Sir Thomas Abney governors are at the heart of how our school runs. Our job affects the interests of pupils, staff and how the school is seen by parents and the community at large. We therefore support and challenge the school management by looking at data, gathering views, asking questions and deciding what’s best for the pupils.
Our foremost priority lies with the safety, wellbeing and achievement of all pupils at the school. Furthermore we value our staff, parents and carers and the wider community of Sir Thomas Abney Primary School.
Your ideas and opinions are important to us and we are happy to help you in any way we can to support the children at our school. If you would like to talk to any of the governors you are welcome to contact us through: governors@sirthomasabney.hackney.sch.uk
I have been a governor at STA for over 10 years and both my children attended the school before moving on to secondary school in Hackney. I am a local businesswoman (owner of a graphic design company established in 1989) and a qualified teacher (I also currently work at an ‘outstanding’ Tower Hamlets Academy).
I believe that all children deserve the very best start in life to help them become happy, healthy and successful young people who are well equipped to achieve their personal goals and make a positive contribution to their communities and the wider world. As a member of the STA Governing Body, the children at the school are at the heart of everything I do as a governor. I strive to support the school as it continues to raise attainment and provide a safe, enjoyable and enriching environment for learning.
I have been a school governor for about 15 years, the last 7 at Sir Thomas Abney. Besides being Vice Chair, I’m Chair of the Teaching and Learning Committee. Outside of STA I’m Chair of the Hackney School Governors’ Association, Vice Chair of Schools’ Forum and a co-opted member of Hackney Council’s Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission.
I’m a photographer and have worked as a line producer in TV and Films. I recently started a social enterprise with a friend where we teach cooking low cost but delicious recipes to pensioners, long-term unemployed and people on benefits.
I have been a parent governor at Sir Thomas Abney (STA) for 5 years. I have two children, one currently in Year 4 and one in a Hackney secondary school. Both joined STA in reception and they have equally flourished and been enriched as a result of the teaching provided by STA.
My reason for becoming a governor stems from my firm belief that a good education for all of our children is the key to the best possible future for them. I sit on STA’s Teaching & Learning Committee and I am a Literacy Link Governor. This involves the scrutiny of the childrens’ attainment and progress in reading and writing. I conduct visits to view the literacy lessons in the classroom. I can say that through my work as a governor I believe that STA understands the learning needs of individual children and values their differences and diversity.
Outside of STA I work for the Nursing & Midwifery Council. I am very proud to work in the field of public protection and I am committed to the provision of excellent public services.
I feel privileged to be a part of STA’s vibrant and creative community. We have much to be proud of at STA.
I originally trained as an English teacher through the Teach First training programme and taught English in a secondary school in Enfield for three years. I left teaching in 2014 to set up First Give, a charity that works with 170 schools in London and South Wales to encourage young people to give back to their community through advocacy, fundraising and volunteering. I believe strongly that young people can be the catalyst for positive social change. I am so proud to be a governor at STA. It is brilliant to contribute to a school community that invests so much in order to support happy, kind children to achieve their full potential.
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I became a parent governor in 2017, after both my two children had been at the school for a number of years. Prior to this, I had acted for four years as chair of the school parent teacher group FoSTA (Friends Of Sir Thomas Abney). This gave me the opportunity to work with the school community as a team to make the school a fun place to be, and to raise funds to support the school. My eldest child has recently moved up to a local secondary school while my youngest, who started attending Sir Thomas Abney in nursery, is currently in KS2. As an educator in art and design I’m passionate about the possibilities offered by a positive learning experience, and I’m always keen to support the school in their mission to give every child the necessary grounding and an equal opportunity to develop their learning, so that they can realise their full potential.
Theresa Owen Mathias – Parent Governor
There are currently vacancies for:
The governing body’s main role is to help raise standards of achievement:
Our governing body was rated Good by Ofsted during our most recent inspection.
Governors do not intervene in the day-to-day management of the school, except in extraordinary circumstances. This is the responsibility of the headteacher helped by the school staff. Our philosophy for running the school is one of shared responsibility worked out by common consent.
Governors govern rather than manage. We are there to give direction and focus by performing a vital strategic role.
The full governing body meets once each term. We hold two additional committee meetings each term. We also have a number of working parties that governors are involved with. STA governors love to attend school events such as concerts, open evenings and performances and organise workshops and forums for parents. We take part in staff appointment panels and when necessary hold pupil exclusion panels, parental complaint panels as well as staff disciplinary and grievance hearings.
Governors are also required to take on a ‘link’ role. Link governors liaise with specific subject leaders and visit the school to learn more about and support their subject or ‘link’ area.
Governors demonstrate their commitment to the school by:
At STA there are a total of 15 governors. The governing body comprises different types of governors who each bring expertise and a different perspective to the team:
4 x Parent Governors elected by parents/guardians of registered pupils. Parent governors must be parents/guardians at the time of election. Parent Governors do not have to leave if their child leaves during their term of office, but they can if they wish to. If there is a potential vacancy, nominations are sought from parents.
If more nominations are received than the vacancies available then an election takes place. If insufficient parents stand for election, the governing body can approach a parent of the school to become a governor.
1 x Authority Governor nominated by the local education authority (LEA). Applications for this role are sent to interested parties, once received they are forwarded to an officer panel for consideration. Once agreed, the application is given to the cabinet to be agreed. LEA appointments can only be removed from office by the officer panel. It is not the decision of the governing body.
1 x Staff Governor Staff governors are appointed by the staff employed to work at the school or have a contract of employment with the school. If they leave the school, they cannot remain on the governing body.
8 x Co-opted Governors (who must include 1 x parent, 2 x members of staff – of which one will include a teacher). Co-opted governors are appointed by the governing body and, in the opinion of the governing body, have the skills required to contribute to the effective governance and success of the school. Teacher governors must be permanent members of staff. They act as a representative role. Once they cease to work at the school their term of office will be terminated.
Associate Governors are invited to the governing body, usually because they offer particular expertise or skills.
The Headteacher is a governor by virtue of their office.
If you would like to become a member of our governing body, look out for vacancies and information about governor elections on this page.
