Governors

Governing Body

A message from the chair of Governors

On behalf of the Governing Body I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all new parents and carers. For new parents to the school we thought we would tell you a little more about what the Governing Body role is within a school.

The main role of the Governing Body is to help raise the standards and performance of the school by supporting the work of the Headteacher and the staff. Governors will support and, at the same time, challenge the Head Teacher by gathering views, asking questions and helping to decide what is best for the school. Governors make important decisions on policy and strategy and are answerable to parents and the wider community.

How does the Governing Body work?

The Governing Body conducts most business via a framework of termly meetings, working closely with the Head Teacher and Local Authority. Sub-committees are appointed from the full membership to deal with specific finance, premises, health and safety or personnel aspects and these meet separately. Meetings can also be called in order to discuss a particular item of business.

Most full meetings of the Governing Body are held in the evening, whilst the opportunity to meet during the day also exists for the sub-committees.

Who is represented on the Governing Body?

• Parents who are elected by other parents who have children attending the school.
• Staff including the Head Teacher, teachers who are elected by other teachers and non-teaching staff at the school.
• LA Representative who is appointed by the Local Authority.
• Foundation Governors - the Vicar of St. Owen's and people who are appointed by the church.
• Co-opted Governors who can offer advice and support to the school.

Being a school governor is a good way to be involved in the life and strategic development of a school. Should you wish to contact a Governor, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours sincerely

Siobhan Barnes
Chair of Governors

• Gurjit Virk
  Head Teacher
  Gurjit Virk

• Siobhan Barnes
  Chair of Governing Body
  Siobhan Barnes

  Term from and to:   1 Sep 2019 - 31 Aug 2023

• Eddie Kirk
  Parent Governor
  Eddie Kirk

  Term from and to: 1 Jan 2020 - 1 Jan 2024

  I am a parent governor, with 2 children attending Bromham Primary, and I have been a governor at the school for 5 years. I am a Deputy Headteacher of a Primary school, and I have taught throughout Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 for nearly 20 years. I also work on behalf of Central Bedfordshire, supporting newly qualified teachers through individual visits, group training and assessing their progress to become fully qualified teachers. I have an additional background in supporting other schools, having worked with local authorities and the Diocese of St Alban's to support schools in their successful development of the teaching of English.

• Louise Elphick
  Vice-Chair of Governing Body
  Louise Elphick

  Term from and to: 2 Sep 2019 - 1 Sep 2023

  I began as a Parent Governor in March 2015 and am currently serving as a Co-Opted Governor acting as Vice Chair of Governors and Chair of the Finance Committee. I live in Bromham and have a daughter in year 4. In my professional life I am Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser and am keen to use my business skills to support the school in managing the budget and ensuring value for money on all spend. In my spare time I enjoy baking and walks with the family. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the Governing Body and the school team in our joint desire to achieve the best for each child.

• Judith Denyer
  Foundation Governor
  Judith Denyer

  Term from and to: 28 Nov 2019 - 28 Nov 2023

  I first joined the governing body in 2006 when my daughter started school, as a foundation governor appointed by the St Owen's Parochial Church Council.   During this time I have taken on various roles and projects, including the redesign of Sheri's Garden in 2010, several Ofsted and SIAMs inspections, and helping the school to achieve the Gold RE Quality Mark.   I currently sit on the Foundation Governors Committee and am link Governor for Inclusion and Attendance.  

  My job involves supporting adults with learning disabilities in Bromham and the wider community, and I am also the Safeguarding Officer for the three churches in the Bromham Benefice.  

  In my spare time I enjoy keeping fit and walking my dog around our lovely village.

• Elaine Cook
  Co-Opted Governor (Safeguarding)
  Elaine Cook

  Term from and to:  9th May 2018 - 9th May 2022

  Committees:

  • Staff Appeals

  My name is Elaine Cook and I have been a Governor for Bromham Primary School since 2014.   I am the mother of three boys who have all attended Bromham Primary School to Year 5.   My 2 older boys are now studying at University and by youngest son is in Year 8 at Bedford Modern School.   I am a full time Police Officer based at Bedfordshire Police HQ Kempston with over 16 years experience in Child Protection and safeguarding which involves working with different agencies including Social Care, Health and Education. I am the Safeguarding Governor for the school providing specialist support and advice.

• Jo Trueman,
  Parent Governor (Reading link governor)
  Jo Trueman,

  Term from and to:  2nd September 2019 - 1st September 2023

  Committees:  

  • Upper Key Stage 2 Link Governor

  About Me:

  I was appointed as a Parent Governor in 2019. Bromham Primary School was going through a big period of change at the time and I was keen to be involved and ensure that parents voices were heard and taken on board (I can assure you that they very much are!). I have two children at the school in years 4 and 6. In my professional life, I work in housing and regeneration services at Milton Keynes Council, although my background is in the criminal justice and public health fields. In my spare time I enjoy keeping fit, have a passion for reading and am also the Secretary for the Bromham Scouts Executive Committee. I am very proud to be part of the Bromham Primary Governors team.

  ,

• Amy Jarvis,
  Parent Governor
  Amy Jarvis,

  Term from and to: 2nd September 2019- 1st September 2023

  Committees:  

  • Finance
  • Staff Hearings

  I have two daughters at the school and being able to see them grow and develop is fantastic. Prior to having the girls, I worked in London and overseas for a bank, a large law firm and a leading business school.   I now work part-time at a local insurance company in a marketing and business development role.    

  I wanted to be a governor for a number of reasons; to help the school's continuous improvement; to get more involved with life at the school; to develop my own skills and to support the school in playing a strong role in the community of Bromham and surrounding villages.    For children, school is much more than academic learning and a governing body should make sure the school is looking at the whole picture of emotional and behavioural support, extra-curricular opportunities as well as academic attainment.   In doing so, we can provide the best environment and opportunities we possibly can for all the children who attend.

  ,

• Lyndsey Pinel
  Staff Governor
  Lyndsey Pinel

  Term from and to: 1 Jan 2020 - 31 Dec 2023

  I am an elected staff governor, as well as the Deputy Headteacher at Bromham CofE Primary School. I joined Bromham in September 2018 but have been a teacher for 11 years across Bedford Borough and part of Senior Leadership Teams for 7 of these.

  I am currently completing a Masters in Leadership and Management within Education with the National College of Education. I thoroughly enjoy and am proud to be part of the team building the greatest school we can for the children and staff who make it an incredible place to be.  

• Rev Catherine Wilson
  Foundation Governor
  Rev Catherine Wilson

  Term from and to: 13 Nov 2018 - 12 Nov 2022

  I grew up in south-west London and went to Southampton University before doing a PGCE to train as a Primary School teacher. I taught for five years, during which time I got married, and then spent many years as a stay-at-home Mum to our four children (all now adults) and supporting my husband in his job as a vicar in Shropshire and then in two different parishes in Kent. I started to explore my own calling to ordained ministry when our youngest child went to secondary school, and after three years of part-time studying I was ordained in July 2014 in Canterbury Cathedral. I spent four years as the curate in two village churches in Kent before moving to Bromham to be Vicar of Bromham, Oakley and Stagsden. The presence of a church school in Bromham and the opportunity to be a Foundation Governor was a positive draw for me, and I am enjoying becoming part of the school community, and promoting the Christian ethos of the school and the links between the school and St Owen's church.

• James Stephenson
  Parent Governor
  James Stephenson

  Term from and to: 20 May 2021 - 19 May 2025

• Alison Urban
  Parent Governor
  Alison Urban

  Term from and to: 20 May 2021 - 19 May 2025