Chair:
Val Phillips (Co-opted)
I became a Governor in September 2018 having lived in the local area since the early 1990s. I worked in education throughout my career, including as a primary headteacher and a senior adviser with the Local Authority. Before retiring, I worked for several years as an independent education adviser, working with schools and governing bodies across East Anglia. My work has led me to appreciate the very special opportunities that rural primary schools give to children, and I consider myself fortunate to work with the governing body of Hundon and Thurlow primary schools as the Federation continues to grow and develop. My leisure time often sees me walking in the countryside including as a local ‘Well-Being Walk’ leader. I also enjoy cycling and take every opportunity for foreign travel! I have two grown-up ‘children’ and my three small grandchildren certainly keep me on my toes!
As Chair, I attend Finance Committee meetings and Premises, Health, Safety and Welfare Committee meetings. I am also on the Performance Management Committee.
Vice Chair
Sue McKeogh (Co-opted)
I have had a very enjoyable, eclectic, five-decade career within the field of childcare and education. I started my career as a teacher in schools for children with SEND. However, like many parents, once I had my children life took a different turn leading me to work within the PVI (private, voluntary and independent) sector with roles encompassing family support for families with a child with additional needs, youth work and a rural mobile childcare provision. I currently work in a University environment teaching the next generation of teachers and early years practitioners.
I have lived in Suffolk all my adult life and my own children and grandchildren’s experiences of attending rural village schools has strengthened my belief that children thrive emotionally and educationally in a small, nurturing environment. I am very pleased to have been accepted onto the governing Board for Hundon and Thurlow Primary Federation and look forward to working with everyone to support both schools.
John Griffin (Chair of Finance and Personnel)
I joined the federation’s governing body in 2021 and have since undertaken the role of Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee. With over 20 years experience in investment banking and finance, I am pleased to be able to offer my support to the Headteacher, leadership team and wider school, particularly by drawing on my expertise in change management, governance and risk, and operational efficiency.
I currently hold a senior role with a leading investment bank focusing on anti-money laundering, and as such I have considerable experience in regulatory and legal compliance. As strong governance is a cornerstone of my day job, I am used to challenging the status quo and managing and mitigating risk. I particularly enjoy working as part of team and learning more about the education sector.
When not working I enjoy keeping fit, travelling and cooking but mostly keeping my 5 year old entertained.
Sharon FitzGerald (HT/Staff)
Sharon is on all the governing body committees except the Head Teacher Performance Management Committee which she attends.
Claire Buckle (Staff)
Claire is on the Teaching, Finance and Personnel Committee
Fr Chris Giles - Foundation Governor
I become a Governor just after our moving to Kedington, Suffolk this summer 2020, having taken up the post as Rector (Vicar) of the Stourhead Benefice on the 6th May. We moved from Thorpe Bay, Southend on Sea Essex, where I was a parish priest for just over three years and where I was also a governor at the local primary school, (affiliated to the Chelmsford Diocese). Previously, I served in the parishes of Pitsea with Nevendon Essex. I have additionally worked as a Hospital Chaplain for the last 9 years. I have enjoyed working within schools, spending time with those children and leading assembles. Being new to the countryside, we are enjoying living here and discovering all the beautiful eight villages that make up the Benefice.
Laura Masters-Stonehouse
I was delighted to be accepted onto the Federation’s governing body in January 2022. My young family and I have lived in the village since October 2020 and one of the key features that stood out to us when we were first introduced to Hundon was the primary school in its predominant position at the heart of the village. Regular dog walks pushing my double buggy past the school gave me the chance to see so many happy children leaping around the playground, clearly very comfortable & secure in their surroundings. Having grown up with a parent in the Services I became accustomed to changing schools regularly and have always held fond memories of my experiences at small, rural primary schools and I hope to be able to offer my own children that experience over the next few years. Professionally I have worked within the Online Education sector since 2015, leading and developing large Student Success teams for Pearson and more recently I took on a new role as Manager of Student Experience for a rapidly upscaling edtech FourthRev. I hope I can make a valuable contribution to the governing body.
Nikki Gooding
I became a governor at the beginning of 2022 following on from my stepchildren becoming permanent pupils at Thurlow CEVCP School. I was aware of some of the challenges faced by the Headteacher and her staff and I wanted to help in a more active way. I have been an accountant for over 30 years working for mainly SME where my role invariably included more than just finance. IT, Logistics, Health and Safety, Facilities all came my way and enabled my role to be more than just numbers. I enjoy a challenge and making a difference and have never been backward in coming forward! My original career path intended to be a Teacher specialising in Home Economics (Cookery) and this opportunity to support education in a different way felt right. I have always been a firm believer in Education as the way to make positive changes.
I have lived in Little Thurlow since 2008, I love the countryside and being outdoors. I have been treasurer of All Saints Church, Great Thurlow for over 10 years. Any spare time is spent with my horses, dogs or gardening and I still enjoy baking and entertaining for family and friends whenever I get the chance.
Louise Barr
I am delighted to have the opportunity to be a Governor for the Hundon and Thurlow Federation. Having moved to the area in 2021, I have been a parent at Hundon school ever since. I am a mother of 4, with ages ranging from 6-15yrs. Life is full of all the general tasks of running a household and being a mum, but outside of this I work as a Therapeutic Counsellor. This naturally, gives me an awareness of the importance of our children’s mental well-being, not only within the home environment, but also within their daily lives in the school setting. An individual’s childhood can impact their adult-life dramatically and I appreciate schools and their contribution to this and wish to support them by giving a little back. I hope to bring an element of this understanding into my role as a governor, to offer when needed, a view-point which considers all and is in the best interests of the children’s mental health.
David Massey
Having recently retired I was looking for an outlet locally for my knowledge and experience, fortunately for me a flier arrived with the Hundon Herald free paper asking for Governors at the local Primary Schools Federation.
Having previously been a parent Governor for my daughters school in Haverhill I thought that this might be a good opportunity to get involved locally while helping in some capacity or other. My previous roles have involved adult training and education in a specialist workplace environment which included NVQ assessment and verification, training and auditing to quality standards and health and safety regulations.
In being a member of the Governing Body I hope to be able to provide a different viewpoint, be challenging and supportive to the Federation and all those whose life it affects.
I Weaver
I am overjoyed to have been accepted onto the Federation’s governing body in November 2023. I have lived in the village of Hundon my entire life and attended Hundon Primary as a child myself. It is a delight to now raise my own children in the village and see them also attend Hundon Primary. The warmth and support of the community has always stood out and it is a joy to see the school thriving at the heart of the village. I hold very fond memories of my time at Hundon, and I look forward to my children creating their own fond memories too. My eldest is currently in KS1, my youngest will be starting next academic year, and we currently have a third baby due very soon. Professionally, I have been a teacher for nearly 10 years, working in various leadership roles. Consequently, I have a wealth of experience working in schools and a strong knowledge of the curriculum and current policies. I very much look forward to supporting the Federation and the governing body.
Lisa Mitson (Committee Clerks)
Lisa is part of our Federation Administration Team. Lisa works across both our schools.
All the governors serve a four year term.
All governors have voting rights in their respective committees and each governor has voting rights when the full governing board meets.
We also have associate members of the governing body. These are people who generally do not have voting rights but attend on the basis of their knowledge and expertise. For the federation they are as follows….
Pecuniary Interests
What is a Pecuniary Interest?
A governor must avoid using his/her position as a governor for personal gain or the gain of other outside parties. Members of the Governing Body are asked to record, any pecuniary interests held either personally or through a company or relative or partner. An 'interest' is a situation where a member of the governing body may be affected personally or financially, directly or indirectly, or in some other way by a decision made at a meeting where the governor is present.
It is important to understand that for a pecuniary interest to be relevant it should relate to goods or services which might be acquired by the school. If Governors or members of staff have pecuniary interests in businesses or companies that would not provide goods or services to the school then they would not need to be declared.
The School Governance (Procedures) (England) Regulations state that members of the governing body with any such interest must declare it as soon as possible at any meeting of the full governing body or committee meeting, must not take part in the discussion, must not vote and should withdraw from the meeting. Their withdrawal and return should be minuted. From the 1st Sept 2015 the pecuniary interests of all governors must be shown on the schools website.
Individual Monitoring Responsibilities
Safeguarding ~ Laura Masters-Stonehouse
SEND ~ Sue McKeogh
EYFS ~ Sue McKeogh
Governor training ~ Val Phillips
CIC ~ Sue McKeogh
Wellbeing ~ Reverend Chris Giles
Equalities ~ Louise Barr
Online Safeguarding, including filtering and monitoring ~ David Massey