Governance

In partnership with the school staff and yourselves, school governors have a shared responsibility for providing your children with the best education we can in terms of skills, knowledge, values and relationships. This school year, we have a number of newly appointed governors and we are delighted to introduce ourselves to you. So what do the governors do? But, first, what exactly do the governors do, and what is the make-up of the Governing Body? The most important thing to understand is that governors are not involved in the day to day management of the school. This is the responsibility of the Head Teacher and senior school leaders. Rather, our function is to concentrate on matters relating to strategy, finance and school improvement. Specifically, our job as governors is to:

• Ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
• Hold the Head Teacher and senior school leaders to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils.
• Oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure that its money is well spent.

The membership of the Governing Body is based on a ‘stakeholder’ model of governance with five categories of governors, each with a particular stake in the school. As presently constituted, the governing body consists of:

• Four parent governors, elected by the wider parent body

• One local authority (Hampshire County Council)-nominated governor

• One staff governor, elected by school staff.

• The Head Teacher

• Four co-opted governors drawn from the local community and appointed on the basis of relevant skills and experience

• Three foundation governors appointed by the Winchester Diocesan Board of Education. Nursling is a Church of England School and the Church is represented on the Governing Body by this category of governors. They have the same responsibilities as all the other governors but, in addition, are responsible for making sure that Christian values underpin the life and work of the school and that RE is taught according to the agreed syllabus.

The Clerk to Governors is Lindsay Manning

Governor profiles  

Parent governors  

  Vicky Dixon joined the Governing Body in July 2017. Her eldest daughter is in Year 4 and her youngest daughter is in Year 1. Vicky is a registered nurse and has spent the last 11 years in sexual health, specialising in the care of young people. She will soon be starting a new role in the Health Visiting team.  

    Alison Edmundson was elected as a parent governor in April 2017. She has two children at Nursling who are currently in Year 4. Alison works for a local NHS Trust as Governance and Quality Manager and has a wealth of experience in finance, risk assessment, change and project management, and food hygiene. Alison is the school’s health and safety governor.

    Jason Mallen has been a parent governor since May 2016. Three of his children currently attend the school. Jason is a qualified accountant and heads up a risk, compliance and governance function for an insurance company. In his spare time, Jason enjoys spending time with his family and playing sport when he can.  He lives locally in Rownhams and relishes being part of the school and overseeing its impact on the local community. Jason is currently chair of the Environment and Resources sub-committee.

<Place holder for James Carnell>

Local authority governor

  Ivan Proctor joined the Governing Body in May 2017. He is a chartered electronic engineer, specialising in cyber and data security assignments for a management and engineering consultancy company. Ivan is actively involved in a number of local voluntary and community organisations, including the Nursling and Rownhams May Fair organising committee.  He has a son at the school.  

Co-opted governors

Jackie Barker was appointed to the Governing Body in May 2017. She is Director of Finance at a secondary school academy on the edge of the New Forest, and has expertise in all aspects of school administration and management.  Jackie is chair of the Pay and Human Resources sub-committee and the school’s safeguarding governor.  

<Place Holder for vacancy> 

  Chris Slater joined the Governing Body in August 2017. She is a retired head teacher from Cheshire, who is now living in the local area. She is experienced in school improvement and is as committed as ever to aiming high for every child. Chris has been a Hampshire governor for three years, as well as working as an associate tutor delivering training for Hampshire Governor Services. She is also Chair of Governors at Calmore Junior School until 30th April 2022  

Jonathan Howells joined the Governing Body in February 2019 as a Co-Opted Governor. As a Headteacher of 15 years in a neighbouring Special School, Jonathan hopes he can support Nursling in relation to leadership and management, school vision and strategic planning. With a passion for children and their overall holistic success in school and with a particular focus for pupils with Special Educational Needs, Jonathan is delighted to be Vice Chair of the Standards and Performance Committee.

Foundation governors

  Tricia Caffyn joined the Governing Body in August 2017. She spent all her working life in the NHS, first as a nurse and then as a counsellor in a GP surgery. Until recently, she was a governor, chair of governors and lastly a volunteer at a special school near Winchester. Tricia is the school’s SEND governor, with particular responsibility for overseeing systems and procedures for supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities.  

<space for incumbent vacancy>    

<space for Foundation Vacancy>

 Associate

  David Clark first joined the Governing Body in October 2012, and was elected chair of governors in July 2017. He is a retired university lecturer and has lived in Nursling and Rownhams for many years. When not being an associate governor, he enjoys cycling the lanes and byways of southern England.

Application form for becoming a school Governor. For parent governors completed forms must be brought into school when you are notified of a vacancy.

Supporting information for prospective Governors

Governor Application form (word)
Governor Application form (pdf)