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

Co-opted Governor

Term of office from 1 Aug 2017 to 31 Jul 2025

First appointed on 28 Sep 2007

Roles/Responsibilities: HT Appraisal, Governor Training, Communication, Health & Safety, Overall Effectiveness, Leadership & Management, Quality of Education, Personal Development and Attitudes & Behaviour, Pupil Premium. 

Business and financial interests: n/a

Abi Quant-Epps

Headteacher

Term of office from 31 Aug 2021

Business and financial interests: n/a

Alex Dixon

Parent Governor

Term of office from 1 Sep 2016 to 28/02/2025 - Stepped down July 23

Roles/Responsibilities: Safer Recruitment/ Child Protection, Safeguarding, HT Appraisal.

Business and financial interests: n/a

Andrew Elkington

Co-opted Governor

Term of office from 18 Oct 2017 to 17 Oct 2025

First appointed on 18 Oct 2017

Roles/Responsibilities: HT Appraisal, Finance, Personal Development and Attitudes & Behaviour.

Business and financial interests: n/a

Anna Evans

Associate Member – Office Manager

Term of office from 20 Sep 2017 to 29 Sep 2025

Business and financial interests: n/a

Voting right - No

Kenneth Fallows

Local Authority Governor

Term of office from 4 Jun 2014 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

Rebecca Farnie

Co-opted Governor

Term of office from 16 Jan 2019 to 15 Jan 2023

First appointed on 16 Jan 2019 - Stepped down January 2023.

Roles/Responsibilities: Parent and Community, Pupil Premium, Quality of Education and EYFS.

Business and financial interests: n/a

Claire Melless

Associate Member 

Term of office from 7 Oct 2020 to 6 Oct 2024 - Stepped down July 23

First appointed on 7 Oct 2020

Roles/Responsibilities: Personal Development and Attitudes & Behaviour.

Business and financial interests: n/a

Voting right - No

Carl Boettcher

Parent Governor

Term of office from 2nd Feb 2022 to 1st Feb 2026

First appointed on 2nd Feb 2022

Roles/Responsibilities Outdoor Play And Learning Working Group, Personal Development and Attitudes & Behaviour.

Francesca Potter

Co-opted Governor

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

First appointed on 30th March 2023

Roles/Responsibilities Quality of Education / 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

Andrew Miles

Staff Governor

First appointed 18th Apr 2022

Roles/Responsibilities N/A

Paul Summers

Associate Member – Assistant Headteacher

First appointed 19 Jan 2022

Term of office from 19 Jan 2022 to 18 Jan 2026

Business and financial interests: n/a

Voting right - No

Samantha Taylor

Associate Member - Assistant Headteacher

Term of office from 30 Sep 2021 to 29 Sep 2025

First appointed on 30 Sep 2021

Roles/Responsibilities: n/a

Business and financial interests: n/a

Voting right - No

Annette Wilson

Associate Governor 

Term of office from 1 Aug 2017 to 31 Jul 2025

First appointed on 1 May 2012

Roles/Responsibilities: n/a

Business and financial interests: n/a

Voting right - No

Governor Attendance 2022 - 2023