Governors

Littlehaven Infant School is part of Greenfields Federation with Northolmes Junior School. There is a shared Governing Body across both schools.

What is a School Governor?

Our governors come mainly from our local community and consist of three staff and two parents from across the federation schools, a governor representing the local authority and eight governors who are co-opted on by the governing body for the skills and experience they bring. No governor can act on their own without the authority from the full governing body and all governors carry equal responsibility for decisions made.

Our governors support the schools within Greenfields Federation by:

  • contributing to developing and monitoring the strategic development plan for the federation.
  • determining the vision, ethos, aims, priorities and policies of the federation, together with the headteacher and other senior leaders.
  • ensuring all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, have access to a broad and balanced curriculum.
  • using relevant data, feedback from leaders and external sources and the outcomes from self-evaluation to inform school priorities.
  • overseeing the staffing structure and schools’ budgets, including additional funding, to ensure value for money and that staff have the resources, training and support they need to do their jobs well.
  • when required, serving on a panel, e.g. appointing the headteacher and other senior leaders, headteacher appraisal, pay recommendations, complaints, grievances and exclusions.
  • ensuring appropriate procedures and policies are in place to safeguard pupils.
  • setting expectations for high levels of attendance and good and consistent standards of pupil behaviour across the federation.
  • ensuring the health and safety and wellbeing of pupils and staff.
  • listening and reporting to the schools’ stakeholders.


Who can be a school governor?

All governors are volunteers. You don’t have to be an education expert, but effective governors have the skills to challenge and support senior leaders and time to carry out their role, including preparing for and attending meetings and participating in visits to get to know the schools and monitor progress against school improvement priorities. To assist in their role, governors are expected to undertake face to face/online training provided by the local authority and other partnerships. The role does not stop at governing the schools; governors are an active part of the school community and regularly attend assemblies and performances, support school PTA events and help at parents’ evenings.  For more information on what the role involves and skills needed to be a governor, please see the GFGB Governor Job Description and GFGB Code of Conduct available on this page. If you are interested in becoming a governor, please contact the clerk, Becky Atkinson, c/o Littlehaven School office.

GREENFIELDS FEDERATION GOVERNING BODY – 2023-2024

Our Governing Body consists of 14 members and operates with one committee.

Full name of Governor

Governor Category

Date of current Appointment or Election

Source of Appointment (where appropriate)

Term
of
office/
Roles within GB

Attendance at Full GB Meetings
(Sep 2022 to Aug 2023)

Committee membership

Attendance at committee meetings
(Sep 2022 to Aug 2023)

Declarations on register of business & pecuniary interest

Remarks

 

Sam Cox Headteacher 1/09/23   Ex-officio n/a Resources Committee n/a    

 

Gemma Hall Co-Opted  10/02/23   4 years 3/3        

 

Natalie
Highfield

Co-Opted

23/07/20

 

4 years

3/6

Resources Committee 

3/3

 

 

 

Janine
Kelly

Co-Opted

05/03/22

 

4 years

3/6

 

 

   

 

Kate
Leyshon

Co-Opted

24/09/22

 

4 years

2/6

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Mayes

Co-Opted

6/07/23

 

4 years

1/1

 

 

 

 

 

Julie Messenger

Staff

12/12/22

Elected by Staff

4 years

6/6

 

 

 

 

 

Helen
Oakley

Authority

23/9/23

Nominated by West Sussex LA

4 years
Chair of Govs until Sep 2024

6/6

Resources Committee

3/3

Nil

 

 

Linda Pettitt

Co-Opted

1/09/2023

 

4 years

n/a

 

 

 

 

 

Vacancies 2 x Parent Governors                

 

Vacancies 2 x Co-Opted Governors                

 

Vacancy

Staff (Headteacher)

This post has to be kept vacant because of the federation and there currently being only one headteacher.

Full name of Associate Member

Committee Membership

Voting rights Yes/No

Date of Appointment

Term of Office/ Role on committee

Attendance at committee meetings
(Sep 2022 to Aug 2023)

Attendance at Full GB meetings (Sep 2022 to Aug 2023)*

Declarations on register of business & pecuniary interest

Remarks

Lyndsay Woodland

Resources
Committee

Yes, at committee level

17/11/19

4 years

1/3

3/6

Acting Deputy Headteacher /Inclusion

Currently on maternity leave

Kathryn Saunderson

Resources Committee

Yes, at committee level

26/09/23

4 years

3/3

5/6

 

Was previously on the board as Acting Head 

Previous Governors

 

Full name of Governor

Governor Category

Date of Appointment or Election

Source of Appointment (where appropriate)

Term
of
office/
Roles within GB

Attendance at Full GB Meetings
(Sep 2022 to Aug 2023)

Committee membership

Attendance at committee meetings
(Sep 2022 to Aug 2023)

Declarations on register of business & pecuniary interest

Remarks

Dave Hodges

Co-Opted

28/06/19

 

4 years

3/5

Resources Committee

3/3

Nil

Was Chair of Resources

Mark
Parton
Co-Opted 24/08/20   4 years 1/5       Resigned 30/6/23

 

* Associate members are not required to attend FGB meetings       

 

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Hawkesbourne Road, Horsham,
West Sussex, RH12 4EH

01403 260608
office@littlehaveninfant.school

Rosemary Thompson
Heather Deacon

Littlehaven Infant School is part of