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School Governors

The role of school governors and trustees

Find out what school governors and trustees do and the key role they play in helping schools to succeed. This short film gives you all the essential information about this rewarding voluntary role. Most people over 18 years old are eligible to govern so, if you're interested in education and making a difference, watch this film to find out more.

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Episode 4 - Experience level explained

It's a common misconception that you need years and years of experience to become a school governor or academy trustee, but that's not the case. Apart from a few exceptions, anyone can give back to schools and become a governor! In the fourth episode of our flash webinar series, Eteach speaks to Judith Hicks, Head of Governance Development at NGA.

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  • Maintained schools governance guide Guidance on the strategic leadership and governance of local-authority-maintained schools. This non-statutory guidance replaces the governance handbook 2019. This is a reference document for those involved in local-authority-maintained school governance. It brings together essential information from a range of sources on the governing body’s roles and legal responsibilities.

The Governors are always happy to discuss issues relating to your child should you wish. Governors can be contacted via Email in the first instance.

Clerk:

Marcia Hart

marcia.hart@services4schools.org.uk

Chair of Governors 

Cllr. Simran Cheema 

Vice Chair of Governors 

 Angie James 

Safeguarding Governor + Looked After Children 

Cllr Simran Cheema 

Governors to be contacted via the Clerk: Marcia Hart 

marcia.hart@services4schools.org.uk

0333 772 1272 or  07951828387

Governing Body Constitution 2025/26

Appointment
    Name    Appointed by
    First Appointed    Term Length    Term Start    Term End
Co-opted governors
    Mrs Marie Bentley        16/07/2015    -    29/06/2023    28/06/2027

    Cllr Simran Cheema - Chair        21/09/2023    -    21/09/2023    20/09/2027

    Miss Angie James        06/03/2025    -    06/03/2025    05/03/2029

    Mr Barry Thorndyke        16/07/2019    -    29/06/2023    28/06/2027
Foundation Ex-Officio
    Revd Philip Garrett        01/09/2025    4 years    -    -
Foundation governors
    Mr Paul Ingles        14/11/2013    4 years    14/11/2021    13/11/2025

    Mr Brian Knowles        24/04/2023    4 years    24/04/2023    23/04/2027
Headteachers
    Mr Mark Dakin    -    -    -    01/01/2011    -
Local Authority Governors
    Mr Lee Highton-Nicholls        28/04/2023    -    28/04/2023    27/04/2027
Parent governors
    Mr Joe Green        11/11/2022    -    11/11/2022    10/11/2026

    Mrs Natasha Hylton        19/11/2021    -    19/11/2021    18/11/2025

    Ian Tarver        06/12/2024    -    06/12/2024    05/12/2028

    Vacancy (1)                    
Staff governors
    Mrs Daniela Hatfield    -    27/09/2018    -    27/09/2022    26/09/2026
 


Declarations of Interest 2025/26

 

 St Giles Church of England Primary School

 Register of interests

           

A register of interests for the selected board. Maintained schools can use this as their register of interests but please make sure you remove any GovernorHub users who don’t need to appear on the register. Trusts need to combine all boards and add details of Members and senior employees.

A register of interests for the selected board. Maintained schools can use this as their register of interests but please make sure you remove any GovernorHub users who don’t need to appear on the register. Trusts need to combine all boards and add details of Members and senior employees.

Current governing board 2025-2026

 

 

Interests

Name and appointment

Confirmed

Organisation

Type of interest

Notes

From

To

Name: Marie Bentley

Appointment: Co-opted governor
Term of office start: 29/06/2023
Term of office end: 28/06/2027
Appointed by: -


 

 

 

Confirmed: 15/09/2025

-

None

RBI form signed 30 Sept 21

-

-

 

Confirmed: 15/09/2025

St Giles Primary School

Employee

Teaching Assistant

01/07/2002

-

 

Name: Simran Cheema

Appointment: Co-opted governor
Term of office start: 21/09/2023
Term of office end: 20/09/2027
Appointed by: -


 

 

 

Confirmed: 17/09/2025

Walsall MBC

Other governance role

Councillor

06/05/2022

07/05/2026

 

Name: Mark Dakin

Appointment: Headteacher
Term of office start: 01/01/2011
Term of office end: -
Appointed by: -


 

 

 

Confirmed: 02/09/2025

-

None

RBI form signed 30 Sept 21

-

-

 

Confirmed: 02/09/2025

Headteacher

St Giles' CE Primary School

-

01/01/2011

-

 

Confirmed: 02/09/2025

School Governor

St Thomas More Catholic School

-

07/09/2022

-

 

Name: Philip Garrett

Appointment: Foundation Ex-Officio
Term of office start: -
Term of office end: -
Appointed by: -


 

 

 

Confirmed: 12/09/2025

St Giles Church

Business or finance interests

Priest in Charge
Trustee - Parish of St Giles (Willenhall)
Trustee - Willenhall Chapel of Ease Estate

05/08/2025

-

 

Name: Joe Green

Appointment: Parent governor
Term of office start: 11/11/2022
Term of office end: 10/11/2026
Appointed by: -


 

 

 

Confirmed: 22/09/2025

King Edwards VI College, Stourbridge

Subject Lead Accounting

-

28/08/2024

-

 

Confirmed: 22/09/2025

St Thomas More - Feed School

Business or finance interests

Employee

01/09/2023

28/08/2024

 

Name: Daniela Hatfield

Appointment: Staff governor
Term of office start: 27/09/2022
Term of office end: 26/09/2026
Appointed by: -


 

 

 

Confirmed: 17/09/2025

St Giles CE Primary

My partner, Dan Hatfield, works at the School

RBI form signed 15 Sept 21

-

-

 

Confirmed: 17/09/2025

St Giles Primary School

Employee

Teacher

15/09/2009

-

 

Name: Lee Highton-Nicholls

Appointment: Local Authority Governor
Term of office start: 28/04/2023
Term of office end: 27/04/2027
Appointed by: -


 

 

 

Confirmed: 23/10/2025

The Salvation Army

Business or finance interests

I am a minister of religion with The Salvation Army

01/07/2021

-

 

Name: Natasha Hylton

Appointment: Parent governor
Term of office start: 19/11/2025
Term of office end: 18/11/2029
Appointed by: -


 

 

 

Confirmed: 16/09/2025

Volunteer Co-ordinator

Employee

-

02/01/2023

31/01/2024

 

Name: Paul Ingles

Appointment: Foundation governor
Term of office start: 14/11/2025
Term of office end: 13/11/2029
Appointed by: -


 

 

 

Confirmed: 18/09/2025

Chapel of Ease

Trustee

For at least 10 years

-

-

 

Confirmed: 18/09/2025

NEU

Membership

-

-

-

 

Confirmed: 18/09/2025

Cooper and Jordan CE Primary

Working in another Walsall School

Headteacher

01/01/2024

-

 

Confirmed: 18/09/2025

St Giles CE Primary

Wife works at St Giles (Admin Assistant)

RBI for signed 30 Sept 21

-

18/09/2024

 

Name: Angie James

Appointment: Co-opted governor
Term of office start: 06/03/2025
Term of office end: 05/03/2029
Appointed by: -


 

 

 

Confirmed: 10/09/2025

Now Business Solutions

Director

RBI form 1 Nov 21

01/01/2021

-

 

Confirmed: 10/09/2025

Business Solutions (West Mids) Ltd

Director

-

01/10/2024

-

 

Name: Brian Knowles

Appointment: Foundation governor
Term of office start: 17/03/2026
Term of office end: 16/03/2030
Appointed by: -


 

 

 

Confirmed: 22/09/2025

St Giles Church

Church Warden

-

-

-

 

Name: Asha Pawar

Appointment: Parent governor
Term of office start: 10/10/2025
Term of office end: 09/10/2029
Appointed by: -


 

 

 

Nothing to Declare: 03/11/2025

-

-

-

-

-

 

Name: Ian Tarver

Appointment: Parent governor
Term of office start: 06/12/2024
Term of office end: 05/12/2028
Appointed by: -


 

 

 

Confirmed: 05/12/2025

St Giles Primary

Other governance role

Parent Governor

01/10/2024

-

 

Confirmed: 05/12/2025

Wolverhampton Council

Personal or close family relationship

Family Help Delivery Manger - Children's Services

01/11/2024

-

 

Confirmed: 05/12/2025

Dovecotes Primary School, Wolverhampton

Other governance role

Co-opted Governor

14/07/2025

12/07/2029

 

Name: Barry Thorndyke

Appointment: Co-opted governor
Term of office start: 29/06/2023
Term of office end: 28/06/2027
Appointed by: -


 

 

 

Confirmed: 17/09/2025

Rotary Club of Willenhall

Member

RBI form signed 30 Sept 21

01/07/1996

-

 

Confirmed: 17/09/2025

Willenhall Area Relief Rehabilitation and Nursing Trust

Trustee (voluntary)

-

01/10/2011

-

 

Other positions

 

 

Interests

Name and appointment

                                      

Confirmed

Organisation

Type of interest

Notes

From

To

Name: Manraj  Grewal

Appointment: Other
Term of office start: -
Term of office end: -
Appointed by: -

 

Not Confirmed

-

-

-

-

-

Name: Harsimrat Mavi

Appointment: Other
Term of office start: 13/04/2015
Term of office end: -
Appointed by: Papers only

 

Confirmed: 15/01/2026

St Giles C.E. Primary

Deputy Headteacher

-

27/04/2011

-

Confirmed: 15/01/2026

Nishkam Primary School Birmingham

Trust Governor

-

27/02/2020

26/02/2023

St Giles Church of England Primary School

Attendance 2025-2026

Y = Attended, N = Apologies Accepted, NA = Apologies not Accepted, NS = No Apologies sent, ? = Attendance Not Marked, Blank = Not Required,

CA = Consent for absence, - = Not applicable

 

 

 

 

FGB

Resources

Curriculum

Pay Committee

Curriculum

Resources

FGB

Resources

Curriculum

FGB

Governor

Governor Type

18 Sep 2025

02 Oct 2025

13 Nov 2025

20 Nov 2025

15 Jan 2026

05 Feb 2026

05 Mar 2026

07 May 2026

04 Jun 2026

25 Jun 2026

Marie Bentley

Co-opted governor

Y

?

Y

 

N

?

Y

?

?

N

Cllr Simran Cheema

Co-opted governor

Y

Y

?

 

 

Y

Y

N

?

Y

Mr Mark Dakin

Headteacher

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

?

Y

Revd Philip Garrett

Foundation Ex-Officio

Y

?

?

 

 

?

Y

?

?

N

Mr Joe Green

Parent governor

Y

Y

?

Y

 

N

Y

Y

?

Y

Manraj  Grewal

Other

 

Y

?

 

 

Y

?

Y

?

?

Mrs Marcia Hart

 

Y

Y

?

Y

 

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Daniela Hatfield

Staff governor

Y

?

N

 

Y

?

Y

?

Y

N

Mr Lee Highton-Nicholls

Local Authority Governor

N

?

?

 

 

?

N

?

?

Y

Natasha Hylton

Parent governor

Y

?

?

Y

 

?

N

?

?

N

Paul Ingles

Foundation governor

Y

N

?

 

 

Y

Y

Y

?

Y

Angie James

Co-opted governor

N

?

N

 

Y

?

Y

N

Y

Y

Mr Brian Knowles

Foundation governor

Y

Y

Y

N

 

Y

Y

Y

?

Y

Harsimrat Mavi

Other

Y

?

Y

 

Y

?

Y

?

Y

Y

Asha Pawar

Parent governor

 

 

?

 

 

?

Y

?

?

Y

Julie Phelps

Other

?

?

?

?

 

?

?

?

?

?

Jodie Richards

 

?

?

?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr Ian Tarver

Parent governor

Y

?

Y

 

Y

?

Y

?

Y

Y

Barry Thorndyke

Co-opted governor

Y

Y

Y

Y

NS

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Governing Body Diversity Data 2025-2026

How and why the report was generated: The national census data included in this report gives a comprehensive overview of diversity on a country-wide scale. This is to support you to contextualise and reflect on the diversity of your board. While census data shouldn't be treated as a benchmark for a 'level' of diversity your organisation, it can be a valuable tool for prompting questions about how representative your board is of the communities you serve. By reflecting on these figures, boards can foster a more inclusive culture and identify areas for improvement in their diversity and inclusion practices. A note on this report: The data for this report was provided on the basis of consent and was accurate at the time of downloading (see date above). The report only includes information for people allocated to the board’s constitution. To ensure anonymity, the report will only be generated if a minimum threshold of members have filled in their personal information on GovernorHub. Data for each characteristic within the report will only appear if this threshold is reached. Trust and local authority/governance support service level reports will also be available for admins of these wider governance services. For more information on why we're reporting on diversity data , how we're collecting it and how we're keeping your data anonymous, please visit our help centre.

 

Governing Board Attendance 2024/2025

St Giles Church of England Primary School
Attendance
Y = Attended, N = Apologies Accepted, NA = Apologies not Accepted, NS = No Apologies sent, ? = Attendance Not Marked, Blank = Not Required,
CA = Consent for absence, - = Not applicable
FGB Resources Pay  Curriculum Pay - HT Curriculum Resources FGB Resources Curriculum FGB
Governor Governor Type 19 Sep 2024 03 Oct 2024 10 Oct 2024 14 Nov 2024 21 Nov 2024 16 Jan 2025 06 Feb 2025 06 Mar 2025 08 May 2025 05 Jun 2025 26 Jun 2025
Marie Bentley Co-opted governor Y ? ? Y ? Y ? Y   N Y
Ms Rossella Bigongiari   Y ? ? Y ?            
Cllr Simran Cheema Co-opted governor Y N ?   ? ? Y Y Y ? Y
Mr Courtney  Copeland Parent governor Y ? ? Y ? Y ? Y   N N
Mr Mark Dakin Headteacher Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Mr Joe Green Parent governor Y Y ?   Y ? Y Y Y ? Y
Mrs Marcia Hart   Y Y Y   Y Y Y Y   Y Y
Daniela Hatfield Staff governor Y ? ? Y ? N ? Y   N Y
Mr Lee Highton-Nicholls Local Authority Governor N ? ?   ? ? ? Y   ? Y
Natasha Hylton Parent governor Y ? Y   Y ? ? Y   ? Y
Paul Ingles Foundation governor N Y ?   ? ? Y NS NS ? N
Angie James Co-opted governor Y Y ? Y ?         ? N
Mr Brian Knowles  Foundation governor Y Y Y   Y Y Y Y Y ? Y
Harsimrat Mavi Other Y ? ? Y ? Y ? Y   N Y
Julie Phelps Other ? ? ?   ? ? ? ?   ? ?
Jodie Richards Other             ? ?   ? ?
Mrs Lyndsey Rush     ? ?                
Ian Tarver Parent governor           Y ? Y   Y Y
Barry Thorndyke Co-opted governor Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Governing Board Attendance 2023/2024 

St Giles Church of England Primary School

Attendance

Y = Attended, N = Apologies Accepted, NA = Apologies not Accepted, NS = No Apologies sent, ? = Attendance Not Marked, Blank = Not Required,

CA = Consent for absence, - = Not applicable

 

 

FGB

Resources Committee

PAY COMMITTEE (Staff)

Curriculum Committee

Pay Committee (HT)

Curriculum Committee

Resources Committee

FGB

Resources Committee

Curriculum Committee

FGB

Governor

Governor Type

21 Sep 2023

05 Oct 2023

12 Oct 2023

16 Nov 2023

23 Nov 2023

18 Jan 2024

01 Feb 2024

07 Mar 2024

09 May 2024

06 Jun 2024

27 Jun 2024

Marie Bentley

Co-opted governor

Y

N

 

N

 

Y

?

Y

 

N

N

Rossella Bigongiari

Co-opted governor

Y

 

 

Y

 

N

?

Y

 

N

Y

Mrs Kelly Bodley

 

N

 

 

N

 

N

?

?

 

 

 

Cllr Simran Cheema

Co-opted governor

 

 

 

?

 

 

Y

Y

 

 

Y

Mr Courtney  Copeland

Parent governor

 

 

 

?

 

 

 

Y

 

 

N

Mr Mark Dakin

Headteacher

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Mr Steve Goodwin

 

N

 

 

Y

 

Y

?

Y

 

N

Y

Mr Joe Green

Parent governor

Y

N

 

?

 

 

Y

Y

Y

 

Y

Mrs Marcia Hart

 

Y

 

 

?

 

 

 

Y

 

 

Y

Daniela Hatfield

Staff governor

Y

 

 

N

 

Y

?

Y

 

Y

N

Mr Lee Highton-Nicholls

Local Authority Governor

N

 

 

?

 

 

?

Y

 

 

N

Natasha Hylton

Parent governor

N

 

 

N

 

?

?

N

 

 

Y

Paul Ingles

Foundation governor

Y

Y

Y

?

Y

 

Y

NS

Y

 

Y

Angie James

Parent governor

Y

Y

 

Y

 

Y

N

Y

NS

Y

Y

Mr Brian Knowles

Foundation Ex-Officio

Y

 

Y

Y

Y

 

Y

Y

 

 

Y

Harsimrat Mavi

Other

Y

 

 

Y

 

Y

Y

Y

 

Y

Y

Ms Vicky Owen

 

 

 

 

?

 

?

?

?

 

 

 

Julie Phelps

Other

 

 

 

?

 

 

 

?

 

 

?

Barry Thorndyke

Co-opted governor

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

N

Y

N

Y

 

 

 

 

Complaints to: 

Clerk to the Governing Body 

Services 4 Schools
Waterloo House, 4 Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton, WV1 4BL

Telephone:
0333 772 1272

E-mail:
info@services4schools.org.uk

Twitter: @s4scontact
Facebook: Services 4 Schools
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/services-4-schools

Governing Body Terms of Reference

Statutory Guidance