Governors

Beecroft Garden Governing Body

We are very lucky at Beecroft Garden to have a very active Governing Body that works closely with the school to improve educational attainment.

The Governors are:

• Chair of Governors Lee Tang
• Vice Chair of Governors Claudine Munro-Lafon
• Associate Member Sharon Long 
• Associate Member Emma Cole
• Associate Member Adam Benedykt
• Parent Governor Andrew Twesigye
• Parent Governor VACANT
• Co-opted Governor Mick McGuire
• Co-opted Governor Nicholas Ostrowski
• Co-opted Governor Susie Labinjoh
• Co-opted Governor Clare McGread 
• Staff Governor Rita Barr
• Headteacher Graham Voller

All Governors can be contacted via the school office either by email admin@beecroftgarden.lewisham.sch.uk or by letter, please mark your envelope private and confidential and it will be forwarded to the named Governor.

About the governors

Governors are appointed for four years.

It’s a voluntary role, so governors aren’t paid for the work they do for the governing board. The chair of governors leads the governing board and is elected every two years by them. Each committee is also headed by a chair, elected by the committee members. Parent governors are elected to the governing board by parents and teachers elect a teacher representative. Community governors are appointed from within the local community providing the governing board agrees.

Role of school governors

The governing board at Beecroft Garden Primary School is made up of 9 governors.

We provide strategic leadership and accountability for the school. We appoint the Headteacher and with the Headteacher, we appoint the Deputy Head.

We meet regularly to assess how the school is performing and to make sure it is managed effectively. We don’t get involved in the day to day running of the school, individual complaints or do fundraising.

We all meet twice a term for a full governors meeting.

We have two committees:

• the resources committee looks in detail at how the school’s money is spent
• the curriculum committee looks at how and what the children are taught and how they are performing

Each committee meets separately at least once a term.

Discussions of each meeting and the decisions made are recorded in writing. Lewisham Council provides us with a clerk who independently minutes our meetings.

You can view the published minutes of the governor’s meetings. Please contact the school reception for details.

Declaration of Business Interests

Please click here for our latest declaration of business interests.

How Lewisham Council helps us

Beecroft Garden is a local authority maintained school, supported and held to account by Lewisham Council.

The council supports governors by providing information, training sessions and conferences. They publish a governor’s handbook every term that highlights any key changes that could affect the running of the school.

Lewisham Council decides if our governing body structure complies with rules set by the Department for Education.

School priorities for 2020-21

The governors have agreed that the school’s priorities for 2020 to 2021 are:

• To ensure progress and attainment are at least at national expectations and there is accelerated progress in KS2
• To ensure a shared understanding of behaviour management by adopting a revised behaviour policy modelled on a relational approach 
• To enable all pupils to make a positive impact by using the school cirrculum to develop the knowledge, understanding, values and personal attributes to become global citizens of the future
• Leaders of all levels are aware of the changes the current framework and are accountable of standards in their area
• To embed appropriate challenges for our youngest pupils across the EYFS curriculum and increase number exceeding GLD

Meet the Governors

Lee Tang

I'm Lee Tang, I am the Chair of Governors at Beecroft Garden.

I became a Governor because I want to support effective running of the school so it continues making a real positive difference in the lives of young people and their families. 

I work as a Management Consultant in the private sector and having grown up in Brockley, being a Governor at Beecroft Garden is a particularly special way for me to give back to the local community.

Claudine Munro-Lafon

I'm Claudine Munro-Lafon and I'm Vice Chair of Governors and the SEND link governor.

I have three children at Beecroft. I love being a governor at such an inclusive school and I care very much about ensuring we create a safe, happy and supportive learning environment for all our children.

I'm a Civil Servant and my work is focused ensuring we communicate clearly and effectively with the public.

Sharon Long 

My name is Sharon Long, I am a associate member and also a member of the Resources Committee

I live just up the road and it has been fantastic to watch how the school has developed over the last couple of years, both in terms of the new lovely building but also the amazing teachers and curriculum.

I really enjoy being a governor at the school and helping the school to be an amazing place for local children. I feel like we are all on an incredible journey to have one of the best schools in Lewisham that we can all be very proud of.

Mick McGuire

A co-opted member of the Governing Body since 2012 and also a member of the Resources and Pay Committee.

I’m a Lewisham resident of 40 years and have been a primary school governor in Lewisham prior to my involvement with Beecroft. I am now retired following a career in the housing association sector. My areas of experience include financial management, housing development and business risk appraisal and risk management.

Nicholas Ostrowski

I’m Nicholas Ostrowski and I have been a local authority governor at Beecroft Garden since May 2017, when I was co-opted to the governing body.

I am also a member of the Resources Committee and I’m the link governor for data.

I live in Lewisham with my family and became a governor because I want to make a contribution towards ensuring that all young people have the benefit of genuinely equal opportunities. Professionally, I am a barrister working in environmental, planning and public law.

Emma Cole 

I’m Emma Cole and I’m an associate governor at Beecroft.

I’m an associate governor who has had two children at Beecroft. I’m passionate about good community schools: every child should be able to have a great start to their education. Being a governor is my way of helping to make that happen.

I am a civil servant and have worked in all sorts of interesting areas including renewable energy, fuel poverty, and diversity and inclusion. I love camping with my family, swimming outdoors, cooking and more importantly, eating! 

Susie Labinjoh

I am Susie Labinjoh a co-opted member of the Governing Body and a member of the curriculum committee.

I grew up in Lewisham and went to school in the Borough many years ago!  I became a governor at Beecroft because I wanted to play a part ( however small) in assisting a good, local and  inclusive school deliver a fantastic start in life for all its pupils.

 I qualified as a solicitor 20 years ago and  specialise in  civil liberties and human rights.

Rita Barr

I'm Rita Barr a staff governor

I have been a teacher and senior leader at Beecroft Garden since 2010.  It is such a privilege to have been a part of the amazing journey our school has been on and this year Ofsted recognised so many of the wonderful things that we do, including the strength of relationships between staff, children and families/carers. 

My role within the school is varied but includes two days of class teaching, KS1 phase leader with responsibility for early literacy, phonics and student teachers.

Clare McGread

I'm Clare McGread a governor

I'm Clare and have lived in Lewisham for 14 years, ten minutes walk from the school. I work in the charity sector and have worked across early years, school and community projects to increase language and literacy levels. I currently lead on support for children and young people living in financial hardship and facing crisis. I have always admired the school for its focus on creativity and inclusion so I am really happy to be involved as a Governor. 

Andrew Twesigye

I'm Andrew Twesigye, a parent governor at Beecroft.

I am deeply passionate about the local community and especially young people. Having had the opportunity to manage a grassroots youth organisation for over 12 years I am aware of the many challenges young people face in our society. What is clearly apparent from my experience is the critical role education (both the academic and the holistic experience) plays in the success of every child. The latter as well as the fact that I have my own children at Beecroft is what makes me eager to serve as a governor.

At present my wife and I run an online marketing agency.

THE GOVERNING BODY OF BEECROFT GARDEN PRIMARY SCHOOL

(Crofton Park Ward)

Beecroft Road

London SE4 2BS

Tel 0208692 2762/Fax 020 8694 9976

GOVERNING BODY STRUCTURE

Reconstituted 13/11/19

10 governor places

 

Headteacher                                                                          1

Staff                                                                                         1

Nominated by the London Borough of Lewisham                1

(appointed by the Governing Body)

Elected parents of pupils attending the school                   2

Co-opted                                                                               5

 

Chair of the Governing Body – Ms Lee Tang

Vice Chair of the Governing Body – Ms Claudine Munro-Lafon

 

COMMITTEE STRUCTURE

 

Curriculum Committee – Chair – Ms Susie Labinjoh

Resources and Pay Committee – Chair – Mr Mick McGuire

 

Pupil Discipline Committee / Staff Discipline Committee / Dismissal Committee / Complaints Committee / Pay Appeals Committee

Membership to comprise any three members of the Governing Body having regard to availability, personal knowledge or involvement in a case, and any advice from Lewisham HR regarding the appropriate make up of a committee.

 

Clerk to the Governing Body:  Mrs Jackie Woods, c/o Beecroft Garden Primary School

 

Governors’ details (for each governor who has served at any point over the past 12 months) – SEPTEMBER 2021

FULL NAME	CATEGORY	APPOINTED BY	DATE OF APPOINTMENT	TERM OF OFFICE (NO OF YEARS AND END DATE)		DATE RESIGNED	COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP	RESPONSIBILITIES	VOTING RIGHTS (IF ASSOCIATE MEMBER)
Ms Rita Barr	Staff	Staff election	31/1/19	4	30/1/23	-	Curriculum
Mr Adam Benedykt	Co-opted	Governing Body	17/9/21	4	16/9/25	-	Resources and Pay
Ms Emma Cole	Associate member, Curriculum Cttee	Governing Body	22/9/21	4	21/9/25	-	Curriculum		Full voting rights on committee
Ms Sharon Long	Associate member, Resources Cttee	Governing Body	17/9/21	4	16/9/25	-	Curriculum		Full voting rights on committee
Mr Mick McGuire	Associate member, Resources Cttee	Governing Body	17/9/21	4	16/9/25	-	Resources and Pay	Chair, Resources and Pay Committee	Full voting rights on committee
Ms Susie Labinjoh	Co-opted	Governing Body	22/3/18	4	21/3/22	-	Curriculum	Chair, Curriculum Committee Link gov Safeguarding / LAC
Ms Claire McGread	Co-opted	Governing Body	9/7/20	4	8/7/20	-	Curriculum
Ms Claudine Munro-Lafon	LA	Governing Body	22/9/21	4	21/9/25	-	Curriculum	Vice Chair Link gov SEND Link gov Website
Ms Jacqui Noels	Parent	Parent election	22/9/21	4	21/9/25
Mr Nicholas Ostrowski	Co-opted	Governing Body	23/5/17	4	22/5/21	-	Resources and Pay	Link gov Data
Ms Lee Tang	Co-opted	Governing Body	5/10/20	4	4/10/24	-	Resources and Pay	Chair
Mr Andrew Twesigye	Parent	Parent election	22/9/21	4	21/9/25	-
Mr Graham Voller	Headteacher	N/A	26/11/14	N/A	N/A	-	Curriculum Resources and Pay	Headteacher

 

GOVERNORS’ ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS 2020/21

All meetings in 2020/21 took place remotely via Zoom in view of the pandemic.

NAME	GOVERNING BODY
	6/10/20	8/12/20	28/1/21	23/3/21	6/5/21	15/6/21	8/7/21
Ms Rita Barr	ü	ü	x	ü	ü	x	ü
Mr Adam Benedykt	ü	X	X	X	x	x	ü
Ms Emma Cole	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
Ms Susie Labinjoh	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
Ms Sharon Long	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
Ms Clare McGread	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü	x
Mr Mick McGuire	ü	X	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
Ms Claudine Munro-Lafon	ü	ü	ü	ü	x	ü	ü
Mr Nicholas Ostrowski	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü
Ms Lee Tang	ü	ü	ü	x	ü	ü	ü
Mr Graham Voller	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü	ü

 

 

 

NAME	RESOURCES COMMITTEE
	12/11/20	2/2/21	25/5/21
Mr Adam Benedykt	ü	ü	ü
Ms Sharon Long	ü	ü	ü
Mr Mick McGuire	ü	ü	ü
Mr Nicholas Ostrowski	X	ü  *	x
Ms Lee Tang	ü  *	ü	ü
Mr Graham Voller	ü	ü	ü

 

NAME	CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
	17/11/20	4/3/21	29/6/21
Ms Rita Barr	ü	ü	ü
Ms Emma Cole	ü	ü	ü
Ms Susie Labinjoh	ü	ü	ü
Ms C. McGread	ü  *	ü	ü
Ms Claudine Munro-Lafon	ü	X	ü
Ms Lee Tang	ü *	N/A	ü  *
Mr Graham Voller	ü	ü	ü

 

*  Attended as an observer