Meet the Governors
Welcome to our Governors' section.
The Governors of St. Leonard’s Lower School play an important role and are fully involved in the life of the school, helping to set the school's vision and aims and ensuring accountability. Our Governors are a committed group of elected and co-opted volunteers who help the school provide the best possible education for its pupils.
The Governing Body meets at least once each term. Minutes of recent meetings of the Governors are available from the school office.
There are currently 12 members on the Governing Body. We currently have a vacancy for a foundation governor and a parent governor.
Should you wish to contact the Chair of Governors you may write to them via the school office.
Alan joined the governing body as a Foundation Governor in 2004 and shortly after took over as Chair. He is a Mechanical Engineer and Visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London. Alan has a keen interest in the environmental subjects in the curriculum.
| Category | Responsibility |
Committee Membership |
Term of Office |
Governance roles in other institutions |
Relationship School/Staff |
Business/Pecuniary interests |
|
Foundation PCC |
Vulnerable Children |
Curriculum and Standards Finance, Premises and
Personnel
|
09.03.21 until 09.03.25 |
None | None | None |
Rev’d Noel McGeeney (ex-officio)
Revd. Noel McGeeney is an ex officio member of the Governing Body as vicar of St Leonard’s Parish Church.
Noel delivers Collective Worship weekly at school; he has also participated in RE lessons and accompanied children on faith tours. As a vicar and pastor he enjoys being a resource and support to the teachers, staff and the Governing Body.
| Category | Responsibility | Committee Membership | Term of Office |
Governance roles in other institutions |
Relationship School/Staff |
Business/Pecuniary interests |
| Ex Officio |
Distinctiveness and Effectiveness as a Church School |
Curriculum and Standards | N/A | None | None | None |
Mrs Margaret Smithers
Margaret Smithers has been a governor for many years. She was re-appointed in 2014 by the PCC. Margaret’s three children previously attended St. Leonard’s Lower. She originally worked in a large financial company as a personnel manager. She re-trained when her children were young and is now the Pre-School Manager at Heath Barn Pre School.
| Category | Responsibility | Committee Membership | Term of Office |
Governance roles in other institutions |
Relationship School/Staff |
Business/Pecuniary interests |
|
Foundation PCC |
Early years Safeguarding |
Finance, Premises and Personnel |
reappointed 19.3.17 until 19.3.21 |
None |
None |
Manager Barn Preschool |
Corinna was elected to the governing body by St Leonard's Church Parish Council in January 2019.
Corinna has a BA (Hons) in sculpture, MA in Museum & Gallery Management, and is completing a BSc in Biological Sciences. During her career she has worked in various museums and commercial art galleries, many of which were scientific. Corinna then worked in the Queen Square Brain Bank as a lab assistant, before having children. Since then she has acted as the Chair of Heath Barn Preschool and is currently the Parish Administrator for St Leonards Church. Corinna has her own bouncy castle micro business, and has just taken on the role of Hockliffe Parish and Cemetery Clerk.
Corinna lives in Heath and Reach with her partner Mark Thomas, who is a Professor of Evolutionary Genetics at UCL. She has two daughters who previously attended St Leonard's Lower.
| Category | Responsibility | Committee Membership | Term of Office |
Governance roles in other institutions |
Relationship School/Staff |
Business/Pecuniary interests |
|
Foundation PCC |
Curriculum | Curriculum and Standards | 01.01.19 until 01.01.23 | Chair of Heath Barn Pre School committee |
None |
Bouncy castle micro business |
Mrs Caroline Versallion
Caroline Versallion is an LA representative on the Governing body. She was re-elected in 2017. Caroline has four boys, who have all attended St Leonard's. Caroline has a degree in fashion, she previously ran her own couture wedding dress business.
| Category | Responsibility | Committee Membership | Term of Office |
Governance roles in other institutions |
Relationship School/Staff |
Business/Pecuniary interests |
| LA | SEND | Curriculum and Standards | reappointed 31.08.17 until 31.08.2021 |
None |
None |
Husband is a Councillor for Central Bedfordshire |
Mr Steve Barrett
Steve Barrett became a governor in 2016. He has two daughters who have attended the school. Steve is a qualified accountant and he set up his own accountancy business three years ago, which is based in Leighton Buzzard. | Category | Responsibility | Committee Membership | Term of Office | Governance roles in other institutions | Relationship School/Staff | Business/Pecuniary interests |
Foundation PCC |
Health and Safety | Finance, Premises and Personnel (chair) | 14.10.20 until 14.10.24 | None | None | None |
Dean joined as a Foundation Governor in February 2018 and has 2 children who have attended the school. He has served previously within church leadership and actively participated in running a church youth group. Dean manages a business unit within Microsoft that supports their enterprise customers within both the public and private sector.| Category | Responsibility | Committee Membership | Term of Office | Governance roles in other institutions | Relationship School/Staff | Business/Pecuniary interests |
Foundation DBE | Governor Training | Finance, premises and Personnel | 24.2.18 until 24.2.22 | None |
| Works for Microsoft |
Kim was appointed to the governing body by St Leonard's Church PCC in January 2019. She has been an active member of St Leonard’s church since January 2018. Kim retired from her Nursing career of 35 years in 2014. Since then she has enjoyed focusing more time on her family, including her lovely Grandchildren. Kim is pleased to be supporting the local church school as a governor.
| Category | Responsibility | Committee Membership | Term of Office |
Governance roles in other institutions |
Relationship School/Staff |
Business/Pecuniary interests |
|
Foundation PCC |
RE and Collective Worship | Curriculum and Standards | 01.01.19 until 01.01.23 | None | None | None |
| Category | Responsibility | Committee membership | Term of office | Governance roles in other institutions | Relationship school/staff | Business/Pecuniary interests |
| Co-opted Governor | Buildings, School Sports | Finance, Premises and Personnel | 12th September 2019 until 12th September 2023 | None | wife employed at school | James works for large construction and property services company as a surveyor. He has been involved with a variety of school refurbishment projects. |
| Category | Responsibility | Committee Membership | Term of Office | Governance roles in other institutions | Relationships school/staff | Business/Pecuniary interests |
| Parent governor | Curriculum, SEND | Curriculum and Standards | 01/02/20 until 01/02/2024 | Committee member at Heath Barn Pre School | None | Childminding business |
| Category | Responsibility | Committee Membership | Term of Office |
Governance roles in other institutions |
Relationship School/Staff |
Business/Pecuniary interests |
| Staff | Curriculum | Curriculum and Standards | 01.09.17 until 01.09.21 | None | Employee of the school | None |
Sarah Bowley has been Headteacher of the school since 2010. She is proud of the successes that the school has seen during her time as head. Sarah attends all governors meetings and is a member of all committees. Sarah is a Central Bedfordshire Leader in
Education and has supported other Central Bedfordshire Lower Schools.
| Category | Responsibility | Committee Membership | Term of Office |
Governance roles in other institutions |
Relationship School/Staff |
Business/Pecuniary interests |
| ex officio | All committees | N/A | None | Employee of the school | None |
Attendance at Governors Meetings 2020-21
| Name of Governor | Total number of committee meetings possible | Committee meetings attended | Total number of Full Governing Body meetings possible | Full Governing Body meetings attended |
| Alan Gomersall | 4 | 4 | 7 | 7 |
| Theresa Allen | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Sarah Bowley | 4 | 4 | 7 | 7 |
| Siobhan Ryan | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Margaret Smithers | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Caroline Versallion | 1 | 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Dean Clarke | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Steve Barrett | 3 | 3 | 7 | 5 |
| James Newens | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Noel McGeeney | 1 | 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Corinna Washbrook | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Kim Anwyl | 1 | 1 | 7 | 2 |
Curriculum Committee meetings were cancelled and replaced by virtual full governing body meetings from 20th March 2020 due to COVID 19
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