Governors provide strategic leadership and accountability and have an important part to play in raising school standards. To ensure the Governing Body has the relevant expertise to carry out its core duties effectively, governors have been appointed with different skill sets. In addition, it is important for governors to be familiar with the school and its community. Decisions are the joint responsibility of the governing body, so individual governors do not act independently. Governors are appointed for a period of four years and may seek re-election if eligible. There are different categories of governor, but once appointed, governors are of equal standing.

Sheila Alderson

As well as being a parent of two children, I have four grandchildren, with whom I enjoy spending time. It is rewarding observing and helping to nurture the development of their different skills and talents. Prior to my retirement, I spent 40 years working in education and have experience of class teaching and management roles. I became a governor as I am passionate about the educational opportunities we offer children. I want to see them reach their potential and become confident, adaptable and eager to learn, whilst retaining special memories of their time in school. I believe that children are our future and it is the role of educators to ensure they are well prepared to make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead of them. I became a governor to support this important task. 

Claire Anthony

I have been a governor since 2013 and my daughter is now in KS2. I am director of finance & business at a multi-academy trust in Salisbury and I am an accredited school resource management advisor. I bring to the governing body my finance, HR and governance expertise, as well as my knowledge of the wider education sector.  I really enjoy my role as it enables me to use my skills and experience to support the school in the best way I can. I also enjoy singing with the WPSA parent band, raising money for the school and local causes through our concerts.

Katy Francis

I have been a governor at Weeke Primary School for a number of years and enjoy watching the children grow and thrive. My aim as a governor is to offer support and challenge to the school and its leadership, helping to ensure the best experiences and outcomes for the children.  I am passionate about offering all children the most engaging education possible in a safe, secure yet nurturing environment.

My 3 children all attended the school and I have been a parent volunteer, listening to readers and supporting school trips. I initially became a parent governor before taking on the role of a co-opted governor. I have previous experience in marketing and communications.

Katie Garnett

I have been a secondary school teacher for over 10 years in London and Southampton. I am passionate about education and giving children opportunities and new experiences to broaden their horizons and help them achieve their best. I am used to working positively with others and I am proactive in engaging with school processes and constantly improving policies and approaches.  

I moved to Winchester just over two years ago and have really enjoyed getting to know Weeke; my eldest son started in September. I hope to bring a lot of my experience and understanding of educational settings to my role as a parent governor. I am looking forward to being part of the school community and supporting the school.

May Glover-Poultney

I became a parent governor after seeing my two children thrive and grow at Weeke, and wanting to give back to the school. I am enthusiastic about volunteering as part of a community, having previously taken an active part in the WPSA as the second-hand uniform coordinator.

I have lived in Winchester for the past 20 years, and work locally for a software company as a manager of engineering teams. My professional experience has allowed me to develop skills in problem solving, digesting information, performance management, recruitment, and communication, all of which I aim to bring to my role in the governing body. 

Outside work, I enjoy running and am part of the core organising team for Winchester junior parkrun. 

Abby Goodchild

I have worked at Weeke since September 2003, where I started as a Newly Qualified Teacher. In 2008, after five years teaching, I was appointed to the role of Deputy Headteacher. Alongside the Headteacher, I am responsible for leading teaching and learning across the school, with a focus on maths. Before becoming a teacher I worked as a recruitment consultant and also as a researcher for Tourism South East.

I love the positive ethos and atmosphere at Weeke. Our fantastic children love to learn, our creative staff team care about the children, are passionate about each child achieving their potential and having fun whilst they learn. Our families are hugely supportive and involved in school life – we have a great community. I hope that every child leaves our school having had a great education, feeling confident, valued, ready for secondary school and with some fantastic memories of their time at Weeke.

Jonathan Kirkham

I have been Headteacher at Weeke Primary School since February 2019. Prior to this, I was a Headteacher for five years in Surrey schools, which included a key role in the governing body. Throughout my 20-year career in education, I have had a close and active role in governing bodies and seen the significant benefits that are brought to a school when working effectively with them. 

As both a governor and a Headteacher, I believe it is essential that we provide the most engaging and enjoyable learning experience for all our children. Having three children of my own, I can see the challenges that our children face growing up and know that by working together as a whole school community we can help to ensure they are both academically successful but also ready for their next step in life. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Weeke and know that moving forward, the governing body will continue to help support and challenge the school's development. 

Ben McIntyre

Following my move to Winchester I am delighted to have become part of the school’s governing body. I studied Chemistry at University and then side-stepped into retailing where I developed my business management and finance skills before moving into HR. I have worked across a range of sectors and roles and count organisation design, development, business change and people analytics as my specialist areas.I love learning and look back on my school days with happy memories.

I am looking forward to collaborating with governors and staff to enable every child to have the best education which unlocks their potential and builds their confidence to achieve the very best. In my free time I enjoy cycling, swimming, running, DIY, hiking and exploring nature.

Mac Miller

I am currently retired but worked for M&S for 37 years as an IT Manager on UK and international projects. I have experience in finance, project management and managing large teams. Over the last 25 years I have been a governor at primary schools and a secondary school in London. 

I have found being a governor very rewarding. I am committed to providing a rich learning environment for all children to reach their full potential as I believe that every child can achieve academic success when there are enough opportunities. 

I moved to Winchester in 2021 and am looking forward to working with the school and the local community. 

Charlie Pate

I am a chartered accountant working in finance in the public sector and have lived in Winchester since moving from London in 2016.  All my children have attended Weeke Primary School with the younger two still here and the older two now in secondary school.  As parents, we have appreciated Weeke’s focus on the whole child and their encouragement in all their varied interests. 

I am passionate about ensuring all children have the opportunity to thrive and develop through education.  I aim to support the incredible staff at Weeke to provide the best possible outcomes for our children and community.

Alison Sansome

I have had a senior executive career, with experience of service delivery, finance, personnel and leadership, mostly in the public sector and most recently at the Nursing and Midwifery Council. I was keen to become involved with local services and am delighted to have joined the governing body for such a positive and friendly school as Weeke. I very much support the aims of the school and passionately believe in providing children with the best opportunities to reach their potential, in an environment they will enjoy and which will give them fond and lasting memories of their formative schooldays.

I have one grown up son, now back at home following university, who has benefitted from good schooling in Hampshire. I am interested in gardening, cinema and the countryside.

Matthew Whitehead

I am a software engineer at a local IT company and have lived in Winchester for around 15 years. I wanted to be more involved in school life when my son started at Weeke Primary, and contribute to it being a safe and enjoyable place for our children to learn.

Being one of the school governors gives me the opportunity to help the school develop and grow, and for me to be part of the school community. I hope that I will be able to bring my skills from professional life into the school environment and help the school meet its long-term goals.