Norbury Manor Primary School

Governance

What is Governance?

 School Governors are people who want to make a positive contribution to children's education.

Governors are one the largest volunteer forces in the country and have an important part in raising school standards.  The role of the Governing Board is absolutely key to the effectiveness of a school.  Ofsted has continually notes that the most effective schools demonstrate effective leadership and management, including that of the Governing Board.

What do Governors do?

 School Governors provide strategic leadership and accountability in schools.  The main purpose is to help raise the educational standards and performance of Norbury Manor Primary School by supporting the work of the Headteacher and the school staff.  Governors ensure that the school runs effectively, that quality teaching and learning is happening across the school, that the budget is spent wisely and provides good value for money.

The Headteacher is responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of the school and the implementation of the strategic framework established by the Governing Board.

The Governors make strategic decisions and main responsibilities relate to:

  • Appointing the Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher
  • Setting targets and promoting high standards of education.
  • Being part of the school's senior leadership team and to be strategic in their thinking e.g. monitoring the progress of all groups of children, evaluating the impact of the school's curriculum and promoting good teaching and learning.
  • Acting as a 'critical friend'. A 'critical friend' offers support, constructive advice, a sounding board for ideas, a second opinion on proposals and help where needed.  However a 'critical friend' may also challenge, ask questions, seek information, improve proposals and so arrive at the best solution for the pupils, staff and whole school community.
  • Making decisions on the school's budget and staff.
  • Being accountable for the performance of the school to parents and the wider community.
  • Ensuring that the curriculum for the school is balanced and broadly based.
  • Ensuring that Health and Safety and Safeguarding policy and procedures are followed and embedded.
  • Approval of all school policies.
  • Making sure the school provides for all its pupils, including those with special educational needs.

The Governing Body works in close partnership with the Headteacher, staff and the Local Authority.

When do the Governors meet?

 The Governing Body meets 6 times annually, one each half term as a Full Governing Body.

The Governors have different backgrounds which enable them to bring a great variety of skills to the governing body, and this, combined with a shared commitment to the pupils and staff of the school, is one of the reasons why they are so successful.

What are the types of school governors?

The Governing body of a maintained school is typically four types of Governors.

 

  •  Parent governors are elected to be representative of the parent body. They should keep in touch with those who elected them but make up their own minds on how to vote on any specific issue.
  • Staff governors include the head teaching and support staff.  With the exception of the headteacher, staff governors are elected and should communicate with those who elected them.  All staff governors should make up their own minds on how to vote on any specific issue.
  • Local Authority governors are appointed by the local authority. As with all other governors they should be appointed with a view to their commitment to raising standards.  They should keep in touch with those who appoint them but should vote according to the best interest of the school.
  • Community governors should be living or working in the community served by the school or committed to the good government and success of the school.  They are invited to join the governing body and are entitled to vote when new community governors re being considered.
  • Associate members can be appointed by the governing body to serve on one or more governing body committees, and attend full governing body meetings.  They do not have voting rights.
  • A co-opted governor is a person appointed by the governing body and who, in the opinion of the governing body, has the skills required to contribute to the effective governance and success of the school.

Composition and Register of Interest for the Governing Body

 

Name Governor Type

Interest

declared Y/N

 Information of interest Start Date End Date
Sonia Potter Headteacher Y

NAHT Member 

Croydon Headteacher Association Director

 18/10/2016
Keran Currie

Co- Chair

Co-opted

 Y

KC Education Ltd

NAHT Member

 22/09/2022 21/09/2026
Alison Hatt

Co- Chair

Co-opted

 Y

Governor of Orchard Primary School Lambeth

UCU retired member

 28/04/2019 27/04/2023
Nneoma Onyemachi

Co-opted

 

 Y

NAHT Member

Ofsted Inspector

 

 15/09/2022 14/09/2026
Mohammed Mir Co-opted Y

Labour Party Member

Ethnic Community Forum

THCAT Vice Chair

 

 28/04/2019 27/04/2023
Freya Liddell Staff Y

NEU Member

 Member of Historical Association

 26/03/2020 25/03/2024
Jessie Louise Crabtree

Vice Chair

Co-opted

 

 N

 

 01/04/2021 01/04/2025
Jolita Bruzaite

Parent 

 N

 

 17/04/2023 16/04/2027
Jeeger Dodhia

Co-opted

 N

 

 01/09/2023 01/09/2027
Haroon Sarwar

Parent

 N

 

 17/04/2023 16/04/2027
Chiku Tambala

LA 

 N

 

 01/09/2023 01/09/2027

 Governor Attendance Record

 

Governor Profiles

 Click on the picture to read the governor's profile. 

Governors (ID 1130)

  • Keran Currie
    Co-Chair & Co-opted Governor

    Keran Currie

    I have held teaching and school leadership positions for the last 22 years. I am an experienced Headteacher and I currently hold a seconded position within the Local Authority as an Area SEND Lead.

    I am a strategic leader, confident and effective with financial and personal management. I am fully aware of the national curriculum requirements and I have a broad experience of Ofsted training.

    I am particularly skilled in all areas of safeguarding having previously served on a local Children's Safeguarding Board and as Designated Safeguarding Lead. I have recently been elected as an Alternate Member of the Croydon Schools’ Forum.

    I enjoy travelling and learning new languages. I am a fluent French speaker.

  • Alison Hatt
    Co-Chair & Co-opted Governor

    Alison Hatt

    My working life has been spent in Education-I started teaching in 1969!
    I worked for ILEA (Inner London Education Authority) as an Infants and Primary teacher for 14 years in South London schools, then was an advisory teacher working with Primary class teachers across London.

    Following this, I worked for 3 years in Higher Education in Bristol as a Senior Lecturer in Education, training student teachers. I then worked in Merton as a support teacher for bilingual learners before returning to HE. I spent the last 14 years of my working life at what is now London Metropolitan University. This involved running PGCE courses as well as working on other academic courses.

    I joined the Governors at NMP in Autumn 2014. I am also a governor at a Primary school in Lambeth and had many year’s experiences as a governor in a Primary School in Wandsworth.

    Enjoying retirement! Meeting friends, going to museums and art galleries, reading (including membership of a Book Group), walking, working on our garden and allotment.

  • Jessie Louise Crabtree
    Vice Chair & Co-opted Governor

    Jessie Louise Crabtree

    I’m excited to be part of the Governing Board team of Norbury Manor Primary School and be part of a school which helps children be 'learners today and leaders tomorrow’. I’ve been a Governor and a member of the Finance Committee​ since 2021 and am enjoying being part of a great team and helping the school develop.

    I am currently training to be a lawyer and previously worked in Central Government for 5 years in the commercial function. My key skills are stakeholder management, knowledge of governance, planning and commercial, as well as enthusiasm, team work and an appetite to learn. I'm really looking forward to getting involved in the life of the school and keeping Norbury Manor Primary a brilliant place to study and work!

    In my spare time, I love to read, travel and walk and hope to bring some of this to NMP as well.

  • Mohammed Mir
    Co-opted Governor

    Mohammed Mir

    I have been an L.A governor and know I am a Co-Opted Governor at Norbury Manor Primary School for several years.

    I have broad experience of Ofsted. I have seen many changes in education and have enjoyed being committed to our current situation.

    As a Vice-Chair of Thornton heath Action Team and member of St Georges Hospital Trust, I believe good communication and creative skills and ability to listen are the key things.

    I have a young family and enjoy spending time with them. Through my Thornton Heath Action Team, I have worked with the local establishment to improve the local area.

  • Nneoma Onyemachi
    Co-opted Governor

    Nneoma Onyemachi

    I am a Headteacher who has helped construct and promote the visions required to ensure a high quality of education for pupils. I am an excellent and dynamic practitioner with very high standards and endurance. In addition, I am an extremely dedicated, reliable, resourceful, reflective and enthusiastic teacher who has considerable experience of working with multi-racial inner-city pupils.

    My expertise is within education as a whole.

    I believe I the benefits of teaching quality music sessions. I am a choir conductor, vocal coach and I teach a Steel Pans.

  • Freya Liddell
    Staff Governor

    Freya Liddell

    I first joined Norbury Manor Primary School in November 2016 as a teaching trainee, and in the intervening years has subsequently gained my P.G.C.E. and QTS status. I am currently a Year 3 teacher and Topic Ambassador.

    In addition to my enthusiasm and dedication for the pupils and staff at Norbury Manor, I also benefit from first hand experience of how the school functions.

    I enjoy an active lifestyle including running, yoga and cycling. Recently, my passion for baking and cooking has developed, and I have been attempting to master baking bread. When not cooking or stomping over the Downs, I am curled up with a book and cup of tea.

  • Jolita Bruzaite
    Parent Governor

    Jolita Bruzaite

  • Haroon Sarwar
    Parent Governor

    Haroon Sarwar

  • Jeeger Dodhia
    Co-opted Governor

    Jeeger Dodhia

    I joined NMP’s Governing Board in September 2023. By profession, I have worked at an Investment Bank since completing my Masters in 2010 in a range of Risk Management, Financial Restructuring and Underwriting roles. My academic background is in Economics, specializing in Development Economics.

    I have had the fortune of teaching Gujarati, my mother tongue at a Community School in South London for over a decade. Thereafter, I briefly served as an Education Chair, having oversight over the Finances, Recruitment, and Administration. Separately, I performed as an External Examiner for Gujarati GCSE and A Level.

    I was born in and have lived within the suburb and have seen it change remarkably. It remains a rich melting point of numerous cultures, ethnicities, and countries of origin. Albeit financially compromised, it continues to have great potential and schools like NMP are at the forefront.

    I bring an intellectual curiosity to the FGB team and hope to leverage my financial and strategic background for the betterment of the school.

    I thoroughly enjoy racket sports, most notably badminton and squash alongside cricket. My greatest passion is spending time with my family, particularly my daughter currently aged 5. Watching her grow and mature is a sight to behold and one I find most enriching.

  • Chiku Tambala
    Local Authority Governor

    Chiku Tambala