Hollesley and Waldringfield Partnership Governing Body

The people who carry out this job bring a range of age and experience to the task. They are parents, staff from the school, and those co-opted because of their particular abilities or interests. Governors are volunteers who have the well-being of the staff and children in mind in all that they do – we are always ready to listen to ideas, suggestions or problems relating to the school.

According to the latest advice from the Government, the role of the school Governors includes:

  • Setting the aims and objectives of the school
  • Monitoring and evaluating progress towards these aims
  • Acting as a “critical friend” to the Headteacher
  • Maintaining links with parents and the community

As Governors, we carry out these and other roles by visiting the school as often as we can, and by attending meetings that deal with our key responsibilities.

There is a termly meeting of the Whole Governing Body where a regular report from the Head on the work of the school is received. There are also separate meetings for Governors’ committees which look at particular issues with the Head:

  • Resources – the school’s budget, how it is spent, managing the development and recruitment of staff, reviewing Health and Safety,and the buildings and grounds.
  • Curriculum – looking at standards and how subjects are taught.

Our Governing Body

Patrick Spencer – Chair

Term Started: 1st September 2021
Term Ends: 31st August 2025​

Co-opted Governor

Serves on the Resources Committee
Responsible for Leadership and Management

About Patrick

Patrick and his family have lived in the area since the mid-1980s. He has worked for most of his life in the charitable sector but now works at the Department for Education. Giving children in Suffolk the opportunity to get a great education and a good start in life is a definitely passion.

Patrick is married to Anna, a Primary School teacher in London, and they have two boys, Leo and Jasper. 

Rachel Lavender – Vice-Chair

Term started: 1st September 2021
Term Ends: 31st August 2025

​Local Authority Governor

Serves on the Curriculum Committee
Responsible for ECT/Equality, Quality of Education and Behaviour and Attitudes

Stephen Collins

Term started: 1st September 2021
Term Ends: 31st August 2025

Co-opted Governor

Serves on the Resources Committee
Responsible for Leadership and Management

About Steve

Steve has been a governor at Hollesley Primary School for the last sx years firstly as an Associate and since 2021 as Co-opted. Originally from Dronfield near Sheffield Steve moved to Suffolk in 1987 and has lived in Hollesley with his wife Sonia for the last 15 years.

Steve trained as a quantity surveyor and has spent his working life in construction latterly holding senior management posts running major construction projects and at company board level.

Steve is now semi retired and together with Sonia run their own consultancy business offering commercial and programme advice to a number of contractors. As well as being a governor Steve also is a keen bird watcher and works part-time as a volunteer for the RSPB. Hobbies include walking, golf, gardening and when he gets the chance, being Grandad to his four grandchildren.

Theresa Elder

Term Started: 1st September 2021
Term Ends: 31st August 2025

Co-opted Governor

​Senior Teacher (SENDCO)
Serves on the Curriculum Committee

About Theresa

Theresa joined the governing body in 2018 when she joined Hollesley Primary School as a class teacher. She has been teaching for 30 years and has had lots of different opportunities along the way; including setting up a school nursery, teaching in every year group and overseeing different subject areas.

Theresa is currently teaching in the Early Years class, she is a senior teacher at Hollesley and is the SENDCo across both schools.

Theresa lives in Kesgrave with her 3 daughters and an array of pets! In her spare time, Theresa enjoys spending time with her family, walking and going to the Theatre.

Phil Pethybridge

Term Started: 1st September 2021
Term Ends: 31st August 2025

Co-opted Governor

Serves on the Resources Committee
Responsible for Personal Development

About Phil

Phil and his wife Cheryl, have two daughters at the school. His background is in music and motorsport touring, events, festivals and e-commerce. Running a business in this sector and based in Suffolk.

Dealing with the strategy and operations of projects with multiple stakeholders in different locations is his day to day. In addition, Phil has spent nearly 10 years teaching in FE and HE and is a qualified teacher (FE and HE).

Juliette Stock

Term Started: 1st September 2021
Term Ends: 31st August 2025

Parent Governor

Serves on the Curriculum Committee
Responsible for Quality of Education

About Juliette

Juliette joined the Governing Body as a Parent Governor in November 2017.

Juliette is from Suffolk originally but spent 14 years living and working in various places such as Brighton, Australia and New Zealand. For the past 10 years, Juliette has worked as an English teacher in secondary schools in London as well as locally and she now works part-time teaching English A level in a local 6th Form centre. Juliette currently lives in Waldringfield with her husband and two young daughters, both in Waldringfield.

Interests outside of work include reading, gardening, spending time on and around the river and being with her husband, children, friends and extended family.

Adam Riches

Term Started: 1st September 2021
Term Ends: 31st August 2025

Parent Governor

Serves on the Curriculum Committee
Responsible for Quality of Education and SEND

Brian Devine

Term Started: 1st September 2021
Term Ends: 31st August 2025

Parent Governor

Serves on the Resources CommitteeResponsible for Personal Development

Staff Representatives

Sarah Wood

Term Started: 1st September 2021
Term Ends: 31st August 2025

Headteacher​

Serves on the Resources Committee and the Curriculum Committee

About Sarah

Sarah joined the governing body at her appointment as Headteacher in September 2008. Prior to her headship at Waldringfield Sarah was Deputy headteacher at Melton Primary school, an Advisory Teacher for SEN for the Local Authority and a SENCo and class teacher at St John’s Primary school in Ipswich. Sarah trained at Canterbury Christchurch University, graduating with a BAEd in June 1998, since then she has completed a Masters degree with Anglia Ruskin university and achieved her NPQH (Qualification in Headship) in June 2008.

Sarah was born and brought up in Ipswich, attending Britannia Primary, Copleston High School and Northgate Sixth Form. She is a product of good Suffolk schools and enjoys working with some colleagues in the Local Authority and in other schools that taught her as a child!

Sarah lives in Ipswich with her husband, young son and two stepsons. She enjoys long coastal walks, enjoying the Suffolk countryside, travelling, quizzes and crosswords and socialising with family and friends.

Karen Harrow

Term Started: 1st September 2021
Term Ends: 31st August 2025

Staff Governor​

Senior Teacher (Curriculum Lead)
Serves on the Curriculum Committee

​​About Karen

​Karen has taught for many years in both Essex and Suffolk. She has two boys, one in primary school and one in secondary school. They enjoy exploring the United Kingdom in their trusty VW, ‘Long John Silver

Nicola Dawson

Term Started: 1st September 2021
Term Ends: 31st August 2025

Associate Member

Link Governor
Serves on the Resources Committee

About Nicola

Nicola worked for Suffolk County Council’s Education Department for five years before moving to Germany with her husband. On returning to the UK she worked as Finance & Admin Officer in a school in Wiltshire before moving back to Suffolk and joining Waldringfield School in 2003.

Nicola became an Associate Governor in 2008 and serves on the Resources Committee.

Nicola lives in Ipswich with her husband. Her interests include walking, baking and reading

Annabel Britcliffe

School Employed Clerk

All School Governors can be contacted through the school.

Record of Governor Attendance
Academic Year 2022-2023

​Present
  • Richard Jesty (Chair)
  • Rachel Lavender
  • Sarah Wood (Headteacher)
  • Brian Devine
  • Karen Harrow
  • Theresa Elder
​Remote Attendance
  • Patrick Spencer
  • Adam Riches
In Attendance
  • Annabel Britcliffe (Clerk)
  • Nicola Dawson AM

All School Governors can be contacted through the school.

Governors meetings take place each term. Minutes of these meetings are available in school.

Regulations also allow access to the following:

  1. The LA statement of Curriculum Policy and, where it exists, the Governing Body Statement of Curriculum Aims;
  2. Any Statutory Statements (including Statutory Orders for the National Curriculum Subjects), circulars and administrative memoranda relating to powers and duties under Chapter 1 of the Education Reform Act (The Curriculum) sent to schools by the DfES.
  3. Any published HMI reports which refer expressly to the School.
  4. Any schemes of work currently used by Teachers in the School.
  5. The LA’s agreed syllabus for RE.
  6. A full copy of the arrangements for the consideration of complaints about the School Curriculum made by the LA and approved by the Secretary of State under Section 23 of the ERA.

Performance Table information from the Department for Education

Pecuniary and Business Interests

The governing body of a school is required to establish a register which lists for each member of the governing body, the Headteacher and school staff any business interests they have.

The governing body for the Hollesley and Waldringfield Partnership have declared their pecuniary interest and these can be found in the document below.

HWP Pecuniary Interests Declaration

Download the latest HWP Pecuniary Interests Declaration (PDF)