Would you like to be a governor?

Please get in touch with our Clerk to Governors, Sue Fletcher, if you have any questions about the role of governor or the commitment involved. Sue can be reached on 01929 500599 or suefletcher@theswanageschool.co.uk.

Governor Information Pack

Elections for the majority of our governor roles are held annually in July, but we welcome enquiries at any time. Some general information can be found on this page but please get in touch if you are interested in learning more about the role of Governor or becoming a Governor for The Swanage School. 

Governance

The Swanage School is a locally accountable academy run in accordance with cooperative principles.

Our school is run by the Headteacher and staff, overseen by the Governing Body, who are appointed by the Academy Trust, Education Swanage. Any member of the community is able to join the trust for a £1 annual fee as long as they agree to the trust’s values.

Members of the Trust appoint the majority of Governors, who have an overall responsibility for the school.  The Governing Body also contains the Headteacher and two Staff Governors, and at least two Parent Governors. Governors are subject to DBS checks (formerly CRB). All posts last for four years, and if Governors want to serve again they must stand for re-election.

The Governing Body welcomes input from the wider community and will also take advice from the Student Council, which will have members appointed by the students. By adopting cooperative principles of openness and democracy, Education Swanage seeks to make the Trust as locally accountable as possible and to embed The Swanage School in the heart of the community.

Governor Elections and Education Swanage AGMs

Appointment of the Swanage School Governing Body will be in line with the standard Department for Education Memorandum and Articles of Association. In summary:

• The Head Teacher will be a Governor
• Parents will be asked to vote for at least 2 Parent Governors. These Parent Governors must be parents of pupils when they are elected
• Members of Education Swanage can vote for up to 12 Governors
• Staff will be asked to vote for at least 2 Staff Governors
• The Governors themselves can co-opt up to 3 extra Governors

Governors are appointed for up to four years and may stand for re-appointment at the end of their term.

All Governors are also Directors of Education Swanage.

Associates

The Governors may appoint Associates to help with the work:

• The Associates need not be members of Education Swanage
• The Associates do not need to obtain a CRB check
• Associates may attend and participate in discussion at Governors’ Meetings, but may not vote.

Constituencies

There are various groups who will be able to choose the Swanage School Governors, and Education Swanage want to involve people more widely if possible.

Education Swanage Members

• Members pay an annual membership of £1 (mainly to keep track of who is a member)
• Education Swanage Members vote for up to 12 Governors
• The Governors appointed by Education Swanage do not need to be Members of Education Swanage
• Any Governor appointed by Education Swanage will need a CRB check (which will be paid for by the school)
• New members are appointed by unanimous vote of members. Anyone can apply to become a member. There is a presumption that new members will be appointed as long as they sign up to Vision and Ethos.

Staff Constituency

• The Staff Constituency comprises all employees (teaching and non-teaching staff)
• The Staff Constituency will vote for two Governors, who are members of staff (employees)
• A Staff Governor will cease to be a Staff Governor when employment as a member of staff ceases
• In addition, staff may be appointed as Governors by Members of Education Swanage or co-opted as Governors by the Governors, though the number of Governors who are employees (including the Principal) must not be more than one third of the total number of Governors
• The Staff Governors, with the Head Teacher, will act as a conduit between the Staff Constituency and the Governing Body. This is in addition to the day to day management structure of the school.

Parent Constituency

• The Parent Constituency comprises parents of pupils of the school
• ’Parents’ includes step-parents, adoptive parents and any person who stands in the position of primary carer of a pupil of the school
• The Parent Constituency will vote for two Governors, who are part of the Parent Constituency
• Parent Governors must obtain a CRB check (paid for by the school)
• Parent Governors may continue to be Governors for their full term even if the pupils who are their children have left the school
• The Parent Governors will act as a conduit between the Parent Constituency and the Governing Body. This is in addition to the day to day open door policy of the school.

Student Constituency

• The Student Constituency comprises all pupils at the school
• Students do not vote for Governors on account of their age
• Students cannot be Governors on account of their age
• The Student Constituency will vote for a Student Forum
• The Student Constituency will set its own rules for electing and running the Student Forum (subject to approval by the Governing Body)
• The Governing Body would like students to have a voice in the running of the school and we intend to seek their opinions on meaningful issues
• The Governing Body would like students to give feedback on teaching and learning at the school
• The Governing Body would like students to assist with the recruitment of staff
• The Governing Body would like the Student Constituency to feel that their constructive opinions are valued, and that they are part of the team that makes the Swanage School a success. As part of this, the Student Forum will act as a conduit between Student Constituency and the Governing Body.

Community Constituency

• Members of the wider community are not directly involved in running the school
• Members of the wider community will not vote for Governors (unless they are members of Education Swanage)
• Members of the wider community may be appointed as Governors by members of Education Swanage or co-opted as Governors by the Governing Body
• The Governing Body hopes that the school’s relationship with the community will be good for both the school and the community, would like the wider community to feel that their constructive opinions are valued, and that they are part of the team that makes the Swanage School a success. As part of this, the Governing Body proposes that there should be a Community Constituency which will include any person or business with premises inside the catchment area of The Swanage School.
• The Governing Body would like to hear their feedback on a regular basis and intend to hold meetings for the Community Constituency once or twice a year, where information and views will be shared
• The Governing Body hopes that some businesses, organisations and individuals in the community will be involved with school clubs, work experience, and community service
• The Governing Body wants the school to be an asset to the community, and hope that the community will be able to use the school’s facilities at a modest charge (with any profits going to The Swanage School)

The Governing Body:

Paul Angel, Parent Governor and Chair of the Community & Engagement Committee, returned to the Governing Body in 2019 (having been one of the School's founding Governors). Paul lives in Swanage and runs a family bookshop business in Westbourne and Wimborne.  

Peter Collins, Governor, is a retired Police Inspector and has held a number of roles volunteering for the Church and Council. He also volunteers at the School and is our SEND link governor.

Alex Duke, Staff Governor, is the Design & Technology Teacher and is committed to promoting STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics), cross-curricular initiatives and employability skills. Prior to teaching, Mr Duke worked in industry.

Tanya Hamilton-Fletcher, Governor, has worked in children's social care for over 30 years managing services for children in care, care leavers and children who are disabled across Dorset. She has been a Brownie Guider for the same length of time and is a founding committee member for the charity Friends of Dorset Care Leavers. Tanya lives in Swanage and has grandchildren at the school.

Adam Hines, Staff Governor, teaches physics and maths at the school and is also responsible for the development of technology for learning. 

William Knight, Chair of the Finance & Premises Committee, has a background in IT and senior management and has been a school Governor for 30 years, including at St George’s Primary School. He lives in Langton.

Jenny Maraspin is the Headteacher and sits on the board in an ex officio capacity.

Tim Marcus, Chair of Governors, is an IT expert (and is our E-safety Link Governor). His digital agency has a niche in developing websites for the education sector. Tim also advises UK government departments on IT strategy and spending. He lives in Swanage with his wife and two children, who attend the School.

Vanessa Millman, Governor, is a consultant in emergency medicine and a Lifeboat Medical Adviser for Swanage RNLI. Vanessa has previously been a governor at St George's VA Primary for a number of years. She has a son at the School. 

Helen O'Connor has been co-opted  to the Governing Body again this year. Helen has a wealth of educational experience and is an Area Director at Teach First, a not-for-profit organisation that supports trainee and NQT teachers and promotes leadership development. 

Amanda Rowley, Governor, is one of the founding Governors of the School. She runs an advertising and marketing company. Her daughter completed GCSEs at the School in the 2018 cohort, and her son still attends. Amanda lives in Swanage.

Jessica Starmer, Governor, is our Link Governor for Health & Safety. She works as a pilot for British Airways and has also been involved in developing human factors, performance and peer support. Jessica has a particular interest in mental health and emotional response.

Catherine Starmer-Howes, Parent Governor, has worked both as a secondary and primary school teacher, and held roles including trainee teacher monitoring and subject responsibility. Although she has since left teaching, Catherine remains passionate about good education and has served as a Governor previously, both at The Swanage School and Corfe Castle Primary.

Carl Styants has been co-opted to the board this year, having been a founding Governor of the school. He is Chair of the Staffing Committee. Carl is a magazine editor and journalist and lives in Swanage with his partner and two children, both of whom attend the School.

Isobel Tooley, Chair of the Student Committee, is a Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries and uses her business, analytical and finance skills to support and challenge the school’s leadership team. She lives in Langton with husband Steve and their two children.

Contact the Governing Body

You can contact any of the members of the Governing Body by emailing the Clerk, Sue Fletcher, on clerk@theswanageschool.co.uk or by writing to them c/o The Swanage School, High Street, Swanage BH19 2PH.

Further Information about the Governing Body

Register of Interests

Governing Body Meeting Dates and Minutes

Governor Roles and Meeting Attendance

Scheme of Delegation