Governance

The Role of the Governors

The school has a board of governors appointed by a number of representative community groups made up as follows:

7 Foundation governors (appointed by Salisbury Diocesan Board)
1 governor appointed by the Local Authority
2 parent governors (elected by the parents of the school)
2 staff governors (appointed by the staff and including the head teacher)

The governors are responsible, together with the head teacher for the long-term strategic direction of the school. The role of the Governing Body is to act collectively in the best interest of the children, ensuring the good conduct of the school and promoting high standards of educational achievement. In practice this means ensuring the school has a clear vision, ethos and strategic direction, holding the school leaders to account for educational performance and overseeing the school’s financial performance. Governors act as a “critical friend”, providing a balanced view across the whole community, hence the broad representation. The governors are assisted by a Clerk to the Governors who undertakes all the administrative tasks.

Derry Hill School has adopted the circle model of governance. This means that the Governing Body works collaboratively as a ‘whole team’, meeting 5 times per year, without any separate committees. Agendas for these meetings will include all the tasks which the governing body as a whole are required to consider. The governing body will ‘commission’ assignments or activities arising from the business of the meeting, which will be recorded in the minutes.

In addition, the governing body may delegate monitoring activities to ‘monitoring pairs’ or ‘individuals’. This may apply to statutory functions, and/or the priorities of the School Plan. In each case where a function has been delegated, there is a statutory duty to report any action or decision to the governing body at the next meeting.

As our school is Church Aided, the Christian ethos is therefore central to all our decision making and planning. This is demonstrated through our vision, values and goals. Our links with the LA and the Diocese is strong and supportive. We must at all times liaise with these partners in delivering our School Development Plan. All governors act in a voluntary capacity.

The school has a board of governors appointed by a number of representative community groups made up as follows:

Derry Hill C of E (VA) Primary School
Board of Governors – 2026 / 2027
Chair of Governors	Mr Mark Paxford
Vice Chair of Governors	Mrs Zoe Armstrong

Governor Category	Governor	Term of Office
Foundation Governors	Rev Sarah Errington Mr Mark Paxford Mrs Carol Foley Dr David Halls Mrs Rachael Clayden	19/9/2024 - 18/9/2029 09/01/2024 - 08/01/2028 23/11/2022 – 22/11/2026 30/11/2023 - 29/11/2027 23/09/2026 - 22/9/2030
Staff Governors	Mrs Hayley Roberts (Ex-Officio) Mr Martyn Riley	01/09/2022 – 31/08/2050 13/09/2024 - 13/09/2028
LA Governor	Mr Richard French	08/01/2021 – 07/01/2025
Parent Governors	Mrs Naomi Olner* Mrs Zoe Armstrong*	13/11/2024 – 12/11/2028 28/09/2023 - 27/09/2027
Associate Governor (no voting rights)	Mrs Kimberley Brown	26/09/2025 – 26/09/2029
*Parent of a Child at Derry Hill School
Clerk to the Governors	Mr Danny Holland

Governing Body Business & Pecuniary Interests – 2025/2026

Name	Governor at another Ed Est.	Business Interest	Pecuniary Interest
Mrs Carol Foley	No	Nil	Nil
Mr Richard French	No	Nil	Nil
Mrs Kimberley Brown	No	Nil	Nil
Mr Martyn Riley	No	Nil	Nil
Mrs Hayley Roberts	No	Nil	Nil
Mr Mark Paxford	No	Nil	Nil
Mrs Naomi Olner	No	Nil	Nil
Mrs Zoe Armstrong	No	Nil	Nil
Dr David Halls	No	Nil	Nil
Rev Sarah Errington	No	Nil	Nil

Governing Body FGB Attendance Record – 2026/2027

Name	Sept 26	Nov 26	Mar 27	May 27	July 27
Mr Mark Paxford	√
Mrs Zoe Armstrong	√
Mrs Carol Foley	√
Mrs Hayley Roberts	√
Mr Martyn Riley	√
Mrs Kimberley Brown	√
Mrs Naomi Olner	√
Dr David Halls	√
Mr Richard French	√
Rev Sarah Errington	√
Mrs Rachael Clayden	√

Key: √ = In attendance, A = Apologies, Abs = Absent (no apologies received)

Governing Body FGB Attendance Record – 2025/2026

Name	Sept 25	Nov 25	Mar 26	May 26	July 26
Mr Richard French	√	√	√	√	√
Mrs Hayley Roberts	√	√	√	√	√
Mrs Carol Foley	√	√	√	√	A
Mr Martyn Riley	√	√	√	√	√
Mrs Kimberley Brown	n/a	√	√	√	√
Mrs Naomi Olner	A	A	√	√	√
Mrs Zoe Armstrong	√	√	A	√	√
Dr David Halls	√	√	√	A	√
Mr Mark Paxford	√	√	√	√	√
Rev Sarah Errington	√	√	A	√	A

Key: √ = In attendance, A = Apologies, Abs = Absent (no apologies received)

Governors who have left during 2025 - 2026

Governor	Governor Category	End Date
Mrs Kim Vale	Foundation	17/4/2026