Governor Roles & Responsibilities

The Governing Body

The Governing Body consists of sixteen members. The full Governing Body meets usually once in each of the six academic terms, with additional sub-committees meeting less frequently. The committee structure deals with specific issues relating to finance, Christian vision, curriculum, student achievement, student welfare, the joint Sixth Form with St Mark’s, premises, and staffing.

Foundation Governors (9) appointed by the Diocese of Clifton

Mr John Eddison

Committee Membership: Finance & Premises, Strategic
Term of Office: 01/09/21 – 31/08/25
Responsibilities: Chair of Governing Body (since April 2019), Chair of Strategic Committee
Declarations of Interest: None
Attendance: FGB 100%, C&A 100%, Staffing 100%, CV 100%, F&P 100%

Further Information +
I have been a Governor since 2001, currently as a Foundation Governor, and previously as a Parent Governor when my children were at St Gregory’s. I am Chair of the Finance & Premises Committee. I live in Bath and am a retired civil servant. Being a Governor gives me an opportunity to contribute to the development of St Gregory’s as an outstanding school and especially to the creation of a Christian sixth form in Bath, as the next stage in our journey.

Mr Michael Gibbens

Committee Membership: Finance & Premises
Term of Office: 22/1/21 – 21/1/25
Responsibilities: Premises
Declarations of Interest: None
Attendance: FGB 60%, C&A n/a, Staffing n/a, CV n/a, F&P 60%

Further Information +

Ms Clare Murray-Hemson

Committee Membership: Christian Vision, Curriculum & Achievement
Term of Office: 01/03/19 – 28/02/23
Responsibilities: Data Governor, English & Reading
Declarations of Interest: TBC
Attendance: FGB 60%, C&A 50%, Staffing n/a, CV n/a, F&P n/a

Further Information +
Clare is a mother of 3 children and has been a parent of St Gregory’s since her eldest daughter started there in September 2008.

A foundation governor and parishioner of St Mary’s Bath, Clare is a catechist and leads on confirmation preparation with her husband Matthew and is a keen advocate of child-centered education.

An experienced Headteacher and governor, Clare now works for the Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust as Regional Director of Education and has a wide range of experience in school leadership, governance, safeguarding, curriculum and SEND.

Mrs Nicole Pecchia

Committee Membership: Christian Vision, Curriculum & Achievement
Term of Office: 08/12/20 – 07/12/24
Responsibilities: Chair of the Christian Vision Committee, Careers Governor, RE Governor
Declarations of Interest: None
Attendance: FGB 80%, C&A 75%, Staffing n/a, CV 100%, F&P n/a

Further Information +
I was elected as a Parent Governor in 2016 when my daughter started at St Gregory’s. I am currently Chair of the Christian Vision Committee and also serve on the Curriculum and Achievement Committee. I also support the school with our young people’s futures as the Careers Governor.

Since 1997, I have taught at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, a feeder Primary and more recently part of the Camino Partnership. I am a member of St Mary’s church and having assisted as a First Holy Communion catechist for a couple of years, I now run the programme at school.

The Catholic ethos is very important to the school and I aspire to support the school to uphold their mission statement for our children.

JudeStarkey Mrs Judith Starkey

Committee Membership: Christian Vision, Chair of Staffing Committee, Finance & Premises
Term of Office:17/03/20– 16/03/24
Responsibilities: Co-Vice Chair of Governors, Chair of Curriculum & Achievement, Wellbeing Governor
Attendance: FGB 80%, C&A n/a, Staffing 100%, CV 75%, F&P 80%

Further Information +
Jude has been a Foundation Governor since 2014 and was previously the Chair of Governors at St Augustine’s in Trowbridge. She is passionate about education and enjoys collaborating with governor colleagues and staff at St Gregory’s to secure high standards of holistic development and learning for students.

Professionally, she was a dentist for 24 years. Jude part-owned and led a large practice in Bradford on Avon. In 2020, she moved away from dentistry to start a new career path into the world of wellness. She is training to become a therapist and qualified as a yoga teacher and hypnotherapist in 2022. Jude has a yoga studio and treatment room based in Winsley, and also facilitates retreats within Bath and Bristol. Jude has the pleasure of teaching yoga to the sixth form students and St Gregory’s each week.

Jude also works alongside Occupational Health physicians, mentoring clients who are absent from work with mental health issues. She is also a member of the Clinical Ethics Committee at the University of Bath, supporting academic research.

Mrs Louise Walker

Committee Membership: Christian Vision, Curriculum & Achievement, Strategic
Term of Office: 13/12/17 – 12/12/25
Responsibilities: Safeguarding Governor, Admissions Governor
Declarations of Interest: None
Attendance: FGB 100%, C&A 100%, Staffing 100%, CV 100%, F&P n/a

Further Information +
I was appointed as a foundation governor by Bishop Declan in January 2018. I have taught Home Economics at schools in West Sussex, Bristol and at St Gregory’s. Since having my three children I have worked as a freelance home economist for a variety of food and appliance companies. I have also written a number of cookery books.

I am currently a parishioner of St John the Evangelist, Bath and I am a strong supporter of faith education. I am on the Curriculum and Achievement committee, the Strategic Committee and the Christian Vision Committee where I have responsibility for Religious Education.

3 x Vacancies

Parent Governors (2) elected by Parents

Mr Mark Bradley

Committee Membership: Finance & Premises, Staffing, Strategic
Term of Office: 06/03/18 – 14/03/26
Responsibilities: Co-Vice Chair of Governors, Chair of Finance & Premises, Health & Safety Governor, Maths and Science
Declarations of Interest: Nil
Attendance: FGB 100%, C&A n/a, Staffing 75%, CV n/a, F&P 100%

Further Information +
I am a parent Governor having been elected in March 18. I worship at St John’s Bath, and have 8 years’ experience governing in a Christian primary and wish to share my knowledge. I want to help the school to further develop and deliver outstanding education for our children that remains relevant in these dynamic times, but built on Christian foundations.

I have chaired a school Premises Health and Safety committee. Professionally I am a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Project Manager having led Major Programmes for the government, so am used to financial management, safety management and human resources issues. I also have experience teaching teenagers in several outdoor education settings.

Rachel Edmonds

Committee Membership: Curriculum & Achievement
Term of Office: 22/01/21 – 21/01/25
Responsibilities: Modern Foreign Languages
Declarations of Interest: None
Attendance: FGB 100%, C&A 75%, Staffing n/a, CV n/a, F&P n/a

Further Information +

Local Authority Governor (1) appointed by Local Authority and Governing Body

Mr Simon Cooper

Committee Membership: Christian Vision, Strategic, Staffing
Term of Office: 17/04/18 – 16/04/26
Responsibilities: Special Educational Needs Governor, Pupil Premium Governor
Declarations of Interest: Governor of: Oldfield Park Junior School (resigning), Venturers’ Academy, Bristol.
Attendance: FGB 80%, C&A n/a%, Staffing 50%, CV n/a, F&P n/a

Further Information +
Simon Cooper is Global Communications Lead for the UNDP Green Commodities Programme and Good Growth Partnership, working on highly-traded commodities such as palm oil, beef and soy.

Simon spent 25 years as a broadcaster before becoming Communications Director at Classic FM, the UK radio station. With a first degree in Geography from Cambridge University, he graduated in 2005 with an MSc from the Responsibility and Business Practice course set up by Anita Roddick at the University of Bath.

He is SEND Governor at St Gregory’s and is also a Governor at Venturers’ Academy in Bristol, the school for children with a primary diagnosis of autism.

Co-opted Governors (2) appointed by Governing Body

Louise Price

Committee Membership: Staffing
Term of Office: 09/02/21 – 08/02/25
Responsibilities: None
Declarations of Interest: None
Attendance: FGB 40%, C&A 0%, Staffing n/a, CV n/a, F&P n/a

Further Information +

Dr Mary Faber

Committee Membership: Staffing, Finance & Premises
Term of Office: 07/09/21 – 06/09/25
Responsibilities: Science and PE
Declarations of Interest: None
Attendance:FGB 80%, C&A n/a, Staffing 100%, CV n/a, F&P 100%

Further Information +
I was a pupil at St Gregory’s from 1998-2003. I returned to Bath after attending Imperial College School of Medicine and working in London and Bristol as a junior doctor. I have now completed my specialist training as a GP and work locally. I have 2 pre-school daughters.

I became a governor as I am interested in the wellbeing of young people and believe schools have a vital role in this. My time at St Gregory’s was so important to my own academic, social and personal development that I wanted to have a role in continuing the high standards and ensuring all our young people have the best springboard into adult life. I serve on the Staffing, Finance and Premise and Admissions committees.

Headteacher Governor (1) appointed by Governing Body

Mrs Melissa George

Committee Membership: Christian Vision, Curriculum & Achievement, Finance & Premises, Joint Executive, Joint 6th Form, Staffing, Strategic
Term of Office: 01/09/23 – N/A
Responsibilities: Nil
Declarations of Interest: Family business: photographers
Attendance: FGB N/A%, C&A N/A%, Staffing N/A%, CV N/A%, F&P N/A%

Further Information +

Staff Governor (1) elected by Staff

Mr Matt Robinson

Committee Membership:
Term of Office: 15/12/22 – 15/12/26
Responsibilities:
Declarations of Interest:
Attendance:

Further Information +

Associate Members (2 x vacancies) of the Governing Body appointed by Governing Body (with voting rights on committees)

Previous Governors who have served during the previous 12 months are:

Ms Ann Cusack

Committee Membership: Christian Vision, Curriculum & Achievement, Finance & Premises, Joint Executive, Joint 6th Form, Staffing, Strategic
Term of Office: 01/09/16 – 31/08/23
Responsibilities: Nil
Declarations of Interest: Family business: photographers
Attendance: FGB 80%, C&A 100%, Staffing 100%, CV 75%, F&P 80%

Cameron Boulton-Smith Mr Cameron Boutland-Smith

Committee Membership: Curriculum & Achievement, Strategic
Term of Office: 02/10/18 – 01/10/22
Responsibilities: Nil
Declarations of Interest: None
Attendance: FGB 100%, C&A n/a, Staffing n/a, CV n/a, F&P n/a

The Governing Body is formed under an Instrument of Government which took effect from 23/06/2015.