Governors
Dear Parents and Friends
At Great Waldingfield CEVC School, Governors, staff, parents and children work together in a happy, creative and high attaining environment. We recognise each child as an individual: their happiness and fulfilment is our priority.
The whole school community is committed to providing learning opportunities of the highest standards based on a foundation of Christian values and practice. Our respectful culture promotes compassion, honesty, self-confidence and pride in our children. Our Christian Values, which interweave so much with British Values, underpin the life of our school.
The children in our school achieve high standards across the curriculum. We are justifiably very proud of them and thank the parents for the encouragement and support they give their children. During the early years of primary education, academic, personal, social and creative skills are nurtured and developed. In a good school, such as ours, parents take a great interest in their child’s learning and development; we welcome their interest and support.
The last two years have been very challenging for all in our community, including our school’s staff, parents and pupils. As governors, we have been inspired and impressed by the dedication of the staff, the support of parents, and the enthusiasm and dedication of the pupils themselves to continue to make such strong progress during the pandemic. We have seen this at first hand in our visits to the school.
The Governing Body comprises some staff members, parents and members of the local community and is involved with our school at every level. This includes finance, safeguarding, and premises management. As Governors, we consider our most important role to be the safety, welfare and education of our pupils.
Our roles as Governors are to ensure that objectives are met and that future planning is visionary and realistic. We provide strategic direction for the improvement of the school; monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the school; and hold the school to account for the standards achieved and the quality of education. We are here to support and encourage our Headteacher, her Senior Leadership Team and all school staff and to ensure that every one of our children has access to an enriched education and to all the opportunities that they deserve. As governors of a Church of England school, we also have responsibilities for the appointment of staff and for the Christian ethos of the school.
Should you wish to contact me to discuss any matter further, I can be reached via admin@greatwaldingfield.suffolk.sch.uk I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible throughout the school year.
Yours faithfully,
Mark van der Lande CBE
Chair of Governors
Please find below details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories and responsibilities for each Governor. We have also provided a Register of Governor Interests for your information.
If you would like to contact the governors, please do so by either telephoning or emailing the school.
Telephone: 01787 374055
Email : admin@greatwaldingfield.suffolk.sch.uk
Name |
Category of Governor |
Committee Membership |
Sarah Baker |
Headteacher |
Education Resources Salaries |
Rev Faith Marsden |
Foundation |
Education (Chair) Salaries RE & Collective worship |
Rev Ruth Ridge | Foundation | Education |
Tina Balaam | Staff | Education |
Vashti Davis | Parent |
Education Safeguarding Filtering & Monitoring |
Mark Van de Lande Chair of Governing Body |
Co-Opted |
Education Resources Link Governor Pupil Premium SEN LAC |
Renuka Baldwin |
Co-Opted |
Education |
Paul Clover |
Local Authority |
Education ECT |
Rev James Ridge | Associate with voting rights | Resources (Chair) |
Jerry Crawford | Co-Opted |
Resources Health & Safety PE Sports Premium |
Richard Stuart | Parent |
Resources Education |
Name
|
Category of Governor
|
Appointed by which body |
Term of Office Started |
Term of Office Ends |
Committee Membership |
Position of Responsibility |
All relevant Business interests |
Member of another Governing Body |
Any relation to Staff members? |
Sarah Baker |
Headteacher |
By virtue of office |
01/09/2023 |
|
Education, Resources Salaries |
|
None |
No |
None |
Rev Faith Marsden |
Foundation |
By virtue of office |
01/03/2016 |
|
Education
|
RE & Collective Worship HT Appraisal |
Trustee New Life Church Trustee & Chair of Future Vision |
No |
None |
Vashti Davis | Parent | LGB | 08/02/2021 | 07/02/2025 | Education |
Safeguarding Filtering & Monitoring |
None | No | None |
Mark van der Lande Chair of Governing Body |
Co-Opted |
LGB |
29/10/2020 | 28/10/2024 |
Education Resources |
Pupil Premium Link Governor LAC |
|
No |
No |
Renuka Baldwin | Co-Opted | LGB | 12/02/2021 | 11/02/2025 | Education | Teaching and Learning | Chair of Great Waldingfield Parish Council | No | No |
Rev Ruth Ridge | Foundation | LGB | 14/02/2022 | 13/02/2026 | Education |
Volunteer Future Vision Christian Schools Work |
No |
None |
|
Rev James Ridge | Associate with voting rights | LGB | 16/11/2021 | 15/11/225 | Education | None | No | None | |
Tina Balaam | Staff | LGB | 01/10/2023 | 01/10/2027 | Education | Related to after school Gymnastics Coach | No | None | |
Paul Clover | LA | LGB | 10/11/2023 | 09/11/2027 | Education | ECT | |||
Richard Stuart | Parent | LGB | 20/02/2024 | 19/02/2028 |
Education Resources |
||||
Jerry Crawford | Co-Opted | LGB | 26/06/2023 | 25/06/2027 | Resources |
Health & Safety PE Sports Premium |
None | No | None |