Governors

GHA Governing Body Meetings

Minutes of Governors' meetings are available on request from the school office. Do have a look and get an idea of the work that the Governing Body carries out. You may want to put forward items for the Governors to consider. If so, just let us know.

Governing Body Register of Business Interests

The governing body is required to publish on the school website a register of the relevant business interests of governors, details of any other educational establishments they govern, and any relationships between governors and members of the school staff including spouses, partners and relatives.

John Boor - Chair of Governors - If you wish to contact our chair to the governors, please contact the school on : 01775 840250 or email enquiries@gosberton-house.lincs.sch.uk

Structure and Remit

The Role of the Governing Body is strategic in nature. The Department for Education’s Governance Handbook identifies three core functions being:

Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic decision.
Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, the effective and efficient performance management of staff; and
Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.

Members of the Governing Body are appointed based on their skills in order to contribute to effective governance and the success of the Academy.

Governors form the Academy Governing Committee (AGC) for each Academy. The AGC is a committee of the Trust and oversee the functions of Academies as delegated to them by the Board of Directors. The AGC is quorate when 51% of the membership is present. The AGC has five key functions.

Ensuring the Academy is working to its ethos within the Mission and Values of the UOLAT.
Holding the Principal and senior staff to account for the educational performance of the Academy and ensuring that young people have a high quality and relevant curriculum with the appropriate resources for all abilities.
Ensuring the Academy is meeting all the relevant safeguarding regulations and creating a supportive environment for its children and young people to learn.
Overseeing the financial performance of the Academy, ensuring good value for money and ensuring the buildings and facilities are safe and fit for purpose.
Overseeing and providing Governor input to the Academies key plans and policies.

GHA Governors' Profiles

Katharine Saywell - Principal

	Name: Katharine Saywell Governor type: Principal Term of office: N/A Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: N/A (not in role)
Specific area of responsibility	Effectiveness of leadership & management
Relevant interests	None
Background information	I feel privileged to be a member of the governing board at GHA and look forward to working with the other governors to continue to ensure that your child learns in a happy, engaging and inspiring environment. I trained as a teacher almost 20 years ago and have taught throughout the Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, in mainstream and specialist schools. I was Key Stage 2 leader and then Vice Principal at GHA, where I worked for 7 years before spending time gaining further experience in supporting families and children, by training and working as a Teacher of the Deaf. I am delighted to have returned to GHA as the Principal and feel very lucky to be able to work with the wonderful children, families and staff.
Hopes and aspirations for the GB/School	I will work hard alongside the governing body, the staff and the rest of the school community to ensure that every child at GHA is celebrated as an individual with unique strengths, interests and skills.

John Boor - Chair of Governors

	Name: John Boor Governor type: Chair of Governors Term of office from: 08/21 for 4 years Appointed by Trustboard Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: - 5 out of 5
Specific area of responsibility	Safeguarding Personal Development, Behaviour and Welfare Health & Safety Governor CPD Pupil Discipline Committee & Appeals Committee (Chair)
Relevant interests	Relevant business interests – Married to a local Primary Headteacher Governor at other educational establishments - No Any relationship with school staff – A work colleague is married to a staff member of the school
Background information	I am Chair of Governors at Gosberton House Academy. I believe this school provides the very best for all of our pupils which makes my role so valuable in supporting the Principal, teachers and support staff to ensure they are able to focus on their roles of getting it right for all pupils in their care. I work and live locally with my family. My son attended GHA and is proof of the commitment of all staff in enabling him to achieve his best but above all by being happy, confident and secure. I spend time in school when I can as I work for a local furniture making company. I am always happy to liaise with parents in my role as Chair of Governors and may be contacted through the school office.
Hopes and aspirations for the GB/School	As Chair of Governors my role is about supporting and challenging ways to enable the school to consistently demonstrate their high quality work, evidenced by the different strengths from members of the governing body with the range of skills we bring to the team. The governing body is part of the leadership and management and so part of my role is also about ensuring that the good work of the school is understood and shared through being able to explain it through first-hand experience.

Louise Stanton - Trust Governor

	Name: Louise Stanton Governor type: Trust Governor Term of office from: 01/23 for 4 years Appointed by Trustboard Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: - 5 out of 5
Specific area of responsibility	Special Educational Needs provision
Relevant interests	Relevant Business Interests: Strategic Lead for LCC Commissioned Service – Autism and Learning Difficulties Outreach National Autistic Society Accreditation Panel Chair Governing Bodies: University Academy Holbeach Relationship to school staff: None
Background information	I am delighted to be a member of the governing body at GHA. I am a qualified teacher and a former Executive Principal. I am now an Educational Consultant. During my time in education, I have taught across KS 1-4 and in the Early Years and pre-school sector. I have also worked as an outreach teacher, working in a multi-agency capacity to support schools, young people and their families across Lincolnshire.
Hopes and aspirations for the GB/School	I will strive to ‘live’ the GHA ethos of Working Together, Learning Together...to ensure that our youngsters, our families, our staff and our community have access to the best levels of provision and support so that we may all lead healthy, happy and fulfilling lives.

Vicky Edwards - Staff Governor

	Name: Vicky Edwards Governor type: Staff Governor Term of office from: 09/2021 for 4 years Appointed by Trustboard Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: - 3 out of 5
Specific area of responsibility	Quality of teaching, learning & assessment
Relevant interests	Relevant business interests - None Governor at other educational establishments - No Any relationship with school staff - None
Background information	I became a qualified teacher in 1996 and began my teaching career in a small rural primary school; after a year I decided to that I needed more experience in different environments. The next year I spent gaining experience in a busy town school; in a special school (yes here!) and in a very large reception class in a deprived part of a busy town. I then spent 3 years in a mainstream school becoming more and more frustrated with the state of special needs provision in the school and wanting to do more. Therefore, I rejoined the school in 2000.I began my school life at GHA in upper school, primarily in Class 6. As the years passed unlike the children, I went down school ! Teaching in all areas of the school before landing in Key Stage 1, including becoming the Key Stage 1 lead. I have enjoyed working here but 2 years ago I received a fresh start in Key Stage 2 and have enjoyed the different challenges, experiences and joys that building relationships and teaching the older children bring. After 20+ years being the subject leader for ICT and having the responsibility of introducing and overseeing the computer science curriculum, I am now the maths lead – which is bringing fresh challenges and experiences.
Hopes and aspirations for the GB/School	To continue to work to support SLT, the children and the families of GHA. To continue my own professional development by learning more and promoting the maths mastery approach in a way that our wonderfully unique children can access. To continue to coach and oversee the numerous apprentices, volunteers and work placement students. It is also a fabulous feeling to see these young (and sometimes mature) people learn and grow and know that our school has played a major role in shaping their career and given them a wonderful, solid foundation that they can take away with them and use - living and breathing our 'working together, learning together' ethos.

Dr Lesley Allinson - Co-Opted

	Name: Dr Lesley Allinson Governor type: Co-Opted Term of office from: 09/2021 for 4 years Appointed by Trustboard Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: - 5 out of 5
Specific area of responsibility	Governing Board University links and research projects
Relevant interests	Relevant business interests - None Governor at other educational establishments - No Any relationship with school staff - None
Background information	I am a senior lecturer in Psychology at the University of Lincoln.My research interests, and some of my teaching duties, relate to individuals with autism. I am interested in individual differences in cognitive and perceptual processing, as well as having a particular interest in the role of technology in assisting individuals in their educational, behavioural and social development.
Hopes and aspirations for the GB/School	I hope I can assist in promoting best practice across the school's activities, and widening its already impressive reputation. I wish to be able to strengthen links between the school and the University of Lincoln, facilitating research and stimulating interest in, and knowledge of the autism spectrum conditions amongst our students.

Rebecca Daw - Co-Opted

	Name: Rebecca Daw Governor type: Co-Opted Term of office from: 09/2021 for 4 years Appointed by Trustboard Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: - 5 out of 5
Specific area of responsibility	Local Authority Parent Governor Quality of Teaching, Learning and Assessment Hearings Committee
Relevant interests	Relevant business interests - None Governor at other educational establishment - No Any relationship with school staff - None
Background information	I began my career as a teaching assistant. After completing an Open University degree in Molecular science I trained to become a qualified teacher. I am currently studying with the University of Birmingham to gain a Post Graduate degree in Language, Literacy and Dyslexia. I also have a special interest in Performing Arts, having trained at a full time ballet school when I was younger and have performed in a wide variety of settings across the globe.Having been a science teacher for the past 7 years I love finding out about new areas of science and have recently become interested in Special Educational Needs and the areas of development in this area for students and their families.
Hopes and aspirations for the GB/School	As a governor at GHA, I aim to support the academy to ensure all students reach their full potential. As an experienced mainstream teacher, I understand how important it is to have the support of a dedicated governing body to allow the school to achieve their best through supporting staff and students in the school. As a Governor my role is about supporting and challenging in ways to enable the school to consistently demonstrate their high quality work evidenced by the different strengths from members of the Governing Body with the range of skills we bring to the team. The Governing Body are part of Leadership and Management and so part of my role is also ensuring that the good work of the school is understood and shared through being able to explain it through first-hand experience.

Steve Baragwanath - Trustee Appointment

	Name: Steve Baragwanath Governor type: Trustee Appointment Term of office from: 01/2023 for 4 years Appointed by Trustboard Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: - N/A
Specific area of responsibility	Trustee Appointment
Relevant interests
Background information
Hopes and aspirations for the GB/School

Niko Kargas - Co -Opted

Name: Dr Niko Kargas

Governor type: Co-Opted
Term of office from: 09/2021 for 4 years

Appointed by Trustboard

Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: - 3 out of 5

Specific area of

responsibility

Governing Board
University links and research projects

Relevant

interests

Relevant business interests - None
Governor at other educational establishment - No
Any relationship with school staff - None

Background

information

I am the Director of the Autism Research Innovation Centre and an Associate Professor in Psychology at the University of Lincoln.

My research interests lie broadly in exploring the ways in which developmental sensory and cultural processes interact to shape the cognitive abilities and communication skills found in children with/without developmental conditions.

I use my research to promote an inclusive society by creating effective person-centred approaches to assist professionals across Education and Health and Social Services for enriching the life quality of people with hidden disabilities (such as autism) and their families.

Hopes and

aspirations for the GB/School

My vision as a Governor is to contribute in creating an optimal learning environment for all students in order to demonstrate their full potential. To do this, I aim to facilitate collaborations amongst staff, parents and students of the school and academic professionals in the fields of autism research from the University of Lincoln, with the aim to develop evidence-based effective person-centred pedagogical approaches.