Welcome to the Governors page where you can find out all about the Governing Board, who we are and what we do.

My name is Bev Homer, I am the Chair of the Governing Board and have put the following information together for your information and interest.

Our School Governors are all volunteers, and they provide a strong link between the school, parent / carers and the local community. The total number of governors, as laid out in our Instrument of Government, is 12. Please see below to understand how the 12 positions are allocated.

The Governing Board can only carry about the above responsibilities by working closely with the Headteacher and her team, it is a partnership.

Our Governors are;

Associate members - these members have no voting rights at Governing Board Meetings

Other:

Roles, responsibilities and committee membership

How we share the workload:

We have two committees. This is what each committee oversea and who is in each committee.

A little bit about each Governor

Oliver Cudd

Hello, I'm Ollie, a Digital Communications Manager at a local NHS Trust, with more than a decade of diverse experience spanning clinical and non-clinical roles within the NHS. The prospect of becoming a governor at Fairways thrilled me, presenting an opportunity to actively contribute to my community and play a role in supporting the educational journey of future generations.

Residing locally with my wife, daughter, and dog, I cherish moments of family time amid my hectic schedule.

Natalie Ferdinando

Having grown up in Copthorne, I moved back to the village in 2022 with my husband and our two young children. Our daughter started Fairway Infants this school year and our son currently attends a local pre-school.

I have been on the Governing body since November 2022 and currently hold the position of Vice-Chair.  My background is in sales management & training; I have gained a number of transferable skills over the years that I have been able to bring into this role and feel honoured to play a part in such a committed team.

In my spare time, I enjoy nothing more than spending it with my family.

Maroulla Gibbs

I retired early from a 25 year career in Facilities Management and Health and Safety working for the largest Group of Colleges in South London.  I had budgetary responsibility of circa £69m.  I decided to retain my Tech IOSH status.  I hope that my skills and experience can help support the school leaders in providing quality teaching and learning and a safe and caring environment for the children. 

I live locally and have 4 beautiful grandchildren, one of which attends the school.  I have three children including a son who teaches Aircraft Engineering. 

Lauren Harden

I am on the governing board as the representative for the staff at Fairway. I have been teaching for over 10 years and I have a range of experience from the beginning of KS1 and up to the end of KS2. I am also currently the KS1 Phase Lead and this role enables me to understand the day to day running of the school. I am passionate about supporting the school in offering the best for our children at all levels.

In my spare time I enjoy working out. I am a member of a bootcamp fitness class where I run, weightlift, use battle ropes and even box.

Bev Homer

I have been in education since 1989 and a headteacher for the last 25 years of my career. I have taught in Ealing, Surrey, Wokingham and most recently in Crawley, West Sussex.

I moved to Copthorne, from West London in 2018 and retired in 2022. I am loving village life and now I am no longer leading schools I have the time to ‘do lunch’; learn to paint, read, walk my beautiful vizsla pup and travel. I am really enjoying my role as Chair of the Governing Board at Fairway and working with the wider Fairway Family

Claire Kidgell

I have lived in the village my whole life and attended both the village schools, and now have 2 young children at the schools. 

I spent most of my career working in the travel industry as a Sales and Operations Manager however I currently work in Compliance for a leading infrastructure company where I cover many responsibilities including insurance, finance, data, systems, and compliance. 

In my spare time I enjoy being with my family in the outdoors, reading and the gym.  

Daniel Passfield

TBA

Nick Sargent

I have lived in Copthorne for most of my life and I’m a teacher at a local secondary school. In my spare time, I run a Beaver Scout Section, and I’m an avid fan of camping! I joined the Governing Body as a Local Authority Governor in September 2022. I find immense joy in leveraging my educational background and community involvement to contribute to Fairway Infant School's growth. 

Emma Singleton

TBA

Dee Wright

I am Founder and Operations Director of a Leadership Development Consultancy that helps leaders to understand who they really are and how they positively impact their own lives, their teams, organisations and society as a whole. For over 10 years, I have specialised in a career of training and events, operations and project management, focused on delivering events with purpose.

As a mum of two, I am passionate about connecting with the community and supporting our young people lean into new challenges and responsibilities and hope to bring my strengths and skills to the governing body to enable our school and its children to thrive.

For over 20 years I have played netball and love being part of a team. In my spare time I also enjoy cross stitch, and as a result of my passion for upcycling I am learning to sew.

If you wish to contact the Governing Board please do so, confidentially via the school where a message will be passed to the Board members or email governor@fairwayinfant.co.uk

Would you be interested in becoming a Governor and supporting and challenging our school?

All school governors are volunteers and provide a strong link between the school, parents/carers and the local community.

The governing body structure allows for

2 parent governors - governors who bring the viewpoint of a parent.

2 staff governors – governors who contribute with the view of a member of staff.

7 co-opted governors – governors from the local community or businesses who can bring alternative thoughts and viewpoints to the table.

1 representative from the Local Authority - a broad representation for points of view.

Governors do not need to be education experts, nor do they have any powers as individuals - the governing board exercises its authority collectively. Governors play an active role in the life of Fairway Infant School, helping to raise and maintain the educational standards and performance by supporting the work of the Head and her staff.

The main qualifications are;

• A belief that education is important.

• An interest in the role of schools in the community

• An ability to work with others.

• An ability to assimilate a wide range of information and data.

• A willingness to learn.

• Sound communication skills

• Being prepared to give time to doing the job well.

Schools are fascinating places, by volunteering you are;

• Investing in the next generation

• Using your personal qualities and expertise to help the school, it's pupils and staff.

• Developing new skills

• Acquiring new knowledge

• Making new friends

• Developing a sense of partnership and involvement in the community

Being a school governor can be interesting and rewarding.

Should you wish to learn more, our governors would be delighted to answer any questions and can be contacted via the School Office or governors@fairwayinfant.co.uk.