Skip to content ↓

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 – 2024 / 2025
Chair of Governors Mr Richard French
Co Vice Chairs of Governors Mrs Carol Foley & Dr David Halls
Governor Category Governor Term of Office
Foundation Governors Mrs Carol Foley
Mrs Laura Holloway*
Dr David Halls
Mr Mark Paxford
23/11/2022 – 22/11/2026
30/06/2023 - 29/06/2027
30/11/2023 - 29/11/2027
09/01/2024 - 08/01/2028
Staff Governors Mrs Hayley Roberts (Ex-Officio)
Mr Martyn Riley 
01/09/2022 – 31/08/2050
13/09/2024 - 
LA Governor Mr Richard French 08/01/2021 – 07/01/2025
Parent Governors Mrs Georgina Foxwell-Trewartha*
Mrs Zoe Armstrong*
20/11/2020 – 19/11/2024
28/09/2023 - 27/09/2027
Associate Governor (no voting rights) Mrs Tracey Davis 02/02/2022 – 30/01/2026
*Parent of a Child at Derry Hill School 
Clerk to the Governors Mr Danny Holland  

Governing Body Business & Pecuniary Interests – 2023/2024

Name Governor at
another Ed Est.
Business
Interest
Pecuniary
Interest
Mrs Carol Foley No Nil Nil
Mr Richard French No Nil Nil
Mrs Tracey Davis No Nil Married to Wiltshire Schools Finance Manager
Mr Joshua West No Nil Nil
Mrs Hayley Roberts No Nil Nil
Mrs Paula Wheatcroft No Nil Nil
Mrs Laura Holloway No Nil Nil
Mrs Georgina Foxwell-Trewartha No Nil Nil
Mrs Zoe Armstrong No Nil Nil
Dr David Halls No Nil Nil
Mr Mark Paxford No Nil Nil

Governing Body FGB Attendance Record – 2023/2024

Name Sept 23 Nov 23 Jan 24 May 24 Jul 24
Mrs Carol Foley    
Mrs Hayley Roberts A  
Mr Richard French    
Mr Joshua West    
Mrs Tracey Davis A A A  
Mrs Paula Wheatcroft A Not Appointed - Term of Office Ended
Mrs Laura Holloway A    
Mrs Georgina Foxwell-Trewartha    
Mrs Zoe Armstrong N/A    
Dr David Halls N/A N/A A    
Mr Mark Paxford N/A N/A    

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

Governing Body FGB Attendance Record – 2022/2023

Name Sept 22 Nov 22 Jan 23 May 23 Jul 23
Mrs Carol Foley  √
Mr Richard Carter
Mrs Hayley Roberts  √
Mr Richard French  √
Mr Joshua West
Mrs Tracey Davis  √
Rev Linda Carter  √ A A
Mrs Paula Wheatcroft A A
Mr Jeremy Gummow A N/A
Mrs Laura Holloway
Mrs Georgina Foxwell-Trewartha A
Mrs Victoria Misselbrook A

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

Governors who have left during 2023/2024

Governor Governor Category End Date
Mrs Paula Wheatcroft Foundation 17/10/2023

Governors who have left during 2022/2023

Governor Governor Category End Date
Mr Jeremy Gummow Foundation 31/05/2023
Mr Richard Carter Foundation 13/07/2023
Rev Linda Carter Foundation 13/07/2023
Mrs Victoria Misselbrook Associate 31/08/2023
Mrs Laura Holloway Parent 29/06/2023 – Laura was appointed as a Foundation Governor by the Diocese w.e.f 30/06/23.

Governors

Mrs Carol Foley

Chair of Governors

Mr Richard French

LA Governor

Mrs Hayley Roberts

Staff governor
Headteacher (Ex-officio)

 

 

 

 

Mrs Laura Holloway

Foundation governor

 

Mrs Georgina Foxwell-Trewartha

Parent governor

 

Mrs Tracey Davis

Associate governor

 

Mr Martyn Riley 

Staff governor

 

 

 

 

Mr Danny Holland

Clerk to governors