The Role of the Governing Body

The governing body is responsible for ensuring that the school strives for and achieves excellence in its quality of teaching for learning. This is defined by the Department for Education (DfE) as:

1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
2. Holding the head teacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff
3. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure money is well spent.

The governing body works with the headteacher and the school team to build a common vision and purpose for the school. Together we decide the school's strategy for improvement so that pupils learn most effectively and achieve the highest standards. Governors work strategically, drawing on their own knowledge and experience. Governors act as a critical friend to the school, providing support, information and advice as well as asking challenging questions and ensuring ongoing improvement in all areas.

If you need to contact the governing body please email the clerk to the governing body, Daniela Warr Schori: dwarrschori@sendcofe.co.uk

The constitution of the governing body

School governance is regulated by law, in particular the “School Governance (Roles, Procedures and Allowance) (England) Regulations” of 2013. Governors are required to publish information about their governing body and also to declare any financial or other interest that could potentially lead to a conflict of interest.

Our governing body consists of twelve governors.  Governors are elected or appointed in different ways to be representative of the different stakeholder groups who have an interest in the school.  Whenever possible governors are recruited for the skills and commitment they can bring that enhance the role of governing body. 

 

Meet our Governors

Yvonne McLeod -  Foundation PCC Governor / Chair of Governors

Term of Office: 12th December 2025 - 11th December 2029

Yvonne has a B.Ed. (Hons) from Exeter University and worked in distribution and logistics for some years before becoming a mother. When her children started school, Yvonne became a governor and started supporting other school governors as an additional skills governor, going on to become a national leader of governance (NLG) and now a local leader of governance (LLG).

Yvonne has experience in delivering governor training and conducting external reviews of governance.  When not governing, Yvonne enjoys walking, knitting and baking.

 

Marianne McDonnell - Headteacher

Term of Office: Ex Officio 

I was appointed as Headteacher of Send Church of England Primary School in September 2023, bringing over two decades of experience in primary education in a variety of school settings.  Beyond my work within schools, I am passionate about driving educational standards on a wider scale. I have served as a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE) and an Early Years Consultant. In these capacities, I have supported numerous schools with curriculum development, acted as a Lead Moderator for Surrey LA, and worked with the National Centre for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (NCETM) to develop resources for Maths Hubs.

My leadership is defined by a dedication to excellent teaching and a child-centred, inclusive approach. I firmly believe in nurturing the individual while building a strong community where high aspirations ensure every child is equipped with the life chances they deserve.

Lynette van der Merwe - Foundation DBE Governor 

Term of Office: 14th September 2025 - 13th September 2029

Lynette is a Managing Director at Accenture, a global professional services company and an experienced governor.  Her career has been focused on helping businesses transform by focusing on people change management, enterprise agility, human capital management and learning and leadership development.  Passionate about learning and people development, she has taught psychology at under- and postgraduate level and often contributes as faculty in her corporate setting.  She holds a Ph.D in Psychology, lives in Woking and is married with two daughters, one at Send CofE School.

 

Thomas Singam - Local Authority Governor

Term of  Office:  26th March 2025 - 25th March 2029

With a strong foundation in IT and nearly a decade of experience at Harris Academy Peckham, I've transitioned into a senior leadership role as a Global Support Manager at Asendia. My journey has been shaped by a passion for problem-solving, a commitment to developing effective business solutions, and a deep belief in the power of teamwork.

I'm dedicated to growing both personally and professionally, with a particular focus on leadership development and data-driven decisions. My time in education has taught me the value of respect, patience, and investing in people - lessons I now apply daily in the corporate world. I'm also proud to share my expertise as a school governor, supporting future generations with the same dedication I bring to my team.

 

Rev Louise Vincer

Term of Office:  Ex Officio 

Louise started work as the parish priest at St Mary’s, Send in October 2024. She was ordained 25 years ago, beginning work in Waltham Abbey in Essex. She has also worked in south London, Lincolnshire and Canterbury, developing a specialism in leading through change.

Louise is delighted to be living and working in Send and growing relationships with the school community. Her husband Andrew Dodd is also a priest in the Church of England and they have two teenage children who thrived in their church of England primary school.

 

 

Shaun Walker - Parent Governor

Term of Office: 4th February 2026 to 3rd February 2030 

 

 

Daisy Whetlor -  Staff Governor

Term of Office: 1st September 2024 to 31st August 2028

 Daisy is a Teacher at Send CofE Primary School, bringing four years of experience from roles as a Teaching Assistant, Trainee Teacher, to now a Classroom Teacher with experience in both KS1 and KS2.  She cares deeply about the wellbeing and progress of the children at Send and joining the Governing Body shows her dedication to their growth.  Daisy's journey at the school reflects her passion for education and the students she teaches, making her an essential part of the school community.

 

 

Rachel Wilkinson - Foundation PCC Governor

Term of Office: 7th August 2025 to 6th  August  2029

     

 

 

                                                    

 

Governing body meetings

As governors we meet termly as the full governing body each term to look at:

• what has been achieved against the School Development Plan
• information received about the school
• ensuring our statutory duties are being met
• challenging the school and ourselves 
• ensuring the strategic direction of the school will meet all pupils’ needs

All governors are expected to attend full governing body meetings. 

The governing body also has the following committees:
Finance and resources

• Governors meet termly to look at financial data, health, safety and premises and human resources.

Admissions

• Governors meet to draw up the draft admissions policy for recommendation to the full governing body, ensure that applications received are ranked against the admissions policy and consider any further questions about admissions.

Pay

• Governors consider the information supplied by the headteacher and ensure that the pay policy is applied.

Headteacher appraisal panel

• Governors work with an external advisor to determine annual objectives and track progress against those objectives during the year.