Governance Overview
South Hetton Primary is proud to be a member of Tudhoe Learning Trust. Governance within the Trust is the responsibility of the Board of Directors, who have chosen to delegate some of their powers in relation to governance to the school’s Local Governing Body.
The Local Governing Body comprises of governors elected by parents, governors elected by staff, the Head Teacher and a number of governors appointed by the Board of Directors. The LGB meets termly and is responsible for the following functions:
- The strategic planning of the school;
- Monitoring the progress of the school’s School Improvement priorities;
- Holding the school’s senior leaders to account for the outcomes and progress of pupils;
- Monitoring the school’s budget;
- Monitoring the effectiveness of specific areas identified by Directors.
The LGB has no responsibility for making any changes to the budget once Directors have agreed it, or authorising any additional expenditure unless the Trust’s Executive Head Teacher and/or Chief Financial Officer have given prior approval.
As part of their work, governors make regular visits to the school and look at key areas of the school’s activity – pupil achievement and progress, safeguarding, use of Pupil Premium and PE grant funding, reading, attendance as well as Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Through its work, the LGB promotes high standards and educational achievement of all pupils in the school.
The 3 core functions of the Governing Body are:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
- Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the effective and efficient performance management of staff
- Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent
Governance Handbook – October 2020
Our Governing Body Committee Structure
| Name | Appointing Body/Category | Term of Office | Trustee / Governor at other educational institutions | Business Interest | Governor/Staff Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs S Mason BEM – Chair | Director Appointed | 15/01/21 – 15/01/25 | North East Learning Trust – Trustee since 2009 | Member of the Labour Party | None |
| Mrs A Willmore | Parent & Vice Chair | 30/04/21 – 30/04/25 | No | None | None |
| Mrs L Wigham | Parent & Vice Chair | 17/03/22 – 17/03/26 | No | None | None |
| Mrs C Charters | Director Appointed | 31/08/19-31/8/27 | South Hetton Community Association since 2003 – Secretary | Member of the Labour Party. | None |
| Derek Wheatley | Director Appointed | 09/12/22 – 08/12/26 | No | None | None |
| Paul Casson | Director Appointed | 01/07/23 – 01/07/27 | No | None | None |
| Mrs D Thompson | Staff | 12/05/15 – 12/05/28 | No | Employee of TLT | None |
| Mrs J Padgett-Fish | Parent | 04/05/23 – 04/05/28 | No | None | None |
| Helen Hartwell | Staff | 01/07/23 – 01/07/27 | No | Employee of TLT | None |
| Mrs N Mayo – Head Teacher | Ex Officio | N/A | Employee of TLT | None |
Each of our governors have a link role in school where they can challenge and support on the following:
- Safeguarding
- SEND
- Attendance
- Reading
- Premium Spending
To contact the Chair of Governors, Mrs Sandra Mason BEM you can write to her at her address
Mrs Sandra Mason
C/O South Hetton Primary School
Frederick Terrace
South Hetton
Durham
DH6 2TJ
Statutory Guidance for Governing Bodies
South Hetton Primary School adhere to the statutory guidance from the Department of Education. This means that governing bodies must have regard to it when carrying out duties relating to the constitution of governing bodies in maintained schools.
For further information about our governors, please view or download the documents below.
TLT Scheme of Delegation
TLT Governance Overview
TLT Register of Business Interest
TLT Governors Code of Conduct
How To Become A School Governor
Please contact the school or Tudhoe Learning Trust if you require further information about governor roles and responsibilities or would like to become a School Governor at South Hetton Primary.
Record of Governor Attendance 2024 – 25
Schools are now required to display a record of Governor attendance at meetings for each school academic year.
Archived Attendance
You can also view previous years attendance on our website.
KEY
✓ – Attended meeting
A/A – Apologies sent and accepted by meeting
N – Did not attend
X – Not a member of the committee
| Name | Full Governors 27th November 2024 | Full Governors 26th March 2025 | Full Governors 25th June 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs S Mason – Chair | |||
| Mrs A Willmore – Vice | |||
| Ms L Wigham – Vice | |||
| Mrs C Charters | |||
| Mr P Casson | |||
| Mrs J Pagett-Fish | |||
| Mr D Wheatley | |||
| Mrs H Hartwell | |||
| Mrs D Thompson | |||
| Mrs N Mayo – Head Teacher | |||
| Mr P Ruddick – Observer |
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