Governors
‘You lead an inclusive school, well-supported by your Chair of Governors.’
Ofsted, February 2018
Welcome From The Chair Of Governors
As Chair of Governors at Fynamore Primary School, I would like to extend a warm welcome to those of you visiting our school website. On these pages you can find out more information about the governing board and the work we do. I am privileged to be part of a highly committed team of volunteers who are passionate about the school and making a positive difference to the lives of our young people. As a board, we are responsible for setting the vision, values and strategic direction of the school. We do this through our Strategic Plan which is available to read here.
I already know from the perspective of being a parent to a Fynamore child what a wonderful school this is. The staff work tirelessly to keep our children safe, to give them a well-rounded education and to improve their life chances. If you are considering Fynamore for your child, then I would encourage you to contact the school office to arrange a tour with our headteacher, Ms Weber, or a member of her Senior Leadership Team. They will be delighted to show you around during the school day and to answer any questions you may have. Fynamore is a friendly and inclusive school community with happy, engaged children, and I am confident that this will shine through during your visit!
Rob Parker
Chair of Governors
Meet Our Governors
Robert Parker - Co-opted Governor and Chair of Governors
Appointed as Parent Governor by parent ballot: 20.10.19. Re-appointed as Co-opted Governor by Full Governing Body on 17.01.23. Current term ends: 16.01.27
Able, Gifted and Talented Pupils and Chair of FGB
My daughter spent seven happy years at Fynamore but has recently left for secondary school. I joined the governing board in 2019 and took over from Stella Fowler as Chair of Governors for the 2021/22 academic year. To prepare myself for the role, I completed the Development for Chairs Programme through the National Governance Association. In addition to chairing the board, I sit on both committees and take a lead on monitoring provision for Disadvantaged Learners. I have previously led on Able, Gifted and Talented pupils and before that was the link governor for English.
I am a professional town planner by trade and have worked in the Civil Service for almost a decade, having previously spent nearly 20 years in Local Government. I have extensive and wide-ranging experience of decision-making, evidence analysis and chairing hearings and public inquiries, all of which comes in useful within school governance.
Mr Parker has declared that he is a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute
Stella Fowler – Co-opted Governor
Appointed by Full Governing Body: 30.09.09. Current term ends: 11.09.25
Curriculum and Physical Education Premium link Governor
I monitor curriculum activities and specific funds to support PE, serving on the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee. As a qualified and experienced Chair of Governors, I also mentor the Chair to help make the most out of the time invested by an amazing group of dedicated volunteers and to ensure we discharge our collective responsibilities fully and to the best of our abilities.
I am committed to the school's future and the education and life chances of all children and am passionate about equity and social justice. I have been a school Governor for many years and have seen my four children progress happily though the school. I am on the Wiltshire Governors Association Board, as well as the Wiltshire Learning Alliance Board and the Wiltshire Schools Forum. I have also served as a Leader of Governance, which means I have experience of helping other schools to improve their governance practices in the interests of all children.
In my day job I am an executive Director of the Engineering Professors’ Council, leading the engineering higher education sector on policy, research and data. I am also an Honorary Research Fellow in engineering education at University College London. I have worked in evidence-based policy and strategy in education – within universities and at UCAS – for 25 years.
Mrs Fowler has declared that she is a Company Director of Consulting Mark Ltd (IT Consultancy). She is an Executive Director of the Engineering Professors’ Council. Stella is a member of the Wiltshire Council Schools Forum and is a Board member of the Wiltshire Learning Alliance and the Wiltshire Governors Association. She occasionally informally supports governance in other schools in Swindon and Wiltshire.
Sarah Weber - Staff Governor (Headteacher)
Appointed: 01.01.19. Current term lasts while still Headteacher
Headteacher
Jacqui Radford - Co-opted Governor, Committee Chair
Appointed by Full Governing Body: 18.09.18. Current term ends: 17.09.26
Safeguarding and Chair of L&M
I have been involved in the school since it opened and know that a good school really can make a difference in children's lives. I work with other Governors to ensure that our Leadership and Management responsibilities are met and that we set a strategic direction for the school that meets the needs of our pupils and provides them with an inspiring school experience. I have delegated responsibility for safeguarding in school and have experience of multi-agency working, parent support and community partnerships. I am also Link Governor for Assessment and for Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) Development.
Lisa Straker - Co-opted Governor
Appointed by Full Governing Body: 09.01.18. Current term ends: 08.01.26
English and Phonics
I work as a general Teaching Assistant in Year 4.
Paula Coleman - Co-opted Governor
Appointed by Full Governing Body 15.01.19. Current term ends: 14.01.27
Finance and Vice Chair of L&M
It is a pleasure to return to the Fynamore School Governing Body in the role of Finance Governor. I have been involved with the school since it opened in 2001, both as a parent (my two children attended Fynamore) and as a Governor. I have worked in finance for 30 years, in both the public and private sector. I am currently a Management Accountant for a local manufacturing company. It has been a privilege to see Fynamore grow and develop over the years into the incredible school it has become. I look forward to continuing being a part of it.
Mrs Coleman has declared that she is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and the Chartered Global Management Accountants.
Sarah Trueman - Co-opted Governor
Appointed by Full Governing Body 15.01.19 Current term ends: 16.01.27
Whistleblowing, Pupil Premium and Pupil Wellbeing
My children have attended Fynamore since 2012. I currently run my own retail shop in Calne. Before that I worked in radio broadcasting for over 10 years. I hope to use my business, communication and creative skills to assist me in my role, ensuring effective Communications. I am enjoying the challenge of seeing the workings of a school from a different perspective and want to make a positive contribution to the life of the school.
Jackie Zenonos - Staff Governor
Appointed by Staff Ballot: 16.10.19. Current term ends: 22.01.28
Deputy Headteacher
I have been at Fynamore just over 2 years. From the moment I joined the school, I felt like a part of the community. My responsibilities include: Curriculum Lead, Community Engagement and Events and day - to - day management. The staff team at Fynamore are a pleasure to lead and work alongside and I am really enjoying working with the Governing Body to continue to improve our school and do the best for our pupils.
Mrs Zenonos has declared that she has a family member who works freelance for Mitchell Digital Media.
Lisa Griffiths - Parent Governor
Appointed: 11.01.22. Current term ends: 10.01.26
Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural (SMSC) , Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Online Safeguarding and Chair of M&E
I have 2 daughters at Fynamore and after the experience of the last couple of years with lockdowns and the additional pressure teachers and staff have been under, I was really keen to give something back to the school and saw becoming a school Governor as a great way to do that. I have extensive work experience in Quality and Change Management in the engineering and IT sectors, which includes strategy and goverance responsibilities that I can carry over into the role of a parent governor.
Having worked for large multinational organisation I have been a part of and lead teams of people from all walks of life and understand the importance of diversity and equal opportunities; no matter their background, every child deserves the same opportunities to be their best selves. As a woman working in technology, I am also passionate about breaking gender bias in the STEM subjects.
Stephen Price - Local Authority Governor
Appointed by Full Governing Body: 15.03.22. Current term ends: 14.03.26
Health & Safety, Staff Wellbeing and Staffing Development (non pay-related)
Having spent over 30 years working in the education sector, I am looking forward to supporting the Fynamore Governing Body. Much of my experience has been as part of Senior Leadership Teams working in challenging circumstances. I hope to be able to support the school with Staff Wellbeing, Health and Safety, Inclusion and Behaviour.
Louise Skelton - Parent Governor
Appointed by parent ballot: 28.01.21. Current term ends: 27.01.25
Data and Assessment
My son has attended Fynamore school for the last 4 years since Reception, and for most of this time, I was a TA at the school also. When I had to leave Fynamore due to other work commitments at the end of the Covid Pandemic, I missed the school and put myself forward to be a Parent Governor so I could still be involved with the School, the Staff and the Students. Currently, I am a Science Technician in two local secondary schools but my background is in Chemical Engineering and Operational Plant Management, I worked on a Steelworks for 17 years prior to having my son and then choosing to work in Science education.
Adrian Jones - Parent Governor
Appointed: 22.03.23. Current term ends: 21.03.27
Fynamore is a fantastic school for our children and I'm thrilled to support, grow and develop the school as a parent governor.
My daughter started Reception year in 2022 and I've always wanted to be an integral part, in providing support back to the school. I've worked in financial services for over 20 years, having a variety of senior management roles in regulatory advice and programme management. Outside of work, I love travelling to new places with my family, anything disney related and Rugby.
I believe my core skills and experiences will transfer well to the work of school governance, financials and planning, which will help the school continue in the right direction and retain its excellent reputation for academic success and happy, friendly children.
Paula Parsons- Co-opted Governor
Appointed by Full Governing Body: 10.09.24. Current term ends: 09.09.28
As a grandparent of 2 Fynamore pupils I have had the opportunity to see the school in action and have been impressed with what I have seen.
I am now retired, but my professional life was mainly in finance, and latterly in training and development within the Local Education Authority.
I have been Chair of Governors at a small primary school and Vice Chair at a large secondary school and am aware of the value and relevance of an active and knowledgable governing body and look forward to the challenges the role will bring, and the opportunity this gives me to support the School in offering the best possible education to the pupils.
Persons no longer on the governing body but serving in the past 12 months.
Governor Governor Category End date
Hannah Stainer Co-opted governor 14/09/24
Should you wish to contact any of the Governors, please do so by using the Contact Us form.
About The Governing Board
What does the governing board do?
The governing board has three core strategic functions:
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Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
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Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and
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Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.
The governing board is responsible for appointing the headteacher and delegates to them the responsibility for the day to day running of the school. It also ensures that statutory obligations are met and approves policies [Link to policy page] which provide a framework for the management of the school. Governors offer both support and challenge to the school.
The desire for continuous improvement is at the heart of the school and therefore one of the key roles of the governing board is to approve a School Development Plan (SDP) annually, and to monitor the implementation of this plan. The SDP sits beneath a Strategic Plan which the governing board prepares in consultation with staff, children and parents.
What does it not do?
The role of a governing board is a strategic one. Governors do not get involved in operational matters such as the day to day running of the school. This is the responsibility of the headteacher. The school has a written policy on complaints, which is available on the school web site. Governors only become involved in forming a complaints panel if a Stage 1 complaint has not been resolved or a complaint is about the headteacher.
Who sits on the governing board?
At Fynamore School, the board is constituted of:
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3 parent governors who are elected by parents and carers of pupils at our school
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1 local authority governor who is nominated by Wiltshire Council
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1 staff governor who is elected by staff at our school
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The headteacher who automatically becomes a governor on appointment
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7 co-opted governors who are appointed by the governing body based on their skills and experience
The maximum number of governors is 13. All governors have a term of office of 4 years.
We currently have one associate member of the board who attends meetings but does not have voting rights.
Decisions are made by the governing board as a whole or its constituent committees, where permitted by the scheme of delegation. Individual governors have no ‘power’ as such and cannot act or speak on behalf of the governing body.
All governors, including the headteacher, have declared that they have no business or pecuniary interests and no material interests arising from relationships between governors, or relationships between governors and school staff, except where stated here.
How is the governing body structured?
The Full Governing Board meets 6 times per year and meetings normally take place at 6pm on a Tuesday, taking no more than 2 hours. Governors also sit on at least one committee which meets termly. The committees are:
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Monitoring and Evaluation
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Leadership and Management
The work of the governing board is wide ranging and each governor takes the lead on a particular subject area. This will provide a focus for monitoring visits in which governors speak to staff to act as critical friends and gain a better understanding of different aspects of the school. These visits are reported back to the board or relevant committee.
Becoming A Governor
Being a governor is a voluntary role and it can be very rewarding. It gives you the opportunity to gain new personal and professional skills, whilst experiencing something different to your normal routine. As a governor, you would be making a positive difference to your community and the lives of young people. Click here to see a role description for a governor at Fynamore.
Anyone aged 18 or over can become a school governor. You don’t need to have a family member attending a school or college. No formal qualifications are needed and people from many different backgrounds volunteer for the role. Enthusiasm, commitment and an interest in education are the most important qualities. Each member of the board brings a unique set of skills and a different perspective to our school.
Parents and carers elect parent governors for a 4 year period. Details of election procedures will be sent to all parents and carers when vacancies on the board arise. All parents and carers therefore have an opportunity to stand for election if they are interested in doing so.
As a parent governor you are not there to represent the parent body. Instead, you use your perspective as a parent to help the board understand a parent's viewpoint.
You would need to set aside time to be an effective governor. This includes preparation for governor meetings, attendance at those meetings, special tasks or projects, training and visits to school. An excellent training programme is provided by the Local Authority, including governor induction, but there are plenty of other opportunities to develop your knowledge and skills.
Did you know your place of work may support you in becoming a volunteer in the community? For more information on the benefits of becoming school governor for both you and your employer, please click here.
If you are interested in becoming a governor then please contact Rob Parker (Chair of Governors) through the school office (office@fynamore.org.uk). Please note that for the protection of our children all governor appointments are subject to a vetting process and identity check. You should also be aware that under the regulations, a person is disqualified from holding or from continuing to hold office as a governor or associate member if he or she:
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is detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 during his or her period of office;
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fails to attend the governing body meetings – without the consent of the governing body – for a continuous period of six months, beginning with the date of the first meeting missed (not applicable to ex officio governors);
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is subject to a bankruptcy restriction order or an interim order;
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has had his or her estate sequestrated and the sequestration order has not been discharged, annulled or reduced;
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is subject to:
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a disqualification order or disqualification undertaking under the Company Directors Act 1986
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a disqualification order under Part 2 of the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1989
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a disqualification undertaking accepted under the Company Directors Disqualification (Northern Ireland) Order 2002
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an order made under Section 492(2)(b) of the Insolvency Act 1986 (failure to pay under a County Court administration order)
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has been removed from the office of charity trustee or trustee for a charity by the Charity Commissioners or High Court on grounds of any misconduct or mismanagement, or under Section 34 of the Charities and Trustees Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 from participating in the management or control of any body;
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is included in the list of people considered by the Secretary of State as unsuitable to work with children;
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is disqualified from working with children or subject to a direction under Section 142 of the Education Act 2002;
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is disqualified from registration for childminding or providing day care;
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is disqualified from registration under Part 3 of the Childcare Act 2006;
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has received a sentence of imprisonment (whether suspended or not) for a period of not less than three months (without the option of a fine) in the five years before becoming a governor or since becoming a governor;
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has received a prison sentence of two-and-a-half years or more in the 20 years before becoming a governor;
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has at any time received a prison sentence of five years or more;
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has been fined for causing a nuisance or disturbance on school premises during the five years prior to or since appointment or election as a governor;
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refuses to allow an application to the Criminal Records Bureau for a criminal records certificate.
Governor Meeting Attendance Register
Governor Attendance data for 2021-2022:
Governor Attendance: Full Governing Body