The governing body of any school exists to provide strategic leadership and accountability and plays a crucial role in making sure every child gets the best possible education. Governors are volunteers who oversee the success of schools by agreeing priorities and monitoring progress towards them. All governors at St Peter's are committed to supporting and challenging leaders and managers to enable them to do their job to the best of their ability.
School's full governing body (FGB) meets once a term. Additionally, sub-committees look in detail at particular aspects of the school such as the curriculum, finance, staffing and premises. Individual governors are also linked to specific subjects, pupil groups or policies. You can find out more about all members of the FGB, and what they do, below. You can contact the governors via the governor postbox in the school foyer, or by emailing the chair of governors at [email protected]. Additionally, our co-vice chair Amanda Jackson can be emailed at [email protected]. All governors are happy to receive questions or comments from parents and carers of St Peter's children.
The government requires governors to declare any business and pecuniary interests which may be relevant to their role. Declarations are listed below and can also be seen here.
Caroline Bolton
Staff Governor
Caroline joined the governing body in September 2023 and her term of office is four years.
Louise Cowan
Parent Governor
Louise joined the governing body in January 2024. She has lived in Coggeshall since 2021 and has one child at teh school with another joining in the new school year 2024/25.
Louise's background is in retail and marketing which gives her a wealth of experence in areas of strategy, budgeting, planning and inplementing. She is curently on a career break but is excited to take on the governor position. Louise is also part of FOSPS.
Louise's term of office is four years.
Sam Wilding
Headteacher
'I am in my sixteenth year of teaching and my tenth year of senior leadership in a range of different schools: an outstanding school in an affluent area; a coastal school in a deprived area; a new school; a Church of England school. This is my second headship, and I am thrilled to be a part of such a warm and inclusive community - an ethos I fully uphold. I have a daughter in Year 8 at a local secondary school, and we have a mischievious cockerpoo - Poppy. I love the outdoors and enjoy cycling and playing tennis.
In this ex-officio capacity I attend all full governing body and committee meetings. I value the commitment and the wide range of experience and expertise that the governing body can offer the school to support school improvement.'
Dan Greenwood
Co-opted Governor
I was appointed as a co-opted Governor in January 2022. I moved to Coggeshall with my family in 2021 and wanted to get involved in, and give something back to the community.
My background is in Finance and I'm currently Head of Finance and a wine distributor based in London. I'm experienced in project and people management as well as senior decison making. I understand the importance of Governance and can hopefully provide some extra scrutiny on the figures.
I've previously been a school governor in a large inner London primary school, so have some useful experience to bring to the school.
Dan joined the governing body in November 2021 and his term of office is four years.
Leanne Horcox
Co-opted Governor
Dominic Irwin
Parent governor
Both Dominic's children started at St Peters school in 2018 after they had all returned from a period working and living overseas and now settled, he wanted to explore ways that he could be involved in their and other children’s education.
Dominic has worked in a project environment for most of his career and now head up a Project Delivery Team for an asset management firm. His role requires financial budgeting, resource management, planning, delivery and managing stakeholders, skills which he looks to use wherever he can in my role as Parent Governor.
Dominic was appointed in December 2020 for a four year term. Dominic chairs the Resource Committee.
Amanda Jackson
Co-opted governor and Vice Chair
Amanda was appointed as a Parent Governor at the end of 2016. She has one son in KS2 at St Peter’s Primary School. Amanda trained as a teacher and currently works as a school improvement adviser for a local authority team in London. She specialises in whole school improvement and computing, supporting primary and secondary schools across London and Essex. Amanda hopes to work in partnership with parents, staff and other governors to help drive the improvement of the school to provide our children with the best possible education.'
Amanda is vice chair and also sits on the curriculum and pay committees. Her monitoring areas are safeguarding, assessment, computing and e-safety. Amanda was appointed as a Co-opted Governor in December 2020 for a four year term.
Chris Lamb
Co-opted Governor
Chris have recently retired as a Headteacher in a London borough and moved to Coggeshall in 2021. She am passionate about providing the best educational experience for all children and has a wealth of experience that successfully running a large primary school brings. Chris was also a governor in her local school prior to moving to Coggeshall, delivering strategic support for the headteacher and school team. She now works part-time for a teacher training provider, supporting the trainee teachers in their school placements to understand the role of a teacher, the requirements of the curriculum, inclusion of all pupils and to ensure safe and happy learning.
Chris has three young grandchildren who take up quite a bit of my time, but is enjoying the freedom to take up new hobbies now that she has retired. Chris is looking forward to working with the stakeholders of St Peter’s and being part of a team who are all committed to raising improvement.
Chris joined the governing body in October 2022. Her term of office is 4 years. Chris is also chair of the Curriculum Committee with effect from Summer 2023..
Brian Meads
Local Authority Governor
I have lived in Coggeshall since 1989 and since then have been actively involved in the local community, particularly at St Peter’s Church. Having gained a degree in Biochemistry from Cambridge University I worked as a production manager first in the Brewing and then in the Soft Drinks industry. However upon being made redundant in the 1990’s I decided to retrain into my second passion – woodworking. Since then I have successively been self-employed in the boatbuilding, general joinery, shop fitting and exhibition stand sectors before deciding to retire in 2022.
My increasing sense of Christian vocation culminated in being licensed as a Church of England Lay Minister in 2020. As the Chelmsford Diocesan Board of Education Foundation Governor I will seek to maintain and further develop the already strong links between the School, the Church and the wider Community, and will promote to the very best of my ability the core values of St Peter’s – Aspire, Care and Enjoy.
Foundation DBE Governor - officially appointed by Diocese on 3 May 2022.
Revd Heike Prentice
Foundation PCC governor
Rev'd Heike Prentice joined the governing body in November 2021 and her term of office is four years.
Jayne Robertson
Co-opted governor and Chair of Governors
I became a co-opted governor in November 2019 and whilst this is my first time as a school governor, I am looking forward to being part of the governing body and bringing my enthusiasm and extensive professional experience to help support this lovely school.
My background is in private wealth management where I have held a variety of roles, including statutory director, head of operations and head of quality assurance. I am very much used to a corporate governance framework and pride myself on my ability to problem solve and get things done.
I have lived in Feering for the last 36 years, and have a grown up married daughter and two granddaughters. I have a passion for cookery, travel and cycling and often look to combine them wherever possible.
Jane's term of office is four years. Jayne is also the link governor for Training.
Vanessa Sullivan
Deputy headteacher / Staff governor
'Having joined the school as Deputy Head in April 2018, I am one of the newest members of the school team. I have taught for twenty years across different schools and contexts and have enjoyed getting to know the community here at St Peter's. I enjoy the variety of my job, as I have the opportunity to teach in class and work on strategic leadership and management. It's wonderful to collaborate with such a range of people, who are all so committed to the school.'
Vanessa is an observer on the Governing Body.
Revd Melanie Shillito
Foundation DBE Governor
Prior to becoming ordained Melanie worked in financial services across retail, investment banking and asset management. She worked in HR before movin ingo global Security and Compliance oles. Melanie has also lived and worked in Singapore and specalises in global provacy and data protection laws. Melanie is currently Curate or Coggeshall and United Parishes benefice which covers the area of Coggeshall, Marks Hall, Bradwell, Sisted and Cressing.
Melanie's term of office is four years.