About
The school’s Governing Body includes governors appointed by the members of the academy trust, parents/carers, staff, AGS Foundation Governors and some who are co-opted by the Governing Body itself. The Governing Body’s role is to help shape the overall direction of the school, monitor progress and standards, review and approve the budget, appoint and support the Headteacher and senior staff, review policies and procedures and ensure the school fulfils its statutory duties.
Governors meet regularly and non-staff governors also keep in contact with different departments of the school, have responsibility for specific policies and attend events and performances.
As an academy trust, Appleby Grammar School has an additional layer of governance in the form of members. Members hold the Governing Body to account for the effective governance of the school but have a minimal role in the actual running of the school. A further aspect of academy status is that Governors may also be referred to as trustees and/or directors. In our day to day working we continue to refer to all who serve on our Governing Body as governors.
Our Governors
Our Chair of Governors is Jane Taylor. She is supported in this role by the Vice-Chair of Governors, David Watkinson, and the rest of the Governing Body, including the chairs of the two permanent committees of governors that consider detailed matters within their remit and report to the full Governing Body. They are:
- Alan McViety, Chair of Finance and Buildings Committee
- David Watkinson, Acting Chair of Standards Committee
The terms of reference for each of these committees are shown in the school’s Scheme of Delegation which can be found in the ‘Key Documents’ section.
Our full list of governors can be found below:
Governing Body (Board of Trustees)
|
Full name |
Date of first appointment |
Term of office expires |
Date of standing down |
Appointed by:- |
Business and pecuniary interests (with start date) |
|
Dorothy Anderton |
18 March 2017 |
18 March 2025 |
|
Members |
Appleby Town Council (01/07/2008) AGS Foundation Governor (31/10/2011) |
|
Alastair Birtles |
3 December 2020 |
3 December 2024 |
|
Members |
|
|
Joanna Burgess |
1 February 2023 |
1 February 2027 |
|
Parents |
|
|
Dee Cullen |
25 March 2021 |
25 March 2025 |
|
Staff |
|
|
Su Davis |
15 December 2021 |
15 December 2025 |
|
Parents |
|
|
Terry Hobson |
15 December 2021 |
15 December 2025 |
|
Co-opted |
|
|
Alan McViety |
3 December 2020 |
3 December 2024 |
|
Members |
Appleby Rotary Trust (23/06/2019) Bolton Memorial Hall (04/03/2019) Voluntary Action Cumbria (13/09/2002) |
|
William Patterson |
1 February 2023 |
1 February 2027 |
|
Co-opted |
|
|
Elaine Sargent |
1 September 2020 |
|
|
N/A (Headteacher) |
|
|
(Helen) Jane Taylor |
1 August 2011 |
31 July 2024 |
|
Members |
AGS Foundation Governor (01/09/1986) NB Taylor & Son (31/07/1975) |
|
David Watkinson |
1 August 2011 |
31 July 2024 |
|
Members |
AGS Foundation Governor (02/02/2011) |
|
Gideon Wright |
4 November 2013 |
4 November 2025 |
|
Staff |
|
All governor appointments are for a four-year term.
Governors who have completed their term of office or stepped down in the past twelve months
|
Full name |
Date of first appointment |
Term of office expires |
Date of standing down |
Appointed by:- |
Business and pecuniary interests (with start date) |
|
Barry Broadhurst |
21 November 2018 |
21 November 2022 |
|
Parents |
B Broadhurst Project Management Ltd B Broadhurst Ltd Claricas Ltd |
|
Tessa Harrison |
28 February 2022 |
|
31 January 2023 |
Members |
|
|
David Robinson |
20 November 2019 |
|
13 November 2022 |
Parents |
|
Committees and meetings
Our full Governing Body and two Committees meet several times a year. Committee membership is as follows:
|
Finance and Buildings Committee |
Standards Committee |
|
Alastair Birtles (Vice Chair) |
Dot Anderton (Vice Chair) |
|
Dee Cullen |
Joanna Burgess |
|
Terry Hobson |
Dee Cullen |
|
Alan McViety (Chair) |
Su Davis |
|
William Patterson |
Elaine Sargent (Headteacher) |
|
Elaine Sargent (Headteacher) |
Jane Taylor |
|
Jane Taylor |
David Watkinson (Acting Chair) |
|
David Watkinson |
Gideon Wright |
|
Gideon Wright |
|
We record governors’ attendance at meetings::
Members of the Academy Trust:
|
Full name |
Date of appointment |
Business and pecuniary interests (with start date) |
|
Jonty Rostron |
1 August 2011 |
AGS Foundation Governor (01/09/1998 |
|
Martin Stephenson |
22 March 2022 |
AGS Foundation Governor (01/09/1986) Appleby Sports Hall (01/09/2006) |
|
(Helen) Jane Taylor |
1 August 2011 |
AGS Foundation Governor (01/09/1986) NB Taylor & Son (31/07/1975) |
|
David Watkinson |
1 August 2011 |
AGS Foundation Governor (02/02/2011) |
Key documents
Annual reports and financial statements:
Scheme of delegation/terms of reference of full Governing Body and Committees
Interested in being a school governor?
School Governors are the most important volunteer workforce in education. It’s a rewarding role that provides an excellent opportunity for personal development in a unique environment. Volunteers are able to develop many skills and schools need dedicated people who care about improving the education of the young people in their community.
Even if you just have a slight interest in the role, explore it. Volunteering does take some time and commitment as you’ll need to attend meetings and review papers beforehand, but it’s worth it when you see the positive outcomes and progression the school makes.
Contact
Our Chair of Governors, Jane Taylor, can be contacted through the school. She may also be contacted by email via the Clerk to Governors, clerk@appleby.cumbria.sch.uk.