Governors

Longtown Community Primary School is fortunate in having an experienced and enthusiastic governing body, who each bring their own specific skills and experience. Together, they are able to use these abilities collectively in order to provide the school with the support and equally, the challenge it needs to thrive.

The governing body has a structure of full governing body meetings and two committees dealing with the areas of Education and Business.

The Chair of Governors may be contacted via the following address:  Mrs Kym Wilcocks, C/O Longtown Community Primary School, Longtown, Herefordshire, HR2 0LE

The Clerk to the Governors is Anne Lloyd who can be contacted via the school office.

The Governing Body pay allowances or reimbursement of costs incurred by governors in accordance with the procedure laid out in the school's Finance Policy.

Governor’s Annual Round-up 2022/2023

The Governing body met for a full GB meeting each term. Both of the committees , Business and Finance, plus Education also met each term thus feeding into the full GB meetings.

Detailed and informative reports from the Headteacher and staff were received each term and the SDP was also reviewed termly

Various policies were reviewed by the Governing body - Behaviour Management, Visits, SEND, Safeguarding, Supporting children with Medical needs, Health and Safety and Complaints.

The SLA with Fairfield High school continued to be reviewed and in April 2023 the Governors agreed to again continue with this arrangement with some adjustments. This SLA has proved successful for the school and personal thanks go to Sue Gaston, Executive HT for her support over the years.

The Chair of Governors regularly visited the school meeting with staff pupils during lessons and at school events throughout the academic year.

The Chair of Governors informed the GB that she will not be standing for re-election. A new Chair and Vice-Chair will be elected in September 2023.

Mr Nicholas Vaughan resigned in May 2023. He was replaced by Kym Wilcocks, a former Chair of Governors.

Kym Wilcocks was elected as Chair of Governors and Sharon Williams was elected as Vice-Chair in September 2023.
 

The Current Governing Body Comprises:

Kym Wilcocks - Chair of Governors - 4 year term

 Headteacher, consecutively of two large Primary Schools in Portsmouth both in areas of depravation. Vice Chair of the Excellence in Cluster initiative. Mentor for NQT’s and Headteachers. My second Headship was at Portsdown Primary and Nursery school and we were the flagship school for a funded project called the Discovery Project focussing on emotional intelligence which included work with the BBC and publication in the TES. Professional development for staff was hugely important to me and consequently four teachers went on to become Headteachers. We also received awards for school improvement in KS2 SATs and developed a wide extended schools programme of after school provision and in-house support for parents.
Since retiring and moving to this area I have been a member of the Diocesan Board of Education (DBE) and was involved in creating a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) of which I was a member. I also became a Governor of Longtown Community Primary School (LCPS) and then Chair from which I retired in July 2022 after sixteen years. I am actively involved in voluntary work at Hereford Cathedral especially with education, also a member of the PCC at St. Michael’s church, Ewyas Harold and various other groups. Education, children ,staff and parents and other stakeholders has always been hugely important in my teaching career, Headship and in voluntary work. After becoming the Local Authority (LA) governor for the school again in summer 2023 , in September I have returned to the role of Chair of Governors. 

Vicki Stinchcombe – Co-opted Governor - 4 year term - Chair of Education Committee

Vicki began her career in a large primary school in Bristol, where as a class 5/6 teacher she had responsibility for literacy and PE. She became a Deputy Head, where her expertise was in behaviour management, emotional intelligence and literacy, and then moved on to take up a research position at the University of Bristol. As part of this she completed a Master’s in Education that focused on the transition between KS2 and 3. More recently she has been working as an educational consultant for Creative Partnerships, working with schools in the Midlands to develop creative approaches to learning and the curriculum. Passionate about improving children's educational experiences she was also a visiting lecturer for UWE, working alongside and mentoring student teachers. She moved to the area in 2013 and is currently supporting the development of the School’s Council. She has two granddaughters at Longtown School.

Ron Brierly - Co-opted Governor - 4 year term - Chair of Business Committee

Ron was brought up in Devon.  At the age of 18 he joined Cable & Wireless and worked for them for 30 years in the Caribbean, Middle East and Far East.  During his working career Ron rose up through the ranks from Engineer to Senior Management where he had responsibility for managing large teams of staff and multi-million pound budgets.  He has a Higher National Diploma in Telecommunication Engineering and a 1st Class Honours degree in Maths.  In 2013 Ron retired to Longtown and became a governor in 2016.  He enjoys the outdoors life that the area offers and is a keen walker.

Emma Stafford - Co-opted Governor- 4 year term - Business Committee 

I was born and raised within the West Midlands and settled in Longtown, with my family, in 2019. My husband and I have two grown daughters, so adjusting to a very quiet house and much less laundry. After working in America for a year I trained in primary education, a career I have loved all my life. I had the privilege of teaching in Milan and across the south of England, before settling in Cardiff for 20 years as the girls grew up. I ended my teaching career working in Aberdare, as SENCO and acting deputy. I have a passion for theatre and the arts and I love to travel.  

Since March 2022 I have the pleasure of working full time in Longtown School's Admin Office. Please pop in and say hello when you can. 

Pearl Pritchard - Parent Governor - 4 year term - Business Committee

My working background is in business and accountancy and I am a working Mum and farmer's wife. I was born in the area, attended Longtown Primary School as a child and have lived locally all my life. As my children now attend the school, I still have a strong connection to it. My aim is to provide balanced and objective input to the governing body. I am pleased to have this opportunity to help and support the governing body to provide the highest standards of education and opportunities for the children to enjoy and benefit from their time at school.

Jeanette Pryce - Parent Governor - 4 year term - Education Committee

From east Herefordshire, I moved to Longtown in 2014. I now have two boys at Longtown School. Prior to its change in governance I was very involved with Longtown Pre-School and was Chair of the charity responsible for its running. I’ve continue to be involved in the school’s PTA and also run an after school Art Club.

I work locally as the Design & Style Librarian for a London based design house. This represents a change in career after having our boys - previously I worked in town planning as a Planner and Planning Enforcement Officer. After gaining a degree in Geography from the University of Birmingham, I travelled extensively for a number of years before returning to Herefordshire broke, not leaving again as planned but eventually migrating west to the hills! I enjoy running with other local mums, especially on those hills, travel and plenty of adventure!

Jane Barnes - Headteacher Governor - Education/Business Committees

Jackie Reynolds - Staff Governor - 4 year term - Education Committee

Jackie was brought up in Greater Manchester before moving to the Midlands to study Politics at the University of Warwick. She started her career in commercial consumer research working for Bulmers, Golden Wonder and finally Kraft Foods on marketing and brand development for well-known drinks and snacking brands both in the UK and internationally. In 2012, she embarked on a career change to fulfil a long-held desire to become a teacher and undertook a PGCS at the University of Worcester. She worked locally at several primary schools across the whole of Key Stage 2 before joining Longtown teaching staff in 2014. In her current role, Jackie is the class teacher for Year 5/6 and also the Literacy Coordinator across the school which enabled her to follow her passion for reading and encourage and support a reading for pleasure culture. Jackie lives in Hereford with her husband and secondary-aged son. She enjoys playing netball in the local league , mountain biking and is an inspiring (although often struggling!) runner, taking part in the Park Run 5km most weekends.

Mike Fawcett

Mike Fawcett is an experienced teacher and outdoor education adviser who lives in Longtown and is married to Diane who teaches at the school.  They have 3 sons who have all been pupils at Longtown Primary School.  His former roles have included being Head of Longtown Outdoor Education Centre, Deputy Head Teacher at Cross Ash Primary School, Senior Lecturer at Pershore Group of Colleges and Deputy Weapon Engineer Officer of HMS Argyll.

As an outdoor education adviser Mike advises schools on health and safety on all forms of educational visits and learning outside the classroom.  He is passionate about all forms of outdoor learning and combines his advisory work with freelance outdoor instructing and voluntary roles with Longtown Mountain Rescue Team and the Abbey Dore Deanery ‘Grow Strong’ youth project.

In terms of governance experience, he is currently chair of the Midlands region of the national panel of Outdoor Education Advisers and a member of the national board.  He is also a trustee of Longtown Outdoor Learning Trust and has previously been a staff governor at Pershore Group of Colleges and Cross Ash PS.  He was a parent governor at Longtown PS from 2005 -2009.

The Governing Body

The Governing Body holds full governing body meetings each term. In addition, it has two committees which also meet termly. The Education Committee has responsibility for Curriculum & Standards, Safeguarding, SEND, Specific Groups and Community. The Business Committee has responsibility for Finance, Premises, Health and Safety, Personnel, GDPR and Equalities.

Name	Date of Appointment(s)	Term of Office	Date of Resignation	Attendance in 2022-2023 Academic Year
				Full Governing Body	Eligible  Committee
Kym Wilcocks	07/09/23	4 years	N/A	2 0f 2	0 of 0
Vicki Stinchcombe	01/06/15 25/06/19 07/09/23	4 years	N/A	3 of 7	3 of 3
Ron Brierly	06/10/16 25/06/19 07/09/23	4 years	N/A	7 of 7	3 of 3
Sharon Williams RESIGNED	01/11/17 24/6/21	4 years	N/A	7 of 7	3 of 3 2 of 3
Jeanette Pryce	08/12/22	4 years	N/A	4 of 5	2 of 2
Pearl Pritchard	04/12/18 8/12/22	4 years	N/A	5 of 7	3 of 3
Mike Fawcett	01/09/2024	4 years	N/A
Mary Boustead Left post	01/09/19 01/09/23		N/A	7 of 7	3 of 3 3 of 3
Jackie Reynolds	03/12/20	4 years	N/A	3 of 3	6 of 7 3 of 3
Jane Barnes	18/04/2024	HT	N/A
Emma Stafford	15/09/22	4 years	N/A	6 of 7	2 of 3

Register of Interests

The following information indicates any relevant business interest of governors and details of any other educational establishments they govern.

 Emma Stafford - Office Manager  - Longtown Community Primary School

List of Governors who have resigned in the last 12 months

Sharon Williams