The Governors

Welcome to the Governors section of the website.

The governing body consists of the following members:

Christopher Jones

Chair of Governors

Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee and the Environment Committee

Parent Governor

Term of Office: 28/09/2021 to 27/09/2025

Maria Dixon-Amphlett

Local Authority Governor and Vice-Chair

Term of Office:20/03/2023 to 19/03/2027 (Fourth term, formerly Parent Governor)

Fiona Locke

Headteacher

Ex officio from 01/09/2024

Russell Field

Staff Governor

Term of Office: 26/03/2021 to 25/03/2025 (Fifth Term)

Gilford Sweetenham

Parent Governor

Term of Office: 23/11/2020 to 22/11/2024

Annabel Smith

Co-opted Governor and Chair of the Curriculum Committee

Term of Office: 27/01/2020 to 26/01/2024

Yvonne Pitman

Co-Opted Governor

Term of Office: 20/03/2023 to 19/03/2027) (first term)

Emma Smith

Parent Governor

Term of Office: 10/05/2023 to 09/05/2027

Cllr Carole Jones

Co-Opted Governor

Term of Office: 25/03/2024 to 24/03/2028 (first term)

Peter Hallam

Co-Opted Governor

Term of Office: 25/03/2024 to 24/03/2028 (first term)

Catherine Dunkley-Jones

Clerk to the Governors

Appointed 09/09/2013

Janine Wager-Hale

Former Parent Governor (resigned)

15/06/2020 to 19/02/2024

Rachel Barbet

Former Co-opted Governor (resigned)

20/03/2023 to 12/03/2024 (second term)

Governor Vacancies

We currently have vacancies for one parent governor and one co-opted governor. Please contact the clerk via the school office if you would like to join us.

Our Governing Body’s remit is to:

- - Ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction for the school

- - Hold the headteacher and senior leadership team to account for the educational performance of the schools and their pupils and the performance management of staff

- - Oversee the financial performance of the school; ensuring funding is well spent

Monitoring and evaluating the school’s performance and success play a significant role for our Governing Body. We have a detailed monitoring schedule linked to the school’s Raising Attainment Plan. These visits ensure governors have a thorough understanding of the life and workings of the schools and are to both support and challenge the senior leadership team.

The Appointment of Governors

Our governors are drawn from parents and carers, the wider community and school staff and are appointed for a four-year term of office. Co-opted governors are appointed, based on their skill set, by the Governing Body; parents and carers elect parent governors, and staff governors are elected by school staff. We also have one governor who is appointed by the Local Authority.

The links below provide information about the governor role. We currently have one parent governor vacancy and one co-opted governor vacancy and would be pleased to hear from anyone who would like to learn more about how they might contribute to our school’s continued success as a governor, especially those from outside the immediate school community.

To contact the Chair of Governors, please write care of the school address which is

William Barnes Primary School, Bridge Street, Sturminster Newton, DT10 1BZ Unchanged: William Barnes Primary School, Bridge Street, Sturminster Newton, DT10 1BZ

Please find links below for recent minutes of the school’s governing body meetings and other governor-related information.

Full Governing Body Minutes

(If you would like to see more minutes, please contact the Clerk to the Governors via the school office)