GOVERNORS
Overview
Garden Fields has a committed team of governors who play an important role in the strategic leadership of our school. We are unpaid volunteers (save for our Headteacher who is also a governor) and are either appointed or elected to serve a four-year term of office.
We are a Local Governing Body who reports to the AAT Trust Board through a schedule of delegation.
c. Our Headteacher
d. 1 staff governor
* co-opted governors are appointed by the governing body, on the basis of our regular skills audits, because they have the skills required to contribute to the effective governance and success of the school.
What we do
Our task is to govern the school, providing strategic leadership and focussing on the following core functions:
Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and
Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
Once appointed or elected as governors, we must operate in the best interest of pupils, not as representatives to lobby on behalf of any particular constituency, whether parents, staff or other. We all have equal rights to participate in the work of the governing body and to state our own views, but we work as a team and are bound by the collective decisions of the team.
How we work
We work in partnership with our Headteacher who, in addition to his role as governor, is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school with the support of his senior management team. We are supported in our work by the clerk to the governing body.
How often we meet
We meet as a full governing body at least twice a term. We have at least one governors’ day per year when governors attend classes, experience other aspects of a typical school day and meet to discuss strategy and/or other current issues. Governors regularly spend further time in school and participate in small ‘working party’ meetings in order better to understand the issues the school is facing and to inform decisions on policy and strategy.
How to contact us
If you would like to contact the governors you can do so by either emailing or addressing any correspondence in a sealed envelope for the attention of the Chair of Governors, Garden Fields JMI School c/o the School Office.
If you have any concerns about any aspect of school life, please raise them in the first instance with the appropriate member of school staff or with a member of the school’s senior management team.
Interested in becoming a School Governor?
Please come and speak with us.
Our Governors
Peter Jones
(Maternity Cover Autumn 2023)
Positions Held: Chair of Governors, Child Protection & CLA Governor
- Governor Category: Co-opted Governor
- Appointing Body: Governing Board
- Dates: 01 September 2023 – 31 December 2023
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Peter has had a twenty year association with the school as a parent and governor. He studied languages at Oxford before a career in manufacturing industry in the UK and in France. He subsequently retained to teach French and German and was Head of MFL at a Hertfordshire secondary school. Now retired, he is very much involved in local music theatre as a performer and director, and is chairman of St Albans Chamber Opera.
Joanna Lockwood
(Maternity Leave Autumn 2023)
Positions Held: Chair of Governors, Child Protection & CLA Governor
Previous Positions: Governor 24 March 2021 – 31 January 2023
- Governor Category: Co-opted Governor
- Appointing Body: Governing Board
- Dates: 24 March 2021 – 23 March 2025
- Attendance 2021/22: 6 out of 7
- Attendance 2020/21: 3 out of 3
- Attendance 2019/20: N/A
- Register of Interest: N/A
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Jo is currently a Bid Manager at an international real estate organisation. She has experience in all areas of marketing and business development, now focusing her skills on writing winning proposals and presenting to clients. She has a law degree from Nottingham Law School and is a member of the Association of Proposal Management. Living locally in Harpenden, Jo loves to walk her dog Larry around the common and local trails and enjoys going to the theatre in London.
Tolu Airede
Position Held:
- Governor Category: Co-opted Governor
- Appointing Body: Governing Board
- Dates: 18 September 2019 – 31 December 2023
- Attendance 2021/22: 6 out of 7
- Attendance 2020/21: 9 out of 9
- Attendance 2019/20: 11 out of 12
- Attendance 2018/2019: N/A
- Register of Interest: none
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Tolu Airede is a CIMA qualified finance professional specialising in managing finance and accounting functions. Originally from Nigeria, she moved to the UK over 11 years ago after a few years working in the banking industry and now resides in St Albans with her husband and 2 children. She has since worked for various higher education providers in the UK and currently works at Oxford University. She holds a BSc in Economics and MSc in Finance. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family, listening to music and working out.
Claudine Dicks
Position Held: Clerk to Governors
- Register of Interest: Office Manager at GFS School
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Claudine has worked at Garden Fields for 18 years having first worked in the classroom as a Learning Support Assistant. Over the years she has worked in a number of roles and now works full time in the front office. When she’s not working she loves spending time with her family, reading, pilates, baking and meeting with friends.
Dominic Jones
Position Held:
Governor Category: Co-opted Governor
- Previous Positions: Parent Governor 15 January 20 – 27 June 2023
- Governing Body Dates: 15 January 20 – 14 January 24
- Attendance 2021/22: 6 out of 7
- Attendance 2020/21: 8 out of 9
- Attendance 2019/20: 9 out of 9
- Register of Interest: Employed by Axis Communications. Parent of two children at Garden Fields
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Dominic has two children at Gardenfields school. Dominic studied for a degree in Communications Audio Visual Production and has subsequently worked in various marketing positions primarily within the technology industry. Outside of work he is an enthusiastic but slow runner!
Sean Moran
Position Held: Co Vice-Chair, Child Protection & CLA Governor
- Governor Category: Co-opted Governor
- Governing Body Dates: 27 January 21 – 26 January 25
- Attendance 2021/22: 7 out of 7
- Attendance 2020/21: 5 out of 5
- Attendance 2019/20: N/A
- Register of Interest: Employed at Lyon Park Primary School
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Sean is currently an Assistant Headteacher at a large four-form primary school in Brent. He holds the National Professional Qualification of Senior Leadership and has a passion for improving educational opportunities and ensuring that all children achieve their full potential. Using both his educational background and leadership experience, he is committed to supporting with the strategic leadership of the school.
Outside of school he is a keen golfer, however, this is very much a work in progress.
Ruth Palmer
Position Held: Headteacher
- Governor Category: Staff Governor
- Appointing Body: N/A
- Dates: Ex Officio
- Register of Interest: Headteacher of GFS school. Child attends GFS.
Sally Welton
Position Held:
- Governor Category: Staff Governor
- Appointing Body: Staff
- Dates: 8 June 2022 to 7 June 2026
- Attendance 2021/22: 2 out of 2
- Register of Interest: Employed by GFS
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Robert Walter
Position Held: Co Vice-Chair, Health & Safety Governor
- Governor Category: Co-opted Governor
- Governing Body Dates: 01 February 2023 – 31 January 2027
- Attendance 2021/22: N/A
- Register of Interest:
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Vicki Wolfe
Position Held: SEN Governor
- Governor Category: Parent Governor
- Governing Body Dates: 23 March 2022 – 22 March 2026
- Attendance 2021/22: 3 out of 3
- Register of Interest: Parent of two children at Garden Fields
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Vicki is a Child & Educational Psychologist, and Mum to 3 boys at the school. Vicki worked as a Secondary School Teacher before completing her Psychology Doctorate in 2011, and currently works part-time across the local authority, private and charity sectors. In her spare time, she enjoys swimming and jogging – and ferrying her children to various events!
Governors (no longer in appointment) who have served in the last 12 months
Hazel Bentall
Position Held:
Governor Category: Co-opted Governor
Appointing Body: Governing Board
Dates: 1st February 2023 – 31st May 2023
Attendance 2022/23: 1 out of 3
Register of Interest: none
Sunny Grewal
Position Held: Vice-Chair of Governors and Health & Safety Governor
Governor Category: Co-opted Governor
Appointing Body: Governing Body
Dates: 22 Nov 2016 – 06 May 2023
Attendance 2022/23: 5 out of 5
Attendance 2021/22: 4 out of 7
Attendance 2020/21: 8 out of 9
Attendance 2019/20: 11 out of 12
Attendance 2018/19: 8 out of 10
Attendance 2017/18: 10 out of 11
Attendance 2016/17: 3 out of 7
Register of Interest: Proprietor of Jasi Investments LLP, Chalfont Investment Ltd and Lye Green Development Ltd. Parent of 1 GFS child.
Andrew Farrugia
Positions Held: Headteacher, Ex-officio
Dates: 01 Jan 2017 – 16 April 2023
Attendance 2022/23: 5 out of 5
Attendance 2021/22: 10 out of 10
Attendance 2020/21: 13 out of 13
Attendance 2019/20: 13 out of 13
Attendance 2018/19: 10 out of 10
Attendance 2017/18: 10 out of 10
Attendance 2016/17: 8 out of 8
Nicola Dale
Positions Held: Chair of Governors, Child Protection & CLA Governor
Previous Positions: Governor 27 Sept 16 – 25 March 20
Governor Category: LA Governor
Appointing Body: LA
Dates: 27 Sept 16 – 31 Jan 2023
Attendance 2022/23: 3 out of 3
Attendance 2021/22: 10 out of 10
Attendance 2020/21: 12 out of 13
Attendance 2019/20: 12 out of 13
Attendance 2018/19: 8 out of 10
Attendance 2017/18: 9 out of 10
Attendance 2016/17: 8 out of 10
Register of Interest: Self employed consultant.
Lisa Wolf
Position Held:
Governor Category: Co-opted Governor
Governing Body Dates: 23 March 2022 – 13 September 2022
Committee: Curriculum
Attendance 2021/23: 1 out of 3
Paul Greatorex
Position Held: Vice-Chair of Curriculum
- Governor Category: Co-opted Governor
- Appointing Body: Governing Body
- Dates: 18 September 2019 – 17 September 2022
- Committee: Curriculum
- Attendance 2021/22: 5 out of 7
- Attendance 2020/21: 8 out of 9
- Attendance 2019/20: 12 out of 12
- Attendance 2018/19: N/A
- Register of Interest: Self employed barrister. Owner of Think Barrister Ltd. Parent of a GFS child.