WELCOME TO OUR GOVERNING BODY NEWSLETTER OF 21/22
We aim to distribute a newsletter at least once a year to update parents, families, and carers on the work of the Governing Body.
Since our last newsletter there has been some changes to the Local Governing Body for Aston Hall.
Our current Governors are as follows:
Deborah Cooke - Chair of Governors (SEND/Pupil Premium)
Neil Thomson - Vice-Chair of Governors (Safeguarding/Looked After Children)
James Sharman - Co-opted Governor (Data/Performance)
Kay Woodcock - Staff Governor (Pupil Premium)
Louise Worn - Co-opted Governor (SEND)
Paul Hanks - Co-opted Governor (Teaching & Learning)
A MESSAGE FROM DEBORAH COOKE, CHAIR OF GOVERNORS
I have been a Governor for Aston Hall for four and a half years. A lot has changed since I was first appointed – from being an LA maintained school to joining a Multi-Academy Trust, Covid and lockdowns to now ‘living with Covid’. The one thing that has been consistent throughout all these changes has been the hard work and dedication of the staff and their determination to always do best for the children at Aston Hall.
As Governors our work is focused around teaching and learning and in ensuring the school is offering the best possible values for its pupils. Governors work closely with the Head and with Wickersley Partnership Trust in a strategic role.
As a full Governing Body, we have six formal meetings a year with the Headteacher. We follow an agenda of items that include for example curriculum, teaching & learning, whole school improvements, staffing, looking at WPT policies to name a few. Each Governor has a specific lead role, these are Teaching & Learning, Pupil Premium, Send, Safeguarding, Performance Data. The Governor with a specific responsibility will arrange meetings with staff, visits to school to explore that area more and report back to Governors at the next Local Governing Body meeting.
As Chair and Vice Chair – we are also invited to an additional meeting every half term with the CEO, Trust Directors and Chair of Governors from other schools within the Trust, both primary and secondary. These meetings are to provide information regarding the Trust's strategic priorities and how these are filtered into our schools. These meetings have proven to be a valuable link with the central Trust and the local schools. It has also enabled the Chairs of all the Trust schools to support each other.
The role is demanding but rewarding. In being a ‘critical friend’ to the Headteacher and the Central Trust Team, we are valued and are taken seriously. Myself and Neil were nominated and shortlisted for awards at the WPT Staff Awards in November 2021. We both ended up in the final three for each of our categories and I am pleased to say that Neil won the award for his category.
We hope that this newsletter will help you know more about what we are doing to support the school, and encourage you to feedback to us anything you think we should be doing to help the school to do better or differently.
Please get in touch with us via the school if you want comment.
Deborah Cooke
ACADEMIC YEAR 21/22
We work closely with the Headteacher and meet regularly. Decisions are democratic, with all Governors being given as much information as possible to aid them in that decision-making process, ensuring lively often lengthy and healthy discussions prior to decision making. Our work is focused around teaching and learning and in ensuring the school is offering the best possible values for its pupils.
We are now back in school for all our meetings and visits.
Governors also attended the following:
- School ‘walk arounds’ - a walk around school to observe learning and behaviour
- Presentations from Subject Leaders
- Governor training - provided by WPT/online
- Wickersley Partnership Trust conference
- Wickersley Partnership Trust Staff Awards
- Christmas Fayres
- Trust Link Meetings with WPT School Chairs, CEO and Directors
- Meetings for Pupil Premium/SEND
- Headteacher and Assistant Headteacher interviews
2021/2022 OVERVIEW - THE YEAR SO FAR
We are happy to welcome Scott Holmes as the new headteacher of Aston Hall.
We are also happy to see that school is now returning back to a more normal environment.
We were encouraged by how well the children and staff approached our Christmas shows, Christmas Fayre and it was great to see all the Christmas activities resume again.
We are looking forward to hearing about the school trips/residentials that are planned and we wish our Y6s all the very best in their SATs this year and wish them well for their future journey into secondary education.
For all the new parents/carers to school and as we have some new members on our Governing Body – we thought it would be a good opportunity to tell you about our Governors.
CAPTAIN NEIL THOMSON - VICE CHAIR OF GOVERNORS
I have been a Governor at Aston Hall since 2016 and am stepfather to two children in school in years 5 and 6. I have previously served as a Governor of a small church school in Lincolnshire (it was quite different 25 years ago) and sat on the Education Committee of an LEA as the Church of England Representative for a Church of England Board of Education.
I work as Marketing Manager and Head of Communications for Church Army – a charity which is part of the ministry of the Church of England, where I oversee the fundraising and communications staff for the UK and Ireland. Through my work I see many instances of how working with schools and communities can make a positive difference to the lives of those involved, and want our school community to be the best it can be.
As a Governor I aim to support the Head, staff and children in all they do and be an advocate for the school with the Trust and other bodies we relate to in a constantly changing world of education and governance.
PAUL HANKS - CO-OPTED GOVERNOR
I have a varied work experience having initially spent almost 20 years in Project Management roles within the Construction Industry specialising in Project Planning as well as commercial management for major and specialist projects across the country.
I attended Sheffield Hallam University as a mature student to study History, before being offered a funded place at University of Sheffield Town and Regional Planning Department to Undertake an MA and PhD.
In 2007 I was recruited by the Learning and Skills Council to work as a research and data specialist, Economic Development Advisor in South Yorkshire. In 2010 I joined Doncaster Council as a 16-19 Manager, and provided specialist funding support to Post 16 institutions across South Yorkshire.
In 2013 I established a specialist nationwide Post 16 funding consultancy, which now provides support to around 10% of the Sixth forms across the country and works with many of the large Multi-Academy Trusts.
I strongly believe that education and personal skills development provides an opportunity to, in the words of the mantra that I have adopted, “Achieve Your Possible”. My hope is that I will be able to assist in supporting Aston Hall to enable many young people achieving their possible.
KAY WOODCOCK - STAFF GOVERNOR
As a caring, highly-motivated, enthusiastic Y5 Teacher, I feel I have a great understanding for providing a supportive, highly motivational curriculum for children and young people. I have enjoyed teaching at both Aston Hillcrest and Aston Hall – From the Early Years Foundation Stage to Y6. I have worked at Aston Hall school for four years and I am passionate about providing our children with the best possible education so that each individual reaches their true potential.
I thoroughly enjoy my role at Aston Hall, and working with the Governing Body supports, myself and the school, to embrace new experiences, where I can continue to share a lot of my positivity, passion, and values. My classroom offers an inspiring, safe, creative, highly motivating curriculum and immersive learning environment with a real mix of SEND children, which I support daily, reflecting on the opportunities to support and maintain the focus of a quality, individualised curriculum. I work to a high standard, in partnership, with the whole staff team to maintain and achieve outstanding practice and my role as Staff Governor, provides me with further opportunities to work alongside staff, families and our community to ensure our pupils receive an enriching and inspiring curriculum.
Before gaining my teaching qualification in 2018, I worked as Higher-Level Teaching Assistant (Over 15 Years) working throughout a number of specialised primary settings with children aged from 4 to Y8 years including, Wales Primary PRU, Thorogate PRU and Broom Lane – Primary/ secondary (Y5-Y8) Provision for permanently excluded primary aged children and those at risk of exclusion. I had to be extremely flexible and adapt to changes quickly, dealing with a variety of complex behavioural problems. Leading whole classes teaching, interventions and multi-agency meetings. Within the role I gained valuable experience of SEND children of a variety of different ages and complex needs, as well as working alongside the SEND leads, from many different schools, with an aim to reintegrate back into a mainstream or specialised provision. It’s so important to work closely with a team of professionals and families (as equals) to ensure each child’s needs are met.
I am really looking forward to working with the children, staff, and families within the school community this academic year.
DEBORAH COOKE, CHAIR OF GOVERNORS
I currently have a child in Y6, my son also attended Aston Hall and is now at Aston Academy in Y9. My eldest daughter is at Nottingham Trent University.
I have worked for many years in the private sector for a variety of companies in business administration for the first part of my career, moving into accounting and finance. I trained in business accounting and finance whilst I worked and attended university part time. I now work for the family business and manage the accounts and a small accounts team.
I have seen through my employment how a good education gives the basis for so many opportunities. I am passionate about education and believe that every child should have access to good quality education. I want to be involved in ensuring that all the children at Aston Hall are happy and flourish with the best opportunities regardless of their ability.
JAMES SHARMAN
I have been a Governor at Aston Hall since 2019. My children are currently in Y5 and Y2. Previously, I was a LA Governor at Aston Academy and supported establishing the Aston Community Education Trust, where I continue to be a Trust Member, setting the strategic direction for the Multi-Academy Trust.
I attended Aston Springwood and Aston Academy as a student prior to studying Law and Politics at Manchester University. Following graduation, I have worked for a large international bank for the last 18 years, holding a variety of roles, including branch and project management. I currently support commercial customers as a resilience risk manager, specialising in risk governance and operational and cyber security.
I am passionate about the power education and skills development has to unlock opportunities for all and believe in driving the highest standards to ensure all pupils realise their full potential. I’ve always lived in Aston and want to support providing the best possible start for young people in our local community.
LOUISE WORN
I am a newly appointed Governor, only starting my role as Governor in November 2021. I decided that now both my children attend Aston Hall, I would like to support the school in any way that I can, ensuring that our children get the best start to their education. My children are currently in FS2 and Y3, which provides me with a good understanding of the different Key Stages that Aston Hall teaches and the support that is required from both the school and parents
My professional background is not in Education, having spent most of my career working within the Facilities Management sector. This means that I have approached the role of Governor with very much a parent's view to the role. This enables me to provide a voice for the parents, whilst supporting the school with their visions and ambitions for the future.
USEFUL INFORMATION
All Government information can be found on the website: https://astonhallschool.co.uk/our-school/governing-body/
FREE SCHOOL MEALS (SCHOOL RECEIVED PUPIL PREMIUM GRANTS)
If you believe you may be entitled to free school meals, please contact the school office. You can still apply even if your child receives free school meals based on being a FS2, Y1 or Y2 child as there may be other help you will be entitled to.