Governing Body
The Governing Body is responsible for making sure the school improves each year. It sets the vision and strategic direction of the school whilst holding school leaders to account for the educational performance of the pupils and performance management of the staff. It oversees the financial performance of the school and makes sure money is well spent and to the benefit the children currently at Long Mead. The Governing Body also ensures that voices of stakeholder, including pupils, parents, staff and the wider community are heard.
Governors meet every term (six times per year) to discuss reports on the school’s progress. They test information received by asking the right questions to ensure that the school spends its budget wisely against the priorities shown in the school plan. In between these meetings, the Governors carry out monitoring visits across a broad range of areas, including Behaviour, Attitudes and Wellbeing, Quality of Education, Health and Safety, SEND, Pupil Premium and Finance.
Governance is strategic. Governors, other than the Headteacher and our Staff Governor, do not involve themselves in the day-to-day management/operation of the school.
Our Governors are:
Chair (Co-opted Governor)
Jane Prideaux (Pupil Premium)
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Co-opted Governor
Terri Daters (Primary School Improvement)
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Co-opted Governor
Roslind Fisher (Safeguarding)
Local Authority Governor
Simon Pleace (Finance)
Parent Governor
Cilem Dogan
Parent Governor
Emma Halliwell
Staff Governor
Kelly Goldup
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Headteacher Governor
Karen Follows (Interim Headteacher)
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Partnership Governors
Vacancy
Clerk of the Governors
Patricia Ferrus
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Jane is a retired secondary Headteacher having spent her professional career in secondary schools in Kent and West Sussex. She has 20+ years of experience as a governor and is delighted to have joined the governing body at Long Mead. Now retired, she enjoys walking her dogs and socialising with family and friends.
Terri Daters has been a teacher for over 25 years and is now Headteacher of a local village school. She has served on the governing board for Long Mead for over 5 years and is passionate to work collaboratively to optimise the life opportunities for children in the local area having lived there herself all her life.
Dr Ros Fisher is a plant scientist and lecturer at Hadlow College. She has 10+ years of experience as a primary school governor, most of those as chair of governors of a local school federation.
Simon is a qualified accountant who has worked in local government finance for over 30 years and has extensive knowledge of school funding within Kent and nationally. He is a school governor at two other Kent schools, and a non-executive director of Commercial Services Group. In his spare time, he is a keen runner and regularly shares his home with guide dog puppies.
Cilem took on the role as parent Governor in 2023 and has a daughter in the school.
Emma Halliwell works as a Lead Occupational Therapist in a secure mental health service, which she has done for 17 years. Emma took on the Parent Governor role early 2024, with her daughter starting at Long Mead. It is still fairly new and lots to learn, however Emma is committed to ensuring that all children and teachers get the right support and provision through the primary school journey.
Kelly is a mum of four children, and has been a member of staff at Long Mead for four years. She currently works in the launchpad room, assisting with wellbeing and behaviour. She has just completed 3 years at university to become a teacher and is starting her initial teacher training at Long Mead in September. She enjoys swimming, reading and spending time with family and friends.
Karen has been a teacher for the last 13 years, joining the profession once her 4 children were at primary school. She has worked in a range of small schools in both Kent and East Sussex and joined Long Mead in 2019 as Deputy Head of School and Year 6 teacher. She is passionate about children's education and ensuring that every child has an equal chance to reach their full potential. She shares her home with her husband, 4 grown-up children and 3 cats!
The governors may be contacted via the school office by email to: office@long-mead.kent.sch.uk, who will then advise you on the best person to speak with.
Statutory policies and other important information can be found in the policies section of the website.
Interested in being a Governor? Please contact the Clerk, Patricia Ferrus, at the school or visit the KCC website accessible here.
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Please click here for the Instrument of Governance for Long Mead Community Primary School.​
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Please click here for Governor Attendance for 2023/24.