Governors
Who are our Governors?
Information about the School's Governors
The DfE requires schools to publish specific information about its governors, including those who served during the previous school year. The listing below, therefore, includes our current governors, and those who left the governing body during the 2023/24 school year. Governors undertake many activities in support of our school's success; the meeting attendance rates below represent only a small part of this.
What is a Governing Body?
Governing bodies are accountable for:
- The use of public funds,
- The quality of education provided,
- The wider contribution to the community.
The school's Governing Body is a Board made up of Church parents, staff and members of the local community. They are the strategic leaders of the school and have a vital role to play in making sure every child gets the best possible education.
We have:
- One Parent Governor Bishop Sutton
- One Parent Governor Stanton Drew
- One Headteacher Governor
- One Staff Governor
- Seven Co-Opted Governors
Parent governors are elected by the school's parent and carer community. Staff governors are elected by school staff. Co-opted governors are appointed by the Lighthouse Schools Partnership, on the Local Governing Body's recommendation.
Our Chair of Governors is Dan Spinney
Our Vice-Chair of Governors is Sarah Cran
Our Clerk to Governors is Liz Dagger
What does the Governing Body do?
The Governing Body has three core responsibilities:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction,
- Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils,
- Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
The Governing Body fulfils its responsibilities by:
- Helping to establish the aims and policies of the school and how standards of education can be constantly improved,
- Ensuring that a broad and balanced curriculum is delivered and that it meets statutory requirements, while promoting high standards and monitoring progress during the year,
- Appointing, challenging and supporting the Headteacher,
- Acting as a link between the local community and the school,
- Helping to set and manage the school budget,
- Ensuring the health and safety of pupils and staff.
We meet as a Local Governing Body six times a year but also in working groups, where certain aspects of the school are considered in more detail. All Governance duties are carried out in close collaboration with the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team. It is often said that Governors should aim to act as a “critical friend” to the Headteacher. Every decision made is done so with the best interests of pupils, staff and parents very much in mind.
Our governors take full advantage of the training available to them in all aspects of their responsibilities in order to be as effective as possible.
Lead-Governors
The Local Governing Body appoints lead-governors with specific responsibilities for key areas of the school's activities and its development priorities.
- Finance Committee: Rebecca Wootton (Chair), Dan Spinney, Tim Eustace, Sarah Marchant & Sally Phillips (Co-opted member), Liz Dagger (Clerk)
- Health and Safety: Nikki Jones
- Pupil Premium: Phil Cocks
- Safeguarding, Online Safety & Prevent Duty: Di Dimmock
- Attendance: Di Dimmock
- Special Educational Needs and Disability: Nikki Jones
- Risk Register: Sally Connell
Our Governors
Mr Dan Spinney - Chair of Governors
Dan is father to three girls at Bishop Sutton. He is a management consultant with a background in engineering and he works in organisational design helping public sector organisations to achieve their strategic vision. He has also been on the Chew Valley Squash Club committee for some years, developing its online presence and publicising it.
- Co-Opted Governor: 1 January 2023 - 31 December 2026
- Business & Pecuniary Interests: None
- 2022/23 LGB Meeting Attendance: 100%
Mrs Diane Dimmock
Diane has been a governor since 1999 and is now a co-opted Governor after previously being a staff governor. Many of you will know Diane very well from her years as our welcoming ‘front of house’ School Business Manager.
- Co-Opted Governor: 1 January 1999 - 5 December 2026
- Business & Pecuniary Interests: None
- 2022/23 LGB Meeting Attendance: 70%
- 2021/22 LGB Meeting Attendance: 60%
Mr Tim Eustace
Tim Eustace is the Executive Headteacher of the Federation of Bishop Sutton and Stanton Drew Primary Schools. He joined us on 1st September 2024, having previously worked at St Peter's Primary School, Portishead.
- Headteacher: from 1 September 2024
- Business and Pecuniary Interests: None
Mrs Sarah Marchant
Sarah has lived in Stanton Drew with her husband since 2010 and has two step daughters and two grandsons.
Sarah has worked in senior roles in the private and public sectors and her experience lies in leadership, business planning, financial management, human resources and employee engagement and wellbeing. She is passionate about raising awareness of mental health and has extensive experience of supporting people with mental health concerns.
- Co-Opted Governor: 17 July 2024 - 16 July 2028
- Business & Pecuniary Interests: None
Mr Phil Cocks
Phil is delighted to be a governor for Bishop Sutton and Stanton Drew Primary schools. He moved into Bishop Sutton in October 2015 with his wife Victoria and daughter Florence, His background lies within education and he is currently Deputy Head at a secondary Academy in south Bristol where he is responsible for academic outcomes, teaching and learning and the curriculum. Alongside his wider duties he teaches Maths and PE at both Key Stage 3 and 4. Outside of education he is very keen to fully immerse himself in village life. His family has really enjoyed living in Bishop Sutton and supporting all the local events they can. He is also a proud member of the village cricket club.
- Co-Opted Governor: 4 September 2018 - 11 July 2026
- Business & Pecuniary Interests: Member of LSP staff
- 2022/23 LGB Meeting Attendance: 85%
- 2021/22 LGB Meeting Attendance: 100%
Mrs Sally Connell
Sally has been involved in school governance in both a voluntary and paid capacity for nearly 20 years. Having previously been Clerk to Governors at the Federation she is now keen to continue to offer her support to the schools as a co-opted Governor.
- Co-Opted Governor: 1 January 2024 - 31 December 2028
- Business & Pecuniary Interests: Business Manager at Chew Stoke Church School
- 2023/24 LGB Meeting Attendance:
Mrs Stephanie Tucker
- Co-Opted Governor: 1 September 2014 - 1 September 2023
- Business & Pecuniary Interests: Member of Staff
- 2022/23 LGB Meeting Attendance: 70%
- 2021/22 LGB Meeting Attendance: 80%
Nikki Jones
Nikki moved to Stanton Drew from the Welsh Valleys in 2020 and lives with her partner and three stepchildren. She has a long-standing passion for Early Years and Community Development to deliver high quality and affordable services for all, providing opportunities for children, staff, parents, and communities to reach their full potential with a focus on positive well-being.
She has a wealth of knowledge in Strategic Management, leadership and project management and has years of experience of contributing to Boards of Trustees, Governors (at Primary and Secondary Schools) and the Local Swimming Club Committee.
- Co-Opted Governor: 1 September 2023 - 31 August 2027
- Business & Pecuniary Interests: None
Sarah Cran
Sarah lives in Stanton Drew with her husband and three children, with two children attending Stanton Drew primary school and the eldest having left last year to start at Chew Valley School.
Sarah has a passion for education that started as a teacher across a range of primary, secondary and special schools and then as a school consultant. During that time, she also expanded her knowledge with a Masters in Special Educational Needs and an MBA in Education from the Institute of Education in London.
Before moving to the area, she continued her interest in education as a school governor in several primary schools in Bishop’s Stortford, including leading as Chair of Governors through the school’s response to the pandemic.
Having moved to the area in 2021, Sarah has embraced her new home in Stanton Drew and is also a Governor at Chew Valley School and on the Stanton Drew Parish Council.
- Co-Opted Governor: 27 February 2023 - 26 February 2027
- Business & Pecuniary Interests: Sarah is also a Governor at Chew Valley
- 2022/23 LGB Meeting Attendance: 75%
Rebecca Wootton
Becky lives in Stanton Drew and has a daughter who attends Stanton Drew Primary. She has spent her career working in television production and is currently a Head of Production overseeing a variety of natural history and wildlife documentaries, filming across the world. Outside of work, Becky has a keen interest in fitness and enjoys embracing country living.
- Co-Opted Governor: 1 September 2023 - 31 August 2027
- Business & Pecuniary Interests: None
Previous Governors
Mrs Penny Cross
- Co-Opted Governor: 30 November 2009 - 30 November 2023
- Business & Pecuniary Interests: None
- 2023/24 LGB Meeting Attendance: 100%
- 2022/23 LGB Meeting Attendance: 100%
Dieter Cook
- Headteacher: from 1 September 2015
- Business & Pecuniary Interests: None
- 2023/24 LGB Meeting Attendance: 100%
- 2022/23 Finance Committee Meeting Attendance: 100%
- 2022/23 LGB Meeting Attendance: 100%
Mr Robert Walton
- Bishop Sutton Parent Governor: 21 March 2022 - 12 June 2024
- Business & Pecuniary Interests: None
- 2023/24 LGB Meeting Attendance: 70%
- 2022/23 Finance Committee Meeting Attendance: 100%
- 2022/23 LGB Meeting Attendance: 70%
Mrs Julie Hughes
- Co-Opted Governor: 6 November 2017 - 23 July 2024
- Business & Pecuniary Interests: None
- 2023/24 LGB Meeting Attendance: %
- 2022/23 LGB Meeting Attendance: 85%
Mr Andy Marriott
- Staff Governor: 1 September 2014 - 12 June 2024
- Business & Pecuniary Interests: None
- 2023/24 LGB Meeting Attendance: 100%
- 2023/24 Finance Committee Meeting Attendance: 100%
- 2022/23 LGB Meeting Attendance: 100%
Mrs Kit Strickland
- Stanton Drew Parent Governor: 1 January 2018 - 23 July 2024
- Business & Pecuniary Interests: None
- 2023/24 LGB Meeting Attendance: %
- 2022/23 Finance Committee Meeting Attendance: 75%
- 2022/23 LGB Meeting Attendance: 100%