St Peter's Church Of England (VC) Primary School and Pre-school

Meet the Governors

The governing body of any school exists to provide strategic leadership and accountability, and plays a crucial role in making sure every child gets the best possible education. Governors are volunteers who oversee the success of schools by agreeing priorities and monitoring progress towards them. All governors at St Peter's are committed to supporting and challenging leaders and managers to enable them to do their job to the best of their ability.

School's full governing body (FGB) meets once a term. Additionally, sub-committees look in detail at particular aspects of the school such as the curriculum, finance, staffing and premises. Individual governors are also linked to specific subjects, pupil groups or policies. You can find out more about all members of the FGB, and what they do, below. You can contact the governors via the governor postbox in the school foyer, or by emailing the chair of governors at jayne.robertson@st-peterscofe.essex.sch.uk. Additonally, our co-vice chair Amanda Jackson can be emailed at amanda.jackson@st-peterscofe.essex.sch.uk.  All governors are happy to receive questions or comments from parents and carers of St Peter's children.

The government requires governors to declare any business and pecuniary interests which may be relevant to their role. Declarations are listed below and can also be seen here.

Chris Barry                                                                                  Co-opted governor

Chris joined the governing body in November 2021 and his term of office is four years.

Simon Brennen                                                                                  Staff governor

'I have been a teacher at St Peter's for 10 years. Throughout my time I have taught across KS2. Currently, I have subject responsibility for Maths as well as being team leader for year 3/4. I have been on the senior leadership team for 4 years and I value supporting staff and children across the school. I joined the governing body as staff governor in March and I look forward to using my experience at St Peter's to support the school in a new way.'

Simon joined the governing body in March 2019 and his term of office is four years.

Alison Cole                                                                                    Headteacher

'I have been Headteacher at St Peter's since September 2013. In this ex-officio capacity I attend all full governing body and committee meetings.  I have also been a parent governor at my children's school and a staff governor at previous schools.  I value the commitment and the wide range of experience and expertise that the governing body can offer the school to support school improvement.'

Katie Glegg                                                                                    Parent governor

Katie joined the governing body in November 2021 and her term of office is four years.

Stephen Hall                                                                                  LA governor

I applied to become a Governor at St Peter's and am delighted to have been appointed as an LA Governor – I have four daughters who have all attended the school and I was keen to take the opportunity to contribute to the governance at St Peter's and developing my understanding and appreciation of the wider considerations within education; I am a maths teacher at Honywood and head of cohort 9. I hope that I will be able to further strengthen the already close relationship that exists between the schools.

Stephen joined the governing body in June 2019 and his term of office is four years.  Stephen chairs the Curriculum Committee.

Dominic Irwin                                                                                  Parent governor

Both my children started at St Peters school in 2018 after we had all returned from a period working and living overseas and now settled, I wanted to explore ways that I could be involved in their and other children’s education.

I have worked in a Project environment for most of my career and now head up a Project Delivery team for an asset management firm. My role requires financial budgeting, resource management, planning, delivery and managing stakeholders, and I will look to use these skills wherever I can in my role as Parent Governor.

Dominic was appointed in December 2020 for a four year term.  Dominic chairs the Resource Committee.

Amanda Jackson                                                                           Co-opted governor and Vice Chair

'I was appointed as a Parent Governor at the end of 2016. I have one son in KS2 at St Peter’s Primary School. I trained as a teacher and currently work as a school improvement adviser for a local authority team in London. I specialise in whole school improvement and computing, supporting primary and secondary schools across London and Essex. I hope to work in partnership with parents, staff and other governors to help drive the improvement of the school to provide our children with the best possible education.'

Amanda chairs the resources committee, and also sits on the curriculum and pay committees. Her monitoring areas are assessment, computing and e-safety. Amanda was appointed as a Co-opted Governor in December 2020 for a four year term.

Elizabeth Keig                                                                           Parent governor

'I am a parent of four children, two of which are school age and one still at St Peter’s. We have lived in Coggeshall since 2011 and love being part of such a wonderful community. My professional background is within the insurance industry which I have worked in for over 30 years. I am Co-Chair of Essex Family Forum which is a support group for families with children and young people with SEND (Special Education Needs and Disabilities). I have also been an active member of FOSP for the last year or so. I am very much looking forward to being part of the governing body team and assisting the school in whichever way I can.'

Elizabeth was appointed for a four year term in May 2019.

Jean North                                                                                  Foundation governor

I have lived in Coggeshall for over 30 years and been actively involved in Church and community life during that time. For 28 years I worked at the local Secondary School, the latter 16 years as Finance Officer.  Scouting, both as a leader and then treasurer, was part of my life and since my retirement from school I have been involved in many activities, including Seekers Club, Beacon House volunteering and presenting ‘Open the Bible’ both in Marks Tey school and now here at St Peter’s.  Among my interests are reading, walking and cycling.

I have been nominated as the PCC Foundation Governor and I believe in demonstrating the qualities of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control and I pray the children may learn those in their daily lives.  I seek to build on the faith and trust between the School, the Church and the Community.

Jean was appointed as a foundation governor for a four year term in September 2017 and sits on the resources committee.

Revd Heike Prentice                                                                           Foundation PCC governor

Rev'd Heike Prentice joined the governing body in November 2021 and her term of office is four years.

Jayne Robertson                                                                                  Co-opted governor and Chair

 I became a co-opted governor in November 2019 and whilst this is my first time as a school governor, I am looking forward to being part of the governing body and bringing my enthusiasm and extensive professional experience to help support this lovely school. 

My background is in private wealth management where I have held a variety of roles, including statutory director, head of operations and head of quality assurance. I am very much used to a corporate governance framework and pride myself on my ability to problem solve and get things done.

I have lived in Feering for the last 33 years, and have a grown up married daughter. I have a passion for cookery, travel and cycling and often look to combine them wherever possible.

Jane's term of office is four years.  Jayne is also the link governor for Training.

Vanessa Sullivan                                                                                  Deputy headteacher / Staff governor

'Having joined the school as Deputy Head in April 2018, I am one of the newest members of the school team. I have taught for twenty years across different schools and contexts and have enjoyed getting to know the community here at St Peter's. I enjoy the variety of my job, as I have the opportunity to teach in class and work on strategic leadership and management. It's wonderful to collaborate with such a range of people, who are all so committed to the school.'

Vanessa is an observer on the Governing Body.