Meet the Governors
Welcome to our Governors Section
Please find below details of how our Governing Body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.
CAST Board Information
http://www.plymouthcast.org.uk/web/board_of_directors/484924
CAST Statutory Trust Documents
https://www.plymouthcast.org.uk/web/trustee_reports__financial_statements/484984
Plymouth CAST Policies
http://www.plymouthcast.org.uk/web/trust_policies__information/484983
Plymouth CAST Financial Information and Scheme of Delegation
http://www.plymouthcast.org.uk/web/trustee_reports__financial_statements/484984
Governors
All governing bodies are legally constituted and have an Instrument of Government, which sets out their size and representation. Our governing body is broadly representative of our main stakeholders: the community, the parents, the staff, the local authority, and the church.
The current governors are:
Name | Type of Governor | Roles and Responsibilities |
Jane Trott | Chair of Governors / Foundation Governor
Appointed 22/09/2020 Appointed Chair 01/12/2021
Term of office 4 years | I am a retired Head Teacher and my husband and I have recently moved to Tiverton to enjoy an adventure in retirement. I have taught across all age ranges, mostly in the Catholic sector, and am currently a School and Parish Volunteer for CAFOD. Whilst working my main subject areas were Music, Performing Arts and French but I have many years of experience in, and a love for, teaching RE and an involvement in Chaplaincy. I am delighted to have become part of St John's family and look forward to supporting the School as it grows and develops.
Lead - Safeguarding, Subject areas - Safeguarding, SEND, PSHE/SRE |
Rob Meech | Appointed 01/01/2021 Executive Headteacher & Designated Safeguarding Lead. | I began teaching in 2000 and in 2004 joined Our Lady's Catholic Primary School. In 2007 I became Assistant Head and then in 2015 was made Principal. I was delighted to be offered the post of Executive Heateacher for St John's. Having worked closely with the previous head and the school's ESM, I know I have joined a team dedicated to making this school a wonderful place to learn for our pupils. |
Canon Kristian Paver | Foundation Governor
Appointed 22/09/2023
Term of office 4 years | Parish Priest
Lead - Health, Safety & GDPR Subject areas - RE and Catholic Life |
Anna Zielinska | Parent Governor
Appointed 27/06/2020
Term of office 4 years | Lead - Inclusion Subject areas - English |
Paco Cheung | Parent Governor
Appointed 05/10/2020
Term of office 4 years | Lead - Curriculum & Standards Subject areas - Science and Music |
Tracey Harte | Staff Governor
Appointed 29/09/2020
Term of office 4 years | Lead - None
|
Monika Manser | Foundation Governor
Appointed 04/01/2022
Term of office 4 years | Lead - RE & Catholic Life Subject areas - RE and Catholic Life, Maths and Computing |
Antonia Ryan | Foundation Governor
Appointed 10/10/2022
Term of office 4 years | Lead - Inclusion Subject areas - RE and Catholic Life
I have had a diverse and fulfilling career spanning over three decades. In 2000, I trained as a teacher. Before becoming a teacher, I worked as a social worker, an experience that has given me valuable insights into the unique needs and backgrounds of individuals. This background has proven to be a tremendous asset in my teaching career, where I've had the privilege of working with students of all ages, from toddlers to adults. Throughout my teaching career, I've worked in various educational settings, including primary schools, international schools, and specialised units for children with significant learning challenges, including those with autism. These experiences have honed my commitment to fostering inclusive education. I've taken on a role as a Governor at St. John's since October 2022. In this capacity, I oversee Inclusion and also RE and Catholic life. Additionally, I'm an active member of the Children's Liturgy team at St. James, where I regularly lead the Children's Liturgy during Sunday Mass. |
Tom Heard | Parent Governor
Appointed 07/12/2023
Term of office 4 years | Tom joined the Local CAST Board as a Parent Governor in December 2023. Tom is a Maths Teacher and Head of Year at Uffculme School where he has worked for the last 17 years. Tom is looking forward to bringing his experience or working in an education setting to St John's. |
Claire Silverlock | Clerk to Governors
Appointed 01/09/2023
| Claire works as a Clerk to Governors for several CAST schools and has been a Clerk since 2013. If you would like to contact any of the governors or would like more information on becoming a governor or copies of any LCB Meeting minutes, please contact Claire on clerk@olcs.uk |
Governor Information 2023/24
Full Name | Governor Type | Appointing Body | Date of Current Appointment | End of Current Term | Meeting Attendance 2022-2023 | Business Interests | Other Governorships |
Rob Meech | Executive Headteacher
| LCB | 04/01/2021 | Continuous | 6 out of 6 100%
| Executive Headteacher | - |
Canon Kristian Paver | Parish Priest
| Diocese of Plymouth | 22/09/2023 | 21/09/2027 | 6 out of 6 100% | Parish Priest Company Director/Trustee of Plymouth Roman Catholic Diocesan Trust Registered Number 213227 Appointed since 20 March 2012
| Member of Plymouth CAST since 2021 |
Jane Trott | Chair / Foundation | Diocese of Plymouth | 22/09/2020 | 21/09/2024 | 6 out of 6 100% |
| Trustee of the Diocese of Plymouth since August 2023 |
Anna Zielinska | Foundation
| Diocese of Plymouth | 27/06/2020 | 26/06/2024 | 4 out of 6 66% | ||
Monika Manser | Foundation | Diocese of Plymouth | 20/12/2021 | 19/12/2025 | 6 out of 6 100% | ||
Pak Cheung | Parent | Parents | 05/10/2020 | 04/10/2024 | 5 out of 6 83%
| ||
Tracey Harte
| Staff | Staff | 29/09/2020 | 28/09/2024 | 4 out of 6 66%
| Staff Member | |
A Antonia Ryan
| Foundation | Diocese of Plymouth | 10/10/2022 | 09/10/2026 | 6 out of 6 100% | ||
Tom Heard | Parent | Parents | 07/12/2023 | 06/12/2027 | N/A | Wife works at St John's |
Governors who have left the LGB in the last 12 months
Full Name | Governor Type | Appointing Body | Date of Current Appointment | End of Term | Meeting Attendance | Business Interests | Other Governorships | ||
Pete | Williams | Parent | Parents | 01/09/2019 | 31/08/2023 | 5 out of 6 83% |
If you have any questions or require any further information or copies of any Governor Meeting Minutes, please Email Claire Silverlock our Clerk to Governors at:- clerk@olcs.uk
or contact the school office on (01884) 253630
Parent and staff governors are elected onto the governing body; the foundation governors are appointed from outside the governing body and community governors are appointed by the governing body itself. In addition the governing body may also appoint associate members to support its work.
If you are interested in joining our Governing Body please contact the Clerk for information on current vacancies. clerk@olcs.uk
Our Local CAST Board (LCB) meetings for 2023-24 are as follows:-
Wednesday 29th November at 6pm
Wednesday 17th January 2024 at 6.00pm
Wednesday 6th March 2024 at 6.00pm
Wednesday 22nd May 2024 at 6.00pm
Wednesday 17th July 2024 at 9.30am
All meetings take place in school.
The Role of the Governing Body
From 1st April 2014 all the Catholic Schools in the Plymouth Diocese became part of the Catholic Multi Academy Trust, known as ‘Plymouth CAST’.
Who are Governors?
School Governors are people from the school’s local community who wish to make a positive contribution to children’s education. They MUST be over eighteen years at the date of their appointment, but there is NO upper age limit. Each term of office lasts for four years.
Governors are the largest volunteer force in the country!
They have a very important part to play in raising school standards through three key roles which are –
1. Setting Strategic Direction
This is for the short, medium and long term. It involves setting aims and objectives and setting policies and targets for achieving those aims and objectives. There needs to be clarity of vision, ethos and direction.
2. Ensuring Accountability
Contributing to the school self-evaluation, understanding strengths and weaknesses, reporting to stakeholders i.e. young people, parents and staff
3. Monitoring and Evaluating School Performance
Measuring and challenging progress and reviewing School Improvement Plans by holding the Headteacher and Leadership Team to account for improving the quality of teaching, achievement and behaviour and safety.
Why we are here
The Law says that: The governing body has general responsibility for the conduct of the school with a view to promoting high standards of educational achievement (Section 21 of the Education Act 2002).
The governing body is accountable for the performance of the school and it fulfils this by setting the aims of the school and its priorities for improvement. It agrees, monitors and evaluates the policies, targets and actions by which the school will move forward, including setting and monitoring the school budget.
The governing body’s role is strategic. Governors are not expected to be involved in the detail of the day-to-day management of the school. The Headteacher has responsibility for the internal organisation, management and control of the school and for implementation of the strategic framework established by the governing body. Each of the governors has a responsibility for a specific aspect of school life and regularly meets with staff and visits classrooms, the staffroom and the dining hall. Governors are at the heart of how a school operates and it is vital that we get things right.
The governing body works in partnership with the Headteacher and the senior leadership team. Acting as ‘critical friends’, the governing body has a role to support and challenge the work of the school.
Governors must act corporately. Individual governors do not have the power to act alone unless the corporate governing body has given them the authority to do so. Individual governors have a broadly representative role but they are part of a team. They are not delegates and do not have any kind of mandate from the body who elected or appointed them.
Queries and concerns about any aspect of school life should, in the first instance, be directed to the appropriate member of the school staff rather than to individual governors. It is important that governors are not involved in issues, which may become formal complaints as this prevents governors from dealing with the matter impartially at a later stage. Should you wish to pursue a matter further, having first attempted to resolve the issue with the relevant school staff, then please put your concern in writing to the chair of governors.
Our Governing Body
- works as a team and is accountable for the performance of the school to parents, carers and the wider community.
- ensures that all safeguarding requirements are met.
- plans the school’s future direction and makes decisions on the school's budget and staffing requirements.
- decides how best the school can develop and supports the pupils’ behaviour and spiritual, moral and social development.
- makes sure that the school provides for all its pupils including those with special needs.