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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.