The Governing Body
Message from the school’s Governing Body:
A warm welcome to our Governing Body webpage. We would like to provide some information to let you know more about us and our important roles and responsibilities.
Governors perform a vital voluntary role in education and a full and diverse governing body is a source of enormous strength to a school. The Governing Body at Sonning Primary School is well-equipped with experienced, enthusiastic and progressive people, who really care about the school. We are responsible to The Keys Academy Trust (TKAT) and work closely with the school’s headteacher and the senior leadership team as well as the CEO and Trustees of TKAT, to push the boundaries and ensure success both today and tomorrow.
Sonning has 14 Governors including members of the community, church, staff and parents. While the governors have different backgrounds and experience, we work together to both support and challenge the school senior leadership team as they strive for the best possible education, learning environment and future prospects for the school’s children. Governors are here to be a critical friend, working strategically to monitor and evaluate the performance and effectiveness of our school. We are not involved in the day to day running of the school.
Governors focus strongly on 4 core areas:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction of the school
- Holding the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils and the performance management of staff
- Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
- To maintain ultimate responsibility for safeguarding: are children safe – and do they feel safe?
In order to support the school improvement, Governors:
- Hold regular meetings, at least once a term per main committee
- Full Governing Body (also known as the Local Governing Body)
- Achievement and Standards Committee
- Resources Committee
- School and Community Committee
- Make regular visits to the school to meet with staff and children
- Conduct surveys of parents/carers, pupils and staff
- Examine key management information, data and reports
- Set and review policies
- Contribute actively to discussions, ask questions and challenge practices
Our Christian Vision:
In all of their work with the school, TKAT and the wider local community, we, as a Governing Body, aim to promote and protect the schools’ Christian vision to “To Build Strong Foundations”.
Getting in touch:
It is our aim as a Governing Body to be as open and as approachable as possible. If you wish to contact the Full Governing Body please e-mail clerksonning@sonning.wokingham.sch.uk or ask in the school office.
If you wish to contact the Chair of Governors directly, please see contact details below in ‘meet the governors’.
Governance structure:
Governors are appointed by TKAT (with the exception of parent and staff governors, who are elected by parents and staff respectively).
For information about governance in The Keys Academy Trust, please see here
Clerksonning@sonning.wokingham.sch.uk
Meet the Governors
Category |
Committee |
Additional responsibilities |
Term |
Appointment start date – end date |
|
Clare Borsberry-Lewis
cborsberylewis@sonning.wokingham.sch.uk
|
Foundation |
Resources; Achievement & Standards; Admissions
|
Chair of Governors; Trust/Hub collaboration; OSC |
4 years |
01/09/2023 – 31/08/2027
|
Rachel Argent |
Foundation |
Achievement & Standards; |
SIAMS; Charity link re school/parish |
4 years |
26/05/2022 25/05/2026
|
Ben Biddulph |
Foundation |
School & Community; Admissions |
Branding, website |
4 years |
01/12/2022 30/11/2026
|
Gill Kelsall |
Staff |
School & Community; Achievement & Standards;
|
Deputy Headteacher; Pupil Premium Grant |
4 years |
01/09/2022 31/08/2026 |
Barry Luther |
The Keys Academy Trust |
Resources |
Finance support |
4 years |
01/12/2022 30/11/2026
|
Ian McCann |
Foundation |
School & Community; Resources |
Communications, Fundraising |
4 years |
26/05/2022 25/05/2026
|
Nick Sawyer |
Foundation |
School & Community Resources |
Health & Safety, Premises |
4 years |
01/09/2023 31/08/2027 |
Kate Voss |
Parent |
Resources; School & Community |
OSC, Healthy eating, staff well-being |
4 years |
01/09/2023 31/08/2026
|
Gemma Walton |
Parent |
Achievement & Standards; School & Community |
Vice Chair, Safeguarding |
4 years |
24/11/2020 23/11/2024
|
Jonathan Roberts |
Foundation |
|
4 years |
29/11/2023 28/11/2027 |
|
Laura Ashton |
Foundation |
|
|
4 years |
29/11/2023 28/11/2027 |
Vacancy |
Foundation (Vicar) |
|
|
4 years |
|
Phil Sherwood |
Headteacher |
All |
|
Ex officio |
01/09/2022 |
Susan Watkins |
Governance Professional |
- |
- |
On -going |
01/01/2023
|
Previous Governors
Previous governors in last 12 months
Name |
Category |
End Date |
Rachel Hazell |
TKAT |
31/12/2022 |
Rev. Jamie Taylor |
Foundation |
31/08/2023 |
Kate Toogood |
Foundation |
31/08/2023 |
Gabrielle Plowman |
Foundation |
|
14/10/2023
|
Register of Business Declarations / Interests
Name |
Relevant Business Interests |
Nature of Interest |
Relationship with school staff |
Governor/Trustee/Staff member of other Schools/Academies |
Trustee of a Charity |
Clare Borsberry-Lewis |
None declared |
- |
None declared |
None declared |
Sonning CE primary OSC |
Rachel Argent |
None declared |
- |
None declared |
None declared |
None declared |
Ben Biddulph |
Sonning CEP Parent |
- |
None declared |
None declared |
None declared |
Gill Kelsall |
Sonning CEP Deputy Headteacher |
- |
None declared |
None declared |
None declared |
Barry Luther |
None declared |
- |
None declared |
None declared |
None declared |
Ian McCann |
None declared |
- |
None declared |
None declared |
None declared |
Gabrielle Plowman |
Teacher at Reading Blue Coat School |
- |
None declared |
Teacher at Reading Blue Coat School |
None declared |
Rev Jamie Taylor |
None declared |
- |
None declared |
Reading Bluecoat School - Governor |
Sonning and District Welfare and Educational Trust; Bull Ecclesiastical Charity; Ranmore Trust; Sonning PCC |
Rev Kate Toogood |
None declared Sonning CEP Parent |
- |
None declared |
None declared |
None declared |
Kate Voss |
Sonning CEP Parent |
- |
None declared |
None declared |
None declared |
Gemma Walton |
Sonning CEP Parent |
- |
None declared |
Deputy Headteacher at Newlands Girls School |
None declared |
Vacancy |
None declared |
- |
None declared |
None declared |
None declared |
Vacancy |
None declared |
- |
None declared |
None declared |
None declared |
Phil Sherwood |
Sonning CEP Headteacher |
- |
None declared |
Executive Head at Polehampton CE Infant & Junior School |
Sonning CE Primary School PTA; Sonning and District Welfare and Educational Trust |
Susan Watkins |
Sonning CEP Parent |
- |
None declared |
None declared |
Sonning CE Primary School PTA |
Attendance at Meetings
Surname Forename |
Role |
Appt'd by |
Term |
Appt Date |
End Date |
S&c Attendance |
A&S Attendance |
Resources Attendance |
LGB Attendance |
Argent Rachel |
Foundation |
Trust |
4 Yrs |
26.05.22 |
25.5.26 |
100% |
100% |
80% |
|
Borsberry-Lewis Clare |
Foundation |
Trust |
4 Yrs |
01.09.19 |
31.8.23 |
100% |
100% |
100% |
|
Ben Biddulph |
Foundation |
Trust |
4 yrs |
01.12.22 |
30.11.26 |
100% |
|
|
75% |
Kelsall Gill |
Staff |
Staff |
4 Yrs |
01.09.22 |
31.08.26 |
75% |
100% |
|
60% |
Luther Barry |
TKAT |
Trust |
4 years |
01.12.26 |
31.11.26 |
|
|
100% |
100% |
McCann Ian |
Foundation |
Trust |
4 Yrs |
26.05.22 |
25.5.26 |
100% |
100% |
60% |
|
Plowman Gabrielle |
Foundation |
Trust |
4 Yrs |
26.05.22 |
25.5.26 |
100% |
75% |
60% |
|
Taylor Rev Jamie |
Foundation |
Trust |
4 Yrs |
01.09.19 |
31.8.23 |
0% |
|||
Toogood Rev Kate |
Foundation |
Trust |
4 Yrs |
01.09.19 |
31.8.23 |
0% |
|||
Voss Kate |
Parent |
Parents |
4 Yrs |
01.09.19 |
31.8.23 |
100% |
100% |
80% |
|
Walton Gemma |
Parent |
Parents |
4 Yrs |
24.11.20 |
23.1.24 |
0% |
100% |
100% |
|
Sherwood Phil |
Head |
ex officio |
n/a |
01.09.22 |
na |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |