Governors
Welcome to our Governors page
Who are we?
We are governors who serve a federation of two schools – Heathcoat Primary School and Rackenford Church of England VA Primary School.
Until 27 January 2025 we also served Tiverton High School which now has separate governance.
We may also appoint additional people with relevant skills and expertise as associate members to support our governing body in key areas.
What we do
We work with our schools and leaders to ensure a high quality, inclusive education which enables all students to maximise their potential and make greater progress than expected.
We have three core functions:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
- Holding leaders to account for the educational performance of our schools, their pupils, and the performance management of staff; and
- Overseeing the financial performance of the schools and making sure money is well spent.
Governors are not involved in the day to day management of a school. We are “eyes on, hands off”.
We provide strategic oversight of the processes, policies and practices of our schools to ensure that that they are statutorily compliant and to monitor and evaluate their impact. For example, we do not set the school behaviour policy – that is the head teacher’s role. Our job is to ensure that school behaviour systems are fair and support inclusion and achievement for all pupils.
How we do it
To achieve this we will:
- support and challenge leaders
- have knowledge of the student experience
- have a comprehensive understanding of how our schools work
- have the benefit of our pupils at the heart of all our decisions
- strive to engage with parents
- ensure governors are well trained
Our structure
The Full Governing Body (FGB) meets monthly. It looks at resources and school budgets as well as learning, pupil progress and welfare in our schools. A separate committee deals with pay
The FGB also has First and Second Committees to deal with Disciplinary issues, Exclusions or Appeals.
In addition the FGB can set up local groups to focus on key issues relating to all or any of the three federated schools. For example – Safeguarding. These groups will be made up of a mix of governors and other members of the school and community who have the relevant skills and knowledge in that issue.
Governing Body
Flora Wood – Chair of Governors (Foundation Governor TCLP)
Emma Weaver – Vice-chair of Governors (Parent Governor
Ruth Alphey – Staff Governor
Phil Barlow – Foundation Governor (TCLP)
Helen Hyland – Substitute Ex-officio Foundation Governor & Safeguarding Governor
Hannah Gleeson – Parent Governor
Giles Greenslade – Parent Governor
Demelza Higginson – Acting Head of School, Heathcoat Primary School
Emily Budden – Acting Head of School, Rackenford C of E VA Primary School
Andrew Rigamonti – Associate Member
Lucy Bull – Associate Member