Governors
Our Governing Board
The Governing Board at Northfields Infants and Nursery School brings together a broad and complementary range of professional skills and lived experience, which are used to provide strong strategic oversight and effective challenge. Governors include parents of pupils at the school alongside individuals with expertise in finance and business leadership (including a CIMA-qualified Head of Finance), education (including a retired teacher), safeguarding and public service (a senior probation officer and a firefighter), people and organisational development (an HR and Marketing Director and a Global Talent Acquisition Director), science and research (a pharmaceutical scientist) and a senior CAMHS clinician. The board also benefits from the perspective of a businessperson working across both UK and US technology sectors. Together, governors deploy these skills collaboratively to support the school’s vision, ensure robust safeguarding and inclusion, oversee financial sustainability, and hold school leaders to account in the best interests of pupils.
Further information about how the Governing Board fulfils this role, and the impact of its work, can be found in the Governance Impact Statement below.
Register of Interests
In line with statutory requirements and the Department for Education’s Governance Handbook, all governors and associate members are required to declare any business, financial or personal interests that could reasonably be perceived as a conflict of interest.
The Governing Board maintains an up-to-date Register of Interests. This register is reviewed annually and updated whenever circumstances change. Where an individual has no interests to declare, this is recorded as a nil return.
For transparency, this register also includes relevant senior staff and former governors where relationships or recent service are pertinent.
Where a conflict of interest arises, the relevant governor declares this at the meeting and withdraws from discussion and decision-making in accordance with the Governing Board’s Code of Conduct.
Register last reviewed October 2025 and confirmed January 2026
Meet Our Governors
| Name | Governor Category | Role | Term of Office (to) | Business / Pecuniary Interests | Governance Roles in Other Schools | Relationships with School Staff | Date Declared / Reviewed |
| Mrs Sarah Robertson | Co-opted Governor (appointed by the GB) | Chair of Governors, Safeguarding Governor | 12 Sept 2029 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Oct 2025 |
| Mr Peter Boyce | Co-opted governor (appointed by the GB) | Vice Chair | 10 Oct 2028 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Oct 2025 |
| Mrs Kirsty Burrage | Parent Governor (appointed by the GB) | Parent Governor | 31 Aug 2029 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Oct 2025 |
| Mr Rob Dell | Headteacher Governor | Headteacher | Ex officio | Nil | Nil | Nil | Oct 2025 |
| Miss Sophie Batcock | Staff Governor (elected by staff) | Teacher Governor | 31 Aug 2026 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Oct 2025 |
| Mrs Sue Boughton | Associate Governor (appointed by the GB) | SEND Associate Governor | 30 Sept 2028 | Nil | Nil | Aunt of Lorraine Yates (SENCo) | Oct 2025 |
| Mr Bryan Hebblethwaite | LA Governor | Health & Safety, PPG, Sport Premium Governor | 12 Sept 2029 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Oct 2025 |
| Mr Abubakr Shahdad | Associate Governor (appointed by the GB) | Associate Governor | 30 Jan 2027 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Oct 2025 |
| Mr Paul McFarlane | Co-opted Governor (appointed by the GB) | Finance Governor | 28 Feb 2027 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Oct 2025 |
| Mr Marc Douch | Co-opted Governor (appointed by the GB) | Humanities Link Governor | 29 Jan 2027 | Nil | Nil | Nil | June 2026 |
| Mrs Stacey Faulkner | Parent Governor (appointed by the GB) | 3 June 2030 | Nil | Nil | Nil | June 2026 | |
| Mrs Remi Williams | Co-opted Governor (appointed by the GB) | Staff Wellbeing Governor | 31 Dec 2025 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Oct 2025 |
| Mrs Marie Searle | Associate Governor (appointed by the GB) | Health & Safety Associate Governor | 31 July 2025 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Oct 2024 |
| Miss Joanna Heneker | Associate Governor (appointed by the GB) | Associate Governor | 31 Dec 2024 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Oct 2024 |
| Mrs Lorraine Yates | Senior Staff (SENCo – included for transparency; not a governor) | SENCo | N/A | Nil | Nil | Niece of Sue Boughton | Oct 2025 |
Governance Impact Statement
Northfields Infants and Nursery School
Academic Year: 2025–26
Purpose of Governance
The Governing Board provides strategic leadership and oversight to ensure Northfields Infants and Nursery School delivers high-quality education, keeps pupils safe, and uses public funds responsibly. Governors act as critical friends to school leaders, offering robust challenge and informed support, while remaining firmly strategic rather than operational.
Vision, Ethos and Values
Governors actively uphold and model the school’s REACH values – Respect, Expression, Achievement, Creative, Hearts full of fun. Strategic decisions are tested against these values to ensure they shape curriculum intent, behaviour culture, inclusion and staff wellbeing.
Safeguarding and Pupil Safety
Safeguarding is a standing priority for the Governing Board. Governors receive regular reports on safeguarding systems, trends and compliance, and the Safeguarding Governor meets with senior leaders to provide assurance that statutory guidance, including Keeping Children Safe in Education, is followed. Governors ensure safeguarding training is completed and refreshed as required and that concerns are acted upon appropriately.
Quality of Education and Pupil Outcomes
Governors hold leaders to account for the quality of teaching, learning and assessment through structured reports, data discussions and professional dialogue. The board focuses on early reading, writing and inclusion, and monitors how effectively pupils with additional needs are supported to make progress. Challenge is evidence-based and outcomes-focused.
Inclusion and SEND Oversight
The Governing Board places strong emphasis on inclusion. Governors monitor SEND provision, funding and impact, ensuring that support is timely, proportionate and aligned with pupils’ needs. Strategic oversight focuses on equity, early intervention and sustaining inclusive practice within available resources.
Finance and Resources
Governors oversee the school’s financial performance to ensure value for money and long-term sustainability. This includes scrutiny of the budget, staffing structure, use of grants (including Pupil Premium and Sports Premium) and decisions relating to premises and resources. Financial decisions are aligned with educational priorities and pupil outcomes.
Staff Wellbeing and Leadership Capacity
The board recognises that strong outcomes depend on staff wellbeing and leadership capacity. Governors provide oversight of workload, appraisal and professional development, and support leaders to sustain a positive, professional working environment.
Accountability and Transparency
Governors maintain high standards of accountability and transparency. A current Register of Interests is published and reviewed annually. Attendance at meetings is monitored, and governors adhere to the board’s Code of Conduct. Stakeholders are able to contact the Governing Board through established channels.
Impact of Governance
As a result of effective governance:
- Safeguarding arrangements are secure and regularly reviewed
- Leaders are appropriately challenged and supported
- Financial decisions are aligned with strategic priorities
- Inclusion remains central to school improvement
- Staff wellbeing and leadership sustainability are prioritised
Ongoing Priorities
The Governing Board will continue to focus on:
- Sustaining high-quality teaching and early reading
- Strengthening inclusive practice and SEND provision
- Ensuring financial resilience in a changing context
- Maintaining strong safeguarding culture
- Supporting staff wellbeing and leadership development
This statement is reviewed annually and reflects the strategic work of the Governing Board during the academic year.
View governor attendance at meetings (2025)