Governor Information
The Governing Body's remit is to
- set the school's vision, ethos and strategic direction;
- hold the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils; and
- oversee the financial performance of the school, making sure that its money is well spent
Governing Body Structure
The Governing Body structure is reviewed annually by the Local Governing Body (LGB) to ensure that it meets the demands of the Lighthouse Schools Partnership (LSP) Scheme of Delegation.
- Chair of Governors: Mrs Helen Dawes
- Vice-Chair of Governors: vacant
- Two parent governors: Ms Helen Della Nave and Mr Alastair McKenzie-Kerr
- One staff governor: Miss Sarah-Jayne Speed
- One headteacher governor: Mr Richard Riordan
- Ten co-opted governors: Mrs Helen Dawes, Mrs Janet Fletcher, Mrs Lisa Gardner, Mr Nathan Gee, Mrs Kimberley Jones, Mr Tim Perkin, and Mr Philip Rowe (and three vacancies)
Appointment of Governors
- Co-opted Governors are appointed by the Governing Body (as were Community Governors, prior to the discontinuation of this category on 31 December 2014) [The appointment of co-opted governors is ratified by the LSP Trust Board]
- Parent Governors are elected by the school's parents and carers
- Staff Governors are elected by school staff
- Local Authority Governors were recommended by North Somerset Council, and appointed by the Governing Body. Now that our school is part of the LSP, its governing body no longer includes a local authority governor.
Governor Committees
The Governing Body committees are
- Finance Committee: responsible for financial matters, and Chaired by Mr Alastair McKenzie-Kerr
- Admissions Committee: responsible for pupil admissions, and Chaired by Mr Philip Rowe
- Pay Committee: responsible for staff pay, and Chaired by (to be appointed for 2022/23)
Information About Our Governors
The DfE requires all schools to publish some specific information about its governors. This is given below for our current governors, and those who completed their terms of office or resigned since 1 September 2020.
- Mrs Angela Cook
Co-opted Governor: 1 January 2015 – 31 December 2018 and 1 January 2019 – 31 August 2021 (resigned)
Community Governor: 4 September 2013 – 31 December 2014
Business & Pecuniary Interests: none
2020/21 Meeting Attendance: 75%
- Mrs Helen Dawes
Co-opted Governor: 30 March 2016 – 29 March 2020 and 30 March 2020 - 29 March 2024
Business & Pecuniary Interests: Programme Manager, Lloyds Banking Group; husband [David Slack] is Manager, High Impact Families Team, North Somerset Council
2020/21 Meeting Attendance: 100%
- Ms Helen Della Nave
Parent Governor: 27 June 2018 – 26 June 2022
Business & Pecuniary Interests: Open Source Science Manager at We The Curious; parent of children attending Portishead Primary School
2020/21 Meeting Attendance: 100%
- Mrs Janet Fletcher
Co-opted Governor: 1 September 2015 – 31 August 2019 and 1 September 2019 – 31 August 2023
Staff Governor: 30 September 2014 – 31 August 2014
Business & Pecuniary Interests: member of staff at Portishead Primary School
2020/21 Meeting Attendance: 100%
- Mrs Lisa Gardner
Co-opted Governor: 1 January 2015 – 31 December 2018 and 1 January 2019 – 31 December 2022
Parent Governor: 29 November 2012 – 31 December 2014
Business & Pecuniary Interests: Director, Mango Consulting Ltd
2020/21 Meeting Attendance: 86%
- Mr Nathan Gee
Co-opted Governor: 9 December 2020 - 8 December 2024
Business & Pecuniary Interests: none
2020/21 Meeting Attendance: 88%
- Mr Tim Howes
Co-opted Governor: 21 January 2020 - 31 October 2021 (resigned)
Parent Governor: 18 January 2012 – 17 January 2016 and 21 January 2016 - 20 January 2020
Business & Pecuniary Interests: Business Director, Wellsway Multi-Academy Trust; wife [Beth Howes] on staff of Portishead Primary School
2020/21 Meeting Attendance: 75%
- Mrs Kimberley Jones
Co-opted Governor: 1 September 2016 – 31 August 2020 and 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2024
Local Authority Governor: 24 July 2014 – 31 August 2016
Business & Pecuniary Interests: Manager, Portishead Youth Centre
2020/21 Meeting Attendance: 100%
- Mr Alastair McKenzie-Kerr
Parent Governor: 22 January 2020 - 21 January 2024
Business & Pecuniary Interests: parent of children attending Portishead Primary School
2020/21 Meeting Attendance: 100%
- Mr Tim Perkin
Co-opted Governor: 8 December 2021 - 7 December 2025
Business & Pecuniary Interests: parent of children attending Portishead Primary School; director of C19 Testing Network Ltd, FFT Education and Grofar Ltd
2020/21 Meeting Attendance: not applicable
- Mr Richard Riordan
Headteacher Governor: from 1 September 2012
Business & Pecuniary Interests: member of staff at Portishead Primary School
2020/21 Meeting Attendance: 92%
- Mr Philip Rowe
Co-opted Governor: 3 October 2018 – 2 October 2022
Business & Pecuniary Interests: none
2020/21 Meeting Attendance: 100%
- Mr James Shepherd
Co-opted Governor: 7 May 2018 – 31 October 2021 (resigned)
Parent Governor: 7 May 2014 – 6 May 2018
Business & Pecuniary Interests: Head of Corporate Banking, HSBC; Member & Trustee, Lighthouse Schools Partnership; parent of children attending Portishead Primary School
2020/21 Meeting Attendance: 67%
- Miss Sarah-Jayne Speed
Staff Governor: 28 January 2020 - 27 January 2024
Business & Pecuniary Interests: member of staff at Portishead Primary School
2020/21 Meeting Attendance: 67%
- Mrs Denise Tween
Co-opted Governor: 30 March 2016 – 29 March 2020 and 30 March 2020 - 31 August 2021 (resigned)
Business & Pecuniary Interests: none
2020/21 Meeting Attendance: 67%