HELPING CHILDREN THRIVE
A team committed to excellence.

Our Governing Body

What our Governors do

Our Governing Body is made up of members of our school, and local community. We work closely with the Executive Headteacher as part of the school leadership and take an active interest in what happens at Somerset. We have responsibility for strategic planning and policy development. We work as a team to make sure the school provides a good quality education for all its pupils. You may contact the governors in writing via the school office.

Governing Body structure

The Governing Body constitution is of 14 Governors:

  • 9 co-opted governors
  • 2 elected parent governors
  • 1 local authority governor
  • 1 elected staff governor
  • 1 Executive Headteacher

Governing Body responsibilities

The Governing Body has many specific responsibilities as defined in the School Governance Regulations. They include;

  • The responsibility for the conduct of the school.
  • Setting targets in standards and achievement.
  • Statutory responsibilities regarding Special Educational Needs and Disability.
  • Ensuring policies relating to the school’s operation are prepared and are reviewed regularly.
  • Providing information for parents.
  • Financial management and meeting the Schools Financial Values Standards.
  • Personnel matters, including staff appointments as appropriate.
  • Management and maintenance of buildings.
  • Pupil discipline and behaviour.
  • Monitoring and evaluating the activities of the school.
  • Drawing up an Action Plan after an inspection by OFSTED and overseeing its implementation.

The Governing Body delegates all of its functions to a committee and the day to day running of the school and decisions to the Executive Headteacher.

The Governors

Operational Committees include:

  • Curriculum & Achievement
  • Resources

All committees report directly to the Full Governing Body.

Chair of Governors

  • Adam Ockelford (Chair of Governors) (LA Governor) (Safeguarding Governor - Eastwood Nursery)

Vice Chair of Governors

  • Clive Landa ( Eastwood Day Nursery Governor)

Co-opted Governors

  • Lotte Lydon (Teaching and Learning Committee Chair, Send Governor - Balham Nursery))
  • Helen Thouless (Send Governor - Somerset Nursery) )
  • Francois Marshall
  • Khushroo Dastur ( Resources Committee Chair)
  • Helen Tovey (Safeguarding Governor - Somerset Nursery)

Parent Governors

-Melanie Pollett (Safeguarding Governor - Balham Nursery)
-Susanna Giustiniani
-Valentine Obichigha (Health and Safety Governor)

Staff Governors

  • Russell Howard
  • Fiona Treadaway
  • Vacancy

Executive Headteacher

  • Emma Williams

Associate members

  • Camila Alton
  • Kitty Devaney (Safeguarding Governor - Balham Nursery)
  • Fiona Combe