Governors

Welcome to our Governors’ section. 

Please find below details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.

Welcome to the Governing Body page for St Michael’s CE VA Primary School

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:

• supporting staff in raising standards of achievement for all pupils
• providing strategic direction working with the Senior Leadership Team
• act as a critical friend to the Head Teacher to ensure accountability for the performance of the school

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 require and at least once a term.

The Committees

Finance
Environment
Curriculum and Standards
Staffing and Safeguarding
Pre-School
Christian

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

Members of St Michael’s CE VA Primary School Governing Body

Mrs Betty Wood – Chair of Governors & Foundation Governor
I am a Foundation Governor with responsibility for SEN and a member of the staffing and curriculum committees. 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 Ibecame 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.

Michaela Ellis - Vice Chair of St Michael’s Governing Body

Rachael Deem - Parent Governor
I have three daughters, two attending St Michael’s in KS1 and KS2 and another at secondary school. I have been actively involved in the school PFA for the past 3 years and I am a member of St Michael’s Pre-School Committee.

Mr Nick Kiddle – Headteacher/Governor

Mrs Kate Corbett - Staff Governor

Mrs Zoe Swan - Foundation Governor
I have lived in Lyme now for over eleven years and both my children have been or are still attending 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.

Mrs Diane Benjamin, BA, MA Engl - Foundation Governor 

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 are 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 rime 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.

Dr Gill Hanscombe - Foundation Governor

I was born and educated in Melbourne, Australia, where I attended St. Michael's Grammar School, then a girls' school run by Sisters of the Church, an Anglican Order whose Mother House was at Ham Common, Surrey.  After taking degrees in English and Music History from Melbourne and Monash Universities, I came to England and settled in London, where I worked in teaching and lecturing, marketing and journalism, and as a publisher's editor.  I was active in feminist politics and was a member of the Community Arts Sub-Committee of what was then the Greater London Council.

During this period of some 16 years I published several books and also researched English Literary Modernism for a D.Phil degree at St. Hugh's College, Oxford.  In 1989 I moved to the West Country and worked as a freelance writer and editor, before accepting an academic post as Chair of the Centre for Women's Studies at Exeter University.  Since retiring from the University, I have followed a range of literary interests.  I am an active member of the congregation of St. Michael's the Archangel Lyme Regis parish church and hope to strengthen the contact between the school and church through my work as a Governor.

Mrs Daphne Baker - Foundation Governor

Elaine Street - I have two boys who attended St Michaels and are now at Secondary school. I have had the privilege of being a governor at the school for the last 3 years and am also the governor attached to English and Reading.

Mrs Jackie Gannaway - Foundation Governor

Mr David Edwards – Co-opted Governor

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 (to 3 Headteacher’s), Office Manager and Clerk to Governors. Prior to this I spent 21 years in the pharmaceutical industry.
I enjoy walking my Labrador Molly who is known to like a swim and a keen Geocacher (a form of treasure hunting with a hand held GPS).