Governing Body
The governing board exists to provide strong strategic leadership to the school, ensuring accountability for its educational and financial performance. There are three core functions to the board:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
- Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the performance management of staff.
- Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.
Bentley has a governing body with 14 members. Each member initially signs up to a term of four years (end dates are noted below) and all members are voted onto the board at a Full Governing Body meeting. Parent Governors remain for their four year term or until their child leaves the school, whichever is sooner.
Full Governing Body meetings are held six times each academic year as are our committee meetings.
Local Authority Governors
Jo Phillips November 2025
Co-opted Governors
Paul Harrison July 2024
Lucy Johnson November 2025
Alison Morris May 2026
Elise Cavanough May 2026
Helen Dowlatshahi
Guy Meagher Feb 2027
Andrew Nichols May 2027.
Parent Governors
Emily Spicer February 2025 (Chair)
Foundation Governors
James Aston May 2023
Angela Clark
Christopher Ogilvie Thompson (ex officio)
Headteacher
Vicky Hallett
Staff Governor
Jenny Matthews March 2027
Becky Miffling
Clerk
Briony Cavell
COMMITTEES
Resources (Covering Finance & Buildings, Health and Safety)
James Aston (Chair)
Elise Cavanough
Paul Harrison
Vicky Hallett
Guy Meagher
Curriculum and Standards
Becky Miffling
Christopher Ogilvie Thompson
Angela Clarke
Jo Phillips (Chair)
Vicky Hallett
Helen Dowlatshahi
Policy/Hub link
Vacancy
Safeguarding Lead
Helen Dowlatshahi
Personnel
Lucy Johnson (Chair)
Paul Harrison (Safer Recruitment trained)
Alison Morris
Emily Spicer
Vicky Hallett
Headteacher Performance Management
Elise Cavanough
James Aston
Andy Nichols
Pay Committee
James Aston
Paul Harrison
Should the following committees be needed, the Clerk will contact three eligible Governors in alphabetical order (excluding the Chair, Headteacher and Staff Governor) starting at the last member to serve on a panel. The Clerk will ensure that the Governors have not had prior involvement. Complaints, Exclusions, Capability, Disciplinary, Flexible working requests, Grievance, Pay Appeals, Redundancy, Staff Dismissal, Time off.
The pecuniary interests of the members can be downloaded from the foot of this page, along with the attendance details of the members for the last academic year.