Governance

Introduction and Overview

What do governors do?

Governors are like a Board of Directors and make decisions about how the School is run. They meet at least once a term in School.

The Rampion Federation

Grovelands and Hellingly CP Schools have formed the Rampion Federation, which commenced in September 2021.  This means that while they remain separate schools, each with its own school development plan, budget and Ofsted inspection, they work closely together under a single Federation Leadership Team (FLT). 

There is an Executive Head Teacher (Mr Goulding), with overall strategic and leadership responsibility for both schools, and two Heads of School (Miss Swaine for Grovelands and Mrs McKay for Hellingly), who have operational leadership responsibility for their school as well as participating in the strategic leadership of the federation.[MN1] 

The Rampion Federation has a single Board of Governors and we are responsible for supporting and challenging the FLT in their leadership of the two schools.  In accordance with the Government’s requirement for all governing boards, the three core strategic functions of the Rampion Board are:

  • Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction of the two schools
  • Holding the Executive Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the schools and their pupils
  • Overseeing the financial performance of the schools and making sure their money is well spent

GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS

The Governing Board meets formally every term but the Governors will visit the schools much more often. Our Governors are hard working and committed to making Grovelands and Hellingly the best schools for your children and the community. 

We also have two Committees, a Resources Committee and a Teaching & Learning Committee.  They meet at least three times a year and report to the full Board.

At our full Governing Board meetings, we receive and discuss reports from the Executive Headteacher, the Heads of School and other staff. We monitor the results of internal and external assessments of the children’s progress and measure the impact of policies which we have adopted to help the schools’ work.

Finance is discussed at each meeting and we also have a special meeting each year to agree the schools’ budgets.  We make sure that the schools’ provision complies with current equalities and safeguarding legislation and that the children and staff have a safe and healthy place to work in.

We work as strategic partners with the Grovelands and Hellingly staff to plan the schools’ development whilst maintaining their core vision and ethos, within the framework of the vision for the Rampion Federation.  Each Governor is linked to a key area of the schools’ development, working with key staff members and reporting to the Board.

Who Are School Governors?

Governing Board Information

Meet The Governors

Michael Nix – Chair of Governors

Contact by email: mnix@hellingly.e-sussex.sch.uk

I spent my career in education, first as a secondary school teacher and then in education administration. I worked for over 20 years for East Sussex County Council, then for the Learning and Skills Council Sussex, and finally for Brighton & Hove City Council. Key areas of responsibility during my career included planning and managing funding, places and capital investment for schools and colleges. I retired in September 2015.

My wife Carolyn and I have lived in Hailsham for over 35 years and our four children attended Grovelands and Hailsham Community College. I became a governor at Hellingly in 2016 and was Co-Chair and then Chair at Hellingly from January 2019. I strongly supported the partnership between Hellingly and Grovelands and the development of the Rampion Federation. I’m confident the federation strengthens both schools and I will continue to support Grovelands and Hellingly in giving all the children the best possible opportunities to shine in all they do.


Paul Gietzen – Co-Vice Chair

Chair of Resources Committee

I have lived in Sussex for most of my life having moved to the area in the 1950’s with my parents when my father, an astronomer, was transferred to Herstmonceux. My wife, Janet, and I have 3 sons and 6 grandchildren and it was picking up 2 of my granddaughters  from Hellingly that introduced me to this lovely school.

Having recently retired as Chairman of the company I founded in the late nineties I was delighted to be accepted as a co opted governor of Hellingly School in 2019.

I have previously been the Chair of Governors at St Andrews Infant School in Eastbourne and am currently the secretary of the Rotary Club of Eastbourne.

I strongly believe in giving back to the community and I am very conscious of the value of a strong governing body to a school.

I welcome the opportunity to work closely with the Head, staff, fellow governors, parents and pupils of Hellingly School in their quest to Reach for the Stars.

Jennie Cole – Co-opted Governor

I moved to Hailsham 17 years ago with my husband. We have two daughters both who attended Hellingly School between 2007 – 2017. I was involved in the school PTA and always wanted to support such a wonderful primary school that had given my daughters a great start in their educational journey. I applied to be a Governor in 2017 as I had always hoped to be involved with the school beyond the years of my children attending.

A true passion of mine is to raise aspirations in young people and support their development towards successful future careers. I am a Registered Career Development Professional and work at Hailsham Community College as the Careers Leader. Prior to this I worked as a Volunteer Coordinator and my first career before children was a science teacher in a secondary school. This helps me to have knowledge of the education system which I feel helps me to support Hellingly School in my role as Governor.

Darren Brand – Foundation Governor

I have two children who currently attend Grovelands, who have thrived in the supportive and positive environment provided.

Professionally, I am a registered nurse, currently employed as a Principal Lecturer by the University of Brighton as one of the co-leads for Nursing Sciences. This primarily involves supporting nursing and other healthcare students are they seek to gain registration as registered practitioners. Since qualifying 20 years ago, I have held clinical and managerial roles within the NHS locally.

I have a long-standing interest in education, which has led me to both my current work role and my involvement in school governance. I have supported local primary schools over the past eleven years in various roles, including as vice-chair of governors and committee chair. I joined the Grovelands Board as an associate governor in 2018 and look forward to working with the federation board to support both Grovelands and Hellingly moving forward.

. 

Sarah Chaffer – Parent Governor

Sally Barnard – Co-opted Governor

Hi there, my name is Sally Barnard and I am a co-opted governor for the Rampion Federation.

I have worked in education for 13 years, with my current role being Assistant Head Teacher at a local primary school. I am passionate and invested in ensuring all children are challenged to achieve their full potential in a safe, encouraging environment. In addition to my current role in school I am a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE) working with local schools in East Sussex to improve the quality of teaching and learning. 

I have 2 children at Grovelands, in Reception and Year 3, and look forward to supporting the Governing Board and Senior Leadership Team to ensure the continue success and improvement of the schools in the federation.

NAME Governor
Category		 Appointed
By		 Term
of Office		  
Date
stepped down 		Link
Governor Responsibilities		 Relevant
Business Interests		 Other
Governing Positions Held		 Relevant
Relationships within the school
Michael Nix LA Governor LA 01/09/2021 – 31/08/2025       Chair
of Governors		  
Sally Barnard Co-opted Governor FGB 08/10/2021 – 07/10/2025   Equality
and Diversity		   Co-Vice
Chair of Governors		 2
children attend Grovelands School
Sister
employed as a Teaching Assistant at Grovelands
Jennie Cole Co-opted Governor FGB 01/09/2021 – 31/08/2025   Safeguarding;
Mental Health and Wellbeing		 Employed
at Hailsham Community College		    
Lucy Elder Co-opted Governor FGB 01/09/2021 – 31/08/2025 29.09.22 Member
of the Teaching and Learning Committee; Information Governance		     Has
1 child at Grovelands School
James Gietzen Co-opted Governor FGB 01/09/2021 – 31/08/2025 31.12.22 Member
of the Teaching and Learning Committee		 Employed
at Uckfield Community College		   Parent
of 2 children at Hellingly School
Son
of Paul Gietzen, who is Co-Vice Chair of Governors
Vacancy

 

 

 Co-opted Governor              
Vacancy Co-opted Governor              
Paul Gietzen Foundation Governor FGB 01/09/2021 – 31/08/2025   Member
of the Resources Committee		   Co-Vice
Chair of Governors		 Parent
of 2 children at Hellingly School
Father of James Gietzen
Darren Brand Foundation Governor FGB 01/09/2021 – 31/08/2025   SEND Principal
Lecturer at the University of Brighton; former governor at Stone Cross School

 

 

   2
children attend Grovelands School
Sarah Chaffer Parent Governor Parents 14/09/2021 – 13/09/2025   Member
of the Resources Committee, Equality and Diversity		      
Sarah Nightingale Parent Governor Parents 01/09/2021 – 31/08/2025 06.12.22 Member
of the Teaching and Learning Committee		 Client Services
Manager for
Academic Choice who
provide supply teachers and temporary teaching assistants to schools,
including Hellingly Primary School. In direct contact and responsible for
supplying temporary staff to Hellingly		    
Jon Goulding Staff – (Executive) Headteacher Governor FGB Ex-Officio          
Heidi Greenwood Staff Governor Staff 13/01/2022 – 12/01/2026          
Gaynor Newnham Clerk FGB Ex-Officio       Clerk to Governors for
the Swale Academies Trust East Sussex Schools, Stone Cross School, Bourne
School, St. John’s Meads, Seaford Head, Downs Infants School (Brighton),
Hamilton Lodge School and College for the Deaf.
Clerk to the IEB at
Groombridge St Thomas School
Governance Clerk at
STEP Academy Trust