The Governing Body

Our Governors play a vital role in our school life.  Not only do they, regularly, meet as part of their role in the Leadership and Management of the school, but they are also involved in many different aspects in the lives of the children whilst they are at school.

The Governing Body has twelve members, proposed or elected by various interests.  There are two Parent Governors voted for by parents/carers.  The Chair(s) and Vice-Chair are elected, annually, at the first meeting of the year (in September).  The minutes of Governing Body meetings, with the exception of matters deemed confidential, are available for inspection in the school office. Please contact the clerk if you wish to see them. At the AGM, Declaration of Business Interests forms are completed. At each governor meeting, declarations of interest are declared.

Mrs Patrice Sanderson and Mrs Karen Windross are currently the co-chairs of the Governing Body. You are able to contact either of our clerks via email, at:

psanderson@stmatthews.cumbria.sch.uk or 

kwindross@stmatthews.cumbria.sch.uk

Bekah Bell is our clerk to the Governors. Bekah is the clerk to a number of small schools in our cluster.

She can be contacted by email on: ClerkASSP@blennerhasset.cumbria.sch.uk  

Mrs Patrice Sanderson

Co-Chair of Governors

LA Governor 

Term of Office: September 2022 - September 2026

Appointed by the Governing Body

• Safeguarding and Child Protection Governor
• Pupil Premium Governor
• Literacy Governor
• Curriculum Committee
• Staff and Salaries Committee
• Health and Safety Committee
• Discipline and Dismissals Committee
• Admissions Committee

Mrs Karen Windross

Co-Chair of Governors

Parent Governor

Term of Office: November 2022 - November 2026

Appointed by the parents and carers of St Matthew's CE School

• Safeguarding and Child Protection Governor
• Pupil Premium Governor
• Behaviour and attitudes/PSHE Governor
• Website Committee
• Staff and Salaries Committee
• Health and Safety Committee
• Discipline and Dismissals Committee

Mrs Debbie Johnson

Vice Chair of Governors

Foundation Governor

Term of Office: November 2021 - November 2025

Appointed by Carlisle Diocese Board of Education

• French and Music Governor
• Curriculum Committee (Chair)
• Staff and Salaries Committee
• KS2 Attainment and Progress monitor

Debbie is also a Governor at Nelson Thomlinson School.

Miss Helen Harrison

Headteacher

Term of Office: while in office

Appointed by the Governing Body

• Curriculum Committee
• Finance and Fabric Committee
• Health and Safety Committee
• Food Committee
• Staff and Salaries Committee 
• Website Committee
• Discipline and Dismissal Committee
• Admissions Committee

Helen is also on the Westnewton Pre-School Committee.

Mrs Claire Beaty

Foundation Governor

Term of Office: November 2022 - November 2026

Appointed by Carlisle Diocese Board of Education

• SEND Governor
• Health and Safety Committee
• Food committee

Mrs Louisa Harrison

Staff Governor

Term of Office: February 2021 - February 2025

Appointed by the staff at St Matthew's CE School

• Treasurer
• Curriculum Committee
• Finance and Fabric Committee
• Website Committee

Mrs Mary Hodgson

Foundation Governor

Term of Office: October 2023 to October 2027

Appointed by Carlisle Diocese Board of Education

• History and Geography Governor
• Art and DT Governor
• Health and Safety Committee

Mrs Emma Irving

Parent Governor

Term of Office: September 2021 - September 2025

Appointed by the parents and carers at St Matthew's CE School

• Maths Governor
• Leadership and Management Governor
• Finance and Fabric Committee
• Staff and Salaries Committee
• Curriculum Committee

Rev. Bryan Rothwell

Principal Officiating Minister

Term of Office: while in office

Appointed by Carlisle Diocese Board of Education

• RE and Collective Worship Governor
• Computing Governor
• Curriculum Committee

Miss Kelly Conway

Foundation Governor

Term of Office: October 2023 to October 2027

Appointed by Carlisle Diocese Board of Education

• Science Governor
• Finance and Fabric Committee
• Website Committee
• Food Committee
• Admissions Committee

Governors who have served over the previous 12 months:

Karen Ford was a Foundation Governor who was appointed by Carlisle Diocese Board of Education and who served the Governing Body from September 2021 until 21 November 2024.

Governing Body Diversity Data

As a Governing Body, we have a duty to recognise that diverse thoughts, voices and perspectives is essential to good governance and the effective running of any organisation.

We believe it is important that our Governing Body reflects the diversity of the school communities which we serve. Diverse boards promote inclusive school environments and provide diverse role models for staff and children.

 Diversity characteristics of our Governing body:

In December 2023, we collated our Governing Body data from those who provided responses. A summary of the diversity of our GB as follows:

• Our GB includes both male and female governors; the majority of governors are female.
• The majority of our governors are between the ages of 41-60.
• One governor declared a disability.

• One governor declared that they were gay or lesbian. The rest are straight/heterosexual.

• All governors come from a White British background.

• The majority declared their religion as Christian; one declared as ‘no religion’.

•  Half of our governors live within approximately 5 miles of school, half live further away.

•  The majority of governors are parents of children in school, or parents of children who have completed their education.

• Our GB includes governors from both state-funded and independent schools.

• No governors declared that they had been looked after during their own period of education.

• The majority of governors continued their own education into higher education; some also indicated further education and that they did not continue their education.

• The majority of governors do not have experience of being eligible for free school meals although one indicated that they did not know.

Note: The above summary is based only on the number of governors (6) who chose to respond. (It is voluntary for them to do so.)