The Governing Body of Upton Infant School would like to welcome all the users of this website. On this page, we aim to provide you with information and details of the tasks we undertake towards the successful running of the school. Hamwic Education Trust also has its own governance structure. Please click here for more information.
We hope that the information provided throughout this website will provide evidence of how much we all believe and value not only academic achievement, but also how much the children are encouraged to achieve their potential, as well as demonstrating how happy, safe and secure they feel in their learning environment. The Governors are proud to be a proactive part of a very successful and dedicated team. There are two sub committees with two clear roles and the main governing body committee. The learning committee's function is to oversee the curriculum, progress and attainment of children and assessment procedures. The finance and premises committee's responsibilities are budget, human resources, health and safety and buildings. Each
The Governing Body is always keen to meet and hear the views of both parents and pupils, and can be contacted via the governors' email address (governors@uptoninf.dorset.sch.uk) . Alternatively, contact details for the Chair and Vice Chair can be found at the bottom of each school newsletter. Minutes for each meeting are held in school should anyone wish to read them.
The Governors are actively involved in school life in many ways from appointing staff, overseeing budgetary expenditure and ensuring a safe environment for staff and children.
Gerry Holt
Date of appointment: 1/9/18
Category of governor: Co-opted
Committees attended: Finances and Premises
Responsibilities: Chair of Finance
Terms of office: 1/9/18
Business Interests: Nil
Financial Interests: Nil
Attendance 2017/18:N/A
Current Attendance: 100%
Governance Roles in other schools: N/A
Duncan Churchill
Date of appointment: 20/02/17
Category of governor: Headteacher
Committees attended: All
Responsibilities: Headteacher
Terms of office: 20/02/17
Attendance 2017/18: 100%
Current Attendance: 100%
Business Interests: Nil
Financial Interests: Nil
I have been a teacher for fourteen years working exclusively in Infant schools as I believe they give children the specialist start they need in their most important years at school. Prior to starting at Upton Infants I was the Headteacher of Mudeford Infants School in Christchurch which I led for six years. Outside of school I love to travel and I am a keen runner. In 2016 I completed my first marathon. I am delighted to have joined Upton and I look forward to working with the excellent team.
Deborah Sanders
Date of appointment: 01/03/1988
Category of governor: Co-opted
Committees attended: Standards and Curriculum
Responsibilities: Literacy
Terms of office: 01/03/13
Attendance 2017/18: 63%
Current Attendance: 100%
Business Interests: Nil
Financial Interests: Nil
I am married to David, who is a lawyer. We have three adult children, two boys and a girl, all of whom attended Upton Infants, Juniors and Lytchett Minster Schools. I am a Primary School teacher specialising in Music and teach this subject privately at home to children and adults. Miss Chalmers was the head when my eldest son entered the school and she invited me to become a governor. This means that I have been a governor for over twenty years. Consequently, I have seen many changes in staff, methods of teaching, the introduction of the National Curriculum with its various aspects, all of which have been interesting and have kept me up to date with the ever changing educational world. As a governor I try to attend all the meetings and visit the school frequently. Once a term there is a governors’ week when I and the other fellow governors come into school to observe lessons in all the years with a particular focus on which the head gives us. My particular governor role is linked with Literacy which means I have regular meetings with the Literacy Coordinator who keeps me informed of all that is going on in this subject within the school. We are not paid for being a governor and it means giving up some of our spare time. However, personally I find it very rewarding in that I help a little in seeing that Upton Infants remains a very good local school where everyone works as a team.
Karen Marsh
Date of appointment: 1/1/18
Category of governor:Co-opted
Committees attended: Curriculum and Standards
Responsibilities: Safeguarding and Pupil Premium
Terms of office: 1/1/18
Attendance 2017/18: 50% (joined part way through the year)
Current Attendance: 67%
Business Interests: Nil
Financial Interests: Nil
Dean Cluett
Date of appointment: 1/9/18
Category of governor: Parent
Committees attended: Finance and Premises
Responsibilities: Health and Safety
Terms of office: 1/9/18
Attendance 2017/18: N/A
Current Attendance: 85%
Business Interests: Sister in law is a teaching assistant
Financial Interests: Nil
Avril Perkins
Date of appointment: 16/09/14
Category of governor: Co-opted
Committees attended: Standards and Curriculum
Responsibilities: Inclusion and EYFS
Terms of office: 16/09/14
Attendance 2017/18: 60%
Current Attendance: 67%
Business Interests: Nil
Financial Interests: Nil
With well-established links to the school for many years, both my husband, who is retired, and our daughter attended the school in 1955 and 1984 respectively. Now I have recently become involved with the school as my grandson has joined a reception class this year. As a first-school teacher with 30 years experience in the Poole area, I have been impressed with all aspects of Upton Infants School, most notable is the way in which everyone, of all ages, is involved with school life, and the enthusiasm of staff throughout the school. I have enjoyed being a reading buddy in a reception class and look forward to being involved with many school activities in the coming years and am delighted to become a governor.
Emilie Hannam
Date of appointment: 05/07/16
Responsibilities: Chair of Governors and Chair of Standards and Curriculum
Category of governor: Parent
Committees attended: Standards and Curriculum
Responsibilities: School Development Plan - Curriculum
Terms of office: 05/07/16 - 04/07/20
Business Interests: Turbary Trust
Attendance 2017/18: 100%
Current Attendance: 67%
Financial Interests: Nil
I am primarily a mum of 3 young children. My daughter is now at the junior school, my middle child is in Year One and the baby of the family is due to start at Upton Infant School in a couple of years. I am also a Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist in the field of Brain Injury and I hope to bring some of my skills from my job to support my role as governor. I am very excited to be part of the governing body and to support the wonderful staff that Upton Infant School has. From a Parent's perspective I have been impressed with how children of all abilities and needs are included into the wonderful community of the school and how every child is given the opportunity to bloom in some aspect of school life. I am very honoured to be a part of it.
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