Governors

The Governors of Chailey School have overall responsibility for the strategic management of the school and for determining its aims, objectives and policies.

The Governing Body is made up as follows:

  • Parent Governors - parents or carers of children registered at the school at the time of their election (2)
  • LA Governors - appointed by the Local Authority (1)
  • The Headteacher - ex officio (1)
  • Staff Governors - members of the school teaching or support staff (1)
  • Co-opted Governors (up to 7) 

Working with the Headteacher we set and monitor the school budget, the school development plan, curriculum targets, and other initiatives.  As well as meeting six times per year, we also undertake regular monitoring visits within the school. In addition, we have pay and appeals committees, a representative on the school’s Health and Safety Committee and a Governor who is responsible for monitoring safeguarding.

Through our work we discharge the core functions of school governance. These are:

  • to ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
  • to hold the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of both school and the pupils; and
  • to oversee the financial performance of the school and to make sure money is well spent.


If you have any questions regarding the work of our Governing Board, please contact the Clerk to Governors, Rachel Alderman (ralderman@chaileyschool.org) and she will endeavour to respond to you as soon as possible.


David Whelpton
Chair of Governors Chailey School

 

To contact our Chair of Governors please email

 

Statutory Information

Governor Type

Position and Portfolio

Name

Current Term of Office

Declaration of Interests

 

Meeting Attendance 2024/2025

Business and Pecuniary

Other

Clerk

  • Clerk

Rachel Alderman

01.09.23 -

None

Parent

10/10

Parent Governor

  • Governor
  • Finance and Resources
  • Equality and Diversity

Georgina Tomlin

05.02.24 – 04.02.28

None

Parent

6/10

Staff Governor

  • Governor
  • Finance and Resources

Emily Akehurst

01.09.22 – 31.07.26

None

Married to another member of staff

10/10

Headteacher

  • Headteacher
  • Finance and Resources
  • Pay Committee (advisory)

Paul Holt

01.09.25 -

None

Staff

N/A

LA Governor

  • Governor
  • Finance and Resources
  • Health and Safety Committee

Mark Evans

18.09.24 – 17.09.28

None

None

9/10

Co-opted Governor

  • Chair of Governors
  • Finance and Resources
  • Chair of Pay Committee
  • Safeguarding
  • HR
  • PSHE

David Whelpton

01.03.23 – 28.02.27

None

None

10/10

Co-opted Governor

  • Vice Chair of Governors
  • Finance and Resources
  • Headteachers Performance Management
  • Pay Committee
  • Curriculum

Peggy Hooton

28.02.23 – 27.02.27

None

None

8/10

Co-opted Governor

  • Governor
  • Finance and Resources
  • Pay Committee
  • GDPR
  • Data
  • Finance

Paul Tonking

23.10.24 – 22.10.28

None

None

8/10

Co-opted Governor

  • Governor
  • Finance and Resources
  • Student Sustainability Committee
  • Headteachers Performance Management
  • MHEW

Clare Gregory

17.09.25 – 16.09.29

None

None

7/10

Co-opted Governor

  • Governor
  • Finance and Resources
  • Headteachers Performance Management
  • Careers

Martyn Carr

19.10.22 – 18.10.26

None

None

10/10

Parent Governor   Vacancy        

 

 

Appointments & Resignations

 

Name

 

Mark Evans

LA Governor - Re-appointed 18.09.24

Paul Tonking

Co-opted Governor - Re-appointed 21.10.24

Rachel Buckenham

Parent Governor - Resigned 13.01.25

Helen Key

Headteacher - Left post 31.08.25

Clare Gregory

Co-opted Governor reappointed - 17.09.25

 

 

Governor Meeting Attendance

 

22.10.25

04.12.25

28.01.26

25.03.26

06.05.26

08.07.26

Meeting Type

FGB

FGB, Finance and Resources

FGB and Budget Update

FGB, Finance and Resources

FGB and Budget

FGB, Finance and Resources

David Whelpton

 

 

 

 

 

Peggy Hooton

 

 

 

 

 

Paul Holt

 

 

 

 

 

Emily Akehurst

 

 

 

 

 

Mark Evans

 

 

 

 

 

Paul Tonking

Apologies

 

 

 

 

 

Martyn Carr

 

 

 

 

 

Clare Gregory

 

 

 

 

 

Georgina Tomlin

 

 

 

 

 

Rachel Alderman

 

 

 

 

 

Vacancy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full Governing Board (FGB)

Finance and Resources (F&R)

Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)

Governors Meeting Minutes

Minutes available on request

ralderman@chaileyschool.org