Our Governors
Governors are responsible for overseeing the management side of a school: strategy, policy, budgeting and staffing. They enable their school to run as effectively as possible, working alongside senior leaders and supporting teachers to provide excellent education to children.
Governors bring a wide range of skills and expertise from their professional lives to the governing board and schools benefit greatly from working with skilled volunteers.
Governing bodies are the key strategic decision makers in every school. Along with the Head Teacher, it is the job of a governing body to set the school’s aims and objectives around how the school will develop and improve. They set policies, formulate plans and agree targets to help the school achieve these objectives, as well as regularly reviewing their strategic framework in light of that progress.
Meet Our Governors
Our Governors work closely with Miss Ridley, the Headteacher, who is responsible for the day to day management of the school. The Headteacher is also a member
of the Governing Body.
All of our governors act on a voluntary basis. They have three core functions:
- Establishing the strategic direction of the school with the Headteacher
- Holding the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff
- Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent
The governors meet each term as a whole group and at least once per term in their committee meetings. Every governor is also a member of a sub-committee. The sub-committees focus on specific areas of school management and organisation- the curriculum and attainment of pupils and resources. They meet regularly and feedback to the full governing body. Some governors undertake to support certain areas as link governors and liaise with the member of staff who co-ordinates the area. Examples of this include the designated governor for child protection and safeguarding and the link governor for SEN/D.
Category of Governor: Co-opted
Appointed by: Local Authority
Committees served on: Attainment and Progress & Resources
Areas of special interest: helping to ensure that Mersey Drive provides a rich and varied curriculum that supports all children to achieve their best.
Why did you choose to become a school Governor? I volunteered to become a governor because as a former teacher and headteacher in primary education I know the important role that Governors play in the wider school community.
What do you do when not attending school Governor meetings? When I am not attending governors meetings I’m either busy as an active member of the Labour Party and as a volunteer for Citizen’s Advice
Term of Office: 1/11/21 - 10/10/23
Category of Governor: Co-opted
Appointed by: Local Authority
Committees served on: Attainment and Progress & Resources
Areas of special interest: helping to ensure that Mersey Drive is an inclusive school.
Why did you choose to become a school Governor? I volunteered to become a governor because I wanted to contribute to education. I find it fulfilling and enjoyable.
What do you do when not attending school Governor meetings? When I am not attending Governors' meetings I’m busy being a Besses Councillor and CEO of a charity.
Term of Office: 01/05/2020-01/05/2024
Category of Governor: Co-opted
Appointed by: Local Authority
Committees served on: Attainment and Progress
Areas of special interest: Helping to ensure that Mersey Drive has a broad and inspiring curriculum including across languages, history, geography and develops its intercultural and community links.
Why did you choose to become a school Governor? I volunteered to become a Governor because education was key to me overcoming challenges and being the first of my family to attend university. I believe a quality education and dedicated teachers help to create life chances and inspire young people to fulfil their potential. As a Governor, I see my role as facilitating the structures for that to happen.
What do you do when not attending school Governor meetings? When I am not attending Governors meetings I’m either busy in my day job at a national cancer charity, doing CrossFit, or trying to grow my own vegetables (with mixed results!)
Term of Office: 18/9/20 - 18/9/24
Category of Governor: Head Teacher
Appointed by: Ex-officio by virtue of office as headteacher
Committees served on: Resources and Attainment and Progress
Term of Office: N/A Ongoing
Category of Governor: Co-opted
Appointed by: Local Authority
Committees served on: Resources
Areas of special interest: helping to make sure that every child at Mersey Drive gets to reach their potential.
Why did you choose to become a school Governor? I volunteered to become a governor because I am passionate about a good education for all
What do you do when not attending school Governor meetings? I am a Labour councillor for Besses ward and the councillor for Children, Young People & Skills, a Mum and work full time for a charity
Term of Office: 28/8/19 - 28/8/23
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Category of Governor: Parent
Appointed by: Parent appointed by GB/board due to no election candidates
Committees served on: Attainment and Progress
Areas of special interest: helping to ensure that Mersey Drive as a diverse community is full of tolerance, support and equal opportunities.
Why did you choose to become a school Governor? I chose to be our school Governor because I believe that Mersey Drive is not just a building and business. Mersey Drive is a community which includes students, parents and all staff. I chose to become Governor to be able to give something back to this community and not just take from it.
What do you do when not attending school Governor meetings When I am not attending Governor's meetings, I’m busy with my full-time job, delivering healthcare qualifications to the staff at GMMH, and being a mum to my 3 boys, 2 cats, a dog and fish. In my free time, I love to work in my garden, to ensure that is full of beautiful flowers, fruits and trees.
Term of Office: 01/03/22 - 01/03/26
Category of Governor: Parent
Appointed by: Parent appointed by GB/board due to no election candidates
Committees served on: Resources
Areas of special interest:
Helping to ensure that Mersey Drive provides an enriching environment for all children to develop and grow within a safe environment. Getting children involved in green projects, such as growing their own fruit and vegetables and helping the local community.
Why did you choose to become a school Governor?
I chose to become a Parent Governor in order to help promote and improve the relationship that the school has with parents and the local community. I believe that all children should experience the opportunity to grow and develop in a supporting environment and that this will in turn help to develop better relationships with the school, parents and the wider community in which they live.
What do you do when not attending school Governor meetings
When not attending a Governor’s meeting I can be found in the allotment growing a verity of vegetables and walking my two dogs. I also enjoy camping and days out with the family.
Term of Office: 01/03/22 - 01/03/26
Governors Attendance at Meetings
Use the drop down menus below to view the Attendance at meetings for each Governor Committee
