Welcome to our Governors’ Section

The Governing Body

St Leonard’s C of E (A) Primary School’s Governing Body is responsible for ensuring our children achieve their very best while at our school.

We provide strategic leadership and accountability within the school. We work closely with our Headteacher to set the aims, objectives, policies and targets for the school, and we monitor and evaluate the progress the school is making.

We work closely with a whole range of stakeholders including our children, parents/carers, staff, the local community, the diocese and our local authority to make sure our school provides the best education and learning experience possible.  

We hold six full Governing Board meetings each year.

Our Governing Body comprises:

• 2 Parent Governors
• 7 Foundation Governors
• 1 LA Governor
• 1 Staff Governor
• 1 Headteacher

Parent governors are elected by parents of the children at the school, or may be appointed by the governing body if no-one stands for election. 

Foundation governors are appointed by the local church and/or diocese.

LA governors are appointed by the local authority. Members of the public can apply to be considered for this role by contacting the LA directly.   

Staff governors are elected by staff at the school. 

Want to get in touch?

If you would like to contact the Governing Body, please do so via the main contact email, clearly stating the message is for the Governing Body. The 'Governor Contact Request Form' can be found at the bottom of this page.  

office@st-leonards-wigginton.staffs.sch.uk 

Rev. Debra Dyson

I’m the vicar for the Parish of Wigginton and Co-chair of the Governing Body. I am heavily involved with the school both as the leader of our church and with pastoral care for the children and staff. I’ve previously also been a governor at the school my own children (now all grown up) went to. 

Sue Sly

I’ve been a Foundation Governor for a number of years and the lead governor for English. I was a teacher for 40 years and so I am keen to ensure that the children are receiving the best possible education within a Christian environment.  My three children all attended St Leonard's and my granddaughter now also attends.

Lawrence Tall

I’m one of the Foundation Governors, which means I represent the church’s interests on the Governing Board, helping to make sure that we maintain our Christian values and keep the link between the school and the church strong. 

I’ve got one child that goes to the school and two that are at High School. I work in the construction industry and, as the lead Governor for Health and Safety, I rely on my knowledge and experience gained in my day job to provide oversight to the governors that we are doing all we can to keep the children and staff safe.

Gemma Bryan

I am honoured to have been chosen by my colleagues to represent them on the governing body. I have been teaching since 2005 and working here since 2016 in many different capacities, which I feel will be advantageous to me in this role.

I am currently teaching our KS1 class and am also the school's SENDCo. I am also heavily involved with leading the children in community music events.

Oliver Leedham

After growing up in the local area, it was very exciting and an honour to be asked to be a foundation governor. I have a son who has settled in really well at St Leonard's, and a daughter who will be attending when she is old enough. It fills me with pride to be able to give something back to the local community, and support the fantastic team.

Louise Clayton

I was so pleased to be nominated as a parent governor in 2021.. In my day job I am a HR and Health and Safety manager in a manufacturing environment and hope that the skills, experience, knowledge and qualifications will help support me in within my role in supporting the school and governors' team. 

Amy Passey

I am very excited to have joined the team of school governors in March 2022. I have one daughter at the school in year three.  I have worked in HR, governance and risk, leadership development and communications in the NHS for 18 years, and am looking forward to using my knowledge and skills to support this wonderful school. 

Jo Scott

I am delighted to join the team of Governors having had links with the school for over 20 years – my own (now grown up) children attended St Leonard's so I feel very much “at home” whenever I visit. I believe that the Christian ethos and values that are so evident within the school make it a truly special place and I am looking forward to supporting Mrs Cullen and her amazingly, dedicated team in whatever way I can. I worked for over 25 years in Early Years Education and led a Christian Preschool for 16 years so I understand the joys and challenges in maintaining such high standards very well indeed.

Amie Bishop

Having been in the education sector for over ten years, I am pleased to be able to offer my knowledge and experience to the St Leonard's community. I was delighted to be nominated as a parent governor and look forward to ensuring that the school continues to offer a strong, Christian-focused educational journey to all our children.

Emma Walmsley

Having had the pleasure of being a parent volunteer for several years now, I am grateful to have been nominated as a parent governor. I have experience in finance, policy, project management and communications as well as starting a new career in education. I am very much looking forward to seeing the school go from strength to strength with the new initiatives that have our children at their heart, using the knowledge and skills I have to support in my role on the governors’ team.

Carol Croft

I’ve been resident in Wigginton for 18 years and am a Parish Councillor here.  Both of my children have attended the school.  I am an active member of the Church of England and have led a toddler group at my church for over twenty years and have worked with teens and pre-teens in a voluntary capacity. I joined the governing board just over a year ago and look forward to continuing to support the school.

Meetings

The governors meet termly as a full governing body. The board is also split into two committees: Standards and Resources. The Standards committee focuses on the quality of Teaching and Learning; Safeguarding and Outcomes for pupils including vulnerable groups. The Resource committee leads on Health and Safety and the schools’ budget. The full scope each committee can be found in the sub-committee terms of reference. The governors hold a business meeting at the start of the year to set out their key focus areas for the next academic year.

Attendance and membership details can be found below:

2025/26