Governors Logon
Please find below details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor. The Governing body of the school is drawn from many aspects of the community. The Governors have responsibility for the overall management of the school, acting within the framework set by National legislation and by the policies of the local education authority of Gloucestershire.
At our school there are four types of governor which reflect all those involved in the school community:-
- Foundation Governor - The role of a Foundation Governor is to ensure that the Christian ethos of the school is maintained and creatively developed and they are appointed by the Church;
- Local Authority Governor - These types of Governors are appointed by the governing body;
- Parent Governor - The parent Governors are elected by parents of children attending the school and usually serve for 4 years;
- Staff Governor - The role of these governors is to represent the staff at the school and it includes the Headteacher.
The full Governing body meets once a term. For more information regarding the role of the governing body, please follow the attached link, Gloucestershire Governors Information.
The Governing Body is as follows:
Mrs Sonia Beames Headteacher - B.Ed. (hons), NPQSL, PG Cert NASENCO
Appointed in September 2016, I have over 15 years teaching experience across a range of phases and have held a number of leadership positions during this time, including being a GlosED leader specialising in Maths. I have been lucky enough to have both of my daughters with me whilst they complete their Primary education and feel privileged to lead such a great school.
Mr Peter Webb OBE - Chair of Governors/Local Authority Governor
I previously worked as a Physicist in Aerospace Industry and Civil Service before retirement in 2016. I was awarded an OBE in 2014 for services to British defence and security interests overseas. My main hobbies are gardening and supporting Gloucester Rugby. I have been associated with Withington School since 1982, first as a parent then as a Governor. I have been Chair of Governors since 2004.
Reverend Colin Randall - Foundation Governor
I became a Governor in November 2014 as I am Rector of the Coln River Group of Churches, which is a group of nine churches. I am married to Judith and live in Andoversford. I have previously served as a Vicar in Cumbria, Oxfordshire and Cheshire, but many years ago trained as a teacher here in Cheltenham. I am a great believer in Church schools and the benefits of small schools and it is great that at Withington the school is so close to the church building and that there is a really good relationship between church and school.
Mrs Jacque Dent - Foundation Governor
I joined the Governing Body at Withington when my two sons were children at the school. I have responsibility for SEND, LAC and Safeguarding and am also chair of the Ethos and Standards committee. Any spare time I have is spent riding, walking my springer spaniel, running a large Brownie pack and delivering training sessions for Girlguiding.
Mrs Emma Hawley - Parent Governor
I joined the Governing Body at Withington in 2019 to help support this wonderful school that my two child attend. Having over 11 years Secondary teaching experience I have a secure knowledge of policies and procedures needed to run a school. In my spare time I run around after three beautiful but busy children and love to go on long walks in the country and play cricket with the family.
Mrs Kate Lawton - Foundation Governor
As an Associate Chartered Accountant I worked for KPMG for nearly 15 years before moving to Withington where I have lived on the edge of the village since 2003. Looking after a dog and my daughter's horse during the University term fill up any spare time I may have. I am also the Finance Director and Treasurer for Deer Park Archers Ltd.
Dr Sarah Williams - Foundation Governor
Mrs Fennie Strange - Foundation Governor
I became a Foundation Governor at the end of 2021, after a career teaching English and RE in Welsh secondary schools. I have been a Christian all my life, and my involvement in the Coln River Group of churches, which includes Withington, is important to me. As a mother and grandmother, I am deeply concerned about maintaining standards in education and believe VA schools offer a valuable opportunity to give children a broad and balanced curriculum, built upon Christian values and the teachings of the Anglican church.
Mrs Nicola Smith - Parent Governor
I joined the governing body as a parent governor in September 2020 when my son joined the school, having previously attended the Pre-school. My family and I have lived in the village since 2011. We believe that the school is an integral part of the community, which we wanted to be able to support. I have 12 years experience working in the financial services sector and am currently working for a large UK bank in pensions project management. My free time is spent with family - walking and exploring our beautiful local countryside.
Prof Martha Ladly - Foundation Governor
Mrs Rosie Green- Clerk to Governors
I have been Clerk since January 2022 but also hold the same role at three other local schools, as well as self-employment. This variety of roles is a consequence of redundancy due to the impact of Covid-19 but in many ways this has proved advantageous as it allows a certain amount of flexibility! The majority of my employment history has been within the wider areas of education, training, and arts environments - in both the UK and in Australia, where I lived for seven years. I have always enjoyed travelling and as well as now being an Australian citizen, I also lived in California and Germany. I enjoy painting, drawing and gardening – and am the ‘lead’ for the Open Gardens events in a local small town. I manage to keep busy!
Governor attendance at FGB meetings 2021/2022Committee Meeting Attendance 2021/2022