Governance at Meridian
The Governing Board meets around 10 times per academic year, there is also a Pay Committee which meets once per year. The governors’ duty is to lead the school and support the Head Teacher and Senior Leadership Team in determining the strategy and direction of the school, the implementation of statutory requirements including policies and monitoring the school improvement plan through active participation.
The Governing Board has three core functions:
1) Ensuring clarity of the School’s Vision, Ethos and strategic direction;
2) Holding the Head Teacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils; and the effective and efficient performance management of staff
3) Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
If you have an enquiry for any of the Governors please email the Clerk, Ms Sally McMahon at clerk@meridian.e-sussex.sch.uk in the first instance; she will then forward your query as appropriate. The Chair, can be contacted on chair@meridian.e-sussex.sch.uk.
All Governors have a current enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Responsibilities include:
- Developing a strategic direction and plan for the school
- Supporting and challenging the Head teacher and senior leadership of the school
- Determining the aims and priorities of the school
- Approving key school policies
- Setting statutory and non-statutory targets
- Monitoring and evaluating the work of the school
- Leading at least one statutory area (e.g. curriculum, pay, SEN, Pupil Premium)
- Strategic management of the budget
- Appointment of senior staff and ensuring implementation of personnel procedures
- Ensuring Health and Safety of pupils and staff
- Securing high levels of attendance and good standards of behaviour
- Ensuring all children have access to a broad and balanced curriculum
- Adhering to the School Governing body Code of Conduct
- Acting as a 'critical friend' to the school Governors work as a team and make decisions collectively.
Meet our Senior Governors
Mrs Barbara Gerding, Chair of Governors, Co-Opted
Ms Claire Westcott, Headteacher, Ex-Officio Governor
Image to follow
Dr Hannah Wood, Vice Chair of Governors, Co-Opted
Members of the Governing Board
There are 12 places on the Meridian Governing Board, there is currently 5 vacancies: 3 co-opted, 1 parent, 1 staff (March 2024)
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Term of Office: |
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Title |
First name |
Surname |
Governor Type |
Appointing Body |
First |
Current |
Current |
Governor Position/Lead Role |
|
Mrs |
Janet |
Anthony |
Co-opted Governor |
Governing Board |
23/11/2009 |
15/10/2020 |
14/10/2024 |
Safeguarding; Online Safeguarding; Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND); Mental Health & Wellbeing; Behaviour & Attendance; Ofsted Group. |
|
Dr |
Hannah |
Wood |
Co-opted Governor Vice Chair |
Governing Board |
26/11/2021 |
26/11/2021 |
25/11/2025 |
Equality & Diversity; HR/Personnel; Health & Safety; Pay Committee; Ofsted working group; HTPM; |
|
Mrs |
Sue |
Porter |
LA Governor |
Governing Board |
09/06/2022 |
09/06/2022 |
08/06/2026 |
Pupil Premium; Data / Pupil Performance / Higher Attainers; HTPM. |
|
Mrs |
Lisa |
Gendre |
Parent Governor |
Parent Elected |
01/07/2022 |
01/07/2022 |
30/06/2026 |
Parent & Pupil Voice; Early Years Foundation Stage. |
|
Mrs |
Barbara |
Gerding |
Co-opted Governor Chair |
Governing Board |
28/09/2023 |
28/09/2023 |
27/09/2027 |
Early Years Foundation Stage; Governor Training, Finance; HR/Personnel: PE Grant/Sports Premium; PFI Transition; Ofsted Group; SEND. |
|
Mr |
Charles |
Boxer |
Co-opted Governor |
Governing Board |
14/03/2024 |
14/03/2024 |
13/03/2028 |
Data / Pupil Performance / Higher Attainers; Health & Safety; Information Governance/GDPR; PFI Transition; Online Safeguarding. |
|
Ms |
Claire |
Westcott |
Staff - Headteacher Ex-Officio |
Ex Officio |
01/01/2011 |
01/01/2011 |
31/12/2035 |
Headteacher Ex-Officio |
|
Ms |
Sally |
McMahon |
Clerk |
Ex Officio |
01/09/2023 |
01/09/2023 |
31/08/2033 |
Clerk, Support for Governor Training |
Governors Retired in past 12 Months
|
Title |
First name |
Surname |
Governor Type |
Appointing Body |
Start Date |
End Date |
Governor Position/Lead Role |
|
Miss |
Ellen |
Hales |
Staff Governor |
Staff Elected |
29/09/2022 |
22/06/2023 |
Parent & Pupil Voice |
|
Miss |
Kathryn |
Donkin |
Co-opted Governor |
Governing Board |
01/01/2020 |
31/12/2023 |
Chair, plus: Safeguarding; SEND; HR/Personnel; Behaviour & Attendance; Health & Safety; HTPM Panel; Ofsted Group. |
|
Dr |
Joel |
Chilaka |
Co-opted Governor |
Governing Board |
28/01/2020 |
31/12/2023 |
GDPR, Pupil Premium; Pupil Performance/Higher Attainers; Pay Committee; Equality & Diversity |
|
Mrs |
Nicky |
Packham |
Parent Governor |
Parent Elected |
25/01/2021 |
30/01/2024 |
Early Years Foundation Stage; Safeguarding; GDPR; Ofsted Group. |
|
Ms |
Martha |
Sanderson |
Staff Governor |
Staff elected |
28/09/2023 |
29/02/2024 |
Parent and Pupil Voice |
|
Mr |
Edward |
Dunn |
Co-opted Governor |
Governing Board |
10/01/2017 |
14/03/2024 |
Finance; PE Grant Link, Pay Committee, HTPM Panel; Ofsted Group. |
Governor Interest Declarations, Status February 2024
|
Name of Governor |
Position in the |
Business Interest Declaration |
Nature of Business |
Continuity of |
|
Janet Anthony |
Co-Opted Governor |
None to declare |
The Bevern Trust Charity, Catering Manager, part-time |
Ongoing |
|
Claire Westcott |
Head Teacher, Governor Ex Officio |
Head Teacher |
Employed at Meridian CPS & Nursery |
Ongoing |
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Hannah Wood |
Vice Chair Co-opted Governor |
None to declare |
Senior Lecturer, University of Brighton |
Ongoing |
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Sue Porter |
LA Governor |
None to declare |
Retired Professional in Further Education |
Ongoing |
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Lisa Gendre |
Parent Governor |
Children at MCPS; Mother is a volunteer at MCPS |
Working in Care Sector Finance |
Ongoing |
|
Barbara Gerding |
Chair Co-opted Governor
|
Previous Clerk at Meridian, Freelance Consultancy Work for ESCC/GCS - support to School Clerks |
Ashcombe Building, Small construction business; ESCC Governor Support Services |
Ongoing |
|
Charles Boxer |
Co-opted Governor |
None to declare |
American Express |
Ongoing |
|
Edward Dunn |
Co-opted Governor |
Child at Meridian CP School & Nursery |
University of Sussex |
Ceased March 2024 |
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Martha Sanderson |
Staff Governor |
Year 3 Class Teacher |
Employed at Meridian CPS & Nursery |
Ceased March 2024 |
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Nicky Packham |
Parent Governor, Co-Vice Chair |
Coordinator for Brighton and Hove Safeguarding Children Partnership BHCC: Children at MCPS & Nursery |
BHSCP, hosted by Local Authority (BHCC) |
Ceased 31st January 2024
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Joel Chilaka |
Co-opted Governor |
None to declare |
Medical Professional, NHS |
Ceased 31st December 2023 |
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Kathryn Donkin |
Co-opted Governor |
None to declare |
Associate Director, Strutt & Parker Lewes, Land Management |
Ceased 31st December 2023 |
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Ellen Hales |
Staff Governor |
Year 5 Class Teacher |
Employed at Meridian CPS & Nursery |
Ceased June 2023 |
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Governors are required to fill out a declaration of interest at the start of each academic year or when newly appointed, they also make |
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Governor Meeting Attendance 2022 - 2023
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|
Number Attended Out of Max possible |
% |
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Kathryn Donkin |
7/8 |
88% |
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Janet Anthony |
7/8 |
88% |
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Joel Chilaka |
6/8 |
75% |
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Claire Westcott |
8/8 |
100% |
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Nicky Packham (Parent, Co-Vice Chair) |
8/8 |
100% |
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Hannah Wood (Co-opted) |
6/8 |
75% |
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Sue Porter |
7/8 |
88% |
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Lisa Gendre (Parent) |
7/8 |
88% |
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Edward Dunn (Co-Opted) |
5/8 |
63% |
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Ellen Hales (Staff Governor) |
3/8 |
38% |
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Barbara Gerding (Clerk) |
7/8 |
88% |
Governor Meeting Attendance 2023-2024
|
|
Number Attended Out of Max possible |
% |
|
Barbara Gerding (Co-Opted, Chair) |
5/5 |
100% |
|
Hannah Wood (Vice Chair, Co-opted) |
5/5 |
100% |
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Janet Anthony |
3/5 |
60% |
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Sue Porter |
5/5 |
100% |
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Lisa Gendre (Parent) |
5/5 |
100% |
|
Charles Boxer (Co-opted) |
1/1 |
100% |
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Claire Westcott |
5/5 |
100% |
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Edward Dunn (Co-Opted) Retired March 2024 |
2/4 |
50% |
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Martha Sanderson (Staff Governor) Retired Mar 2024 |
3/4 |
75% |
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Nicky Packham (Parent) Retired Jan 2024 |
4/4 |
100% |
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Joel Chilaka |
1/3 |
33% |
|
Kathryn Donkin |
3/3 |
100% |
|
Sally McMahon (Clerk) |
5/5 |
100% |
Approved Governor Minutes
