Local Governing Body

What is a Governor?

The general role of our governors is to oversee the strategic planning and direction of our academy rather than being involved in the day to day running. It is also the job of our governors to challenge our academy whilst maintaining support and is often referred to as ‘the critical friend’. 

What is the Governing Body Structure?

The local governing body is made up of a group of volunteers which consist of parent governors, community governors, foundation/ co-opted governors and staff governors. 

What does it take to be a Governor?

No previous qualifications are required to be become a Cheslyn Hay Primary Academy Governor although training is undertaken in post which can be web based or evening/day courses. Our governors are from all different ‘walks of life’ and the more diverse the group of people, the better in many ways, bringing different views, experiences, skills and knowledge. Anyone can be a governor you do not need any professional qualifications, just a commitment to improving education within our school. 

What commitment is required to be a Governor?

The governors meet three times per year as a Full Local Governing Body. Governors are also expected to be on at least one subcommittee. The subcommittees at Cheslyn Hay Primary Academy are Resources (dealing with finance, personnel, health & safety and premises), Attainment and Progress and Teaching and Learning.

There is also the Governor Challenge Group which meets termly ensuring all governors are attached to an individual class and several undertake specific ‘link’ responsibilities in relation to curriculum areas, specific groups of pupils and training and development of Governors. This requires governors to spend some time in our academy to know how it works from the inside and develop and foster relationships with the pupils and staff. Impact being monitored by the committee.

To find out more on Governance, please visit the Trust’s website here

Our Governors

Mrs Jan Toplis - Chair of Local Governing Body

  • Chair of Governor Challenge Committee

  • Safeguarding, Prevent and LAC link governor

  • Committees: Finance and Resources, Quality of Education, Pupil Support and Governor Challenge

Mrs Wendy Powell - Vice Chair of Local Governing Body

  • Chair of Pupil Support Committee

  • Personal Development and SEND link governor

  • Committees: Pupil Support, Governor Challenge, Quality of Education

Mr Craig Griffiths -Headteacher

  • Committees: Finance and Resources, Quality of Education, Pupil Support, Governor Challenge

Mrs Kelly Danher

  • EYFS Link Governor

  • Committees: Finance and Resources, Quality of Education

Mrs Alexandra Birch

  • Chair of Finance and Premises Committee

  • Behaviour and Attitudes Link Governor

  • Committees: Quality of Education, Pupil Support

Miss Fanella Dziegiel

  • Committees: Finance and Premises, Pupil Support

Ms Alexandra Dziegiel-Buckley

  • Music Link Governor

  • Committees: Quality of Education

Mr Thomas Davenport

  • Health and Safety Link Governor

  • Committees: Finance and Premises

Mrs Claire Simms

  • IT Link Governor

To contact our Chair of Governors please email (insert email address)

Becoming a Governor

Being a governor is a voluntary role. Our aim is to deliver our vision that the children of Moat Hall primary get the best possible education, that they are happy and safe and enjoy their time at school. We support the headteacher and the staff of the school but also at times hold them to account and challenge them to ensure that we deliver our objectives.

Our role differs from that of the headteacher. The governing body works at the strategic level, setting objectives and policy, whereas the headteacher has an operational role and is responsible for delivering the policies and meeting our objectives. As governors we make our decisions following discussions which we record in the minutes of our meetings; the head teacher manages the school using their professional judgement.

Governing bodies vary in their size and make up. Generally they are made up of representatives from the community, the local authority, parents of children at the school and staff members.

If you are interested in becoming a governor we would really like to hear from you, email the school office or pop in and leave your details, but please make sure you have taken the opportunity to understand exactly what is required of the role. To help we have provided a number of links to websites we have found useful in explaining the role of a school governor.

Here is some information that Governors may find useful:

Please click on the links below