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St. Catherine's CE Primary School

St. Catherine's CE Primary School
In God's Love, Together We Flourish

 

Governors

St. Catherine’s Church of England Primary School is a member of The Bishop Fraser Trust

The Local Governing Body has responsibility for providing focused governance for St. Catherine’s CE Primary School

The Local Governing Body

Chair: Christa Norton

Local Governors contribute to the strategic direction of the academy and Trust by contributing to discussions at local governing body meetings which consider:

  • vision and values;
  • clear and ambitious strategic priorities and targets;
  • access of children, including those with special educational needs, to a broad, balanced and engaging curriculum;
  • ensuring all groups and individuals are making good or better progress; the quality of teaching;
  • the implementation of the Trust’s policies;
  • the development of links with the local community; and
  • the establishment of mechanisms to promote good parent/carer/family relations
  • Hold the senior leaders to account by monitoring the academy’s performance.

This includes:

  • agreeing the outcomes from the academy’s self-evaluation and ensuring they are used to inform the priorities in the academy’s action and improvement plan;
  • considering all relevant data and feedback provided on request by academy leaders and external sources on all aspects of academy performance;
  • asking challenging questions of academy leaders;
  • ensuring senior leaders have implemented the required policies and procedures and the academy is operating effectively according to those policies;
  • acting as a link governor on a specific issue, making relevant enquiries of the relevant staff, and reporting to the governing body on the progress on the relevant academy priority; and
  • listening to and reporting to the academy’s stakeholders: pupils, parents, staff, and the wider community, including local employers.

Local Governing Body (ID 1087)

  • Christa Norton
    Chair of Governors

    Christa Norton

    Appointed15.02.18

    I have lived in the Horwich area since 2009, moving here from just outside London, where I was born and where my still live. Both my sons attended St Catherines and I was an active member of the PTA before being appointed as a Parent Governor at St Catherine's in 2018. I was subsequently elected as Chair in 2020 and am proud to serve our school community. I am a huge advocate of the arts and studied for my degree at the Royal College of Music, before moving into a career in Marketing. I currently work as a Global Marketing Lead for PwC. I am in regular member of the congregation at St Joseph's Anderton, where I lead the Choir, and I am also a member of the Bolton Free Cakes for Kids, creating bespoke birthday cakes for disadvantaged children.

  • Karen Graham
    Headteacher

    Karen Graham

    Appointed 15.02.18


    I am thrilled to be the Headteacher at St. Catherine’s Church of England Primary School and have been here since 2008. It is a real privilege to work in such an incredible school with a dynamic staff team. I am committed to ensuring that our school can provide the very best opportunities for all of our children and I encourage us all to ensure that we continue to be amazing in all aspects. I particularly value our Christian ethos and warm family atmosphere.In addition to my work as headteacher I am an member of the Horwich and Blackrod Learning Collaborative, a highly effective and active group, as well as representing our cluster of schools at the School Improvementconsultation group.

  • Revd Michael Behrend

    Revd Michael Behrend

    Appointed 15.02.18

    I was brought up in the North West of England, but taught maths in a secondary school in Essex for ten years before training to be a vicar. I have been a vicar in Horwich and a governor of St. Catherine’s School since 2002, and was chair of governors from 2015 until 2020. My two children (including my daughter who has Down Syndrome) were both pupils in the school from Nursery until the end of year 6, with the youngest leaving in 2021. I am currently governor with responsibility for Special Educational Needs and Disability.

  • Carol Parry

    Carol Parry

    Appointed 15.02.18

    I have worked within the Criminal Justice System for the last 20 years. For the last 16 years I have worked for the Crown Prosecution Service based in Manchester, but my work requires me to attend Crown Courts in various locations throughout the whole of the North West. I have been a resident of Horwich all of my life, with the exception of a brief spell in Worsley many years ago. I attended the original St Catherine’s school until 1984 and this was followed by secondary education at Rivington and Blackrod High School. My two children attended St Catherine’s Primary School and we are regular attenders at St Catherine’s Church. I am an active member of the PCC (Parochial Church Council) and assist the church by being the resident Child Protection Officer. I have been part of the governing body at St Catherine’s for many years and, together with my fellow governors, work hard to ensure I contribute to the efficient and smooth running of the school.

  • David Harrison

    David Harrison

    Appointed: 01.07.21

    I am an experienced site-manager with excellent people skills to work with staff at all levels, a creative approach to problem solving and excellent organisational and planning skills. With the ability to take on responsibility and make decisions, an in-depth knowledge of building methods and the ability to motivate myself and others, I also possess a high level of health and safety awareness. Previously a time-served tradesman, I have practical, hands-on skills and a thorough understanding of on-site activities. I am a parent of a child at St. Catherine’s and enjoy swimming and spending time with my family.

  • Kate Mills

    Kate Mills

    Appointed 22.01.22

    As both a parent governor (since 2022) and the designated Link Governor for Safeguarding (since 2023), I am fully committed to our school's welfare and progress.

    I am a proud parent with two children attending St Catherine’s who have flourished since joining. I am a Teacher of Physics with over a decade of experience in education, granting me a comprehensive understanding of the educational landscape and the challenges students face.

    Safeguarding is our utmost priority. As the Link Governor, I am dedicated to maintaining the highest standards to ensure the safety and security of every student. It's not just a responsibility; it's a solemn duty that demands our unwavering attention.

    I firmly believe that education extends beyond the confines of the classroom, shaping minds, hearts, and futures. I am committed to fostering a nurturing, inclusive, and empowering environment where every child feels valued, respected, safe, and inspired to excel.

    Thank you for entrusting me with the privilege of serving as your parent governor and safeguarding link Governor. Together, let us make a positive and lasting impact on the lives of our students.

  • Jackie Birks

    Jackie Birks

    Appointed 21.01.22

    I have been a parent governor at St Catherine’s since January 2022 and have been the link governor for Pupil Premium since September 2023 . I live with my partner and our two sons in Horwich. Both children attended St Catherine’s from pre-school until the end of Year 6, benefiting from outstanding teaching and learning and shared values in a caring, strongly Christian community. Throughout the years, I have enjoyed working alongside staff, children and other families. I have been involved in school life as a reading volunteer, as an extra adult in pre-school, at PTA events and more recently, as a parent governor.

    As a parent governor, it is a wonderful privilege to be invited into St Catherine’s for “Governors in School” days. Children are polite, eager to learn, articulate and brimming with enthusiasm to show off their school. They are keen to share what they enjoy and what needs to be improved for the future. My favourite part of the visit is Collective Worship, where the love of God, in a warm and caring Christian community is a truly special event to witness.

    I have worked in education throughout my adult life, developing invaluable skills for the role of parent governor. I have over 14 years of experience as a secondary science teacher, four years as a nursery support worker and more recently, as a cover supervisor in a Bolton secondary school. These experiences have provided me with valuable insight into how children learn, the demands on staff and current challenges in the education sector. I am a collaborative worker and am passionate about supporting the education of learners, staff and families at St Catherine’s C.E. Primary.

  • Adele Leather

    Adele Leather

    Appointed 15.07.22

    I began my teaching career at St Catherine's in 2006. It is a privilege to work with the wonderful children and amazing staff of this warm and welcoming school. During my time at St Catherine's, I have been given many opportunities to develop, joining the Senior Leadership Team in 2012 and becoming Assistant Head in 2017. My roles in school include Key Stage Two Lead and English Lead. In 2021, I completed the National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL). I also have experience of working with other schools, for example regularly leading meetings with staff from local schools in our cluster and collaborating with representatives of clusters across Bolton in the Cross-Phase Reading Project. I became a governor in 2022, bringing my perspective as a member of teaching staff and also as a parent of two school-age children of my own. I aspire to encourage all pupils to be the best that they can be and to help them to leave St Catherine's as confident and capable individuals, ready for the next step of their journey.

  • Janet Adamson

    Janet Adamson

    Appointed 15.02.18


    I have been a Foundation parent Governor of St Catherine’s School , elected by the parochial church council of St Catherine’s Church since 2008, before becoming a Foundation governor. I have a long standing connection with the school as I am a past pupil and have been a member of St Catherine’s Church all my life. My son spent all his primary education years at the school as do other family members. I have worked within the NHS for 29 years and have always lived in Horwich. In my role as governor I believe in having a positive and sensible outlook and I hope I am able to contribute to the school community and its commitment to ensuring that every pupil both learns and shines at St Catherine’s.

 

Who can be a Governor?

You don’t have to have children at the school to be a governor. However, you do have to be over 18, and pass a formal check for your suitability to be within a school.  No specific qualifications are required but there are certain expectations. What’s really important is that you have energy, enthusiasm, time and a real desire to help provide children with the best possible education.

Governors come from all sections of the community, and all walks of life. Our Governors are a range of  parents, staff at the school, representatives of St. Catherine’s church and residents in the locality. Two governors are elected by parents, with the remainder appointed by the Trustees who try to ensure our Governing Body reflects the community they serve. Our Governors work as part of a team, and give total commitment to our school.

Term of office and meetings

The term of office for a school governor is normally four years. Our Local Governing Body meets once a term (for approximately 2 hours). Most of our Governors find they usually attend meetings or visit a school three or four times each term. They are invited to special occasions such as assemblies, sports days, plays and presentations.