Welcome to the Governors' section

The Governors comprise the Headteacher, the Foundation Governors appointed by the Oxford Diocese on recommendations from St John the Baptist PCC, the Council Governor appointed by the RBWM Cabinet and the Parent and Teacher Governors elected by their peers.  

The Governors share collective responsibility for the school as a whole and oversee the leadership of the Headteacher and her team. 

Please do not hesitate to contact any of the governors at any time via office@cookhamdean.org or clerk@cookhamdean.org

Responsibility of the Governing Body 

The school’s Governing Board is responsible for determining the strategic direction of the School and for ensuring that the school is providing a high standard of education for its pupils. We also work to ensure all statutory obligations for pupils and staff are met and the school’s aims and priorities remain at the forefront of all our decision making.

Our strategic vision  

Cookham Dean is a family of learning at the heart of the community where everyone flourishes: children, parents, carers, teaching staff, support staff, Governors.

Our strategic aims

For every child to be:

Accepted, loved, affirmed to fulfil their academic potential

Develop skills and enthusiasm as life-long learners

Develop emotional and spiritual resilience through living out our Christian values

Introduction to our Governing Body

Cookham Dean CE Primary School Governors include volunteers from the local Church community and RBWM with useful skills and experience to offer as well as elected parent Governors, the Headteacher and a member of school staff, elected by their colleagues. Our shared commitment is to ensure that our school makes best possible use of all the resources available to us (both human and financial) for the benefit of the children whose education is entrusted to us, enabling every child to learn and make progress, to the fullest extent possible, each academic year.

We carry out our responsibilities by examining data about children’s progress and achievement, always seeking to ensure that the progress made by children in our school compares favourably with the progress being made by children of the same age at primary schools in RBWM and across the country. In doing so, we also look at particular groups of children, to ensure that both boys and girls, children of all ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, and children with special educational needs are making good progress. We also work to ensure that the school provides a safe, welcoming, supportive and happy environment in which children enjoy learning.

Each year there is a designated Governor in School Day at Cookham Dean and Governors also meet with teachers and subject leaders on a regular basis, meaning that we are fully involved with all aspects of school life. 

The Governing Body is responsible, with the Headteacher, for the School Development Plan in which the school sets out its targets for continuous improvement and development, and how those targets will be met. We are also responsible for the school’s various policies.

It is also part of our role to ensure that the school actively seeks, and takes account of, the views of pupils, parents and the local community.

The Governing Body is responsible for holding the Headteacher to account, and also for ensuring that the school as a whole is accountable to parents and the local community.

To that end, we seek to be transparent in everything we do (subject, of course, to respecting confidentiality). You can contact any member of the Governing Body via the school office or by emailing the Clerk to the Governing Body: clerk@cookhamdean.org

We very much welcome parents’ comments and suggestions (though please keep in mind that the Governing Body’s role is a strategic one, and we cannot deal with issues regarding individual children except in certain very specific circumstances).

Governing Body 2023/24

Fenella Reekie: Headteacher

Claire Phillpot: Chair of Governors

Neil Strain: Vice Chair of Governors

Tony Baker: Foundation Governor

Olivia Burton: RBWM Governor

Tim Green: Parent Governor

Dan Pearson: Parent Governor

Lay Minister Richard Simmonds: Church Governor

Lorna Sykes: Foundation Governor

Niki Thompson: Staff Governor

Adrian Lee: Foundation Governor

Heather Oliver: Foundation Governor

Carys Windle: Associate Member

Georgie Harvey: Clerk to the Governing Body

Georgie is responsible for advising on legal aspects of the governing body’s role, arranging and preparing documents for meetings, maintaining records and attending and writing minutes of meetings.

Cookham Dean CE Primary School Governing Board 2023/24:

Key: 

ODBE = Oxford Diocesan Board of Education, on recommendation from St John the Baptist PCC 

GB = appointed by the Governing Board

FGB = Full Governing Body

SBS = School Business Services Committee

Curriculum = Curriculum and Standards Committee

Governor Related Party Interests: