Introduction from the Chair of Governors

The Governing Body of Lawford Primary School is made up of Church Governors, elected Parent Governors, Local Authority Governor and Staff Governors, including the Head Teacher. Governors are appointed on a four year basis.

The four core strategic functions of the Lawford Primary School Governing Body are:
1. Ensuring the clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction of the school.
2. Supportively holding the Head Teacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils.
3. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure that its money is well spent.

4. Overseeing the wellbeing of all those in the Lawford Primary School Community

The school’s Governors are all volunteers, with varied educational and working backgrounds, whose common interest is in ensuring Lawford Primary School  remains the stimulating learning environment that it is, and that it continues to improve as the community inevitably grows.

Vacancies arise for new Governors from time to time. If you are interested in becoming a governor and feel you can contribute to the Governing Body, please do speak to the head teacher or the Chair of Governors.

For more information on what the role involves, the Governance Handbook is available here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/governance-handbook

Current Governors

 Karen Livingston

Chair of Governors

Foundation Governor

As a former pupil of the school, I was delighted that my children have attended Lawford from 2011 to 2022, where they enjoyed happy and confident schooling during their primary years.  My specific responsibilities as Governor include EYFS, Behaviour and Equalities monitoring as well as Admissions, Standards and Pay committees and Assessment. I am currently Head of MFL at Colchester Royal Grammar School as well as teaching Pilates in the local community. 

Teresa Cole

DBE Foundation governor appointed December 2021

Georgina Crookes

Parent Governor, elected December 2019

 Anna Deane

Vice Chair of Governors

Appointed Foundation Governor in May 2018

 Francis Franks

Foundation Governor

I joined the school community in 1997 when my eldest child started in Reception year, I was finally able to hang-up the school run shoes in July 2016. I’ve been a Governor since the 2003/4 school year.

Occupation: - Civil Servant.

Interests: - Music, as part of St Mary’s choir and hand-bell team and the East Anglian Hand Team, messing about in small sailing boats.

Richard Heath

Governor since 1999 (former Chair of Governors, Sept 2013 - Sept 2017)

Responsibilities: Safeguarding, Humanities Monitoring, Science Monitoring, Admissions Committee, Resources Committee, Staff Pay
Retired Senior Probation Officer. Married with three adult children. On the Parochial Parish Council of St Mary’s church

BA hons, CQSW, Dip Prob. Man.

Nicola Hunt

Foundation Governor

Originally elected as Parent governor November 2020

 Jaco Neethling

Local Authority Governor, appointed December 2016

I represent the Local Authority and am now in my second term as governor. Both my children attended Lawford from Reception year, the eldest having finished primary school in 2021.    

I’m a qualified Chartered Accountant and head up the Risk and Internal Audit functions at a multi-national company. 

My governor responsibilities include People Premium and Information Security and I also act as the Data Protection Officer (DPO) for the school.  

Rev Dom Turner

Ex-officio Governor

Helen Whitehead

Parent Governor elected March 2023

The staff governors are:

Leanne Harding - SENCo

Terry Webb - School Caretaker

Headteacher - Abigail Fairbairn - ex officio

Anna Skudder

Parent Govenor

Chris Lawson Jones

Parent Governor

The function and remit of the committees are:

Standards and Safeguarding: A committee operating under the delegation of the Full Governing Body to ensure that the school meets the requirements of the National curriculum, to receive reports on implementation of standards and safeguarding in all respects and reports to the Full Governing Body.

Resources: A committee operating under the delegation of the Full Governing Body to view progress on premises, school finance and personnel matters and report back to the Full Governing Body.

Admissions: A committee operating under the delegation of the Full Governing Body to discharge the functions conferred on it by relevant Education Acts and Regulations; to determine and review the admissions policy for the school; to rank all applications in accordance with the current determined admissions policy and to ensure the school continues to serve the needs of the whole community and compliance with the School Admissions Code.

Pay: A committee operating under the delegation of the Full Governing Body that deals with all staff pay matters (with the exception of the headteacher) and implements pay policy with consideration to staff performance.

Pay Appeals: A committee operating under the delegation of the Full Governing Body to consider any appeals against decisions of the Pay Committee.

Pupil Discipline: The Governing Body can delegate some or all of its functions in respect of exclusions to a committee consisting of at least three governors and such a committee may be called the Pupil Discipline Committee where one has been established.

Staff Discipline/Dismissal: To consider disciplinary matters and dismissals where these functions have not been delegated to the Headteacher under the Staffing Regulations 2009 or, in the case of discipline, where the Headteacher has had detailed prior involvement.

Staff Discipline/Dismissal Appeals: To consider any appeals against decisions by the Headteacher/Staff Disciplinary/Dismissal Committee.

Current Governing Body Members (2022-23)

Updated Sept 22

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP 2023 – 2024

Revised 13/09/22  

Standards & Safeguarding Committee

Teresa Cole
Anna Deane

Francis Franks
Richard Heath                

Headteacher

Leanne Harding              

Karen Livingston     

Jaco Neethling
Helen Whitehead

Resources Committee

Georgina Crookes
Headteacher                  

Richard Heath
Nicola Hunt                 

Karen Livingston

Rev Dom Turner

Terry Webb

Admissions Committee

Francis Franks                         Beverley Kekwick (Clerk)

Headteacher

Richard Heath

Karen Livingston

Pay Committee                                Pay Appeal Committee

Francis Franks 

Richard Heath                                  Second and third member to be nominated from CCP pool

Karen Livingston                               

Headteacher's Performance Review Committee

Richard Heath

Karen Livingston
Francis Franks

Pupil Discipline Committee*

3 governors selected from school or CCP governors

Staff Discipline/Dismissal Committee*

3 governors selected from the pool (including CCP) but excluding Staff Governors

Staff Discipline/Dismissal Appeals Committee*

3 governors selected from the following pool but excluding Staff Governors and the governors who formed the related Staff Discipline Committee. Governors also to be selected from the CCP if required or necessary.

Complaints Review Panel

3 governors depending on the nature of the complaint drawn from School or CCP governors.

Previous Academic Year:

Governors Attendance Record at Governing Body and

Committee Meetings 2021-2022