Governors

The governors are a group of individuals, made up of parents, staff, members of the community (co-opted) and the Local Authority. Governors typically serve for four years, and will have a variety of responsibilities during this time. An effective governing body will have people from different backgrounds with mixed skills. Governors are not education experts – they are there to bring a fresh perspective.

In accordance with the Government’s requirement for all governing bodies, the 3 core strategic functions of Whitchurch Primary  School’s Governing Body are:

1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
2. Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils;
3. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.

   Often vacancies on the Governing body arise; if this is something that is of interest to you please get in touch.

Click  here for Governor attendance

		Eleanor Sugrue – Chair of Governors Eleanor has been a Governor since January 2016.  She has worked in the Telecoms & Tech industry for 20 years – initially as a Management Consultant specialising in global business transformations and now as the Director of Shared Services for Vodafone Business.  She has a keen interest in Whitchurch – as a parent, governor and villager – and enjoys bringing experiences from her working life to support the ongoing success of the school.    Eleanor lives in Whitchurch with her husband and 2 daughters. She enjoys reading, the theatre, Italy, cooking and enjoying the Oxfordshire countryside.
		Phil Davies Phil is a freelance scientist working on sustainability and the circular economy and has been a governor since 2016. He previously worked as a scientist at BP Technology, Whitchurch Hill. He lives in Pangbourne and enjoys tennis and skiing
		Emily Dineley Emily  is a parent governor with three children at the school.  Emily is a Senior Civil Servant and public finance accountant with over 15 years’ experience in public sector finance and programme management, currently seconded to the UK Space Agency.  Emily joined the Governing Body in February 2022 and chairs the Finance and Premises Committee, and focuses on French and Early Years within the curriculum
		Sarah Hanfrey Sarah moved to Whitchurch from London in 2012. Having started her career at an investment bank, where she worked on foreign exchange pricing models, she now runs a software company supplying national and global law firms. She is  a member of the Finance and  Premises and the Head Teacher Performance Review Committee.  Her focus subjects are Maths and Computing.    In her free time she enjoys singing with Pangbourne Choral Society, walking Milly dog with her partner Tim Suiter and watching European language crime dramas.
		Julie Kuteesa    Julie worked for the NHS for over 30 years, during which time she worked in a variety of roles from a Registered Midwife to a Divisional General Manager. Currently, She manages billing and payments for both NHS and private patients and is a Board Trustee for a local theatre company.   She has  been a Governor of Whitchurch Primary School since May 2017 and brings a passion for education as well as a wide range of skills to help the school continue to thrive and develop. She has two daughters, one  at the school and feels very privileged to have the opportunity to support such an incredible school in this way.
		Luke Kemp Luke joined as a parent Governor within the Finance & Premises Committee in November 2022. He lives in Pangbourne and has over 20 years of experience in real estate consultancy. He is a chartered surveyor and is currently Head of Valuation at Daniel Watney LLP. Luke has two children who both attend the school and is a keen sportsman with a particular passion for motorsport.    Luke’s focus is on Physical Education and the pupil premium alongside his duties on the Finance & Premises Committee.
		Nick Acworth Nick has  lived in Whitchurch for six years, and both his daughters attended the school. Part of his role as Governor is spent on the Curriculum committee. Having originally started working life as a vet, he now works in a media start-up, providing a media database to the PR community. When spare time allows, he enjoys exploring the river by kayak and branching out into the garden… in a very amateur way.
		Michael Smith  Michael has been a governor since late 2019.  He lives in Whitchurch with his wife and two daughters.  Professionally, Michael works in legal and contract management in the technology space.  Michael supports Safeguarding and Computing, amongst other tasks. Originally from Australia, Michael enjoys the local countryside and lifestyle
		Gavin Jones   Gavin is the staff governor.
		Dawn Chesters     Dawn has been at Whitchurch since January 2009. She previously worked in both a village primary and a large primary in Bracknell Forest. As well as being Headteacher she is also the schools SENCO, Designated Safeguarding Lead and teaches Maths each morning.