Welcome to the Governors page. The Governors at Abbey Gates who act as "critical friends". Governors support the Head Teacher and the school but also have a monitoring role asking relevant questions such as "Is it working?", "How do we know it is working?",  "How can we get better?".

Governors need no formal qualifications but do need these particular qualities:

• an interest in the education and well-being of our children
• a willingness to ask questions
• the time commitment to attend meetings
• a commitment to be part of a team which, by working together, can make a real difference to the school.

The work of the Governing body is wide-ranging and there are, therefore, Working Parties which have specific areas of work delegated to them. These committees report back to the full Governing body meeting for ratification of their decisions. Abbey Gates has the following committees: Full Governors, Pay, Performance Management and Discipline. A brief description of the remit of these committees are as follows:

• Full Governors – all governors are members. Meetings are half-termly (see below). 
• Pay Committee - reviews and implements the pay policy.
• Performance Management - reviews and implements the performance management policy.
• Other working parties organised through Full Governor Meetings. 

The Full Governor Meetings are held half-termly and focus as follows: 

Governor Roles and Responsibilities

Colin Barnard - Chair

Co-opted Governor

Term of office from 1 Aug 2025 to 31 Jul 2029

First appointed on 28 Sep 2007

Roles/Responsibilities: HT Appraisal, Governor Training, Health & Safety, Achievement, Leadership & Governance, EYFS. 

Business and financial interests: n/a

Abi Quant-Epps

Headteacher

Term of office from 31 Aug 2021

Business and financial interests: n/a

Andrew Elkington

Co-opted Governor

Term of office from 18th Oct 2025 to 17th Oct 2029

First appointed on 18th Oct 2017

Roles/Responsibilities: HT Appraisal, Finance, Curriculum & Teaching.

Business and financial interests: n/a

Anna Evans

Associate Member – Office Manager

Term of office from 30th Sep 2025 to 29th Sep 2029

First appointed on 30th September 2021

Business and financial interests: n/a

Voting right - No

Kenneth Fallows

Local Authority Governor

Term of office from 4 Jun 2022 to 3 Jun 2026

First appointed on 4 Jun 2014

Roles/Responsibilities: Inclusion/SEN, Appraisal, Complaints, Overall Effectiveness, Leadership & Management.

Business and financial interests: n/a

Carl Boettcher

Co-opted Governor

Term of office from 26th March 2026 to 24th March 2030

First appointed on 2nd Feb 2022

Roles/Responsibilities, Attendance & Behaviour, GDPR.

Francesca Potter

Co-opted Governor

Term of office from 30th March 2023 to 29th March 2027

First appointed on 30th March 2023

Roles/Responsibilities: Safeguarding & Inclusion/SEND.

Business and financial interests: n/a

Stuart Bestwick

Co-opted Governor

Term of office from 30th March 2023 to 29th March 2027

First appointed on 30th March 2023

Roles/Responsibilities: Leadership and Management. 

Business and financial interests: n/a

Gareth Rich

Staff Governor

First appointed 1st September 2025 to 31st August 2029

Roles/Responsibilities N/A

Voting right - No

Samantha Taylor

Associate Member - Assistant Headteacher

Term of office from 30 Sep 2025 to 29 Sep 2029

First appointed on 30 Sep 2021

Roles/Responsibilities: n/a

Business and financial interests: n/a

Voting right - No

Keeley Bowell

Associate Member - Assistant Headteacher

Term of office from 1st Sep 2024 to 31st Aug 2028

First appointed on 1st Sep 2024

Roles and Responsibilities: n/a

Business and financial interests: n/a

Voting right - No

Governor Attendance 2023 - 2024