The Governing Body

Welcome to the Southwick Primary School Governors Page
The Governing Body of Southwick Primary School comprises representatives of different groups, including the Local Authority, the local community, parents and staff. Governors are volunteers who bring their skills and experience to help run the school. Governors are lay people - they are not experts and their role is to act as a "critical friend" to the headteacher and her staff. Their key purpose is to ensure the school provides the best possible education for all the children at the school. Governors belong to either the Resources Committee or the Standards and Curriculum Committee. As well as attending FGB meetings, each governor's skills are taken into account when deciding on committee membership. The Resource committee is responsible for finance and premises related matters, whilst Standards & Curriculum focuses on the teaching and learning and outcomes for children.

The Governing Body works closely with the headteacher on the management of the school. It meets regularly during the term and there are additional committee meetings to discuss specific matters, such as school effectiveness, health and safety, the school environment and school finances. The minutes of the governors’ meetings are available to all parents. (please ask at reception)

The governors are all local people, caring for the welfare of the children and bringing their interests and experience to support the school. They are always happy to talk with you about any matters related to school and your children. If you do have any concerns about your child or the school in general, please contact the appropriate class teacher and/or the headteacher in the first instance. If you then still feel concerned after these meetings, then please contact one of our parent governors, who are appointed to help you and to represent your views.

Becoming A Governor
There are currently six different categories of governor:

• Parent
• Staff
• Foundation
• Partnership
• Local Authority
• Co-opted

The type of governor you will become depends on your situation; however, all governors have the same roles and responsibilities once part of the governing body.

Parent governors are elected by the parents of pupils for a fixed term of 4 years. Parents are advised in writing when a vacancy for a parent governor arises either if a governor completes their term of office or stands down. Full details of the eligibility criteria and the process for nominations and any election are provided at the time.

Local Authority governors are nominated by local councillors.

Staff governors are members of the school staff who are elected by the staffing body (both teaching and non-teaching).

Foundation governors are only to be found in the governing bodies of voluntary schools and some foundation schools. They are appointed to preserve and develop the religious character of the school, if it has a religious character, and to secure compliance with the trust deed. Normally, foundation governors serve for a four-year term of office.

A Co-opted governor is a person appointed by the governing body and who, in the opinion of the governing body, has the skills required to contribute to the effective governance and success of the school. Co-opted governors may have an area of specialist knowledge or experience or bring a wide range of skills and experience to their role as a governor.

Partnership governors are only to be found on the governing bodies of foundation schools which do not have a foundation or trustees. They must be members of the community served by the school who are committed to the good government and success of the school. The governing body is responsible for seeking nominations for and appointing partnership governors.

The Wiltshire Governor Support organisation provides a good range of training for all governors.

Southwick Governing Body 2024-2025

Local Governing Body

Title	First Name	Surname	Term of office end date	Governor Type
Mr	David	Cook	31/08/2050	Staff – Head
Mr	Andrew	Mulligan	30/09/2028	Chair Parent
Mrs	Claire	Grant	04/10/2028	Co-Opted
Mr	John	Alpin	12/07/2026	Co-Opted
	Vacant			Co-Opted
	Vacant			Co-opted
	Vacant			Co-opted
Mrs	Rachel	Forrest	15/10/2027	Staff
Mrs	Catherine	Brooks	15/10/2028	Parent
Mr	Bob	Sparke	16/03/2026	Foundation
	Vacant			Foundation
	Vacant			Foundation

 

 

Title	First Name	Surname	Governor at another Educational  Setting	Business Interest	Pecuniary Interest	Other Interest
Mr	David	Cook	No	Nil	Nil	Nil
Mr	Andrew	Mulligan	No	Nil	Nil	Nil
Mrs	Paula	Bartlett	No	Nil	Nil	Nil
Mrs	Claire	Grant	No	Nil	Nil	Nil
Mrs	Rachel	Forrest	No	Nil	Nil	Nil
Mr	Bob	Sparke	No	Nil	Nil	Nil
Mr	John	Alpin	No	Nil	Nil	Nil
Mrs	Catherine	Brooks	No	Nil	Nil	Nil

 

 

 

 

 

Attendance Record 2024-2025 - Local Governing Body Meetings

	16/10/2024	03/12/24	12/02/25	19/03/25	14/05/25	09/07/25
David Cook	✓	✓	✓
Paula Bartlett	✓	✓	Resigned
Claire Grant	✓	A	✓
Rachel Forrest	A	✓	✓
Andrew Mulligan	✓	✓	✓
Bob Sparkes	✓	A	✓
John Alpin	✓	✓	✓
Catherine Brooks	✓	✓	✓

Key:   ✓ = In attendance       P = Part attendance       A = Apologies Given    Abs = Absent