Introduction and Overview
What do governors do?
At Arunside Primary School we have a board of Governors who support the Headteacher and whilst the Governors have the overall responsibility for strategic management of the school, most of the responsibility and day to day running of the school is devolved to the Headteacher. The Governors meet at least half termly and then as frequently as specific matters dictate. Each member of the board takes a lead responsibility for strategic issues.
Key Roles and Responsibilities:
- Getting the right people around the table
- Understanding roles & responsibilities
- Good chairing
- Professional clerking
- Good relationships based on trust
- Knowing the school: data, staff, parents, children and community
- Commitment to asking challenging questions
- Confidence to have courageous conversations in the interests of children and young people
What OFSTED said at last inspection
Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development, based upon their monitoring. Through good-quality training and personal expertise, they have developed appropriate skills to interpret data. As a consequence, they support and challenge the Headteacher about the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement. They receive appropriate information about the management of teachers’ performance and see that teachers’ pay rises are appropriately linked to pupils’ achievements. Governors manage the school’s finances well. They are fully aware of how the pupil premium funding is spent, and the impact this is having on the achievement of eligible pupils. Governors ensure that the school meets national requirements for safeguarding children. Policies are regularly reviewed to ensure that children are kept safe and free from harm.
Current Governing Body Information
GOVERNING BODY OF ARUNSIDE SCHOOL
Our Governing Body consists of a range of professionals from the private and public sector and school parents. Full Governing Body meetings are held each half term. These meetings cover the full range of statutory agenda items and include a focus on either teaching and learning or policy and resources.
The statutory purpose of the Governing Body is to promote high standards of educational achievement at the school.
The day to day management of the school is the responsibility of the Headteacher and staff, whereas the governors are responsible for the general direction of the school and providing a strategic overview.
The Governing Body acts as a critical friend to the school and ensures accountability, whilst considering the interests of children, parents and staff. It makes decisions about curriculum, finance, staffing and premises matters, to help raise standards of achievement and to make sure that the school provides a good quality education for all of our pupils.
The Maintained Schools Governance Guide sets out the core functions as follows:
The core functions of the governing body are as set out in (regulation 6) and include, but are not limited to ensuring:
- that the vision, ethos and strategic direction of the school are clearly defined
- that the headteacher performs their responsibilities for the educational performance of the school
- the sound, proper and effective use of the school’s financial resources
A governing body and its governors must, as required by The School Governance (Roles, Procedures and Allowances) (England) Regulations 2013, regulation 6(2):
- act with integrity, objectivity and honesty and in the best interests of the school
- be open about the decisions they make and the actions they take and shall be prepared to explain their decisions and actions to interested parties
The governing body also has legislative responsibility and strategic oversight for the school’s safeguarding arrangements.
The School’s Vision Statement is:
ENABLING PERSONAL GROWTH WITH A DESIRE TO LEARN AND ACHIEVE, FOR EVERY CHILD, EVERY DAY.
| Governor Appointment Information | Register of Interest | |||||
| Governor Full Name | Date of Appointment | Term of Office (years) | Appointing / Elective Body | Relevant Business / Pecuniary Interests | Other Educational Establishments Governed | Remarks |
| Mrs Donna Jagger | 01/09/2019 | n/a | Headteacher | – | – | Headteacher |
| Mrs Anna Hadden | 04/12/2023 | 4 | Associate | – | – | Deputy Head at the school |
| Mr Yusef Ahmad | 03/07/2023 | 4 | Co-opted | – | – | |
| Ms Danielle Mussellwhite | 03/07/2023 | 4 | Co-opted | – | – | |
| Mrs Gemma Hoult | 04/12/2023 | 4 | Co-opted | Vice Chair | ||
| Mrs Gill Broadhurst | 03/10/2023 | 4 | Staff | – | – | – |
| Mrs Xin Liang | 24/11/2023 | 3 | Parent | Chair | ||
| Mrs Anna Conley | 24/11/2023 | 3 | Parent | – | – | – |
| Mr Glenn Thomas | 24/11/2023 | 3 | Parent | – | – |
Governors whose positions expired or who left during academic Year 2022-2023
| Governor Appointment Information | Register of Interest | |||||
| Governor Full Name | Date of Appointment | Date Ceased Office | Appointing / Elective Body | Relevant Business / Pecuniary Interests | Other Educational Establishments Governed | Remarks |
| Mrs Amy Ripley | 25/03/2020 | 25/03/2023 | Parent | Term of Office Expired | ||
| Mrs Victoria Coward | 22/01/2020 | 21/07/2023 | Co-opted | Resigned | ||
| Mr Graeme Smith | 07/10/2020 | 21/07/2023 | Co-opted | Resigned | ||
| Mrs Gill Edson | 19/07/2019 | 18/07/2023 | Staff | Term of Office Expired | ||
| Mrs Ali Abbott | 25/11/2021 | 11/11/2023 | Co-opted | Resigned | ||
| Mrs Paula Pitkethly | 01/10/2021 | 13/11/2023 | Parent | Resigned |
Governors whose positions expired or who left during academic Year 2023-2024
| Name | Date of Appointment | Date of Resignation | Elective Body | Business/Pecuniary Interests | Remarks | |
| Mr Andrew Roberts | 01/07/2020 | 30/06/2024 | Co-opted | Term of Officer Completed | ||
| Mrs Sylvia King | 15/05/2023 | 31/08/2024 | LA | Resignation |
Governing Board Attendance Record for Year ending August 2023
| Governor Full Name | FGB Meetings |
| Mrs Donna Jagger | 8/10 |
| Mrs Anna Hadden | 8/10 |
| Mr Andrew Roberts | 10/10 |
| Mrs Victoria Coward | 10/10 |
| Ms Gillian Broadhurst | 8/10 |
| Mrs Amy Ripley | 4/5 |
| Mrs Gemma Hoult | 9/10 |
| Mr Graeme Smith | 9/10 |
| Mrs Paula Pitkethly | 10/10 |
| Mr Luke Walters | 9/10 |
| Mrs Ali Abbott | 9/10 |
| Sylvia King | 3/4 |
| Yusef Ahmad | 2/2 |
| Danielle Mussellwhite | 2/2 |
| Governor Full Name | FGB Meetings – Attendance during academic year to 31/08/2024 |
| Mrs Donna Jagger | 8/8 |
| Mrs Anna Hadden | 8/8 |
| Mr Andrew Roberts | 7/8 |
| Mrs Ali Abbott | 1/1 |
| Mrs Gemma Hoult | 8/8 |
| Mr Luke Walters | 7/8 |
| Sylvia King | 6/8 |
| Yusef Ahmad | 6/8 |
| Danielle Mussellwhite | 8/8 |
| Shriya Patel | 6/6 |
| Anna Conley | 6/6 |
| Xin Liang | 6/6 |
| Ms Gill Broadhurst | 6/6 |
| Glenn Thomas | 5/5 |
| Governor Full Name | FGB Meetings – Attendance during academic year to 31/08/2025 |
Meet The Governors
Vacancy – Co-opted Governor
Anna Hadden – Associate Governor
Anna joined the Governing Body in September as a Co-opted Governor. She started teaching in 2007 and joined Arunside as SENCO in 2017. Anna has since become the school’s Deputy Head and is now an Associate Governor.
Anna has had three children who attended Arunside and she has a keen interest in the theatre and amateur dramatics.
Glenn Thomas – Parent Governor
Glenn is a Finance Director working for a medical device company with a background in finance and science. He has lived in Horsham for his entire life and attended Arunside as a boy during the 1990’s. Glenn is happy to see how far the school has come over the years and very keen to apply his finance and leadership skills to try to add value to the continued growth of the school.
Rhoda Hatton – Clerk to the Governors
Rhoda took over as Clerk to the Governors in January 2023 and deals with all the administration for the Governing Body. She joined Arunside School in 2017 and also holds the position of Communication and Compliance Officer.
Rhoda has a keen interest in School Governance and is a member of the Governing Board at Tanbridge House School. Other interests include supporting the local community both within the 12th Horsham Scout Group and as Clerk to Trafalgar Neighbourhood Council.
Mr Luke Walters – Parent Governor
Luke joined the Governing Body in 2021 as a parent governor. He has a child in Year 1 and has an older child who has now left Arunside after an amazing experience here.
Luke is Deputy Headteacher at Christ’s Hospital, Horsham and has a background in maintained and independent education both internationally and in the UK. He has lived in West Sussex for seven years and has a particular interest in pedagogy and additional needs teaching and learning. He is enjoying working with Arunside at such an exciting time for the school and is currently the school’s safeguarding governor.
Local Authority Governor – Sylvia King
Sylvia joined the Governing Body in 2022. Both her children attended Arunside and currently she is sponsor to a child in Y4.
Sylvia is a Senior Education Lead at SSAT, a schools membership organisation. She is also a qualified Coach and has worked with the Department for Education. She has a particular specialty in Government Policy in relation to education.
She has lived in Horsham for over 30 years and has known Arunside for most of that time, and is delighted to be involved with the school as it moves from strength to strength.
Donna Jagger – Headteacher
Donna became part of the Arunside teaching family in September 2015 and as a governor in January 2017. During that time, she has seen the school go through a period of rapid change and improvement.
Donna started out teaching in 2007, prior to this she worked in the private sector for a large pharmaceutical company as a compliance officer. She has found that working both within the private and public sector has enabled her to have a good balance between public sector duty and private sector responsibility.
Donna said, “being a School Governor and indeed a teacher is a privilege and should never be viewed as anything less! There are few occupations where you can genuinely make a difference to the future of our planet and the children who will look after it. This is why I wanted to be a Governor, working together to do the best for our children and our community”.
Mrs Gemma Hoult – Co-opted Governor, with lead responsibility for governor training and development, also vice-chair of governors.
Gemma joined the governing body in 2020 as a Parent Governor. She was then appointed as a Co-opted Governor in December 2023. Gemma has one son at Arunside now, but previously her older son also attended the school. Gemma and her family are long term residents of Horsham and she is proud to have seen the way Arunside has grown, and continues to do so, over the last few years. Gemma is a Chartered Accountant and a Partner at BDO, one of the largest professional services firms in the world.
Gemma enjoys watching her boys play football and rugby. She is a (keenish) runner and a (very keen) shopper.
Anna Conley – Parent Governor
Anna is a new parent governor, elected in 2023. She has two children currently at Arunside.
Not originally from the area, with children embarking on their school journeys, Anna became actively engaged with the school to understand her children’s educational environment. She hopes to continue watching the school and its pupils flourish whilst contributing to this as a governor.
Anna enjoys being active, travelling and spending time with her family and friends. Before starting a family Anna worked in the Finance sector as an event strategist and now supports her husband’s aviation business as an administrator.
Danielle Mussellwhite – Co-opted Governor
Danielle joined as a co-opted governor in July 2023. Her focus at university was social work but this evolved into working at a school for children with SEN until she trained as a primary school teacher. She is now an established primary school teacher with leadership responsibility in a school in the Horsham District. She is enjoying learning about Arunside and being part of the team of governors as new projects develop.
Shriya Patel – Co-opted Governor
Shriya joined the Governing Body in October 2023 as a Co-opted Governor. Shriya is Head of Classics at Christ’s Hospital, Horsham, where she has taught for over five years. She has a keen interest in staff development and equity, diversity and inclusion. She looks forward to working alongside staff and pupils at Arunside.
Xin Liang – Parent Governor and chair of governors.
Xin was newly elected as a parent governor in 2023. She has two children attending Arunside.
Xin and her family moved to Horsham recently from Surrey and commutes to work in London. She works as Head of Data and Insight at UNISON, the largest trade union representing public sector workers including teaching assistants and support workers in schools across the country. She is acutely aware of the pressure maintained schools and working parents are under. She is also keen to contribute more to work around equality and inclusivity.
Xin and her children enjoy swimming and getting muddy in the woods with their dog Kiki.
