Join Our School

Our Governors

We would like to welcome you to Upton St James CofE Primary School. Everyone at the school, works hard to achieve the very best they can; teachers, learning support assistants, support staff and especially the children.

We believe that every child should be enabled to 'rise to their best' and the school ensures that every child gets the support they need to do well academically, socially, emotionally and, to enjoy their years at the school.

Our aim is for everyone to reach their full potential and, by working together with parents and carers, provide a firm foundation for life at secondary school and beyond.

The Governors provide strategic leadership and accountability in all St Christopher’s Multi Academy Trust schools however the ultimately responsibility for the school lies with the Board of Directors with much of the work delegated to the Local Governing Body (LGB).

The LGB has three core functions:

  • Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction

  • Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils

  • Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent

Governors set the aims and objectives for the school and set the targets/policies for achieving those aims and objectives. They monitor and evaluate the progress the school is making and act as a source of challenge and support to the headteacher. 

Governors bring a wide range of skills and expertise from their professional lives to the governing board and schools benefit greatly from working with skilled volunteers. 

If you are interested in hearing more about becoming a governor please contact;

Our school has recently teamed together with All Saints Babbacombe & Upton St James Primary Schools who are part of St Christopher's Multi Academy Trust, to become a Hub Governing Body.  This means we are able to provide strategic oversight for all three schools as part of a larger governing body.

Meet Our Governors

I am very proud to be the Headteacher of this wonderfully nurturing Church School. It is a privilege to work in partnership with the Governing Body and staff team to enable everyone in our school community to 'rise to their best'.

The scripture that supports our shared vision is 'Love your neighbour as yourself' (taken from Mark 12 v30 - 31). Central to my role on the Governing Body is working effectively with all stakeholders to ensure that every pupil really does 'rise to their best'. In my spare time, I am kept busy with two young children. We are often found exploring new places around Devon and further afield - on foot and by bike! 

I have recently become the Chair of Governors at Upton St James, as well as a Foundation Governor and Safeguarding Governor.

I work as Head of IT for a group of independent schools all around the UK as well as the Operations Manager for Together church, which is also on St James road. I am a husband and a father of four children and we love wild swimming, walks on Dartmoor and exploring the lovely coves in the Torbay and wider area. We moved to the area to help the church and the local community of Upton. 

I have recently become a Foundation Governor at Upton St James, I am a member of St Mags Church, having previously been treasurer and now on the Parochial Church Council for St Mags.

I work as a Compliance and Contract Manager  inspiring, developing and supporting people to make positive change across the South West. I am also the Deputy of a Saturday Club for Children with Additional Needs. I have previously been a Chair of Governors and after a long break I am excited by the challenge of returning to a Governor Role. I have also worked as a Careers Adviser with a focus on young people with SEND.  In my spare time I enjoy swimming, reading and cross stitch.

I have recently become the staff governor for Upton St James. I am the KS1 Class Teacher, Art and Design Lead, Design and Technology Lead and Education Visit Coordinator.

I run SATS boosters for Year 2 children but have previously loved leading extra-curricular activities such as Ballet, Netball and Book Clubs. I have 6 years qualified teaching experience across the key stages and 10 years experience as a private tutor from KS1 to A Level and the 11+. I have recently moved to the area from the West Midlands due to my love of the bay. Outside of school I love spending time with my cats and reading, especially on the beach or in a cosy spot at home. I am an animal lover and keen gardener. My hobbies include seeing my favourite bands in concert and attending ballet classes.

I currently work at another school that is part of the St. Christopher's MAT and felt that I'd like to get involved in another area of the MAT community. When not working I enjoy spending time with my husband and three teenage boys.

When I manage to get a little 'me' time you'll find me throwing pottery on my wheel in my garden studio or playing netball.

Statutory Governor Information 2022-23

Governor Website Summary 22 23

Board Diversity

The board believes that it is important that we reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. Diverse boards promote inclusive school environments and provide diverse role models for staff and young people. We collect data on the diversity of the board, including age, ethnicity, and gender and we use this data to inform our recruitment and training needs, ensuring there is always a diverse range of perspectives around the table to support robust decision making. We do not publish diversity data online as individual governors could be identified and we have a legal obligation to protect their personal data.