Governors

My name is Mel Hampton and I am the newly elected Chair of Governors for Cheriton Primary School. I have been a governor here since 2016, starting as a parent governor, then moving to finance, Vice-Chair and now Chair. All three of my daughters have attended Cheriton Primary School and I truly believe it is a very special school where children are valued, happy and enjoy learning.

Alongside a set of dedicated teachers and senior leadership the governors perform 3 core functions:

that the vision, ethos and strategic direction of the school are clearly defined
that the headteacher performs their responsibilities for the educational performance of the school
the sound, proper and effective use of the school’s financial resources

It is a strategic role and in no way are we involved in the operational side of running the school. As a foundation trust school we have additional responsibilities relating to staff and the land and buildings.

We are all volunteers from different backgrounds and have a varied skill set, we attend 6 meetings per year plus various panel meetings and monitoring visits where we ensure policy is being put into practice. The board consists of the Headteacher, a teacher, a local authority governor, two parent governors, two foundation governors and up to seven co-opted governors who cover different required skills, such as finance, risk assessment, IT or health and safety for example.

There are often spaces on the governing board so if you are interested in becoming a school governor or know someone who is, please do get in touch. It is a very rewarding role.

I am very proud to represent Cheriton Primary School and will always do my best to ensure that every child matters and see that we continue to develop our team of governors through training and being a recognisable face in school wherever we can.

Headteacher: Ms Sophia Dover

Chair of Governors: Mrs Melanie Hampton Term: 15/11/2021 - 14/11/2025

Vice Chair of Governors: Ms Sheryl Hastings Term: 23/05/2021 - 22/05/2025

Foundation Governor: Ms Sarah Elliott Term: 11/07/2020 - 10/07/2025

Teacher Governor: Mr Shane Thatcher Term: 02/09/2024 - 01/09/2028

Co-opted Governor: Mrs Jennie Carter Term: 16/10/2023 - 15/10/2027

Co-opted Governor: Ms Emily Ann Blakley Term: 16/10/2023 - 15/10/2027

Co-opted Governor: Ms Eleanor Neely Term: 24/03/2024 - 23/03/2028

Parent Governor: Mr Karl Knight Term: 23/11/2023 - 22/11/2027

Parent Governor: Ms Caroline Hurley Term: 17/11/2023 - 16/11/2027

Resigned in the last 12 months:

Miss R Adams Term: 24/01/2022 - 01/09/2024