The School Governors
The Board of Governors is made up from staff members, parents, people from the community and from the Local Education Authority (LEA). Together, they take decisions on school policies, where money is spent, what is taught, and where the school is aiming to go. They can be involved in selecting new staff, and act as critical friends to the Headteacher and the School Leadership Team.
Anyone with an interest in the school can become a Governor - there are no special qualifications. If you would like to know more, please contact the School Office. The current Board of Governors and their particular areas of involvement are as follows:
Carol Davis (Chair of Governors)
Carol has been a Parent Governor of Combe Down Primary School since December 1998. During that time she has sat on the Land & Buildings Committee and the Finance & Staffing Committee. In September 2006 she became Vice-Chair of the Governing Body and stepped up to become Chair in September 2007. A former Chartered Accountant, she and her family moved to Bath in 1996. Both of her sons have enjoyed an education at the school, continuing a family tradition - her husband also attended the school as a boy, some years ago!
Carol also helps with the local scout group, and is on the Parent Committee of the Bath Society of Young Musicians.
Finance and Staffing, Land and Buildings
Karen Coates
Karen is a parent governor, elected in 2006. She currently chairs the Curriculum Committee, which is responsible for scrutinising many of the policies which the governing body is required to have in place. She was also Chair of Governors at her two children's previous school.
Karen is a solicitor, specialising in planning law. She currently works in a professional support role for a legal firm in Bristol. In addition, she is an assistant Cub Leader with the Combe Down pack, and a member of Holy Trinity Church, where she helps in the Sunday School when required.
Finance and Staffing, Curriculum
Tim Dewes
Tim has been a foundation governor since 2004. He is a member of Holy Trinity Church, and as Deputy Head of a nearby independent school, Monkton Senior, has an obvious interest in education. At Monkton he is currently teaching his first love - Latin - but has taught seven subjects to GCSE level and beyond. He values his links with Combe Down Primary and has found it fascinating to discover how much an independent senior school and a maintained primary school have in common!
Finance and Staffing
Mark Gallen
Mark has three young children, the eldest already at the school. Currently a Director of a training company based in Combe Down he has considerable experience in recruitment, selection, HR, finance, procurement and project management, as well as working in teams and committees.
His interests include ultra-marathons, trekking and tennis and anything to do with Radio 4, to which he's addicted! He has also worked as a volunteer project leader with Operation Raleigh, facilitating the personal development of young adults.
Finance and Staffing
Sophie Newman
Sophie Newman was elected as a parent governor two years ago when all four of her children were at Combe Down Primary School. As a Primary school teacher and a languages specialist, she is on the Curriculum Committee and is link governor for Literacy and Modern Foreign Languages. She became a governor because she wanted to actively contribute towards the future of our school; continuing to give all pupils of all abilities the best possible learning experience, allowing them to flourish and develop as happy, rounded individuals.
Curriculum
Roger Symonds
Roger Symonds is a former Teacher of Physical Education and Primary Teacher. He was born in Bath, educated at Beechen Cliff School and elected to Bath City Council in 1991 where he has served as a councillor for Combe Down ward ever since.
Roger was Executive Member for Economic Development and Environment in B&NES in 2002/03. At present he works part-time as a training and support officer for the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors (ALDC) and for the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA). He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Envolve, Bath's environment centre - and was Mayor of Bath in 2004/05. He has two grown up children and lives in Combe Down.
Land and Buildings
Heather Voutt
Heather has been been walking down Summer Lane to work at Combe Down Primary since starting to bring her own three children to school in September 1981. She became a Foundation Governor in 1990 and an LA Governor in 1999.
A grandmother figure to the pupils, she has helped in classes at the younger end of the School with keywords, hearing reading, paired reading, reading stories, and also assisted on numerous nativities and school trips! She has also run several after-school clubs, including Fun Factory, Knitting Club and Crib Club.
Paul Wickens
Paul has two children at Combe Down Primary, and became a parent governor in 2005. He has served on the Land and Buildings and Curriculum Committees as well as being a link governor for PE, and has a keen interest in the sports provision at the school. A long-suffering Brighton & Hove Albion FC supporter, he also enjoys most other sports!
Land and Buildings, Curriculum
Madeleine Paterson
Madeleine currently teaches and leads Music across the School. You can find out more about her in the Support Staff Teacher Feature.
Teacher Governor, Curriculum
Jenny Crossley (Clerk to the Governors)
Jenny joined the Governing Body as Clerk in December 2007. She works as a full time Support Worker for some adults with profound disabilities.
Paul Langham
Paul was born in London but grew up in the Lake District, before attending University in Exeter and Cambridge.
He worked as a Child Care Officer in London before training to be a vicar in Cambridge, where he met his wife, Jackie. They moved to Combe Down in 1996 and have two boys, two girls and a cat (all but one of whom went to Combe Down Primary).
A life-long Arsenal fan and keen tennis player, Paul also plays cricket for the Diocese. Players are selected on 'the Labrador ranking' - if you can go and fetch something, you can get into the team!
