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 2021/22
Fenella Reekie: Headteacher
Claire Phillpot: Chair of Governors*
Neil Strain: Vice Chair of Governors
Tony Baker: Foundation Governor*
Olivia Burton: RBWM Governor
Doug Fawell: Foundation Governor*
Tim Green: Parent Governor
Dan Pearson: Parent Governor
Rev Nick Plant: Church Governor
Lorna Sykes: Foundation Governor*
Niki Thompson: Staff Governor
Caroline Trowell: Foundation Governor *
Adrian Lee: Associate Governor
Heather Oliver: Associate Governor
* Appointed by the Church
Lucy Conibear: Clerk to the Governing Body
Lucy 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 2021/22:
Name | Category (appointed/ elected by) | Term of Office | Roles | Committees | 2020 – 2021 Meetings attended / Eligible meetings |
Claire Phillpot | Foundation (ODBE*) | 01.01.14- 15.01.26 | Chair of Governors | Curriculum Pay Panel (chair) Admissions | FGB 3/3 Curriculum 3/3 |
Fenella Reekie | Headteacher | N/A (ex officio) | Headteacher | All | FGB 3/3 Curriculum 3/3 SBS 4/4 |
Neil Strain | Foundation (ODBE) | 14.12.2017-28.03.2026 | Vice Chair of Governors SEN & PP Governor | SBS | FGB 2/3 SBS 3/4 |
Caroline Trowell | Foundation (ODBE) | 11.03.2019-10.03.2023 | Chair of SBS | SBS Pay Panel | FGB 2/3 SBS 4/4 |
Olivia Burton | LA (GB) | 08.02.2016-07.02.2024 | Chair of Curriculum |
Curriculum
| FGB 3/3 Curriculum 3/3 |
Lorna Sykes | Foundation (ODBE) | 01.01.14- 15.01.26 | Chair of Admissions & Safeguarding Governor | Admissions Pay Panel | FGB 3/3 |
Nicola Thompson | Staff Governor (the staff) | 20.10.2017- 19.10.2025 | Staff Governor | Curriculum | FGB 3/3 Curriculum 3/3 |
Dan Pearson | Parent Governor (the parents) | 01.11.2021 – 31.10.2025 | Health & Safety Governor | SBS | N/A |
Doug Fawell | Foundation (ODBE) | 11.02.2019-10.02.2023 | Foundation Governor | SBS | FGB 2/3 SBS 2/4 |
Tim Green | Parent Governor (the parents) | 28.01.2019-27.01.2023 | Parent Governor | SBS | FGB 3/3 SBS 4/4 |
Tony Baker | Foundation (ODBE) | 10.01.2022-09.01.2026 |
| Curriculum |
|
Father Nick Plant | Foundation (ex officio) | From: 27.09.2021 | Ex officio | Curriculum | N/A |
Adrian Lee | Associate Member (GB) | 14.12.2021-13.12.2025 |
| Special Projects (SBS) | N/A |
Heather Oliver | Associate Member (GB) | 14.12.2021-13.12.2025 |
| EYFS Curriculum | N/A |
Rev. John Ainslie | Foundation (ex officio) | From: 22.01.2019 | Ex officio | Curriculum Pay Panel | FGB 3/3 Curriculum 3/3 (left post July 2021) |
Carys Windle | Deputy Head (Associate Member) | 25.03.2019 | Deputy Head | Curriculum | FGB 3/3 Curriculum 3/3 (maternity leave July 2021) |
Zoe Jones | Parent (the parents) | 29.09.2017-28.09.2021 | Health & Safety Governor | SBS | FGB 3/3 (2020-21) SBS 3/4 (resigned July 2021) |
Rebecca Walker | Associate Member (GB) | 19.01.2016- 18.01.2020 | (Interim Chair Jan-July 16) | SBS | FGB & Strategy 2/5 (2018-19) SBS 2/3 (resigned July 2019) |
Jeremy Webb | Foundation (ODBE) | 01.01.15- 31.12.18 | SBS Admissions Pay Panel | FGB & Strategy 4/5 SBS 3/3 (resigned December 2018) | |
Rev Helen Chamberlain | Foundation (ex officio) | N/A |
| Admissions | FGB & Strategy 2/5 (resigned December 2018) |
Fiona Houghton | Parent (the parents) | 01.01.15- 31.12.18 | Safeguarding Governor | Curriculum | FGB & Strategy 4/5 Curriculum ¾ (resigned December 2018) |
Leanne Home | Associate Member (GB) | 11.12.2017-10.12.2021 | Deputy Head |
| FGB & Strategy 1/5 (resigned July 2018) |
Gaynor Sprules | Associate Member (GB) | 19.01.2016- 18.01.2020 | PP Governor | Curriculum (vice chair) | FGB & Strategy 3/5 Curriculum 3/4 (resigned July 18) |
Rev Helen Chamberlain | Foundation (ex officio) | N/A |
| Admissions | FGB & Strategy 2/5 (resigned December 2018) |
Fiona Houghton | Parent (the parents) | 01.01.15- 31.12.18 | Safeguarding Governor | Curriculum | FGB & Strategy 4/5 Curriculum ¾ (resigned December 2018) |
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Key:
ODBE = Oxford Diocesan Board of Education, on recommendation from St John the Baptist PCC;
GB = appointed by the Governing Board;
SBS = School Business Services Committee; Curriculum = Curriculum and Standards Committee
Governor Related Party Interests:
Name: | Nature of Interest: | From – To: |
N/A | N/A | N/A |
Cookham Dean CE Primary School, Bigfrith Lane,
Cookham Dean, Maidenhead SL6 9PH.
Tel: 01628 482734.
Email: office@cookhamdean.org