Meet the Governors
Welcome to the Governors' section
Thank you for visiting the Governors’ sections. My name is Claire Phillpot and I am the Chair of Governors. Our collective responsibility as a Governing Board is to determine the strategic direction for 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.
There are currently 12 Governors, with representatives from the School Leadership team and teaching staff, parents, local authority, the Church and members of our wider community, supported by our wonderful Clerk.
We all share the same vision and commitment; to ensure that the school delivers at its maximum potential so that we all flourish – children, parents, carers, teachers and the community.
Some examples of the work we do:
Review the school curriculum to ensure it meets the needs of our children and teaching staff
Review the schools finances to ensure we optimise our spending capacity in the right areas
Prioritise capital projects (such as the MUGA, schools heating, fire alarm system etc)
Ensure all policies and procedures are up to date
Review and monitor the School Development Plan
Review and monitor pupil progress and pupil performance targets
Evidence the implementation and impact of our strategic plan
We have several meetings over the course of the year, however our work never stops as we believe the school deserves the best.
There is much more detail below if you want to find out what we do, how we do it and who we all are. If you have any additional questions please do reach out via office@cookhamdean.org or clerk@cookhamdean.org.
Thank you.
Chair of Governors
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 we all flourish: 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
Our Strategic Focus
- Aspirational outcomes for all pupils with high expectations and ambition for all in our community to achieve their full potential
- Passion for learning with curious, motivated, inspired pupils who have a positive sense of self as a learner
- Spiritual and emotional wellbeing with pupils who are spiritually and emotionally resilient and meaningfully reflective about their well-being
- Accountability in a collaborative team that challenge and support each other with trust and respect for the benefit of all
How We Are Structured
We have our main Full Governing Board which all Governors are a part of, and meet 4 times a year. Supporting the FGB is the School Business Services (SBS) Committee which looks at the finances and operations of the school, and the Curriculum Committee which looks at the school’s curriculum. These committees meet 3 or 4 times a year. So in total we hold 11 meetings across the academic year. There is also an Admissions Committee and Pay Committee reporting to the Full Governing Board.
How We Operate
- 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.
Who We Are
 | Claire Phillpot, Foundation Governor Chair of Governors, Chair of Curriculum Committee, Chair of Pay Panel, Admissions Committee member, Literacy Link Governor, PSHE Link Governor
Our school is at the heart of life here in Cookham Dean. It is a great privilege to live in such a beautiful village and I became a governor, over fourteen years ago, because I wanted to give something back to the community that I love so much. My main role as Chair is to ensure our governing board functions well and maintains a strategic focus at all times. My greatest satisfaction as a governor is the knowledge that what we do we can make a difference.
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 | Fenella Reekie, Headteacher
As headteacher of this wonderful school, I attend all 3 of the committees of our governing body – the curriculum, SBS and admissions. The governors support and challenge the senior leadership team, enabling us to think strategically about the direction in which the school is going. Governors are welcomed by the children and staff in school for Governor in School Day, a visit with subject leaders to review action plans, to watch a special performance, judge competitions or attend training. Governors are very much a part of our family of learning – where we all flourish.
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 | Neil Strain, Foundation Governor Vice Chair of Governors, SEN (Special Educational Needs), PP (Pupil Premium) Governor
I choose to become a Governor at Cookham Dean School to give back to the community in which I'm proud to live in. Cookham Dean School takes pride in creating well rounded young people. It does this by challenging students to push beyond their comfort zones to reveal hidden talents and to prepare youngsters for being a global citizen. Academic success is one of many components that develops in students at Cookham Dean School, but not the only one. My professional background is in Education and I am passionately committed to ensuring that the schools strategic direction is an inclusive and tolerant one for all.
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 | Lorna Sykes, Foundation Governor Chair of Admissions Committee, Pay Panel member, Safeguarding Governor, Music Link Governor
I was born in Cookham Dean and attended Cookham Dean school from 1959 to 1965 (yes, I really am that old!) I became a governor over twelve years’ ago because I wanted to give something back to my first school and, being a committed Christian and currently church warden at the church in Cookham Dean, I wanted to strengthen the ties between church and school.
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 | Adrian Lee, Foundation Governor Chair of School Business Services (SBS) Committee, Geography Link Governor
Being local and also having children at the school, I wanted to give something back to the school and the community. I joined the Governing Board in 2021 and became the Chair of SBS the following year. The SBS focuses on the strategic direction from a financial and operational perspective, so coming from a professional corporate background, I felt I had the right skills to help drive this forward and positively contribute. It is an absolute privilege to be a governor and I am absolutely motivated to ensure we continue to provide an environment where we all flourish.
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 | Dan Pearson, Parent Governor School Business Services (SBS) Committee member, Art and DT Link Governor, Computing Link Governor, Health, Safety & Sustainability Governor
As a resident of Cookham since 2010 my family and I have built a life in this community. I became a parent governor in 2021 with the intent of focusing on the enrichment of the children's experiences and wellbeing of the teaching and support staff at Cookham Dean School.
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 | Tim Green, Parent Governor School Business Services (SBS) Committee member, PE Link Governor, Equality & Diversity Governor
I joined the Governing Board as a Parent Governor in 2019. I have a daughter and a son at the school, so I'm grateful that I can play a part in helping drive improvement at Cookham Dean Primary, I certainly have a vested interest. Being a member of the board is very rewarding, and at times challenging, but I always feel privileged to be part of this wonderful school.
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| Heather Oliver, Foundation Governor Curriculum Committee member, Pay Panel member, EYFS Link Governor
My children were educated locally and I have long established links with Cookham Dean. When the school wanted to appoint a governor to focus specifically on EYFS (early years foundation stage) I leapt at the opportunity. Government standards for learning in Reception are very different to the curriculum led standards from Year 1 onwards. My appointment recognizes this and the huge impact effective early years learning has throughout a child’s education.
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| Carys Windle, Deputy Headteacher & SENco
As deputy headteacher and SENCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator), I choose to attend Full Governing Board meetings as an Associate Governor. Whilst I have no voting rights, I am on hand to answer general and SENCo specific queries, helping to inform the decision-making process. The meetings in turn give me a valuable insight into the shaping of the school’s strategic vision.
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 | Olivia Burton, Local Authority Governor Curriculum Committee member, Mental Health Link Governor, History Link Governor
When I moved to Cookham Dean with young children in tow, I wanted to maintain my interest in education and put my knowledge and experience to work, having previously been a primary school teacher across a range of educational settings for 15 years. I was appointed Local Authority governor at the school in 2016 and saw the role as an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the school community while supporting the well-being and success of all pupils.
All three of my children have attended the school and had a very positive experience which has further strengthened my personal connection to the school community and increased my interest in its success.
I am a member of the Curriculum committee, and my favourite part of our meetings, is when a selection of children from all year groups come with their workbooks and talk to us about what they’ve been learning. They are marvellous and very honest: they always let us know exactly what they enjoy as well as what they don’t, and they often make requests for improvements or additional activities.
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 | Niki Thompson, Staff Governor
As Staff Governor, I am elected by all the staff in the school to represent them. Not only do I bring my professional experience and knowledge to meetings, it also gives me a valuable opportunity to share the views and concerns of myself and my colleagues. The role gives me a broader and richer perspective of school life than I would otherwise have, one that I value and very much enjoy.
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 | Richard Simmonds, Church Governor Curriculum Committee member, RE Link Governor
The primary purpose of a school governor is to act as a constructively critical friend to the school, providing support and challenge to ensure the best possible school environment, educational standards, and the overall wellbeing of pupils. That I seek to do.
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 | Tony Baker, Foundation Governor Curriculum Committee member, Maths & Science Link Governor
Although I have a job that frequently takes me abroad, when I am home here in Cookham Dean I relish the opportunity to support our village school. My two children are at different local schools, so I can bring a fresh perspective to our meetings, from both my business and personal experience. |
2023/24 Highlights
2022/23 Highlights
Governor Attendance Record
Thank you for your interest in the Governors. We seek to be transparent in everything we do (subject, of course, to respecting confidentiality). You can contact any member of the Governing Board via the school office or by emailing the Clerk to the Governing Body: clerk@cookhamdean.org
And finally, we very much welcome parents’ comments and suggestions (though please keep in mind that the Governing Board’s role is a strategic one, and we cannot deal with issues regarding individual children except in certain very specific circumstances).