Our Governors
The Governing Body is made up of a group of volunteers whose role is to work as a team to monitor, support, and challenge the school and its senior leaders so as to improve and provide the very best outcomes for pupils.
The full governing body meets once a term and much of their work is carried out at either individual or small committee level. Our governors take lead roles in particular areas: literacy and numeracy, curriculum, finance, Catholicity, safeguarding, SEN, health and safety, pupil premium, equality, HR, admissions, and community engagement.
They report to parents on the school’s achievements and respond to inspection recommendations. They hear appeals from students and staff and consider complaints.
Governors provide the headteacher with support and advice, drawing on their knowledge and experience. They ask searching questions and respect the headteacher’s position as professional leader of the school.
Since St Thomas’ is part of the Kent Catholic Schools Partnership (KCSP), a multi-academy trust, its governance arrangements are regulated by the KCSP Governance Handbook, which includes the Scheme of Delegation and Terms of Reference. St Thomas’ has a Local Governing Body (LGB) which operates as a sub-committee of the KCSP Trust Board, to whom they are accountable.
KCSP’s Shared Vision and Strategy for all their academies can be viewed here.
Together with the headteacher and the KCSP Trust Board, the governors of St Thomas’ set the future strategic direction for the school. They take local decisions on matters such as the school’s improvement plan, and also ensures compliance with KCSP’s policies.
Our Foundation Governors have been appointed in the name of the archbishop of Southwark and have a duty to preserve and develop the Catholic character of the school. The period of appointment is 4 years.
Staff Governors, like all governors, are volunteers and are elected by their colleagues. They must be employed by St Thomas’, and their period of appointment is 4 years.
Parent Governors are elected from amongst parents and carers of pupils at the school. They must have a child at the school at the time of the election but do not need to stand down if their child leaves the school. Again, the period of office is 4 years.
“[KCSP’s] core purpose is to increase the number of children and young people participating in Catholic education, keeping them safe and offering pupils the opportunity to grow in confidence and maximise their potential. The Trust aims to make our academies not only places of outstanding learning but also places where Catholic faith is both taught and nurtured.”
Governance Handbook October 2019
Governors’ Scheme of Delegation October 2019
Local Governing Body – Terms of Reference- October 2019
Below is our current Local Governing Body:
Dr Simon Hughes
Foundation GovernorMadeleine Busvine
Staff GovernorClare Copeland
Foundation GovernorGina Fromings
Staff GovernorMark Ellis
Parent GovernorFr David Gibbons
Foundation GovernorCatherine Ingram
Acting ChairAnn Livingston
Foundation GovernorNeil Philipson
Foundation GovernorPatricia Pinington
Foundation Governor
| NAME | GOVERNOR TYPE | APPOINTING BODY | TERM OF OFFICE | RES PONSIBILITIES | MEETING ATTENDANCE 2020/2021 | REGISTER OF INTERESTS | |
| Dr Clare Copeland | Foundation Governor | Archdiocese of Southwark | 06.02.2020 – 05.02.2024 | Equality Community Engagement Literacy & Numeracy (Deputy) Curriculum (Deputy) | 1/1 | Form completed – twins in Year 2 | |
| Mr Mark Ellis | Parent Governor | Elected by parent body | Finance | 1/1 | Children in Years 6, 4 and R | ||
| Mrs Gina Fromings | Staff Governor | Elected by members of staff | 17.10.17 – 16.10.21 |
| 1/1 | Form completed – no interests to report | |
| Father David Gibbons | Foundation Governor | Archdiocese of Southwark | 14.11.16 – 13.11.20 | Catholicity | 1/1 | Form completed – no interests to report | |
| Mrs Catherine Ingram | Vice Chair of Governors – Foundation Governor | Archdiocese of Southwark | 18.04.19- -17.04.23 |
SEN (Deputy) | 1/1 | Form completed – One childin Y5 and another in Y3. | |
| Mrs Ann Livingston | Foundation Governor | Archdiocese of Southwark | Safeguarding Community Engagement (Deputy) | 1/1 | |||
| Deacon Neil Philipson | Foundation Governor | Archdiocese of Southwark | 11.09.19 – 10.09.23 |
| 1/1 | Form completed – one child in Y6. | |
| Mrs Patricia Pinington | Foundation Governor | Archdiocese of Southwark | 01.08.18 – 31.07.22 |
Catholicity (Deputy) SEN | 1/1 | Form completed – no interests to report | |
| Dr Simon Hughes | Foundation Governor | Archdiocese of Southwark | Literacy & Numeracy | 1/1 | I am appointed by the Archbishop as his education professional to ensure all processes and matters relating to Catholic schools in his Diocese are conducted in accordance with Canon and Civil Law. This includes overseeing the process for Catholic School Inspection in the Diocese (s48). I was an employee of a predecessor company Pearson Publishing. Anspear produces and distributes the Firm Foundations app which the Diocese procured free for all Foundation Governors in our schools. While I used to receive royalties for material published from this company, none of my writing is included in Firm Foundations so I no longer receive royalties. | ||
| Mrs Madeleine Busvine | Staff Governor | Elected by members of staff | 22.09.20 – 21.09.24 | Pupil Premium | 1/1 | My husband is Mayor of Sevenoaks, so I am Mayoress until May 2021 |
Jacqueline Nunes (Clerk)
c/o St Thomas’ Catholic Primary School
South Park
Sevenoaks
TN13 1EH
clerk@saintthomas.co.uk
Chair of Governors
c/o St Thomas’ Catholic Primary School
South Park
Sevenoaks
TN13 1EH
chair@saintthomas.co.uk
POLICIES DEVELOPED BY LOCAL GOVERNING BODY
Admissions Arrangements
Accessibility plan
Behaviour Policy
First Aid Policy
SEN policy
Sex and Relationship Education Policy
Past Governors:
| Name | Date of Appointment | Date of Stepping Down | Type of Governor | Attendance | Responsibilities |
| Mr ChrisWright | 20.06.20 | 17.07.20 | Ex-officio (Interim Headteacher) | 2/2 | All |
| Mrs Michele McQueen | 18.07.16 | 18.07.2020 | Parent Governor | 7/7 (2019-2020) | Vice Chair of Governors |
| Mrs Sarah Lowndes | 18.07.16 | 28.01.2020 | Parent Governor | 1/2 (2019-2020) | Safeguarding |
| Mr Daniel Wills | 28.11.18 | 12.11.2019 | Foundation Governor | 1/1 (2019-2020) | Chair of Governors |
| Mrs Elizabeth Williams | 01.02.16 | 12.11.2019 | Foundation Governor | 1/1 (2019-2020) | Curriculum EYFS |