Governing Body
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, school governors are members of a school’s Governing Body. In state schools, and those that are voluntary controlled, they have responsibility for raising school standards through their three key roles of setting strategic direction, ensuring accountability and acting as a Critical Friend.
Our governing body is responsible for, amongst others:
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Monitoring, raising and maintaining high standards within the school
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Ensuring accountability in relation to school procedures, pupil progress and overall effectiveness of the school
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Creating a cohesive link between all members of the school community
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Ensuring that all policies and procedures are updated and reviewed regularly
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Ensuring that all statutory information is published on our school website
More information about governing bodies in maintained schools can be found at Gov.uk
Our Chair of Governors can be contacted via: thechairofgovernors@sandon.herts.sch.uk
Minutes of Full Governing Body meetings are available upon request from the school office
Governors Information and Duties
Headteacher | Mrs Emma McGill | No pecuniary interests declared |
Chair of Governors | Mr Tony Searle | No pecuniary interests declared |
Elected staff | Mrs Rebekah Lucas | No pecuniary interests declared |
Elected parents |
Mrs Sarah Purcell Mr Mark Ely |
No pecuniary interests declared No pecuniary interests declared |
Co-opted Governors |
Caroline Wicksteed Paul Heath Doug Hall Emily Bray |
No pecuniary interests declared No pecuniary interests declared No pecuniary interests declared No pecuniary interests declared |
LEA Governor | Denisse Skewis | No pecuniary interests declared |
Clerk to the Governors | Laura McLauchlan admin@sandon.herts.sch.uk | n/a |
All Governors can be contacted through the school office. The Clerk to the Governors can be contacted as above.
All Governors have declared pecuniary interests, including where they have none. All interests that exist have been recorded on the register which is reviewed annually.
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Tony SearleChair of Governors
Tony Searle
I have a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design and have enjoyed a long career in marketing, branding and advertising. I have been a governor at Sandon JMI School since 2012, and am addicted to it. Why Because it has its own, unique personality, driven by an amazing team of support staff and teachers. It also has an outstanding record for helping children to progress, regardless of their starting point. My responsibilities are primarily focussed on helping teachers to stay on track with the School Improvement Plan in matters to do with the curriculum.
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Emma McGillHeadteacher
Emma McGill
I am Emma McGill and I have the privilege of being the headteacher of Sandon JMI School.I qualified as a teacher in 1996 and have taught in Bletchley, Amsterdam, Gran Canaria and Stevenage! I have worked in the public and private sector and understand that every school has a unique character.I joined Sandon in 2012 as the Reception teacher and I became the school SENCo in September 2016. In April 2017 I took on the role of headteacher. I believe that our school is a really special place.I have taught all year groups from Reception to Year 8, specialising in infant teaching. I love teaching children and young people and can't imagine myself in any other profession. I am passionate about nurturing everyone I work with to fulfil their potential and truly understand what they are capable of. My degree is in geography and I am very enthusiastic about sharing my love of learning about our world with our junior children who I teach every week.I am very proud of our school community and feel grateful to have the opportunity to lead the school. -
Rebekah LucasStaff Governor
Rebekah Lucas
I have been a teacher at Sandon JMI since September 2019 and lead English across our school. I currently teach year five and six (Class 3) and have previous experience of teaching and leading SATs. In 2019 I was elected as Staff Governor and my role is to act as the voice of the staffroom during our Governing Body meetings. I always feel incredibly proud to be part of our school knowing we have such delightful pupils and supportive parents. During my spare time, I enjoy reading, spending time at the allotment and creating memories with my family.
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Paul HeathCo-Opted Governor
Paul Heath
I have been a governor at Sandon since 2013, and have been chair since 2017. I don't have children or a professional background in education, but I became a governor because I want to contribute towards the vital role that the school plays in the community. For me this is not just about giving young people the best possible start in life but also because the school is a focal point for the villages it serves, and a significant source of employment within them. I've lived in Wallington since 2011 and work as a senior engineer for a defence company in Stevenage.
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Caroline WicksteedCo-Opted Governor
Caroline Wicksteed
I have been a governor at Sandon School since 2016.A retired physiotherapist, I am a mother and grandmother and have always taken a keen interest in education . I regard the learning that takes place in the classroom, and the wider range of activities that contribute to a rounded education, to be very important and I enjoy being part of the governing board that helps the school to achieve these goals.Having lived in Sandon for 36 years I am in a position to help fulfil a role as liaison between the school and the village. -
Doug HallCo-Opted Governor
Doug Hall
I have lived in Sandon for five years and until September 2021 was a partner in a firm of Chartered Accountants working in the City of London as a Forensic Accountant, following which I have retired. As well as acting in that role I have provided advice to clients on strategy and business planning. I have held managerial roles for many years, as a Head of office and Head of Forensics Services in my firm. I have always had a keen interest in all types of DIY and plan to do much more of that in retirement. Although a novice in the field of primary education, I became a Governor as I want to make a contribution to my local community.
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Sarah PurcellParent Governor
Sarah Purcell
I am a parent to two children at Sandon School, and have been a member of the school community since my eldest child joined reception in 2017. I was swiftly drafted into FOSS and became FOSS Secretary in 2018. Supporting our school and doing what I can to help it be the best it possibly can be is important to me, and I worked hard to raise funds for much needed equipment. In December 2021 I swapped my FOSS hat for a governor hat and took up a position as Parent Governor.
I have degrees in Astrophysics, Environmental Science and Science Communication, and in my pre-children days I worked as a Communications Manager at CERN in Switzerland. I am currently working in peer review for BBSRC, one of the UKs scientific research councils. I bring an analytical approach and an eye for detail to my role as Parent Governor, and hope I can make a positive contribution to the school.
I enjoy baking, sewing, and geocaching, though not usually at the same time.
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Mark Ely, Emily BrayParent Governor, Co-opted Governor
Mark Ely, Emily Bray
I became a Parent Governor because I wanted to help support the school, as they are helping my little one so much.
I have lived locally all my life, attending local schools and then the University of Hertfordshire.
I was a SEN student as I have dyslexia, but with support, I was able to get a degree. My aim as a governor is to bring an SEN perspective to the Governing body.
I am self-employed working in partnership with my wife. I have over 27 years' experience in IT, and my wife has over 25 years of experience in education. Together we work with a range of clients, helping with their IT needs through to music interventions for autistic children.
On the social side, I am also a venue manager at a dance hall in St Albans.
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Denisse SkewisLA Governor
Denisse Skewis
I started as a parent Governor in 2014 when Sandon welcomed my child with open arms after a tricky start in education. He thrived at Sandon and as a result, I wanted to give something back.
I have worked in education for the past 16 years, and have a passion for early years and SEND. I have experience of running my own early year's childcare provision and currently work for Herts for Learning as an early year's consultant.
I always enjoy spending time at Sandon where I receive a warm welcome, it is always a pleasure to hear about the exciting teaching opportunities offered to the children and see them have a sense of belonging.
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Emily BrayCo-opted Governor
Emily Bray