Please find below details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.
The Governing Body is committed to working as a team with staff, parents, children and all other stakeholders to ensure the best outcome for all pupils. Together we aim to make the School outstanding in every way while retaining the school’s unique and individual character within its own community. Our Governors come from all walks of life and represent different bodies such as the Salisbury Diocese (St Michael’s Church), the local education authority, parents and staff. The Governing Body has a statutory duty to regulate the school with a view to:
The full governing body meets twice a term, with various sub committees meeting regularly to carry out specific responsibilities in the course of the school year. Governors are linked to classes and some have specific responsibilities.
Governors monitor the success of teaching and learning through the reported pupil results, internal school data, direct observation, reference to the curriculum, discussion with teachers and conversation with pupils and parents.
Within this framework the focus of our governance is the wellbeing of the children. We want them to be the best they can be academically as well as being happy, safe and healthy within a caring, positive and Christian environment.
We have 12 Governors and as we are a Church of England School the majority of our governors are Foundation Governors with the responsibility to maintain the Christian ethos and values.
Full Governing Body Meetings are held on a Monday evening twice a term. Committees meet when required and at least once a term.
Curriculum, Standards and Effectiveness
Resources
Christian Ethos
Welfare
Strategic Planning
All correspondence for the governors must be sent via the Clerk to Governors who is Miss Ellie Doyle, at St. Michael’s CE VA Primary School, Kings Way, Lyme Regis, Dorset. DT7 3DY
Name | Category of Governor and Positions of Responsibility | Appointing Body | Governor Information | Committees | Term of Office Ends/Date Stepped Down | Relevant Business Interests |
Betty Wood | Chair of Governors and Foundation Governor
Chair of Curriculum, Standards and Effectiveness Committee
SEND Governor | Diocese | On leaving school I joined the RAF. Following a posting to New Delhi with my husband, where I worked in the Immigration and Passport Office at the High Commission we returned to England and moved to Dorset. While living in Broadmayne I ran a Brownie Pack, was treasurer for the PTFA and steward at my church. I was also a parish councillor and a District Councillor for WDDC for 9years.When both my children were in their teens I gained my B Ed from Southampton and Diploma in SEN from Exeter. I taught in Yeovil and was the SENCo at Ansford Community School in Castle Cary. In 1995 we moved to Lyme Regis and I retired in 1997. Soon afterwards I became a governor at St Michael's. I worship at St Michael's and play a full part in the life of the church and school. | Curriculum, Standards and Effectiveness
Resources | 30/09/2022 | None Registered |
Michaela Ellis | Foundation Governor
Chair of Resources Committee | Diocese | I am a Lyme Regis Town Councillor and have lived in Lyme Regis all my life. I have two children who both attended St Michael’s and during their time there I was an active member of the PTFA. | Resources | 11/06/2023 | None Registered |
Nick Kiddle | Head Teacher and Governor | Ex-Officio | All Committees | On-going | None Registered | |
Kate Corbett | Staff Governor | Staff Election | 01/03/2024 | None Registered | ||
Rev. Sarah Godfrey | Foundation Governor | Ex Officio Diocese | 11/10/2021 | None Registered | ||
Zoe Swan | Foundation Governor
SIP Governor | Diocese | I have lived in Lyme Regis for over eighteen years and both my children attended St Michaels Primary School. I made a slow start all those years ago at school but was privileged to have very good teaching and support which led to a career in physiotherapy and working with my husband in business. I am still learning! Despite my dislike of sitting on committees, I became a Foundation Governor and am hoping to contribute all I can to ensure the children enjoy and get the best from their education. | Curriculum, Standards and Effectiveness | 31/09/2024 | None Registered |
Diane Benjamin, BA, MA Engl | Vice Chair of Governors and Foundation Governor
Pupil Premium Governor | Diocese
| I am married to Richard and we have two children and 5 grandchildren. We bought a home in nearby Chideock 18 years years ago and moved into the area full time 9 years ago. A member of the St Giles Church, Chideock, I served on the PCC as Treasurer for 6 years and am currently Chair of the Friends of St. Giles. I began my working life as a Librarian, becoming chartered in 1973 and was employed within Surrey and Sussex as a Children's Librarian, School Librarian and finally for 12 years as Medical and Nursing Librarian. In 1986 I made a career change into Health Service Management and over the rest of my career to retirement in 2006 was employed at District Hospital, Regional Health Authority and national level posts within the NHS. During this time I enjoyed a secondment into Higher Education to develop learning outcomes and embed these into professional curriculum for health sector employees, returning to the NHS to work with colleagues on national education and HR strategy. I am a busy person who welcomes a new challenge and look forward to bringing some of my experience and commitment as a Governor to St. Michael's Primary School. | Resources
Christian Ethos and Welfare | 18/09/2022 | None Registered |
Heidi Merrett | Foundation Governor | Diocese | I have lived in Uplyme for over 15 years and have attended St. Michael's Church in Lyme Regis for the past 6 years where I have been a member of the PCC stepping up as lay chair during the vacancy and also representing the Deanery and Diocesan Synods. It was through the Church that my relationship with St. Michael's primary school began and I have spent some joyful times with the children both in school and when they visit the Church. I am passionate about giving children a safe and welcoming environment where they can embrace learning and I have definitely experienced this at St. Michael's where the staff so obviously care for the children entrusted to them. I am married to Ben and have 6 children and am currently half way through my formation for ministry training at Sarum College in Salisbury. If I manage to finish all the essays I will be ordained in July 2022. | Christian Ethos and Welfare | 30/09/2024 | None Registered |
Sally Coade | Foundation Governor
Safeguarding Governor | Diocese | Formerly a speech and language therapist working for the NHS (hospital based) for over 20 years, I moved to Chideock with my husband in 2008 where we had quite a change of career, running a B&B and cafe/tea garden until we retired in 2018. We have 4 grown up children and 5 grandchildren (so far!), 4 of whom attend excellent CofE (VA) primary schools in Berkshire and Leicestershire.. I am a member of St Giles Church, Chideock, where I am an occasional stand-in organist and choir leader, and would describe myself as a practical, community-minded individual and a strong believer in Christian values. | Christian Ethos and Welfare | 30/09/2024 | None Registered |
David Edwards | Co-opted Governor
| FGB | I retired early from Railtrack after thirty-three years in the railway industry as a Civil Engineer and Project Manager, and then became self-employed, in planning software training, safety risk assessment, and exam marking and accreditation assessment for the Association for Project Management.
Before moving to Lyme 17 years ago I was a co-opted Governor at Holywell Primary and Nursery School, Rubery with a particular interest in the condition and safety of the working environment and was keen to continue to support the education of this county’s primary resource, its children. I joined St Michaels Governors team soon after moving and continued in a similar role as well as contributing to the financial management of the school. An early rewarding contribution was in helping to develop what became the SureStart Centre.
Outside the Governors, I have been a member of LR Carnival Committee and Lyme Forward, and chair of the Marine Theatre Trust. Currently I am also co-chair of the Medical Centre PPG. | Resources | 20/01/2023 | None Registered |
Sian Shaw | Parent Governor | Parent Elected | I am Dorset-born and returned to my home county in January 2019 with my husband and son, who currently attends St. Michael's. I believe learning is a lifelong experience but the joy of it starts in primary education with the positivity and encouragement of a committed team of staff, governors and parents. I returned to education later in life myself, achieving 1st Class Honours in BA Creative Writing and MA Non-Fiction. Following brief stints working as an actor, a barmaid, an administrator in Social Services and then Financial Services, I spent nearly seventeen years working in broadcast media for organisations including Channel 5 Broadcasting Ltd, the BBC, YouView Television Ltd and Arqiva Ltd. My executive assistant role included project management, internal policy communications, writing press releases, and working closely with the Business Strategy Team to deliver our Director's vision. I worked on pan-industry projects to deliver media literacy materials for secondary education, and established cohesive working practices for environmental awareness and off-screen diversity along with other Corporate Social Responsibility projects. | Strategic Planning | 19/03/2024 | None Registered |
Ellie Doyle | Clerk to the Governors | I was appointed as Clerk to the Governors at St. Michael's in June 2014. I retired to Weymouth from North Yorkshire following ten years as the Headteacher's PA, Office Manager and Clerk to Governors in a secondary school. Prior to this I spent 21 years in the pharmaceutical industry. I am currently a clerk for 4 Primary Schools in Dorset and have successfully completed the Professional Clerk's programme. |
Governors whose Term of Office has ended or have stepped down in the past 12 months
Name | Category of Governor and Positions of Responsibility | Committees | Term of Office Ends/Date Stepped Down | Relevant Business Interests |
21/09/2020 | 07/12/2020 | 15/03/2021 | 26/04/2021 | 12/07/2021 | 20/09/2021 | 06/12/2021 | 31/01/2022 | 14/02/2022 | 21/02/2022 | |
B WOOD | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | x |
M ELLIS | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
N KIDDLE | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
K CORBETT | ✓ | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
Z SWAN | x | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
D BENJAMIN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | x | x | ✓ |
D EDWARDS | x | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | x | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | x | x |
S SHAW | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
S COADE | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
H MERRETT | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | x | x | x | ✓ | x | ✓ | ✓ |
S GODFREY | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
22/10/2020 (report from Head Teacher) | 25/02/2021 (report from Head Teacher) | 24/06/2021 | 29/11/2021 | 20/01/2022 | |
B WOOD | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
N KIDDLE | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Z SWAN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | x |
D BENJAMIN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | x | ✓ |
S COADE | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ✓ |
S SHAW | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ✓ |
N TOWNLEY (attended as Deputy Head Teacher - no voting rights) | ✓ | ✓ | x | ✓ | ✓ |
19/11/2020 | 25/02/2021 | 25/03/2021 | 24/06/2021 | 25/11/2021 | 10/02/2022 | 17/03/2022 | |
M ELLIS | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
B WOOD | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
D BENJAMIN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
N KIDDLE | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
D EDWARDS | ✓ | x | ✓ | x | ✓ | x | x |
S SHAW (no longer on this committee as at 24.03.2022) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | N/A |
N DUNPHY (attended as School Support Services Manager - no voting rights) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
28/02/2020 (Report from Head Teacher) | 24/06/2021 | 16/09/2021 | 11/11/2021 | 10/01/2022 | 14/02/2022 | 02/03/2022 | |
N KIDDLE | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
H MERRETT | ✓ | ✓ | x | ✓ | x | x | ✓ |
D BENJAMIN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | x | ✓ | ✓ |
S COADE | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Z SWAN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
S GODFREY | N/A | N/A | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
01/12/2021 | |
B WOOD | ✓ |
N KIDDLE | ✓ |
S SHAW | ✓ |