Governors

What is a governing body?

The Government requires that each school has a governing body responsible for working together with the school to ensure that it delivers a good quality education. As a Voluntary Controlled school our team is made up of the various stakeholders that the school serves – the church, parents, local authority, and staff. Governors are volunteers who are either elected or appointed, for example parent governors are elected from the parent body, and Foundation governors are nominated by the church.

Please see table below for further information about our Governing Body and record of Governors’ attendance at meetings

What does a governing body do?

The governing body works in partnership with the headteacher, staff, parents and the LA to raise standards of achievement in the school, led by the Chair of Governors. The main functions of the governing body are to:

• Provide a strategic view
• Act as a critical friend
• Ensure accountability

Our governing body is organised into small working committees with a Chair for each one. Committees meet once a term, while the full governing body meets twice a term. The governing body has wide-ranging responsibilities and works with the Headteacher and staff to:

• Agree the aims and values of the school
• Make decisions on the budget and approve the School Improvement Plan
• Ensure that the National Curriculum is taught
• Monitor and review the school’s progress
• Ensure that individual pupil’s needs are met, including special needs
• Be involved in the recruitment of staff
• Provide information about school for parents
• Establish and maintain positive links with the church and the local community

OUR CODE OF CONDUCT

As governors we take our role very seriously and the way we work together is governed by our “CODE OF CONDUCT”, a copy of which can be obtained from the school office.  The Code specifically covers the following areas:

• Confidentiality
• Complaints
• Conflicts of Interest
• Commitment
• Critical Friend
• Mutual Respect
• Training
• Evaluation
• Being part of the school life.

Should any difficulty concerning the education of your child arise, then correct procedure is to bring the matter to the class teacher. The majority of issues are best dealt with the class teacher or head teacher.  If, however, the matter remains unresolved, as a last resort, the matter can be referred to the Governors Appeal Panel via the school office.

BECOMING A GOVERNOR

Becoming a Governor involves time, commitment, and passion for seeing the school thrive and prosper.  We try to use all the skills that people have from helping in the recruitment process, to designing pamphlets, writing letters and giving objective feedback.  The rewards associated with being a Governor can far outweigh the time commitment.  We are proud to be part of a school that is making positive steps towards ensuring that every child gets the very best all round school experience.

You can contact your governing body by leaving your number with school office or email  office@midhurstprimary.co.uk with any questions.

Copies of governor minutes are always available from the school office.

GOVERNOR DETAILS

GOVERNING BODY OF Midhurst C of E Primary. Our Governing Body consists of 14 members and operates with 5 committees.

Our current Governors are:

Mark Alden – Parent Governor

Jessica Channon – Staff Governor

Rev. Marcus Collie – Foundation Governor, School Chaplain

Gemma Dunn – Co-opted Governor

Michaela Fay – Co-opted Governor

Laura Jandac – Local Authority Governor – Vice Chair of Governors

Mark Jefferson – Headteacher

Sarah Lavender – Foundation Governor

Kirstan Mullen – Co-opted Staff Governor

Mark Purves – Co-opted Governor – Chair of Governors

Mark Wheeler – Co-opted Governor

Associate Members

Mrs Louise Chance – Curriculum – No voting rights

Mr Scott Ind – Curriculum – No voting rights

Mrs Vanessa Semmens – Finance & Resources – No voting rights

Governor Attendance for Academic year 2025/26

Full name of Governor	Governor Category	Date of  current Appointment or Election	Source of Appointment (where appropriate)	Term of office/Roles within GB	Attendance at full GB Meetings*	Committee membership	Attendance at committee meetings*	Declarations on register of business & pecuniary interest		Remarks
Mr Mark Alden	Parent	7th November 2022	Parent	4 years Chair of  Safeguarding	5/6	Safeguarding	3/3	Married to member of teaching staff
Miss Jessica Channon	Staff	13th January 2022	Staff	4 years	6/6	Spirituality & Ethos  Safeguarding	3/3 3/3	None
Marcus Collie	Foundation Ex-Officio	1st September 2023	Foundation	Ex-Officio	4/6	Spirituality & Ethos Sundew	2/3 2/2	Governor of Local Governor Body at Midhurst Rother College Vicar at St Mary Magdalene & St Deny. Midhurst
Mrs Gemma Dunn	Co-Opted	7th May 2023	Co-opted	4 years	5/6	Finance and Resources	3/3	None
Michaela Fay	Co-opted	7th July 2025	Co-opted	4 Years	6/6	Curriculum	3/3	None
Laura Jandac	Local Authority	30th March 2022	Local Authority	4 years Vice Chair & Chair of Sundew	6/6	Curriculum Sundew	2/3 1/1	None
Mark Jefferson	Headteacher	1st September 2023			6/6	Sits on all committees except Sundew		None
Sarah Lavender	Foundation	14th September 2024	Foundation	4 years	4/6	Spirituality & Ethos Sundew	3/3 2/2	None
Kirstan Mullen	Co-opted	18th March 2024	Co-opted	4 years	3/6	Safeguarding	3/3	None
Mark Purves	Co-opted	1st December 2023	Co-opted	4 years Chair of Governors Chair of Curriculum	6/6	Curriculum Finance & Resources Sundew	3/3 3/3 2/2	None
Andy Scott	Parent	14th September 2022	Parent	4 years	3/3	Spirituality & Ethos Safeguarding	1/1 1/1	None		Resigned 15/01/26
Mark Wheeler	Co-opted	7th February 2022	Co-opted	4 years	6/6	Finance & Resources	3/3	None
Full name of Associate Member	Committee Membership	Voting rights Yes/No	Date of Appointment	Term of Office/Role on committee	Attendance at committee Meetings*	Attendance at full GB meetings*	Remarks
Pauline Apperley	Spirituality & Ethos	No	25th September 2025	1 Year	1/1	No	None
Mrs Louise Chance	Curriculum, SEN & APMC	No	25th September 2025	1 Year	1/1	No	None
Helen Bond	Finance & Resources	No	25th September 2025	1 year	2/2	No	None
Scott Ind	Curriculum, SEN & APMC	No	25th September 2025	1 year	2/2	No	None