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Governors

GHA Governing Body Meetings 

Minutes of Governors' meetings are available on request from the school office. Do have a look and get an idea of the work that the Governing Body carries out.  You may want to put forward items for the Governors to consider.  If so, just let us know.

Governing Body Register of Business Interests

The governing body is required to publish on the school website a register of the relevant business interests of governors, details of any other educational establishments they govern, and any relationships between governors and members of the school staff including spouses, partners and relatives.

John Boor - Chair of Governors - If you wish to contact our chair to the governors, please contact the school on : 01775 840250 or email enquiries@gosberton-house.lincs.sch.uk 

Structure and Remit

The Role of the Governing Body is strategic in nature. The Department for Education’s Governance Handbook identifies three core functions being:

  • Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic decision.
  • Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, the effective and efficient performance management of staff; and
  • Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.

Members of the Governing Body are appointed based on their skills in order to contribute to effective governance and the success of the Academy.

Governors form the Academy Governing Committee (AGC) for each Academy. The AGC is a committee of the Trust and oversee the functions of Academies as delegated to them by the Board of Directors. The AGC is quorate when 51% of the membership is present. The AGC has five key functions.

  1. Ensuring the Academy is working to its ethos within the Mission and Values of the UOLAT.
  2. Holding the Principal and senior staff to account for the educational performance of the Academy and ensuring that young people have a high quality and relevant curriculum with the appropriate resources for all abilities.
  3. Ensuring the Academy is meeting all the relevant safeguarding regulations and creating a supportive environment for its children and young people to learn.
  4. Overseeing the financial performance of the Academy, ensuring good value for money and ensuring the buildings and facilities are safe and fit for purpose.
  5. Overseeing and providing Governor input to the Academies key plans and policies.

GHA Governors' Profiles

 

Katharine Saywell - Principal

Name: Katharine Saywell

Governor type: Principal
Term of office: N/A

Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: N/A (not in role)

 

Specific area of responsibility 

  • Effectiveness of leadership & management

Relevant interests

None

Background information

I feel privileged to be a member of the governing board at GHA and look forward to working with the other governors to continue to ensure that your child learns in a happy, engaging and inspiring environment. I trained as a teacher almost 20 years ago and have taught throughout the Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, in mainstream and specialist schools. I was Key Stage 2 leader and then Vice Principal at GHA, where I worked for 7 years before spending time gaining further experience in supporting families and children, by training and working as a Teacher of the Deaf. I am delighted to have returned to GHA as the Principal and feel very lucky to be able to work with the wonderful children, families and staff.  

Hopes and aspirations for the GB/School

I will work hard alongside the governing body, the staff and the rest of the school community to ensure that every child at GHA is celebrated as an individual with unique strengths, interests and skills.  

 

John Boor - Chair of Governors

Name: John Boor 

Governor type: Chair of Governors
Term of office from: 08/21 for 4 years

Appointed by Trustboard

Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: - 5 out of 5 

 

Specific area of responsibility 

  • Safeguarding

  • Personal Development, Behaviour and Welfare

  • Health & Safety Governor CPD

  • Pupil Discipline Committee & Appeals Committee (Chair)

Relevant interests

  • Relevant business interests – Married to a local Primary Headteacher

  • Governor at other educational establishments - No

  • Any relationship with school staff – A work colleague is married to a staff member of the school

Background information

I am Chair of Governors at Gosberton House Academy.  I believe this school provides the very best for all of our pupils which makes my role so valuable in supporting the Principal, teachers and support staff to ensure they are able to focus on their roles of getting it right for all pupils in their care. I work and live locally with my family. My son attended GHA and is proof of the commitment of all staff in enabling him to achieve his best but above all by being happy, confident and secure. I spend time in school when I can as I work for a local furniture making company. I am always happy to liaise with parents in my role as Chair of Governors and may be contacted through the school office.

Hopes and aspirations for the GB/School

As Chair of Governors my role is about supporting and challenging ways to enable the school to consistently demonstrate their high quality work, evidenced by the different strengths from members of the governing body with the range of skills we bring to the team. The governing body is part of the leadership and management and so part of my role is also about ensuring that the good work of the school is understood and shared through being able to explain it through first-hand experience.

 

Louise Stanton - Trust Governor

Name: Louise Stanton 

Governor type: Trust Governor
Term of office from: 01/23 for 4 years

Appointed by Trustboard

Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: - 5 out of 5 

 

Specific area of responsibility 

  • Special Educational Needs provision

Relevant interests

Relevant Business Interests: 

  • Strategic Lead for LCC Commissioned Service – Autism and Learning Difficulties Outreach

  • National Autistic Society Accreditation Panel Chair

Governing Bodies: 

  • University Academy Holbeach

Relationship to school staff:

  • None

Background information

I am delighted to be a member of the governing body at GHA. I am a qualified teacher and a former Executive Principal. I am now an Educational Consultant. During my time in education, I have taught across KS 1-4 and in the Early Years and pre-school sector. I have also worked as an outreach teacher, working in a multi-agency capacity to support schools, young people and their families across Lincolnshire.

Hopes and aspirations for the GB/School

I will strive to ‘live’ the GHA ethos of Working Together, Learning Together...to ensure that our youngsters, our families, our staff and our community have access to the best levels of provision and support so that we may all lead healthy, happy and fulfilling lives.

 

Vicky Edwards - Staff Governor

Name: Vicky Edwards

Governor type: Staff Governor
Term of office from: 09/2021 for 4 years

Appointed by Trustboard

Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: - 3 out of 5

 

Specific area of responsibility 

  • Quality of teaching, learning & assessment

Relevant
interests

  • Relevant business interests - None

  • Governor at other educational establishments - No

  • Any relationship with school staff - None

Background information

I became a qualified teacher in 1996 and began my teaching career in a small rural primary school; after a year I decided to that I needed more experience in different environments. The next year I spent gaining experience in a busy town school; in a special school (yes here!) and in a very large reception class in a deprived part of a busy town. I then spent 3 years in a mainstream school becoming more and more frustrated with the state of special needs provision in the school and wanting to do more. Therefore, I rejoined the school in 2000.I began my school life at GHA in upper school, primarily in Class 6. As the years passed unlike the children, I went down school ! Teaching in all areas of the school before landing in Key Stage 1, including becoming the Key Stage 1 lead. I have enjoyed working here but 2 years ago I received a fresh start in Key Stage 2 and have enjoyed the different challenges, experiences and joys that building relationships and teaching the older children bring. After 20+ years being the  subject leader for ICT and having the responsibility of introducing and overseeing the computer science curriculum, I am now the maths lead – which is bringing fresh challenges and experiences.

Hopes and aspirations for the GB/School

To continue to work to support SLT, the children and the families of GHA. To continue my own professional development by learning more and promoting the maths mastery approach in a way that our wonderfully unique children can access. To continue to coach and oversee the numerous apprentices, volunteers and work placement students. It is also a fabulous feeling to see these young (and sometimes mature) people learn and grow and know that our school has played a major role in shaping their career and given them a wonderful, solid foundation that they can take away with them and use - living and breathing our 'working together, learning together' ethos. 

 

Dr Lesley Allinson - Co-Opted

Name: Dr Lesley Allinson

Governor type: Co-Opted
Term of office from: 09/2021 for 4 years

Appointed by Trustboard

Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: - 5 out of 5

Specific area of responsibility 

  • Governing Board
  • University links and research projects

Relevant
interests

  • Relevant business interests - None

  • Governor at other educational establishments - No

  • Any relationship with school staff - None

Background
information

I am a senior lecturer in Psychology at the University of Lincoln.My research interests, and some of my teaching duties, relate to individuals with autism. I am interested in individual differences in cognitive and perceptual processing, as well as having a particular interest in the role of technology in assisting individuals in their educational, behavioural and social development.

Hopes and
aspirations for
the GB/School

I hope I can assist in promoting best practice across the school's activities, and widening its already impressive reputation. I wish to be able to strengthen links between the school and the University of Lincoln, facilitating research and stimulating interest in, and knowledge of the autism spectrum conditions amongst our students.

 

Rebecca Daw - Co-Opted

Name: Rebecca Daw

Governor type: Co-Opted
Term of office from: 09/2021 for 4 years

Appointed by Trustboard

Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: - 5 out of 5

Specific area of responsibility 

  •  Local Authority Parent Governor
  • Quality of Teaching, Learning and Assessment

  • Hearings Committee

Relevant
interests

  • Relevant business interests - None
  • Governor at other educational establishment - No 
  • Any relationship with school staff - None

Background
information

I began my career as a teaching assistant. After completing an Open University degree in Molecular science I trained to become a qualified teacher. I am currently studying with the University of Birmingham to gain a Post Graduate degree in Language, Literacy and Dyslexia. I also have a special interest in Performing Arts, having trained at a full time ballet school when I was younger and have performed in a wide variety of settings across the globe.Having been a science teacher for the past 7 years I love finding out about new areas of science and have recently become interested in Special Educational Needs and the areas of development in this area for students and their families.

Hopes and

aspirations for the
GB/School

As a governor at GHA, I aim to support the academy to ensure all students reach their full potential. As an experienced mainstream teacher, I understand how important it is to have the support of a dedicated governing body to allow the school to achieve their best through supporting staff and students in the school.

As a Governor my role is about supporting and challenging in ways to enable the school to consistently demonstrate their high quality work evidenced by the different strengths from members of the Governing Body with the range of skills we bring to the team.  The Governing Body are part of Leadership and Management and so part of my role is also ensuring that the good work of the school is understood and shared through being able to explain it through first-hand experience.

 

Steve Baragwanath - Trustee Appointment

Name: Steve Baragwanath

Governor type: Trustee Appointment
Term of office from: 01/2023 for 4 years

Appointed by Trustboard

Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: - N/A

Specific area of

responsibility  

  • Trustee Appointment

Relevant

interests

 

Background

information

 

Hopes and

aspirations for the

GB/School

 

 

Emma Fawcett - Co-Opted

Name: Emma Fawcett
 

Governor type: Co-Opted
Term of office from: 09/2020 for 4 years

Appointed by Trustboard

Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: - 4 out of 5

Specific area of

responsibility  

  • Governing Board

Relevant

interests

  • Relevant business interests - None
  • Governor at other educational establishment - No
  • Any relationship with school staff - None

Background

information

I have worked in Holbeach Primary Academy for over six years. I achieved the National SENCO award in 2011 and have been SENCO at Holbeach Primary Academy since then.I have an interest in links between pupils with Special Educational Needs in mainstream settings compared to the specialist environment.One of my roles as SENCO is to identify special educational needs and ensure that the provision is correct for that pupil.This involves working closely with additional agencies and referring pupils for Educational Healthcare Plans should they be required.

Hopes and

aspirations for the

GB/School

I hope to support the Academy within my role as Governor. As I work in a mainstream setting I think sharing experiences of the processes in both types of setting will be of high value. I also hope that given my experience of the processes involved in receiving a place at Gosberton House Academy could support families who have either been through this process or are about to undertake the process.I am passionate about developing links between the Academies and hope that in my role as Governor I will be able to develop this further.

 

Niko Kargas - Co -Opted

Name: Dr Niko Kargas
 

Governor type: Co-Opted
Term of office from: 09/2021 for 4 years

Appointed by Trustboard

Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: - 3 out of 5

Specific area of

responsibility  

  • Governing Board
  • University links and research projects

Relevant

interests

  • Relevant business interests - None
  • Governor at other educational establishment - No
  • Any relationship with school staff - None

Background

information

I am the Director of the Autism Research Innovation Centre and an Associate Professor in Psychology at the University of Lincoln.

My research interests lie broadly in exploring the ways in which developmental sensory and cultural processes interact to shape the cognitive abilities and communication skills found in children with/without developmental conditions.

I use my research to promote an inclusive society by creating effective person-centred approaches to assist professionals across Education and Health and Social Services for enriching the life quality of people with hidden disabilities (such as autism) and their families.

Hopes and

aspirations for the GB/School

My vision as a Governor is to contribute in creating an optimal learning environment for all students in order to demonstrate their full potential. To do this, I aim to facilitate collaborations amongst staff, parents and students of the school and academic professionals in the fields of autism research from the University of Lincoln, with the aim to develop evidence-based effective person-centred pedagogical approaches.

 

Anna Littlecott - Parent

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Name: Anna Littlecott
 

Governor Type: Parent

Term of Office from: 06/2020 for 4 years

Appointed by Trustboard 

Attendance at Full Governing Body Meetings for 2021/2022: - 4 out of 5 

Specific area of

responsibility  

  • Governing Board

Relevant

interests

  • Relevant business interests - None
  • Governor at other educational establishment - No
  • Any relationship with school staff - None

Background

information

After 9 years as an RAF Officer, I supported my husband in creating a property investment business. We have been working together for the last 10 years or so, running short & long term lettings throughout the country. I deal with members of the public & business on a daily basis. We live in Grantham & have 3 sons.

Hopes and

aspirations for the GB/School

Whilst I have no previous experience as a governor or within a special needs setting, I am one of scores of people who understand the huge impact the high quality of care & teaching at GHA has on their children attending the school. I am keen to represent the views of the parents, to challenge & question where necessary, and to ensure the outstanding setting our children are in continues as such.