Coppice Primary

Planting the seeds of
Knowledge,
growth and
success

Our Governing Body

 

All maintained schools in England have a Governing Body which is responsible for overseeing many of the strategic decisions of the school. A key role is to act as a ‘critical friend’: to support, to challenge, and to ask questions.

 

The Governing Body at Coppice Primary School and Nursery is rightly proud of the achievements of the school.  However, it’s drive is clear: for the school to become increasingly outstanding in more and more areas of its work, giving local children the best possible start in life.

 

The Governing Body works in close partnership with the Head teacher, staff and the Local Authority.  Whilst the Head teacher is, of course, responsible for the day to day running of the school, the governors are involved with such things as staffing, curriculum, school buildings and finance.  It ensures the school functions well and maintains the proper range of academic and social objectives.

 

Membership of the Governing Body includes parents, school staff, representatives from the local community and the Local Authority.  

 

The Governing Body has a range of powers and duties laid down by various Education Acts.  In the main, these responsibilities relate to:

  • Setting targets and promoting high standards of educational achievement
  • Setting the strategic framework within which the school operates
  • Management of the school’s budget
  • Ensuring that the curriculum for the school is broad and balanced

 

Governors adopt, review and monitor a range of policies that govern the operation of the school including Health and Safety, Behaviour, Curriculum and Performance Management.

 

Governors discharge the above responsibilities, together with many others, through a Governing Body meeting each term.  These formal meetings are supplemented by a series of committee-meetings dealing with more specific issues.  We have two sub-committees of Governors: 

  • Teaching and Learning Committee
  • Finance and Resources Committee (focusing on staffing, premises and budgets).

 

Meet our Governors!

 

Mrs Alison Seaton

Headteacher

Hello, my name is Alison Seaton and I have been Headteacher at the school since September 2012.  Being a Headteacher automatically means I sit on the Board of Governors and make decisions along with a range of other professionals and parents in regards to your child’s education.

 

I can honestly say that being a Headteacher is not just a job for me - it’s a passion and quickly became all consuming.  The role of Headteacher has offered me the opportunity to make a difference on a scale unlike any I have ever known.  I am privileged to have had the chance to help the school develop further.  There are many aspects of my job I enjoy and find rewarding – the most important is maintaining contact in the classroom with the children, talking with them, listening to them and meeting not just their academic needs but there social and emotional needs too.

 

My vision and values are simple – the best possible education for all of the children in our care – this empowers the children to want to learn; enhances their own life chances and builds resilience over time. 

 

Mr Steve Rogers

Chair of Governors 

Co-opted Governor

 

I am now retired after spending over 30 years working in the IT industry, initially as a Systems/Business analyst and latterly as a Client Delivery Manager. So you would think that I now had loads of time to spare? Wrong! As my father said soon after his retirement: “I don’t know how I ever found the time to work”. I am now chair of trustees of a performing arts charity working with people with learning difficulties. I am also what is called a ‘Reader’ in the Church of England. Basically this means that I’m authorised to perform many but not all of the roles that a vicar does.  Why become a school Governor? I believe that it is important that Governing bodies have access to as wide a skill and experience base as possible. As a co-opted governor, I believe that the experience that I have in the commercial environment nicely augments those of the staff, parent and other co-opted Governors.

 

Mrs Sharon Allsopp

Vice Chair of Governors 

Co-opted Governor

 

  My name is Sharon Allsopp.  I'm a Co-Opted Governor, recently moving into the Vice Chair position.  Both my daughters attended Coppice from Nursery through to leaving in Y6, many moons ago and during this time I became a Parent Governor.  After they both left, I continued attending Coppice within my role as a Community Champion through work, spanning my connection with the school for over 18 years now.  I visit many schools within my job role but Coppice is special, I haven't found another school like it, it has a real community feel.  When I was asked to come back as a Co-opted Governor I couldn't refuse. I'm hoping that my knowledge and experience working with schools will help me support them and I'm looking forward to becoming more involved.

 

Mrs Morissa Brimms

 Local Authority Governor

 

Hello! My name is Morissa Brimm and I’m a Local Authority Governor. I live locally and wanted to take on a voluntary role that would have a positive impact in the community. I really enjoyed my time in education and want the children that attend Coppice Primary and Nursery School to also have a positive experience. I am very passionate about being a governor and will immerse myself fully in the role – my aim is to add value to the fantastic work already being done by the leadership and support team. My focus area will be the curriculum particularly: Mathematics, English and Phonics.

Mrs Stephanie Martin

Parent Governor

 

Miss Zoe Lawlor

Parent Governor

 

 

I am a parent of one of the children in the school, I work for the University of Nottingham as a qualified veterinary nurse. In my spare time I enjoy open water swimming and walking our dog Merlin as a family usually involving a cafe. 

 

I have decided to join the school as a governor as I feel passionate about school being a positive and inclusive environment for children and want to try and act as a parent perspective for discussions highlighting challenges and opportunities for parents involved in the school community. 

 

Miss Kirsty Harrison

Staff Governor 

My name is Kirsty Harrison and I have been the staff Governor at Coppice Primary School and Nursery for the past 12 years. I am passionate about ensuring our children get the best education they can! I am proud to share with the Governing Body the marvellous work our dedicated and caring staff do with all of our children on a daily basis. Children get one chance and we need to make sure every day counts!

 

In school I am the EYFS co-ordinator and I am the Nursery teacher in the mornings.  I have qualified as a Forest School leader as I believe the children learn best in the outside environment and I love being able to work with children in all year groups in the forest!

 

Mrs Vicki Sidaway

Associate Governor

Hi my name is Vicki Sidaway and I am Assistant Headteacher at Coppice Primary School.

 

I enjoy my role as it gives me the opportunity to support both the learning and pastoral needs of the children at school right from the beginning of their education in the Nursery setting.

 

Within in my school role I focus on the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities provision alongside the review of Pupil Premium spending in school – a role which I work closely with Mr Steve Rogers.

 

My position as an associate governor means that I am able to attend Governor's meetings and keep fully abreast of all aspects of the school’s development.

 

Having been a teacher for nearly 27years, the exciting learning and pupil welfare (with a particular interest in children’s mental health and wellbeing) continues to be a passion of mine.

 

Mrs Abby Redzic

Clerk to Governors

My name is Abby Redzic and I am the Clerk to Governors for Coppice Primary School and Nursery.

 A number of Governors also have responsibilities for specific areas within the school.  Below you can see who our governors are and what their role is within the Governing Body at Coppice Primary School and Nursery.

Governors Name

Governor Category

Nominating

Group

Start date of Office

End date of Office

Responsibilities

Pecuniary and/ or personal interest (s)

Related to a member of school staff or governing

body

Interests at another school

Attendance to current year’s meetings

 

Steve Rogers

Co-Opted

 

November 2023

November 2027

Chair

All committees

NONE

No

NONE

3 out of 3

Sharon Allsop

Co-Opted

 

April

2022

April

2026

Vice Chair

All committees

NONE

No

NONE

3 out of 3

Morissa Brimms

LA

 

November 2023

November 2027

All committees 

None

No

None

2 out of 2

Stephanie Martin

Parent

Parents

September 2021

September 2025

All committees

NONE

No

NONE

3 out of 3

Zoe Lawlor

Parent

Parents

November 2023

November 2027

All committees

None

No

None

1 out of 2

Alison Seaton

Headteacher

 

Ex Officio

All committees

NONE

No

NONE

3 out of 3

Kirsty Harrison

Staff

Staff

February 2023

February 2027

All committees

NONE

 

No

NONE

3 out of 3

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

Vicki Sidaway

Associate

 

30.01.21

31.01.25

All committees

NONE

No

NONE

3 out of 3

Register of Interests

Governors have a legal duty to act in the best interests of their schools.  Where there are personal or financial interests, which may conflict with this duty, they must identify, prevent and record the conflict.  Generally, governors must not be involved in discussions or vote on matters to which their conflict relates. 

At Coppice Primary School and Nursery, governors sign and/or review a register of interests at the start of every meeting.   All governors also declare personal or other interests which might be a potential source of conflict at the AGM in September and this is reviewed as needed throughout the year.

Principles of Public Life

Our Governors are guided by the Nolan Principles. Lord Nolan's Seven Principles of Public Life  apply to anyone who holds a public office, including those in the education sector. 

  1. Selflessness
    Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
  2. Integrity
    Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
  3. Objectivity
    Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
  4. Accountability
    Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
  5. Openness
    Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
  6. Honesty
    Holders of public office should be truthful.
  7. Leadership
    Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and be willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.


GOVERNORS MEETING TIMETABLE 2024 / 2025

Meeting

Date

Date

Date

Date

Date

Date

Date

Full Governing Body

AGM

Thursday 26th September 2024

Thursday 17th 

October Teaching and Learning

Thursday 14th November

Finance and Resources

Thursday 23rd

January

Teaching and Learning

Thursday 27th March

Finance and Resources

Thursday 22nd  May 

Finance and Resources

Tuesday 15th July Teaching and Learning

  

PDF icon Structure of  the Governing Body

PDF icon  Minutes of the Governing Body

Contacting the Governing Body

Do you want to talk to our governors?  Drop them an email using clerk@coppice.derbyshire.sch.uk  They will respond to your questions and comments.  Remember that the Governors are responsible for setting the strategic direction, holding leaders to account for the educational performance of the school, ensuring financial health, probity and value for money.  We would also like to hear parent's comments about school.