Our Governors

What is a school governor?

Governors are volunteers who collectively make up the school’s Governing Body.

The overall responsibility of the Governing Body is to support the school to provide the best possible education for all children.

What are governors responsible for?

• Helping to decide on the school’s values and aims, agreeing plans on for the future direction of the school and checking on progress with these plans.
• Acting as a critical friend to the head teacher to support and challenge them in managing the school.
• Deciding how the money allocated to run the school is spent.
• Interviewing and appointing members of staff.
• Making sure that the school is accountable to the children and parents it serves, and to its local community.

Who are the Governors at Cragside?

Cragside Governing Body has 14 members, split between the various categories of governor as follows:

• Three parent governors (elected by all parents)
• One local authority governor (nominated by the local authority and approved by the Governing Body)
• Six community governors (people from the local community, nominated and approved by the Governing Body)
• Two teacher governors (elected by the teaching staff)
• One staff governor (a member of staff elected by support staff)
• One Foundation Trust Governors.
• Headteacher

Governors serve for four years although they may be re-appointed for a further period after this time.

Our Governors are:

PARENTS - Lynne Davies, Laura Jardine (chair) and Michael Van Zwanenberg

LOCAL AUTHORITY - Wendy Taylor

CO-OPTED - Alasdair Cook, Andrew Garrad (chair), Geoff Hughes, Rohan Kohil and Craig Watson

STAFF - Emily Carroll, Lucy Howells and Tara Wyton

HEAD - Rebecca Jackson

FOUNDATION TRUST - Michael Van Zwanenberg

How can I contact governors?

If you wish to contact a governor then please leave a message and your contact details at the school office then these can be passed on to a governor and they will get back to you. The Chair of Governors can be contacted in the same way. If you prefer to use email then send your message to: office@cragsideprimary.co.uk (with 'FAO governors'  in the subject box). 

It is not the role of parent governors to deal with complaints. These should be discussed with the relevant member of school staff e.g. a class teacher, or the Head or Deputy Headteacher. The school does have a Complaints Procedure  (available here or at the school office) if further information is needed on how to have concerns or complaints dealt with.  

The Governing Body is always keen to find out the views of parents and other members of the school community on how the school could continue to move forwards.