Puttenham Church of England School

Governors

Every school is legally required to have a board of governors, who are legally responsible and accountable for the school. Together with the headteacher they set the future direction for the school and decide how the school’s budget should be spent. Governing bodies make decisions collectively on matters such as performance targets, school policies and the school’s development plan.

Governor meetings and minutes

The Governors meet approximately 4 times a year. They are open meetings and parents are welcome to attend. If you are interested in attending, please contact the chair Wayne Catley via the school or speak to Mrs Dingley, the headteacher. 

The next meetings are:

Minutes from the latest meetings can be found here:

 Governing Body Minutes November 2011

 Governing Body Minutes September 2011

Our governors in their own words …

Wayne Catley, Chair

I left Nottingham University with a Masters in Chemical Engineering and joined BP. I am now a project manager for Mustang Engineering in Woking.

I am currently exploring how best to apply my skills to the school. These include expertise in health and safety and science and technology.

I have a 2nd Dan (black belt) in Jujitsu and am a keen artist: a couple of my paintings have been exhibited at the Mall Galleries in London.

Alisdair Clark

My family and I moved to the village of Puttenham in 2005. My son joined Year 2 at Puttenham School, where he had a super time and benefited from the happy atmosphere and excellent teaching. In 2007 I was pleased to have the opportunity to become a governor, being keen to contribute to the future success of the School.

My background is both academic and technical. I attended the University of Exeter from 1980-1986, obtaining a BSc in chemistry and PhD in thermodynamics. Having worked for an international business for 20 years, I try to support the school by applying the skills I have gained in practical assessment, project management and delivery.

Joan Davies

I have always lived locally and attended the Aldershot County High School for Girls. I worked for local government before training to be a teacher as a mature student. I retired in July 2007 as head teacher of Walsh Memorial C.E. Infant School in Ash after 33 years teaching nursery, infant and junior children.

I am married and my husband and I both attend Holy Trinity Church in Aldershot, where I play a Clavinova (electronic piano) in the worship team. I am interested in gardening and environmental issues, and enjoy frequent holidays. I am currently doing a pastoral assistant course with Guildford diocese.

Robin Davies

I became headmaster of Barfield School in September 2008, and have thoroughly enjoyed settling into the Farnham area with my wife and two children. Before stepping into the world of formal education, I spent a few years on expeditions to Borneo, Australia and Iceland, as well as teaching environmental studies in the Everglades and New Forest. I enjoy natural history and gardening, and watching a good rugby match. I am committed to creating a broad and purposeful platform of learning opportunities for our young people, so they can grow up confidently and happily in today's modern world. The opportunities for partnership between an independent and state school, such as exchanges of best practice between Barfield and Puttenham are considerable.

Susie Felix, Vice Chair

I have a nursing background and am currently involved in health and voluntary services, where I work with teenagers in the area of sexual health and go into schools to teach life skills. I am also a relationship counsellor. I have been chairman of the local NSPCC committee for many years and a trustee of a national medical charity, where I am chairman of the case committee.

I trained as a pastoral assistant in the church five years ago and am working within the parish. I am a member of the PCC and, in this capacity, became a foundation governor of the school three years ago. I really enjoy my responsibility for school health and safety, as it gets me involved with children and staff.

Georgie Knaggs

I am the mother of three boys and live in The Sands. I believe passionately in education and in giving children the skills and confidence they need to make the most of every opportunity.

I now work for Babcock FourS Governance Consultancy as a clerk for school governing bodies. I have seen how governors can make a positive difference, as well as the problems that can arise from mis-handled complaints. I now appreciate the importance of proactive communication and the sensitive involvement of governors - and I am delighted to have the chance to join the governing body at Puttenham.

Before working in education, I used to write non-fiction articles for newspapers and magazines. I am now trying to move into fiction.

Linda Muirhead

I am a miner's daughter, educated at Northern grammar schools and then Oxford where I took a degree in PPE. I qualified as a solicitor, worked for a large commercial firm and then an inner-city London practice where I handled a wide range and huge volume of personal litigation. I left to look after our family and we moved to Puttenham in 1992. I worked for eight years as a volunteer lawyer for the CAB in Guildford.

I have been involved in a number of local charities, a trustee of a children's hospice, on the management committee of a housing society, and involved in various activities connected with church. I am also a governor of Cranleigh School. I have been a foundation governor of Puttenham School for 10 years. I play golf and enjoy gardening and walking.

Jill Verstage

I worked for several years in the public and private sectors before marrying and stopping full time work to bring up our daughters. Both of them went to local schools: Seale (which was closed some years ago), Waverley Abbey and Weydon. While they were growing up I worked part-time, helping to run a local playgroup and carrying out freelance marketing research projects. I also gained teaching and professional qualifications.

When our daughters were older I returned to work full-time, teaching in further and higher education. I am now semi-retired and work part-time as a consultant, with occasional spells of teaching. I have three young grandchildren, one of whom currently attends a local infant school.

Ven. Adrian Harbidge

Brought up in the Cotswolds, I served as a Purser for three years in the Merchant Navy (mainly West Africa).

My life as a priest began in the Hampshire town of Romsey with its massive Abbey and many royal occasions, together with a very small daughter church that quickly widened my experience.  I regularly took services in the local church school - something which stood me in good stead as Chairman of governors in my first parish as a Vicar in Bournemouth.

In 1986 I became Vicar of Chandler's Ford - 22,000 population and 14 schools (I was on the Board of Governors of one of the secondary schools) before becoming Archdeacon in the southern half Winchester Diocese.

In Puttenham Seale and Wanborough I am at long last back in a rural setting able to enjoy a lovely village school.

Natasha Dean

I am relatively new to the governors at Puttenham, having been elected in November 2010. I have a son in Year 1 and am very pleased to be a parent representative on the governing body.

I am a qualified social worker and can contribute expertise in safeguarding and child protection.  As a committed Christian I am also keen to contribute to the spiritual life of the school.

Janet Hobbs

Puttenham is a very important village to our family -  as were were married here two years ago.  My husband sings in the Puttenham Church choir and although we live in Merrow we worship in Puttenham. 

After attending schools in West Byfleet and Guildford I trained as a teacher in Gloucestershire College of Education, not the happiest time as we were all girls!  I started teaching in Walton and apart from 10 years in Devon I have always taught in Surrey.  Whilst in Devon I was a teacher governor and a governor at a feeder primary school.  Since returning to Surrey I have worked as a supply teacher in many of the schools throughout the area.  I am passionate in ensuring that the education of our young people enables them to become an effective member of society.  With 5 grandchildren I have a vestige interest.

At present I am the President of the Rotary Club of Ripley & Send where I am offering our members to help in the local schools.