Governance
Welcome to our Governors’ section.
Please find below details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.
GOVERNANCE AT ST THOMAS’
On 14 January, the Local Governing Body of St Thomas’ was dissolved.
The school now has two committees:
- St Thomas’ Academy Committee (AC) – specific to our school
- Executive Governance Committee (EGC) – oversees the three Academy Committees of St Thomas’, St Margaret Clitherow, and St Augustine’s.
Whichever committee a person is on, we are ALL here to serve the school and, above all, the children. We have our mission – Learning in the Light of Christ – very much at the heart of all that we do.
The EGC determines the strategic direction of the three schools, and it also has direct responsibility for certain key areas, such as finance. Both committees support and challenge the leadership of St Thomas’, but covering different areas:
| ACADEMY COMMITTEE | EXECUTIVE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE |
| Teaching and learning | Oversees the 3 Academy Committees |
| Student well-being | Finance |
| Special Educational Needs | Health and Safety |
| Pupil Premium | Safeguarding |
| Child Protection | Admissions |
| RE and Catholic ethos | Approves and implements Academy specific policies |
| Endorses Academy specific policies | Assists with performance review of the Executive Principal |
Assists with performance reviews of the Academy Principal |
This means, for example, that if you have concerns or questions about the financial management of St Thomas’, they should go to the Finance Committee Member on the Executive Governance Committee. You can always contact them through the school office.
The Academy Committee will be updating parents on their work at the beginning and end of each term as part of the school’s weekly newsletter. We are currently looking for parents to join us on the Academy Committee. Our work is vital to development and well-being of our children. If you believe that you can make a contribution, please consider volunteering and serving with us.
ST THOMAS’ ACADEMY COMMITTEE
| Catherine Ingram | Chair; HR; Admissions; Health & Safety |
| Madeleine Busvine | Pupil Premium |
| Clare Copeland | Co Vice Chair; Literacy & Numeracy |
| Trish Pinington | Co Vice Chair; SEN; Curriculum |
| Catherine Bennett | Community Engagement |
| Stephen Hogan | Equality |
| David Milner-Pearce | Safeguarding |
| Jill Cooper | |
| Geraldine Leahy | Academy Principal |
| Mary-Clare Davies | Clerk |
EXECUTIVE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
| Colin Ricketts | Chair |
| Mark Dennison | Vice Chair |
| Phillipa Berry | Equality |
| Karolina Cowling | Parent Governor |
| Fr David Gibbons | |
| Judy Green | Chair of St Augustine’s AC |
| Anthony Halter | Chair of St Margaret Clitherow’s AC |
| Catherine Ingram | Chair of St Thomas’ AC |
| Deacon Neil Philipson | Finance (tbc) |
| Annemarie Whittle | Executive Principal |
| Mary-Clare Davies | Clerk |
Academy Committee Minutes
Messages from the Academy Committee
Mary-Clare Davies (Clerk)
c/o St Thomas’ Catholic Primary School
South Park
Sevenoaks
TN13 1EH
clerkegb@outlook.com
Chair of Academy Committee
c/o St Thomas’ Catholic Primary School
South Park
Sevenoaks
TN13 1EH
chair@saintthomas.co.uk