Governors
All schools in England have a Governing Body which is responsible for overseeing many of the strategic decisions of the school. A key role is to act as a ‘critical friend’: to support, to challenge, to ask questions, ultimately to represent the school community.
The Governing Body works in close partnership with the headteacher, staff and the local authority. Whilst the headteacher is, of course, responsible for the day to day running of the school, the governors are involved with such things as staffing, curriculum, school buildings and finance. It ensures the school functions well and maintains the proper range of academic and social objectives.
Join in
All governors to a school’s Governing Body must be elected or appointed.
If you want to be part of Priory Junior School’s Governing Body please enquire about any vacancies.
Contact Matthew Stevens mstevens@priory.cambs.sch.uk, the Chair, or Tracy Keefe, the Headteacher.
- Being a Parent Governor at Priory Junior School.pdf
- Have a Say as a Parent Governor.pdf
- Governors in UK Schools - general information.pdf
Who We Are
In March 2020 the governing body elected to reconstitute, in keeping with statutory guidance from the Department for Education. We took this decision as it allowed us to change the numbers and types of governors we have and to appoint more people on the basis of the skills they could bring.
The governing body now consists of:
- The Headteacher
- One elected staff governor
- One appointed local authority governor
- Five elected parent governors
- Four co-opted governors
The standard term of office for a governor is four years. The Chair and Vice-Chair are elected annually at the first meeting of the academic year.
The Chair of Governors is Mr Matthew Stevens, who can be contacted via the school office or directly via email at: mstevens@priory.cambs.sch.uk
Much of the work of the governing body is done by committees. At Priory Junior School, we have the following committees:
- Resources
- Teaching and Learning
- Pay Review
The governing body of Priory Junior School membership is as follows:
| Name | Committees | Governor Category | Appointment Date | Term Ends | Business Interests | Governor at other Schools | Relationships with governors or staff |
| Paul Hill |
Vice Chair
Resources (Chair)
Teaching and Learning
Disciplinary
Pay Review
SEN Governor
Pupil Premium Governor
|
Local Authority |
24/08/2018
Appointed
|
23/08/2022 | None | No | None |
| Stephen Hardy |
Teaching and Learning (Chair)
Resources
HT Appraisal
|
Co-opted |
11/03/2019
Governing Board
|
10/03/2023 | Director of SalesForce | No | None |
| Matthew Stevens |
Chair of Governors
Resources
Teaching and Learning
Pay Review
Training and skills
Safeguarding Governor
|
Co-opted |
15/07/2019
Governing Board
|
14/07/2023 | Credit Risk Director Barclays Bank | No | None |
| Teodora Chakarova-Kostova |
Teaching and Learning
(Vice Chair)
|
Parent |
29/10/2019
Elected
|
28/10/2023 | None | No | None |
| Rachel Coe |
Pay Review
HT Appraisal
|
Co-opted |
21/09/2020
Governing Board
|
20/09/2024 | None | No | None |
| Chris Snape |
Teaching and Learning (no voting rights)
|
Associate Member |
21/09/2020
Governing Board
|
20/09/2024 | Member of Staff | No | None |
| Emma Welch |
Resources
(no voting rights)
|
Associate
Member
|
21/09/2020
Governing Board
|
20/09/2024 | Member of Staff | No | None |
| Harriet Reeks |
Teaching and Learning
|
Staff |
22/09/2021
Elected
|
21/09/2025 | Member of Staff | No | None |
| Simon Evans |
Resources
|
Parent |
15/10/2021
Elected
|
14/10/2025 | None | No | None |
| Paul Gray |
Resources
Teaching and Learning
|
Parent |
15/10/2021
Elected
|
14/10/2025 | Director - Hathaway Gray Financial Advice | No | None |
| Hema Nar |
Teaching and Learning
HT Appraisal (Observer)
|
Parent |
31/10/2021
Elected
|
30/10/2025 | None | No | None |
| Tracy Keefe |
Headteacher
Resources
Teaching and Learning
Health and Safety
Pay Review
|
N/A | 01/09/2002 | N/A | Member of Staff | No | None |
| Richard Walmsley | Clerk | N/A | N/A | None | No | None |