our school Governors 
Willesborough Infant and Junior school formally federated on the 15th of January 2019. On this date, a new Willesborough Schools Governing Body formed which takes responsibility for the strategic leadership and management of both schools.
Co Chair of Governors: Liesl York
Co Chair of Governors: Steve Rippin
Vice Chair: Lyn GreenfieldExecutive Headteacher: Fran Rusbridge
Co-opted Governor: Nicola Roberts
Co-opted Governor: Rev Jabson Watson
Parent Governor: Ashley Skilton
Parent Governor: Monna Chowdhury
Local Authority Governor: Shipra Arora
Staff Governor: Julie Larcombe
Associate Governor: Shelly King
Associate Governor: Kitty Healy
Associate Governor: Tom Head
Associate Governor: Andrea Cooper
Associate Governor: Felicity Eastwood
Clerk to the Governing Body: Kerry Percival-Smith
Welcome new Governors, Steve Cooper, Mark Hirst and Barney Hall.
Steve Cooper is the CEO of 'Cry in the Dark' a charity that supports disadvantaged Romanian children and young people. Mark Hirst is the pastor of Willesborough Baptist church. Barney Hall is the pastor of Gateway church. As well as challenge and support, as members of our Governing Body. Steve, Mark and Barney offer further opportunity to reach out and link with our community.
To view an expandable version of the Governor table please click here.
The role of the governing body is demanding but very rewarding. We work as a team and are there to offer support and advice, helping the school set high standards and targets for school improvement.
Our governing body is responsible for working with the school to provide strategic direction, to act as a “critical friend” and is committed to ensuring that Willesborough Infant School provides the best possible education for all our children. We work as a team and meet in full once a term. A great deal of work goes on between our meetings, supporting the work of the Headteacher and her staff who are responsible for leading and managing the school on a day-to-day basis.
'The Governor' Magazine
Our Chair of Governors, Liesl York wrote a piece for 'The Governor' magazine about our school's journey to obtaining the Governor Mark:
Governors meet with the children's school council to find out their views on school improvement priorities
Governor Visits
During the year our Governors visit the School and carry out monitoring checks with a focus on many aspects of school life including:
- Curriculum provision
- Staff development
- Attendance
- Health & Safety
- Safeguarding
- Special events
Since Covid restrictions have lifted, Governors have wasted no time in getting back into school. They have carried out monitoring visits on staff wellbeing, curriculum intent, implementation and impact, attendance and health and safety.
Leaders spoke about the composites and components of their subject.
All leaders spoke eloquently about the curriculum and how they have been part of the
creation of a new and developed curriculum with clear intent and implementation.
I began to understand the process of putting a unique curriculum together, ensuring NC
requirements were achieved and ambitious and that the needs of the children across KS1
and KS2 were met.
Yardsticks were discussed which showed how the curriculum was made progressive,
developing skills and knowledge e.g.: What would a historian in Y1 look like? What would
Governor Name: Steve Cooper
Co-Opted Governor
a historian in Y4 look like? My understanding is that this also allows all teachers in each year group to know what their children have been taught previously and will be learning in the future. Leaders were able to discuss how they have evaluated the yardstick in their subject and identified gaps or skills that may be missed or repeated. They could also explain how they have led staff meetings to share with all staff.