance | 06/11/2018 | 05/03/2021 | 1/1 | |
| Beverley Grant | Co-opted Governor | Resources and Finance | 28/11/2018 | 17/12/2020 | 1/1 | ||
| Martin Shields | Parent Governor | e-safety | Resources and Finance | 09/01/2014 | 17/12/2020 | 1/1 |
* Associate Governors and Observers do not have voting rights.
No pecuniary interests have been declared by any Governors and none of our Governors has a governance role in another educational institution.