Governance

Meet our School Governors

Mrs Alison Davies (Foundation Governor) – Chair

Ms Vikki Semple (LA Governor) – Vice Chair & Chair of Curriculum

Mr Matthew Boyle – (Headteacher)

Mr Adrian Booth (Foundation Governor) – Chair of Finance

Mrs Nichola Speight (Parent Governor)

Mrs Amy Waldron (Parent Governor)

Mrs Chrissy Fernie (Staff Governor)

Mrs Pam Blackburn (Foundation Governor)

Mrs Josie Smith (Foundation Governor)

Mrs Wendy Cathie (Foundation Governor)

Ms Kay Unsworth (Foundation Governor)

Mrs Carly Royal (Deputy Head) – Observer

Mrs Paula Catlow-Dwane (School Business Manager) – Observer



Mr Stephen Ruffley – (Chair of Governors)

Governors Terms of Office

Mrs Alison Davies - Foundation governor. Term of office from 4 Oct 2021 to 3 Oct 2025
First appointed on 14 Sep 2021. Nominated by PCC appointed

Ms Vikki Semple - Local authority governor. Term of office from 1 Jul 2023 to 30 Jun 2027
First appointed on 7 May 2013. Nominated by Local Authority

Mr Matthew Boyle – Headteacher. First appointed on 1 Sep 2022

Mr Adrian Booth - Foundation governor. Term of office from 25 Oct 2023 to 24 Oct 2027
First appointed on 25 Oct 2023

Mrs Amy Waldron - Parent governor. Term of office from 8 Dec 2023 to 7 Dec 2027
First appointed on 8 Dec 2023

Mrs Nichola Speight - Parent governor. Term of office from 21 Jul 2023 to 20 Jul 2027
First appointed on 21 Jul 2023

Mrs Chrissy Fernie - Staff governor. Term of office from 7 Oct 2022 to 6 Oct 2026
First appointed on 1 Sep 2018

Mrs Pam Blackburn - Foundation governor. Term of office from 15 Jan 2023 to 14 Jan 2027
First appointed on 1 Sep 1995. Nominated by PPC

Mrs Josie Smith - Foundation governor. Term of office from 15 Jan 2023 to 14 Jan 2027
First appointed on 15 Jan 2007. Nominated by PCC

Mrs Wendy Cathie - Foundation governor. Term of office from 1 Feb 2024 to 30 Sep 2028
First appointed on 1 Feb 2024. Nominated by Manchester Diocese

Ms Kay Unsworth - Foundation governor. Term of office from 10 Mar 2023 to 9 Mar 2027
First appointed on 1 Jan 1999. Nominated by PCC

Governors whose terms of office has ended in the last 12 months:

Rev Robert Eloff – Foundation Ex-Offico – 31^st December 2023

The remit for the Governing Body is to:

Governing Body Composition

School Governors - who are they and what do they do?

School governors are all volunteers who share the passionate belief that all children deserve to have access to effective schools.

Being a school governor can be a very rewarding, they have the opportunity to help in the development of their local school.

A governing body should contain a wide range of people from the community. Each school adopts its own governing body model.

The main responsibility of the governors is to determine the aims and overall conduct of the school with a view to promoting high standards of educational achievement. Specific duties include, setting staffing levels, appointing headteachers, setting and agreeing the school budget, ensuring a broad and balanced curriculum is delivered, health and safety matters that arise in school and management of the school premises.

Correspondence to the Governors should be addressed to Mrs Alison Davies Chair of Governors, St Thomas CE Primary School, Astley St, Leigh WN7 2AS. 

There is also a Clerk to the Governors who attends all meetings and he is appointed by the Governors. Correspondence to the Clerk to the Governors should be addressed to Mr Stephen Ruffley, St Thomas CE Primary School, Astley St, Leigh, WN7 2AS.

The Deputy Head and the School Business Manager also attend as observers.

St Thomas CE Primary School Instrument of Government into effect from 1st September 2015. This instrument of Government will be in force, until replaced by a new Instrument of Government , it was agreed at a meeting of St Thomas CE Primary Governing Body.

A copy of this Instrument of Governance is held at the school and with the Clerk of Governors.

Governors roles and responsibilities

Foundation Appointed Governors:

Mrs Alison Davies – Chair of full governors. Responsible for: - Disadvantage and Send (this is a joint role with Pam Blackburn)

Mr Adrian Booth – Chair of Finance, Staffing and Premises. Responsible for: - Wellbeing and Engagement.

Mrs Pam Blackburn – Governor responsible for Christian Distinctiveness.

Mrs Josie Smith – Governor responsible for: - EYFS, Link Governor

Mrs Wendy Cathie – Governor responsible for: - Attendance

Mrs Kay Unsworth – Governor responsible for: - Safeguarding and Behaviour

LA Appointed Governor:

Mrs Vikki Semple – Vice chair of full governors and chair of Curriculum, Standards and Progress. Responsible for: - Reading, Writing and Maths

Elected Parent Governors:

Mrs Nichola Speight

Mrs Amy Waldron – Governor responsible for: Sports & PE

Elected Staff Governor:

Ms Chrissy Fernie – Governor responsible for: - Governor Development, Staff.

Headteacher:

Mr Matthew Boyle – Headteacher

Ex-Officio Governor

Vacancy

Register of Personal, Pecuniary or Business Interests

All the governors declare and sign a new Register of Personal, Pecuniary or Business interest every year, this is then updated on a central register and displayed on the school website. This is a declaration of any personal or business interest they or any relative or person closely connected with them, have with businesses or other organisations that may have dealings with the school; having a relative working in or for school or being a governor of another school.

If any interest a governor has could be seen to cause a conflict of interest, they would be asked to withdraw from any decision making concerned. This is to ensure that our governors can always be seen to be putting the best interests of the school first.

For details of governors with a register of interest please see below.

St Thomas C.E Primary - Meeting Attendance 2023-2024