Governors List and Information as at 17th April 2023

The Governing Body of the School has one Local Education Authority governor, four Co-opted governors, two elected Parents, one member of Staff and the Headteacher.  They meet four times a year and are responsible for the efficient running and upkeep of the school, through the Headteacher. The current Chairperson is Mr Nigel Cross.   Mr Cross can be contacted via the school telephone number or via the admin@linton.n-yorks.sch.uk email address.

The Governing Body has four core functions;

• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;

• 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; and

• Ensuring the voices of stakeholders are heard.

Copies of Governors' Minutes are available on request.

Chair - Mr Nigel Cross' tenure as the North Yorkshire County Council Local Authority Governor commenced in March 2022 following two-terms as a Co-opted Governor.  Mr Cross was voted in as the Vice-Chair in May 2016 and moved into the Chair appointment on 8th February 2017.  Mr Cross is the Pupil Premium Governor, Chairs the Curriculum & School Improvements Committee, clerks the Premises/Health & Safety Committee, sits on the Finance & Personnel Committee and Chairs the Headteacher Performance Management Panel.  Mr Cross has a background in engineering, HR and Welfare, training development and currently works in site management.  He ensures the school continues to embrace equality and diversity.  There are no registered business or financial interests with the school. 

Co Vice-Chair - Mr Mark Cappleman accepted the invitation to become a Co-opted Governor in October 2019.  Mr Cappleman is a member of the Finance & Personnel Committee and is Deputy Safeguarding & Child Protection Governor.  Mr Cappleman has worked as an IT professional for over 20 years and is currently employed as an eBusiness Service Manager for a national company.  Having previously held a number of senior IT support & management roles, he has experience of establishing and managing relationships with a wide variety of IT service providers and has supported a number of key corporate projects in recent years, including a rollout of GDPR.  He is now starting to build on his IT knowledge to better understand and apply a balanced approach to digital & online safeguarding.  Outside of IT Mr Cappleman spent several years working as a qualified PADI Scuba Diving Instructor which included the teaching of junior courses for 8 - 14 year olds which was immensely rewarding.  Mr Cappleman has two children at the school.  There are no declarations of business interests with the school.

Co Vice-Chair - Mrs Kelly Kirby was elected as a Parent Governor in October 2019.   Mrs Kirby is a member of the Premises and Health & Safety Committee.  Mrs Kirby has one child at the school and is a solicitor by profession.  There are no declarations of business interests with the school.

Mrs Helen Kirby commenced her tenure as a Co-opted Governor in March 2022 following serving for many years as the Local Authority Governor.  Mrs Kirby chairs the Premises & Health & Safety Committee.  Now retired, Mrs Kirby was a secondary school teacher and a Lead Exams Invigilator at a secondary school.  Mrs Kirby has previously been Vice-Chair of Governors.  As a previous member of the Parish Council, Mrs Kirby maintains the strong link between the school and local Parish community.  There are no registered business or financial interests with the school.  All three of Mrs Kirby’s children previously attended Linton-on-Ouse Primary School, she now has one grandchild at the school.

Mrs Gemma Learmonth commenced her four year tenure as a Parent Governor in October 2017 following a Parent Governor Election.  There are no declarations of business or financial interests with the school.  Mrs Learmonth has one child at the school.

Mr Steve Bunter accepted the invitation to fill a Co-opted Governor vacancy and commenced his tenure in March 2020.  There are no declarations of business or financial interests with the school.  Mr Bunter works in the railway industry and is a Lead Junior Coach at York Rugby Club.  Both of Mr Bunter's children are previous pupils at the school.

Mr Zander Lee accepted the invitation to fill a Co-opted Governor vacancy and commenced her tenure in March 2022.  Mr Lee is employed as a University Lecturer.  There are no declarations of business or financial interests with the school.  

Mrs Jenni Wilson will commenced her tenure as a Staff Governor in April 2023 having been elected by the school staff in March 2023 following the departure of Miss Hudson.  Mrs Wilson will undertake full Induction training when the training become available. 

Mrs Davinia Pearson is the Headteacher of Linton-on-Ouse Primary School & Nursery and is a school Governor by virtue of her office.  Mrs Pearson sits on the Curriculum & School Improvements, Premises/Health & Safety and Finance & Personnel Committees.  There are no registered business or financial interests with the school. 

Mrs Leila Goodridge is an additional member of the Governing Body as an Associate Member will membership, and voting, only for the School Promotions Committee.

Attendance of Governors

Attendance of governors at all Full Governing Body meetings and Sub-Committee meetings has been consistently very good; meetings continued during Covid pandemic via on-line meetings.  Any absences are made known prior to any meeting and are Minuted. 

Attendance Stats for the 19/20 academic year can be found here  .

Attendance Stats for the 18/19 academic year can be found here .

Attendance Stats for the 17/18 academic year can be found here .

Attendance Stats for the 16/17 academic year can be found here  .

Attendance Stats for the 15/16 academic year can be found here .

Governors' Newsletters

Governors Who Have Recently Left

Mrs Beth France accepted the invitation to fill a Co-opted Governor vacancy and commenced her four year tenure in January 2018.  Prior to moving in to the area Mrs France was the Trainee Headteacher of an independent secondary school. The school was an alternative provision for pupils who are unable to access mainstream education. Pupils had a mixture of special educational needs, behavioural and emotional problems, mental health difficulties and a significant proportion were subject to care orders. Mrs France therefore has experience in working with many different types of pupils, and families, with additional needs and supporting them with Education, Health and Care Plans and behavioural plans.  Mrs France holds the PGCE qualification and was trained to be the Designated Safeguarding Lead for the school and was head of safer recruitment for all three campuses of the school.  Prior to Mrs France's teaching career she was a police officer for seven years additionally trained to interview vulnerable and child witnesses to any kind of incident.  Mrs France was voted in as Vice Chair in October 2019.  She Chairs the Finance & Personnel Committee, is a member of the Headteacher Performance Management Panel and is the Safeguarding & Child Protection Governor.  Mrs France has two children who attend the school.  There are no declarations of business interests with the school.

Mrs Laila Goodridge commenced her four year tenure as a Parent Governor in October 2017 following a Parent Governor Election carried out in July 2017.  Mrs Goodridge sits on the Curriculum & School Improvements Committee and the Finance & Personnel Committee and is the Numeracy Governor.  Mrs Goodridge has a declared business interest in Great Ouseburn Nursery and has one child at the school.

Mrs Siobhan McCreadie accepted the invitation to fill a Co-opted Governor vacancy and commenced her tenure in April 2017.  Mrs McCreadie graduated with a BA (Hons) in Social Work and has worked for six years in the Children's Health and Disability Team with York City Council and has been in her current position in the Referral and Assessment Team for three years; this involves immediate response safeguarding work.  This role focuses on the child, in terms of what is required to meet their developmental milestones, including their education, ensuring their safety and well-being, as well as ensuring that their voice is heard.  She has experienced a four week Ofsted inspection, which involved spending time 1:1 with inspectors.   She  is a member of the Curriculum & School Improvements committee, a member of the Headteacher Performance Management Panel and is the Special Needs & Equality Governor and Literacy Governor.  Mrs McCreadie is a mother of two children who attend the school.  There are no declarations of business or financial interests with the school.

Vice-Chair - Mr David Hicks' four year tenure as a Co-opted Governor commenced in July 2015.  Mr Hicks was voted in as the Vice-Chair in October 2017 for a 2 year tenure.  He is the Physical Education Governor, sits on the Curriculum & School Improvements Committee, Finance & Personnel Committee, Headteacher Performance Management Panel, Pupil Discipline Committee and Complaints Committee.  Mr Hicks holds an MA in Educational Management & Leadership as well as BEd (Hons) in PE and Mathematics and is a former Visiting Senior Lecturer at the University of York St. John.  After many years spent in the Training, HR and Audit and Evaluation arenas, he currently leads the site infrastructure department of a large government location.  His broad portfolio of skills and experience are utilised across the curriculum and school learning environments.  There are no registered business or financial interests with the school.  At the end of his 4 year tenure, Mr Hicks left the Governing Body in July 2019.

Mrs Stacey Jones commenced her four year tenure as a Parent Governor in March 2018 following a Parent Governor Election in January 2018.  Mrs Jones has two children at the school and no declarations of business interests.  Due to moving overseas, Mrs Jones left the Governing Body in July 2019.

Mrs Karen Renton completed her four year tenure as a Staff Governor in July 2018. She was succeeded by Mrs Sophie Meikle who was elected by her Teaching peers as Staff Governor in July 2018.

Mrs Raana Khan  joined the governing Body as a Parent Governor  following her successful election in November 2016.  Following statutory safeguarding checks, Mrs Khan's tenure commenced in February 2017 and will be for four years.  Mrs Khan is a mother of two children who attend the school.  There are no declarations of business or financial interests with the school.  Mrs Khan attended her final Governing Body meeting in December 2017 due to relocating overseas.

Mrs Jo Fish commenced her four year tenure as a Parent Governor in October 2012.  Mrs Fish was the Numeracy Governor and the Foundation Stage Governor, sat on the Headteacher’s Performance Management Panel and Staff Discipline Committee, the Curriculum Committee and Chaired the Complaints Committee.  As a secondary school maths teacher and Youth Worker, Mrs Fish has a wealth of knowledge regarding the curriculum and data analysis.  There are no registered business or financial interests with the school.  Mrs Fish has two children at the school.  Mrs Fish attended her final Governing Body meeting on 29th November 2016 alongside her newly elected replacement, Mrs Raana Khan.

Mr Andy Pollard’s four year term of office as a Parent Governor commenced in May 2014 having been voted in following a Parental Ballot. He was voted in as Vice Chair during the Reconstitution meeting in March 2015 for a two year tenure. Mr Pollard sat on the Headteacher’s Performance Management Panel and the Complaints Committee and Chaired the Curriculum Committee, Pupil Discipline Committee and Staff Discipline Appeals Committee. Mr Pollard worked as a Air Traffic Controller. There were no registered business interests with the school. Mr Pollard had one child at the school.  Mr Pollard's tenure ended in May 2016 as he moved away from the area due to work commitments.  He was replaced by Mr Tucker.

Mr Lee Cottrell’s tenure as a Co-opted Governor commenced in March 2015 following the Reconstitution of the Governing Body.  Previously he had served as a Parent Governor.  He was the Physical Education Governor, sat on the Finance & Personnel Committee,  Staff Discipline Appeals Committee, Pupil Discipline Committee, Complaints Committee and Chaired the Premises/Health & Safety Committee.  Mr Cottrell has the NBOSH Health and Safety qualification and utilised those skills  to make sure the school was fully compliant with all aspects of pupil, staff and visitor health and safety.   There were no registered business or financial interests with the school.  Mr Cottrell has one child at the school.  Mr Cottrell's tenure ended in September 2016 following his resignation due to work commitments. 

Mrs Hazel Southern’s four year term of office as a Co-opted Governor commenced in March 2015 when the Governing Body Reconstituted.  She was voted in as Chair also in March 2015 for a three year tenure, but stepped down from the role in February 2017 for personal reasons.  As well as being the Literacy Governor, Mrs Southern sat on the Premises/Health & Safety Committee and was the Chair of both Finance & Personnel Committee and the Headteacher’s Performance Management Panel.  As a CCAB Accountant and employed as a Business Manager, she brought a wealth of financial experience and leadership ability to the Governing Body.  There were no registered business or financial interests with the school.  Mrs Southern had two grandchildren at the school. To the devastating loss to her family, friends and the school, Mrs Southern passed away in May 2017.

Mrs Morag McLoughlin retired as Headteacher of Linton-on-Ouse Primary School on 31st August 2017 after 27 years at school (13 years as Headteacher).

Mr Barry Tucker commenced his four year tenure as a Parent Governor in May 2016.  He sat on the Headteacher’s Performance Management Panel, the Complaints Committee and the Curriculum Committee, Pupil Discipline Committee and Staff Discipline Appeals Committee.  Mr Tucker works as a Air Traffic Controller.  Whist Mr Tucker has no registered business or financial interests with the school, his wife was employed as a General Teaching Assistant at the school.  Mr Tucker also had two children at the school.  Due to moving away from the area, Mr Tucker's tenure ended in October 2017 and he was succeed Mrs Goodridge.