Appleby Grammar School
Battlebarrow
Appleby-in-Westmorland
Cumbria
CA16 6XU

017683 51580

Appleby Grammar School

A modern school, with traditional values

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:

Articles of Association

Funding agreement

Scheme of delegation/terms of reference of full Governing Body and Committees

Governors’ Code of Conduct 

 

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.