Governors
Our Governors have an important role in our school. They meet regularly in full governing body meetings 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. This board is made up of two Parent Governors who are voted for by parents and carers of the children in school, one Local Authority Governor, one Staff 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 on request to the Clerk to the Governors on clerk@bothel.cumbria.sch.uk . 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 do not hold separate sub-committee meetings, although an Appeals Committee may also be drawn from available Governors depending on circumstances and if the situation arises.
Mrs Clare Macaulay is the Chair of the Governing Body. You are able to contact Clare, via email, at: admin@bothel.cumbria.sch.uk and mark your email for the attention of the Chair of Governors.
Governor Code of Conduct and Role Descriptions
Our Full Governing Board:
Mrs Clare Macaulay - Chair of Governors, Parent Governor and SEND Governor
Reverend Stephen Banks - Vice Chair of governors and Foundation Governor (ex-officio)
Mrs Polly Page - Head teacher (ex-officio)
Sandra Hillyard - Foundation Governor
Mrs Gillian Marr - Foundation Governor
Mrs Gayle Fennell - Staff Governor
Mrs Gill Perry - LA Governor
Vacancy - Foundation Governor
Vacancy - Parent Governor
Vacancy - Foundation Governor
Vacancy - Foundation Governor
Vacancy - Foundation Governor
Clerk to the Governors - Mrs Julie Gibson
Full Governing Board Meeting Attendance Register:
| Full Governors | Role | Start of Term | End of Term | 28/09/23 | 23/11/23 | 06/02/24 | 19/03/24 | 21/05/24 | 02/07/24 | 19/09/24 | 26/11/24 | 18/3/25 | 20/05/25 | Declaration of Interests |
| Mrs Polly Page | Head | Ex-officio | Ex-officio | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Employed as head teacher |
| Mr Neil Milligan | Foundation | 08/07/22 | 07/07/26 | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Not in post | None |
| Revd Stephen Banks | Foundation | Ex-officio | Ex-officio | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Also Governor at Plumbland, Ireby and Boltons Schools |
| Mrs Elizabeth Armstrong | Foundation | 08/08/16 | 31/08/24 | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | None |
| Mrs Gillian Marr | Foundation | 08/02/18 | 07/02/26 | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Related to school administrator |
| Mr Michael Merrick | Foundation | 06/10/22 | 05/10/26 | Present | Apologies | Apologies | Present | Apologies | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | None |
| Mrs Jennifer Tinniswood | Foundation | 11/07/19 | 10/07/23 | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | None |
| Mrs Clare Macaulay | Parent | 15/09/22 | 14/09/26 | Present | Apologies | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | None |
| Mrs Nicola Storey | Local Authority | 27/01/21 | 26/01/25 | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | None |
| Miss Lee-Anne Gibson | Staff | 17/04/19 | 16/04/23 | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Employed as teacher |
| Mrs Gayle Fennell | Staff | 17/04/23 | 16/04/27 | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present | Apologies | Present | Apologies | Present | Employed as teacher |
| Mrs Laura Bowe | Parent | 04/11/20 | 03/11/24 | Present | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post |
| Mr Matt Derrick | Parent | 19/03/24 | 21/05/24 | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Present | Present | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | None |
| Mrs Sandra Hillyard | Foundation | 14/10/24 | 15/10/28 | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Present | Present | Apologies | Admin for Binsey Mission Community |
| Mrs Gill Perry | Local Authority | 20/05/25 | 19/5/29 | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Not in post | Present | None |
| Meeting Clerked by: | Mrs Elizabeth Armstrong | Mrs Elizabeth Armstrong | Mr Neil Dixon | Mrs Julie Gibson | Mrs Julie Gibson | Mrs Julie Gibson | Mrs Julie Gibson | Mrs Julie Gibson | Mrs Julie Gibson | Mrs Julie Gibson | None | |||
Mrs L Bowe stood down as parent governor in October 2023.
Miss L Gibson's term of office expired in April 2023.
Mrs Nicola Storey stood down as LA Governor in July 2024.
Mrs Elizabeth Armstrong's term of office expired in August 2024.
Mr Neil Milligan stood down as foundation governor in May 2025
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.