Governors’ Information and Duties
The Governing Body has adopted the Circle method of Governance, with Monitoring groups appointed to review the following areas.
Quality of Education, Behaviour, Attitudes & Personal Development, Leadership and Management, SIAMS, Finance & Premises, HT Appraisal and Pay Committee, Discipline Committee
Governor Type | Name | Committee Membership | Business Interests and material interest arising from personal relationships | About the Governor |
Chair of Governors | David Hill | Quality of Education | Governor at Mascalls | David’s two youngest grandchildren used to go to St Marks. They now live with their mum and dad and David and Susan, his wife, in a shared house in Matfield. David was a senior sales and marketing manager with BT until 2001. Since then he has trained over 1000 senior and middle managers in leadership, teamwork and communication skills. |
Local Authority Governor | Term of office 8/2/13 to 6/12/2024 | Leadership & Management | ||
| Finance & Premises | |||
Ex-Officio | Rev Laurence Powell | SIAMS | None | |
Term of office 22/4/2019 | ||||
Foundation Governor | Rev Claire Allwood | SIAMS | None | I am vicar of St Mark’s Church and have also been fortunate to have a family connection with the school. I am passionate about enabling the children to engage with the treasures of the Christian faith and traditions and about supporting the well-being of the whole school community |
Term of office | ||||
17/01/2022 to 16/01/2026 | ||||
Foundation Governor | Hester Gudmunsen | SIAMS | None | I am very pleased to be appointed as a new governor at St Marks. I have two girls who currently attend the school and am part of the St Mark’s Church community. My background is in strategic planning, performance and marketing and I look forward to bringing my professional skills and knowledge to the role. I’m passionate about supporting this great school to continue to raise standards of achievement and develop well rounded children that are able to reach their full potential. |
Term of Office 21/3/2022 to 20/3/2026 | ||||
Headteacher Governor | Simon Bird | SIAMS | None | I was appointed Headteacher in January 2018, having previously been Deputy Head from February 2010. I live outside of Tunbridge Wells and have two young daughters. |
Term of office from 1/1/18 | ||||
Staff Governor | Natasha Saville-Smith | Behaviour, Attitudes & Personal Development | None | I am extremely proud to become a staff governor at St Marks. I have been a teacher here for the last three years and have been fortunate enough to work with fabulous children and inspiring and dedicated staff. |
Term of office 1/9/19 to 31/8/2023 | I will be using my experience as a teacher and my passion for wellbeing to further support the school in growing from strength to strength and to ensure that staff and children alike are reaching their full potential. | |||
Co -opted Governor | Sarah Russell | Quality of Education | None | I joined the St.Mark’s School community in 2007 and both of my children have attended the school. I was first elected as a parent governor and am now a co-opted governor. There have been many changes over the years and I an as committed to supporting the whole school as when I joined. |
Term of office 1/2/15 to 01/02/2023 | ||||
Vice Chair | James Gambrill | Leadership & Management | None | I am a parent of 3 children currently attending St Marks and have a number of business interests in events, business consultancy and travel. I have a degree in Physics and an MBA reflecting my primary interests in science and business. I am also a keen proponent of lifelong learning having returned to studies in my early 30’s. I strongly believe developing an early love of reading and learning that is so central to the ethos of St Marks is the key to a successful and fulfilling adult life. Outside of work I am keen on a number of sports especially skiing and I often teach schoolchildren at the Bowles dry slope in Eridge. |
Co-opted Governors | Term of office 5/12/17 to 4/12/21 | Finance & Premises | None | |
Co -opted Governor | Marsha Ejiofor | Quality of Education | None | |
Term of office 17/5/21 to 326/5/25 | Behaviour, Attitudes & Personal Development | None | ||
Parent Governor | Jamie Johnson | Behaviour, Attitudes & Personal Development | None | My name is Jamie Johnson, I have been a parent governor for the last 6 years since my oldest son Frankie started at St Marks; he is now in year 9! I have two other sons: Charlie who is in year 6 and Joey in year 3! They all are loving school; and so am I being a parent governor. You may see me around the school giving boxing lessons to the children! I am the former W.I.B.F British Lightweight Champion; and now I am an A.B.A Boxing Coach. We use the training in the school to teach children self control and discipline; and mainly to combat any form of bullying |
Term of office 15/10/12 to 6/12/2024 | ||||
Parent Governor | Lynne Doran | Quality of Education | None | I am a parent of children at St Marks CEP School and have been involved with the school since my eldest started in 2011. I am a Chartered Civil Engineer and have worked in the design and construction industry for over 25 years. I have a keen interest in our children, their development and potential for the future. Specifically I am interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and how we can inspire our children to achieve in these subjects even at an early age. I also have a keen interest in healthy eating & lifestyle and the impact this can have on a child’s development and learning. |
Term of office 26/3/17 to 24/3/25 | Finance & Premises | None | ||
Clerk to the Governors | Claire Chapman | None | I have worked at the school for 10 years and my two children went to school here. | |