Governors
SEVEN HILLS PRIMARY SCHOOL GOVERNING BODY
Seven Hills Primary School is a community school.
The name of the governing body is ‘The governing body of Seven Hills Primary School’.
The Governing Body of any school is in place to provide both support and challenge for the school in the way it is led and managed in order to provide the best possible education to every pupil in the school - our Governing Body is no exception.
Our Governors do not tend to get involved with the daily running of the school but their expectations are exceptionally high in terms of the way they support and carry out their roles and responsibilities. It is the role of the Governors to monitor and work with the school leaders on the strategic planning and thinking ahead; they also ask questions and are well informed about every aspect of school life.
Our Governors share the vision and ambition as part of the leadership team (Click link for School Development Plan) for the children at Seven Hills to be the best they can possibly be both academically and socially as well as emotionally. This is embedded in the Curriculum Intent (Click link for Curriculum Intent). The governing body strongly agree that the children are at the heart of everything we do at Seven Hills.
Governors are invited to attend special days for their specific year group to which they are attached. These include special curriculum days, performances, Inspire days etc. and they also meet the member of staff responsible for their specific governor area in order for them to present what has been implemented and the current impact. (Click link for Governor Responsibilities) They are also able to provide support and challenge, as appropriate. Additionally, they are in tune with staff and pupil voice.
Governors are volunteers who give a significant amount of time over the course of the year to helping the school be the best it can possible be. They are part of the biggest volunteer workforce in the country and we thank them for their time and efforts.
The governing body consists of:
1 Headteacher
2 Parent Governors;
1 LA Governor;
2 Staff Governor;
6 Co-opted Governors;
Total number of governors 12
We have a Chair of Governors and 2 Associate Governors. Our Associate Governors hold voting rights within the governor committees but not at the full Governing Body Meetings. As Deputy Headteacher and School Business Manager, they also hold strategic positions within the school.
Each governor forms part of one of three committees: Pupil Support; Resources or Teaching and Learning. (Click link for Governor Roles)
Our Governors provide support and challenge in equal measure thanks to their excellent knowledge of the school and the policies and practices. The skill set, experiences and varied interests of our Governing Body is also a strength of our school.
At the end of each academic year, our Chair of Governors produces the Annual Governance Statement. The statement/ report sets out how the Governing Body has ensured a clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction; held the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils and overseen the financial performance of the school to make sure its money is well spent. (Click link for Annual Governance Statement 2024_25)
Resources Committee Annual Review
Pupil Support Committee - Effectiveness
Teaching & Learning Committee - Effectiveness
Our Governors
Mr. R Catherall
As Headteacher of Seven Hills Primary School for the last 12 years, it has been a privilege to be part of such a strong and caring governing body. Through acting as critical friends, our governors help to ensure that we keep everyone safe, children achieve their full potential both academically and socially and finances are managed effectively across school.
I am passionate about education and have been involved in teaching for over 30 years throughout the primary age ranges. Every day is different at Seven Hills and is always another exciting learning day both for me and the children!
As a keen sports fan, I believe in fair play, a team ethos, resilient players, enjoying a challenge and supporting each other to achieve our goals. I am proud to be part of the Seven Hills Team: ‘A Place Where Everyone is Valued’.
Mrs. M Webb
I’m delighted to join the governing body as the Vice Chair of Governors. Before retiring in August 2024, I was the deputy head at Seven Hills for 17 years and taught at the school for 34 years. My knowledge of the working of school, current policies and procedures and its challenges will enable me to provide support to the school leadership team including the governing body.
My bond with Seven Hills continues to be strong as my grandchildren attend the school and both my daughters work there. The school has played a big part in my life, and I am dedicated to the learning and continued development of pupils, staff and governors.
My main leisure activities include reading and listening to all genres of music. Coming from Liverpool I am a fan of the Fab Four but more recently find myself listening to opera, my favourite being La Traviata by Verdi.
Miss. R Denholm
I have been a teacher at Seven Hills for 10 years and joined the governing board a year ago. I am the KS1 leader and Y2 class teacher (although currently on maternity leave) but have also taught across school in KS2, teaching in years 4 and 5. I love my job and I am extremely passionate about education and supporting children to be the very best they can be. I have learned so much already during my time as a governor; it is an extremely interesting and rewarding role and I feel proud to represent and support our school in this way.
In my spare time, I enjoy reading, walking the dog and spending time with my family and friends.
Mrs. S Redfearn
I have been a member of staff here at Seven Hills Primary School for the last 9 years and part of the governing body for the last 6 years. I am currently a HLTA based in year 3 and 4 but have had experience working across all key stages within school. I thoroughly enjoy being part of the governing body representing the staff in school.
After having my own children and seeing them start their school journey, I soon realized that I had a real interest in education. I decided to change direction after a 20-year career in Banking to retrain and volunteer at their school. This then led to me taking up a position here at Seven Hills. I thoroughly enjoy my job and am passionate about supporting children both academically and socially. It is an incredibly rewarding job and I am proud to be part of the Seven Hills family.
Stacey Brennan
I have a varied background working within childcare settings and have worked as a Residential practitioner for around 12 years. My role is to primarily help and support children and young people with additional needs within a residential setting. The needs of the young people can be physical disabilities, learning disabilities and autism. Supporting young people who display challenging behavior in line with their ICMP (Individual Crisis Management Plan) using therapeutic crisis intervention techniques. (Very similar to team teach) and working closely alongside other professionals and schools to achieve the best possible individual outcomes for the children within our care.
In the time I have been in my current position I have been involved in the support and care of the young people. Covering all aspects of care they may require and keeping paperwork up to date and relevant. I support and teach social and emotional skills, working alongside a varied team of professionals. I develop alongside other professionals a personalized development plan catered to each individual young person to help them enjoy and achieve.
Since having my son attend I have seen the dedication and work of the staff within school.
Bamidele Bode
I took interest in Education and became a Governor about 3 years ago when my daughter started Reception at Seven Hills. I was told about the vacancy during our first parent visit. I was first a Co-opted Governor and then became a parent governor. I am also a member of the Finance and Resources Committee and have recently got involved with Health and Safety in the School.
Being a governor at Seven Hills has been an amazing experience, it gives me so much satisfaction knowing that my child attends the same school where I am governor. I am also confident in the leadership at Seven Hills because I know that they put the pupils at the heart of everything that they do.
I have come from a Finance and IT background and over the last 15 years I have worked in several Banks and Financial institutions. I have very recently started working in a company that provides data analysis tool for Schools and Colleges. Being a governor has no doubt heled me even in my day-to-day life and I have had access to numerous trainings to help me perform the role effectively.
In my spare time, I love to travel, spend time with my family and socialize with friends.
Augustine Wiafe
In the previous school of my sons in Norwich, I was privileged to serve as a parent governor for a year before we moved and I found the experience both challenging and rewarding. That is why I am glad for the opportunity to serve on the Seven Hills Primary governing body.
I have been teaching physics and mathematics in mostly international schools for over 15 years and I have had several responsibilities that include: boarding house tutor, chaplain, key stage coordinator and acting principal. Prior to teaching in the classroom, I worked with the British Council in Accra, Ghana as a senior invigilator, before moving to an educational consultancy, Ace Consult and with Craft Education, an educational technology start-up.
Working with young people is something I am passionate about. I have also volunteered as a youth worker with the Scripture Union and other organizations. I am currently pursuing a master's degree in education (advanced pedagogy) with my thesis focusing on instructional design.
Seven Hills Primary is a great school with a hard-working leadership team and I look forward to making a positive contribution to the achievement of the school's vision of equipping every child to reach their full potential. I draw inspiration from the multiple perspectives provided by students, parents, teachers and colleague governors that continue to enrich my learning and expand my horizons.
In my free time, I like to read fiction and play football. I particularly love listening to music and nurture a keen interest in writing poetry as well.
Zoe Sinclair
I have been a teacher at Seven Hills for three years now and have enjoyed every minute. I am extremely grateful to be in a career that I am so passionate about and have the pleasure of teaching and supporting children every day. Before qualifying as a teacher and starting at Seven Hills, my background has been focused around supporting young people and taking care of children’s needs in a range of settings, including children’s care homes, nurseries, schools and also in families’ homes as their Nanny. I have two sons who also come to Seven Hills and love spending time in the outdoors climbing mountains or walking in the beautiful countryside. I am super excited to be starting my journey as a governor to be able to learn more about our wonderful school and how I can help each of our pupils on their educational journey to thrive and achieve and to celebrate everyone’s achievements.
Areti Vagena
After both of my children moved on from Seven Hills, I decided to give back by becoming a School Governor. Having served on the FOSH group for three years prior, I officially stepped into the Governor role, and I now also serve as a member of the Finance and Resources Committee.
Being a governor is a deeply rewarding experience that allows me to contribute to the heart of our community. One of the highlights is direct engagement with school life; whether I am assisting on school trips or supporting local events, seeing the students’ curiosity first-hand reminds me why our strategic work is so vital.
Professionally, I have been a Finance and Office Manager for 14 years. I feel privileged to apply this expertise to our financial decisions, ensuring our budget is used effectively to provide the best possible facilities and resources for our pupils.
In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, cooking, and spending time with my family and friends.
Su Smith-Holmes
Before I retired, I taught at Seven Hills for over thirty-five years, having experience in every year group. I have always been passionate about teaching and learning, and felt privileged to become Early Years lead, where children begin their journey through Seven Hills. I have also been fortunate to follow one of my greatest interests through school, being the art lead for many years, encouraging both children and staff to learn new skills and express themselves through art.
Seven Hills School is a welcoming, inclusive school and becoming a governor is a rewarding experience, which enables me to continue to be an active part of this super school family.
In my spare time, I love painting and illustrating-mostly animal portraits- and riding my horse, Major Tom. Since retiring I have also been learning British Sign Language, and recently was very proud to pass my level two, showing it is never too late to learn!
