Governors

Our Governors have an important role in our school.  They meet regularly in full governing body meetings to lead and manage our school, but they are also regularly seen helping in school and at school events, as well as overseeing and monitoring school development. Governors regularly attend training relevant to their roles and offer support for all aspects of school life.

 Our Governing Body has twelve members, who are proposed and elected by various interests.  This board is made up of two Parent Governors who are voted for by parents and carers of the children in school, one Local Authority Governor, one Staff Governor and the remaining Governors are Foundation Governors and the head teacher of the school. The Chair and Vice-Chair are elected annually at the first meeting of the year in September.  The minutes of Governing Body meetings, with the exception of matters deemed confidential, are available on request to the Clerk to the Governors on clerk@bothel.cumbria.sch.uk . Declaration of Business Interests forms are completed annually and declarations of interest are also declared at the start of each meeting.

We currently hold six full governors meetings per year and do not hold separate sub-committee meetings, although an Appeals Committee may also be drawn from available Governors depending on circumstances and if the situation arises.

 Mr Neil Milligan is the Chair of the Governing Body. You are able to contact Neil, via email, at: nmilligan@bothel.cumbria.sch.uk 

Instrument of Government 

Governor Code of Conduct and Role Descriptions

 

Our Full Governing Board: 

Mr Neil Milligan - Chair of Governors, Foundation Governor and SEND Governor

Mrs Clare Macaulay - Vice Chair and Parent Governor

Mrs Polly Page - Head teacher (ex-officio)

Reverend Stephen Banks - Foundation Governor (ex-officio)

Sandra Hillyard - Currently a co-opted Governor

Mrs Gillian Marr - Foundation Governor

Mrs Gayle Fennell - Staff Governor 

Vacancy - LA Governor 

Vacancy - Foundation Governor

Vacancy - Parent Governor

Vacancy - Foundation Governor

Vacancy - Foundation Governor

 

Clerk to the Governors - Mrs Julie Gibson

 

Full Governing Board Meeting Attendance Register:

Full Governors Role Start of Term End of Term 18/05/23 28/09/23 23/11/23 06/02/24 19/03/24 21/05/24 02/07/24 19/09/24 26/11/24 Declaration of Interests
Mrs Polly Page Head Ex-officio Ex-officio Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Employed as head teacher
Mr Neil Milligan Foundation 08/07/22 07/07/26 Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present None
Revd Stephen Banks Foundation Ex-officio Ex-officio Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Also Governor at Plumbland, Ireby and Boltons Schools
Mrs Elizabeth Armstrong Foundation 08/08/16 31/08/24 Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Not in post Not in post None
Mrs Gillian Marr Foundation 08/02/18 07/02/26 Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Related to school administrator
Mr Michael Merrick Foundation 06/10/22 05/10/26 Present Present Apologies Apologies Present Apologies Not in post Not in post Not in post None
Mrs Jennifer Tinniswood Foundation 11/07/19 10/07/23 Present Not in post Not in post Not in post Not in post Not in post Not in post Not in post Not in post None
Mrs Clare Macaulay Parent 15/09/22 14/09/26 Present Present Apologies Present Present Present Present Present Present None
Mrs Nicola Storey Local Authority 27/01/21 26/01/25 Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Not in post Not in post None
Miss Lee-Anne Gibson Staff 17/04/19 16/04/23 Not in post Not in post Not in post Not in post Not in post Not in post Not in post Not in post Not in post Employed as teacher
Mrs Gayle Fennell Staff 17/04/23 16/04/27 Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Apologies Present Employed as teacher
Mrs Laura Bowe Parent 04/11/20 03/11/24 Present Present Not in post Not in post Not in post Not in post Not in post Not in post Not in post Not in post
Mr Matt Derrick Parent 19/03/24 21/05/24 Not in post Not in post Not in post Not in post Present Present Not in post Not in post Not in post None
Mrs Sandra Hillyard Co-opted      Not in post  Not in post  Not in post  Not in post  Not in post  Not in post  Not in post  Not in post Present  None
 Meeting Clerked by:   Mrs Margaret Robinson Mrs Elizabeth Armstrong Mrs Elizabeth Armstrong Mr Neil Dixon Mrs Julie Gibson Mrs Julie Gibson Mrs Julie Gibson Mrs Julie Gibson Mrs Julie Gibson Also employed at QEGS

 Mrs L Bowe stood down as parent governor in October 2023.

Miss L Gibson's term of office expired in April 2023.

Mrs Nicola Storey stood down as LA Governor in July 2024.

Mrs Elizabeth Armstrong's term of office expired in August 2024.

 

Governing Body Diversity Data

As a Governing Body, we have a duty to recognise that diverse thoughts, voices and perspectives are essential to good governance and the effective running of any organisation.

 We believe it is important that our Governing Body reflects the diversity of the school communities which we serve. Diverse boards promote inclusive school environments and provide diverse role models for staff and children.

 The governors are currently gathering data on the diversity of our governors, including data on age, gender and ethnicity. We will use that data to inform recruitment and training needs and ensure there is always a diverse range of perspectives around the table to support robust decision making.

 We do not publish any diversity information that may disclose personal information about individual governors. This is due to our legal obligation to protect their personal data.