Laurel Fields, Potters Bar, Herts , EN6 2BA
01707 652714

GOVERNORS

Chair of Governors Peter Goldfinch
Vice Chair of Governors Vacant
Headteacher Claire Keilty
Deputy Headteacher Rachael Wood
Safeguarding Governor Joanna Jenkins
Chair of Resources Committee Suzanne Horsley
Business & Finance Governor Brahman Narendran
Staff Governor Rachel Harrison
Chair of School Improvement Committee Ann Harrison
SEND & Inclusion Governor  [Vacant]

Cranborne's Governing Board 

The purpose of the Governing Board at Cranborne is to provide confident, strategic leadership and to create robust accountability, oversight and assurance for the educational and financial performance of the school. The Governing Board meets regularly,  usually at least once every half-term. Its three core functions are:-

  1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
  2. Holding school leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and
  3. Overseeing the financial performance of the school, and making sure its funding is well spent.

 Our smaller size allows us to make decisions and act speedily when required. We are constantly analysing our strengths and weakness, to ensure that we have the expertise to carry out our roles as governors.

The work of the Full Governing Body is supported by two Committees which also meet on a half-termly basis:-

  • The School Improvement Committee
  • The Resources Committee 

 

Meet Our Governors: 

Our Governing Board at Cranborne Primary School is made up of a group of people who are dedicated and committed to do the best they can for the children who attend Cranborne School. We work alongside and support the Headteacher and staff in all that they do. 

Peter Goldfinch I attended Cranborne Primary School many years ago when it was situated on its previous site in Potters Bar. I have three daughters all of whom went to the school, they are now  through university and in full time employment. I have a soft spot for the school, and it has been wonderful to see how things have grown at school with the excellent results that have been achieved in recent years.  I have been a governor at the school for the last 20 years, being chair of governors for last ten years. I look to bring the experiences of the private sector in banking to the life of the school, working with the other members of the governing body and the head and members of staff. I am a member of all the committees that we have.  We all work together to make every day count for the children allowing them to be the best they can be.  Anything that I can do to make that happen I am more than happy to do.  Our school is a very happy place to be, everyone is enthusiastic , approachable and determined to achieve the success the school deserve.

Ann Harrison I am a retired engineering manager and have served on the Cranborne School governing body for many years. I know how important a good primary education is to a child’s life chances and want to use my experience and skills to help the school in any way I can. 

Claire Keilty I am honoured to be the Headteacher of Cranborne School. I am able to bring my knowledge and experience of 20 years in the education sector. Inclusion and personalised teaching is my passion and I am a true believer that children only get one chance. I am dedicated to improving the life chances of every child that walks through our door and am committed to breaking down barriers to learning. I am happy to challenge perceptions and am fiercely loyal to the children I serve. Hobbies include cooking at home and going out to nice restaurants. I live with my husband, two secondary school aged girls and a new baby, so I understand the dynamics of family life and am here to support families with all aspects of school, home and work. My door is always open!

Joanna Jenkins  I have been a Senior Lecturer at a University since 2008, with a varied role including setting and maintaining educational standards in a variety of ways.  I have 3 children, 2 of whom are at Cranborne and I am keen to help the school and wider community give children the opportunities they deserve.  I am proud to be a governor at Cranborne and I am passionate about taking Cranborne from strength to strength. 

Suzanne Horsley As Director of Building Safety for a large Housing Association, managing annual budgets of over £90 million, it is a privilege to utilise my experience in property maintenance & investment, health & safety,  housing management, business and finance to benefit Cranborne school. I live with my husband and two young children; my eldest child attends Cranborne school. As a parent, I am motivated to support the governing body and teachers to continue to keep a happy, safe school, which maximises the life opportunities and aspirations of every child at Cranborne.

Brahman Narendran I am an experienced ACA-qualified Chartered Accountant and CFO/COO to multiple high-growth businesses and tech start-ups.  I work with the Board of directors, leadership teams and department heads to create high functioning businesses.  As a parent of a child attending Cranborne, it is an honour to bring a wide set of experiences to support the governing board and school to ensure Cranborne continues to develop well-rounded children and make a positive impact in our community .

We have a strong passion within our role as school governors. If there are things that you would like to raise with us then please do so, either by contacting the school office or Headteacher and one of us will be in touch.

We do have vacancies, so if this is something that interests you, please let us know. 

Governor Name

Position

Date of Appointment

Term of Office

Appointed By

Committee Membership  

Pecuniary Interests

Governance in Other Educational Institutions

Relationships Between Governance of Staff

Date Stepped Down

Attendance 2022/23

Peter Goldfinch

Chair

 

01/09/2008

01/09/2021 – 31/08/2025

COP

School Improvement 

Resources 

Pay and Personnel 

None declared

None

None

 

5/5 FGB meetings 

Claire Keilty

Headteacher

02/04/2015

 -

HT

School Improvement 

Resources 

Pay and Personnel 

None declared

None

None

 

5/5  meetings 

 

Ann Harrison

Chair of School Improvement

Maths

01/09/2017

01/09/2021 – 31/08/2025

COP

School Improvement - Chair

 

None declared

Governor at Hertswood Academy

None

 

5/5 meetings 

Joanna Jenkins

 English and Safeguarding 

01/11/2018

31/10/2022 - 30/10/2026

Parent

School Improvement 

None declared

None

None

 

5/5 meetings 

Suzanne Horsley

 Health and Safety

22/11/2019

01/01/2024 - 31/12/2027

Parent

Resources 

None declared

None

None

 

4/5 meetings

Emma Dubberley

SEND

01/09/2021

Maternity cover

COP

School Improvement 

None declared

None

None

12/01/2024

5/5 meetings

Rishi Patel

 

Business and Finance

21/04/2020

21/04/2020-20/04/2024

Parent

Resources - Chair 

None declared

None

None

11/07/23

 4/5 meetings

Rachel Harrison 

Staff Governor

21/09/2022

21/09/2022- 20/09/2026

Staff 

School Improvement 

None declared

None

None

 

5/5 meetings 

Rachel Wood 

Associate Governor 

01/09/2018

01/03/2022 - 01/03/2026

Associate 

School Improvement 

Pay and Personnel 

None Declared

None

None 

  5/5 meetings

Tara Caldwell 

Associate Governor

01/09/2021

01/09/2021 - 01/09/2025

Associate 

School Improvement

None Declared

None

None

  4/5 meetings

Andrew Jones

Associate Governor 

11/07/2023

11/07/2023-10/07/2027 

Associate

School Improvement

None Declared

None

None

stepped down as full governor 11/07/2023 4/5 meetings 

How Do You Become a School Governor?

Being a governor at Cranborne School is both an enriching and rewarding experience. Not only do you get to use your knowledge and skills in a different environment to your place of work, but you also get to support and guide your local school. Moreover, at the heart of school governorship at Cranborne is a commitment to ensuring students are safe, happy and actively involved in the life of the school as well as achieving academically. 

Expectations and responsibilities

All governors at Cranborne are expected attend a ‘full governing board (FGB) meeting’ once a term. Importantly, the main functions of the school’s governing board include:

  • setting the strategic aims and objectives for the school, including its values and ethos;
  • scrutinising and ensuring policies for achieving the school’s strategic aims are in place;
  • and challenging and supporting the Headteacher and the Senior Leadership Team.

In addition to FGB meetings, governors also attend committee meetings once a term, such as the School Improvement Committee and the Resources Committee. Therefore, governors will take on various individual responsibilities at committee level in order to support the school - from evaluating attainment data to checking the school’s budget.

 Governors are also expected to visit the school during working hours throughout the year so that they can meet pupils, staff and parents. This could include the school day as well as parent evenings and school events, such as end of term shows and school fairs.

 Who can become a Governor?

Anyone over 18 years of age can apply to become a governor at Cranborne. Although there are no essential academic or vocational qualifications needed, interested applicants would need to demonstrate that they have knowledge and skills that would benefit the school. For instance, over the past few years, Cranborne has had governors from all walks of life with an abundance of different experiences, which have included:

  • Teaching
  • Accountancy
  • Banking
  • Insurance broking
  • Engineering
  • Running small businesses
  • Law

What brings us together is a commitment and passion to see Cranborne succeed.

Types of Governor at Cranborne

Cranborne has different categories of governor and anyone interested in becoming a governor may wish to consider which type would best fit their situation. Types of governor include:

  • Community governors: governors from the local community who have something to offer the school;
  • Parent governors: who are elected to the governing board by other parents;
  • Staff governors: governors who are employed by the school and are often elected by other members of staff;
  • Local authority governors: governors who are nominated by the local authority;
  • Co-opted governors: governors who have been invited to join the governing board as they have a specific skill needed to help run the school;
  • Associate governors: governors that are not part of the full governing board, but are asked to help the board or sub-committees from time-to-time.

How do you apply to become a Governor at Cranborne?

Potential parent and staff governors can only apply when a vacancy arises, all interested parties will be informed by the school. However, you can also contact the school if you feel you have particular skills or knowledge that would be useful to the governing board more generally. In this case, it is possible that parents, as well as interested individuals from the local  community and local businesses, can contact the Chair of Governors to discuss any vacancies in relation to their specific expertise. If the governing body is in need of your skills, you can apply to become a community governor, co-opted governor or even an associate governor. Nonetheless, governor roles cannot always be facilitated as the governing body may already have governors with the skills applicants may be offering. Furthermore, places on the governing board will obviously be limited at any given time, so the Chair may take your details in the event that a place becomes available in future.

If you are interested in becoming a governor at Cranborne, please contact our Chair of Governors, Peter Goldfinch, or the Headteacher to discuss any possibilities further.