Governors

Introduction from the Chairs of Governors

St Matthew’s has been at the heart of the community of Cobham and Downside for more than a century. We are very proud of our strong community links and our association with the local church, All Saints in Ockham.

These diverse links come together in the governing body, where members of the local community and representatives from the church and diocese join members of the school’s staff and parents to oversee the strategic direction and performance of the school.

The formal role of the governing body is to agree the school’s development strategy, culture and ethos; to monitor the school’s performance and hold the Headteacher to account; and to oversee the school’s finances and financial health. We also have an important role to play in ensuring every child is kept safe and well and that the school complies with the ever-growing number of rules and regulations set by the government.

More succinctly, it’s our job to act as a ‘critical friend’: supporting the Headteacher and staff in their work and making sure we’re asking the right questions to ensure the school continues to deliver an outstanding educational environment for our children.

While Laurence and I are honoured to have been elected as Co-Chairs, the governing body is very much a team. We all share the same determination to maintain and build on the school’s success and to support Mrs Hutt and Mrs Selencky in particular in their leadership roles. It’s good to know that St Matthew’s is in such good hands.

Each governor also has specific responsibility for overseeing a particular subject or area of school life, and we report back on performance at regular meetings of the full governing body or to the relevant sub-committee. You can find out a little more about the committee structure below.

The simple thing that unites us all at St Matthew’s – staff, governors and parents – is our commitment to building on our status as Cobham’s ‘outstanding’ school and to offering an excellent infant school education to every local child, one that is genuinely accessible and free to all.

There is something very special about an infant education: it’s an education that is truly child-centred, allowing each child to progress at their own pace, exploring a wide range of interests and encouraging their natural sense of wonder.  Here at St Matthew’s, we value these precious early years and work together to nurture their talents and fully support their learning in readiness for a confident step into their chosen junior school environment.

Thank you for taking the time to find out about St Matthew’s. If you would like to speak to us about anything, please email us at chair@stmatthewsschool.co.uk

Best wishes,

Laurence Jones and Alison Boothby

Co-Chairs of Governors

Further details of our school governors can be found here:

Governors and their Roles

Governor Profiles

Governor Attendance and Committees

Declaration of Interest