Meet our wonderful governing body. 

Our governors play an integral role in the leadership of our school. 

They are responsible for:

• developing a vision and strategy for the school
• overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure it's money is well spent
• holding the school leaders to account to ensure that every pupil has the best possible education
• engaging with pupils, staff, parents and the school community to understand their views of the school 

In practice, this means looking at information and evidence in order to have conversations and asking questions about the school. 

Our Governors are part of either our Resources Committee or Development and Planning Committee, or both. ​Governors attend one or two committee meetings, plus a full governing body meeting per term.  

John Smith - Chair of Governors 

Term of Office 28th March 2019 - 27th March 2023

Member of Resources Committee, D&P Committee, Pay Committee

Governance of other Educational Establishments - None

Relationships between schools staff and members of governing body - None

Business Interests - None declared

Financial Interests - None declared

John has extensive experience of working in schools as a previous Headteacher.

Paul Mullins - Co-opted Governor

Term of Office 18th January 2019 - 17th January 2023

Chair of D&P Committee 

Responsible for SEN

Governance of other Educational Establishments - None

Relationships between schools staff and members of governing body - None

Business Interests - None declared

Financial Interests - None declared

Paul has a daughter who currently attends Westdale Infant School.

Suzy Burton-Sanders     Parent Governor 

Term of Office 31st January 2020 to 30th January 2024

Member of D&P Committee

Governance of other Educational Establishments - None

Relationships between schools staff and members of governing body - None

Business Interests - None declared

Financial Interests - None declared

Suzy has two daughters who attend Westdale Infants.  Suzy has extensive experience of working in schools as a primary school teacher.

Wendy Russell - Co-opted Governor
Term of Office 30th November 2020 to 29th November 2024

Member of D&P Committee

Governance of other Educational Establishments - None

Relationships between schools staff and members of governing body - None

Business Interests - None declared

Financial Interests - None declared

Wendy works as a serious youth crime and CCE Co-ordinator for Notts County Council. She has extensive experience as a school governor in previous settings. 

Jackie Moss - Co-opted Governor

Member of Resources and D&P Committee - safeguarding governor 

Business Interests - Jackie is a consultant within education who supports Headteachers. Her husband also owns a local joinery business. 

As a retired Executive Headteacher I have extensive experience of working in schools. I have always lived within this locality which gives me a good understanding of the local community. I am passionate about education, particularly for young children, and I am a great believer in keeping healthy which I endeavour to do by running, swimming, walking the dog, playing football (badly) and generally being outside when I can. I also aim to eat healthily, although I also enjoy both baking and eating cake. Jackie i also a governor at Forest Fields Primary School in Nottingham City. 

Andrew Tanser - Co-opted Governor

Term of Office - 25th March 2022 - 24th March 2026

Member of Resources Committee, D&P Committee

Governance of other Educational Establishments - None

Relationships between schools staff and members of governing body - None

Business Interests - None declared

Financial Interests - None declared

Naomi Walker - Parent Governor 

Elected November 2022

Christy Simons - Parent Governor 

Elected November 2022

Kim Lawson - Parent Governor 

Elected November 2022

Reverend Mike Forsyth - Co-opted Governor 

Vanessa Williamson - Co-opted Governor 

Our Governing Body Structure

Resources Committee: Responsible for finance and staffing issues

Chair: Jackie Moss

Emma Estell & Rebecca Lewis (Headteachers)

Erica Ridley (Staff Governor)

John Smith

Paul Mullins

Suzy Burton-Sanders

Development and Planning Committee: Responsible for strategy and curriculum

Chair: Paul Mullins

Emma Estell & Rebecca Lewis (Headteachers)

Erica Ridley (Staff Governor)

John Smith

Wendy Russell

Jackie Moss 

Suzy Burton-Sanders

Discipline Committee:  All Governors

Pay Committee:  Approving pay awards

John Smith, Jackie Moss

Attendance for Academic Year 2021/2022

Full Governors Meeting (3 meetings)

Narelle Black 2/3  (unable to attend one due to Parents Evening)

Suzy Burton-Sanders 3/3

Jackie Moss 2/3 (unable to attend one due to holiday)

Paul Mullins 3/3

Wendy Russell 3/3

John Smith 3/3

Andrew Tanser 1/1 (term started after previous meetings)

Development & Planning Committee (2 meetings) 

Wendy Russell 0/2

Jackie Moss 1/2

Narelle Black 2/2

Paul Mullins 2/2

Resources Committee (2 meetings)

Narelle Black 1/2 (unwell for 1 meeting) 

John Smith 2/2

Jackie Moss 2/2

Joint Essential Items Meeting (1 meeting)

Attendees:

Wendy Russell

John Smith 

Andrew Tanser 

Jackie Moss

Paul Mullins 

Apologies: 

Suzy Burton-Sanders (family event) 

Westdale Infant School Governing Body is made up of parents/carers, a teacher representative and members of the local community. 

Those governors have the legal duties, powers and responsibility to ensure that Westdale is organised efficiently and effectively and doing the very best for all children.

The full Governing Body meets once a term to monitor the progress of the school, with smaller committees meeting to monitor and discuss issues connected with finance, strategic development, personnel and pupils.

Parents can find out more about governors by looking on the school website and various governing body reports are available in the entrance foyer. 

As part of their efforts to keep in touch with the school, Westdale governors hold coffee mornings throughout the year, as an informal way of meeting and listening to parents/carers. Look out for dates in the newsletter and come along for a chat.

Any issues relating to school should of course be taken to the Headteacher in the first instance, but if you needed to contact governors more formally; letters should be addressed via the school office.

How to become a School Governor

For more information on becoming a school governor please see click on the following link https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/education/school-governors/become-a-school-governor

If we have a Parent Governor vacancy we issue the vacancy out through school and send letters home to our parents/carers so please look out for these.