Governors
Our Governors have an important role in our school. They meet regularly in full governing body meetings and in sub-committees to lead and manage our school, but they are also regularly seen helping in school and at school events, as well as overseeing and monitoring school development. Governors regularly attend training relevant to their roles and offer support for all aspects of school life.
Our Governing Body has twelve members, who are proposed and elected by various interests. Two of our Governors are Parent Governors who are voted for by parents and carers of the children in school. One Governor is a Local Authority Governor, and the remaining Governors are Foundation Governors and the head teacher of the school. The Chair and Vice-Chair are elected annually at the first meeting of the year in September. The minutes of Governing Body meetings, with the exception of matters deemed confidential, are available for inspection in the school office. Declaration of Business Interests forms are completed annually and declarations of interest are also declared at the start of each meeting.
We currently hold six full governors meetings per year and have one separate sub-committee: the Finance, Staffing and Salaries Committee, which meets regularly throughout the school year.
Mr Neil Milligan is the Chair of the Governing Body. You are able to contact Neil, via email, at: admin@bothel.cumbria.sch.uk Please mark your email for the attention of Neil Milligan.
Mrs Clare Macaulay is Chair of the Finance, Staffing and Salaries committee.
Governor Code of Conduct and Role Descriptions
Our Full Governing Board:
Mr Neil Milligan - Chair of Governors, Foundation Governor and SEND Governor
Mrs Clare Macaulay - Vice Chair and Parent Governor
Mrs Polly Page - Head teacher (ex-officio)
Reverend Stephen Banks - Foundation Governor (ex-officio)
Mrs Elizabeth Armstrong - Foundation Governor
Mrs Gillian Marr - Foundation Governor
Mrs Gayle Fennell - Staff Governor
Mrs Nicola Storey - LA Governor
Mr Michael Merrick - Foundation Governor and Safeguarding Governor
Mr Matt Derrick - Parent Governor (start of term of office: 02/02/24)
Vacancy - Foundation Governor
Vacancy - Foundation Governor
Full Governing Board Meeting Attendance Register:
| Full Governors | Role | Start of Term | End of Term | 26/01/23 | 16/03/23 | 18/05/23 | 28/09/23 | 23/11/23 | 06/02/24 | Declaration of Interests |
| Mrs Polly Page | Head | Ex-officio | Ex-officio | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | None |
| Mr Neil Milligan | Foundation | 08/07/22 | 07/07/26 | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | None |
| Revd Stephen Banks | Foundation | Ex-officio | Ex-officio | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | None |
| Mrs Elizabeth Armstrong | Foundation | 08/08/16 | 31/08/24 | Present | Apologies | Present | Present | Present | Present | None |
| Mrs Gillian Marr | Foundation | 08/02/18 | 07/02/26 | Apologies | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | None |
| Mr Michael Merrick | Foundation | 06/10/22 | 05/10/26 | Present | Apologies | Present | Present | Apologies | Apologies | None |
| Mrs Jennifer Tinniswood | Foundation | 11/07/19 | 10/07/23 | Present | Present | Present | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | None |
| Mrs Clare Macaulay | Parent | 15/09/22 | 14/09/26 | Present | Present | Present | Present | Apologies | Present | None |
| Mrs Nicola Storey | Local Authority | 27/01/21 | 26/01/25 | Apologies | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | None |
| Miss Lee-Anne Gibson | Staff | 17/04/19 | 16/04/23 | Present | Present | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | None |
| Mrs Gayle Fennell | Staff | 17/04/23 | 16/04/27 | Not in post | Not in post | Present | Present | Present | Present | None |
| Mrs Laura Bowe | Parent | 04/11/20 | 03/11/24 | Present | Present | Present | Present | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post |
| Meeting Clerked by: | Mrs Margaret Robinson | Mrs Margaret Robinson | Mrs Margaret Robinson | Mrs Elizabeth Armstrong | Mrs Elizabeth Armstrong | Mr Neil Dixon | None | |||
Mrs L Bowe stood down as parent governor in October 2023.
Miss L Gibson stood down as staff governor in April 2023.
Our Finance, Staffing and Salaries Committee:
Mr Neil Milligan - Chair of Governors and foundation governor
Mrs Clare Macaulay - Chair of committee
Mrs Polly Page - Head teacher (ex-officio)
Mrs Elizabeth Armstrong - Foundation Governor
Mrs Gillian Marr - Foundation Governor
Terms of Reference of Finance, Staffing and Salaries Committee
Finance, Staffing and Salaries Committee Attendance Register:
| Finance, Staffing and Salaries Committee | 3/11/22 | 28/02/23 | 11/05/23 | 16/01/24 | |
| Mrs Polly Page | Head | Present | Present | Present | Present |
| Mrs Clare Macaulay | Parent Governor | Present | Present | Present | Present |
| Mrs Elizabeth Armstrong | Foundation Governor | Present | Present | Apologies | Present |
| Mr Neil Milligan | Foundation Governor | Present | Present | Present | Present |
| Mrs Gillian Marr | Foundation Governor | Present | Present | Apologies | Present |
| Mrs Laura Bowe | Parent Governor | Present | Present | Present | Not in post |
An Appeals Committee may also be drawn from available Governors depending on circumstances and if the situation arises.
Governing Body Diversity Data
As a Governing Body, we have a duty to recognise that diverse thoughts, voices and perspectives are essential to good governance and the effective running of any organisation.
We believe it is important that our Governing Body reflects the diversity of the school communities which we serve. Diverse boards promote inclusive school environments and provide diverse role models for staff and children.
The governors are currently gathering data on the diversity of our governors, including data on age, gender and ethnicity. We will use that data to inform recruitment and training needs and ensure there is always a diverse range of perspectives around the table to support robust decision making.
We do not publish any diversity information that may disclose personal information about individual governors. This is due to our legal obligation to protect their personal data.