Chair of Governors Welcome

To all new Pupils, Parents, Carers, and Staff,

Welcome to the new school year! We hope that you have all enjoyed a happy and relaxing summer break.

It was wonderful to welcome back our Y4, Y5 and Y6 children and especially pleasing to see the smiling faces of our new Year 3 children.

Many of you may have seen already how smart the school looks with the redecoration of some areas; vibrant classrooms; new playground markings and our new sensory trail along the corridors.

At TAB we are privileged and proud to have brilliant, caring children, supportive parents and dedicated, talented and enthusiastic staff.  As you know, the values and beliefs of the TAB Way underpin our curriculum and learning in order that the children can enjoy exciting and challenging learning opportunities in a safe secure environment which celebrate the uniqueness of every child.

Visits to the school are welcome where you will see this in action.

We are very grateful to our Friends of the School (FOS), who work tirelessly to raise funds to provide some superb and much needed resources to support our children’s learning. If you are able to help in any way, then please do contact fos@thomasabecketjunior.org.uk

We are a friendly and hardworking governing body and would welcome applications from those interested in contributing their skills and experience to the Governing Body. For further information please contact Michelle Mayes who is clerk to the Governing Body:

clerk@thomasabecketjunior.org.uk.

Best wishes,

Jane Evea and James Lloyd

Co-Chairs of Governors

The Governing Body

The role of the governors is to oversee the management of the school.  The members of the governing body are drawn from parents and the wider community.  The skills and expertise of the individuals are used to the full in their roles within the governing body, which is made up of three different committees, each overseeing specific areas of school management. 

Currently the committees are Resources, Pupil Welfare and Pupil Progress.  Governors sit on one or more committees and the full governing body and committees meet every term.

Name: Jane Evea

Position: Co-chair, Co-opted Governor

Responsibilities/Committees: Co-Chair Pupil Progress Committee, Resources Committee, Year 4 Group Coordinator, English Link

Date Appointed: Sept 2023

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date 20th Sept 2027

Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: None Declared

Meetings Attended 2022/23: 100%

My whole career has been in education as a teacher, senior leader, Local Education adviser and consultant. My leisure time is spent with my family and friends or going to the theatre, travelling, reading or gardening. I feel privileged to be Co-Chair of governors at Thomas A Becket and to be working with such a talented team who are determined to ensure that all the children have the best of all opportunities while at school.

Name: James Lloyd

Position: Co-chair, Parent Governor

Responsibilities/Committees: Co-Chair Pupil Progress Committee, Resources Committee, Science, Tech & Computing Link 

Date Appointed: March 2022

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date 30th March 2026

Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: Married to another Governor

Meetings Attended 2022/23: 100%

As a parent I have a vested interest in seeing the school succeed. With a career straddling finance/IT and data science I believe I can add real value to the team and provide solid support to the pupil’s learning experience at Thomas A Becket.

Name: Becky Linford

Position: Headteacher

Responsibilities/Committees: FGB, Resources, Pupil Welfare and Pupil Progress

Date Appointed: Sept 2022

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date 4th Sept 2026

Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: None Declared

Meetings Attended 2022/23: 100%

I have been in teaching for 27 years and a Headteacher for 14 years. I have had the privilege of working in different educational establishments and enjoyed every single one of them. I am passionate about ensuring children access a rich, exciting broad and balanced curriculum and the uniqueness of every child celebrated. TAB Junior encapsulates all that I believe, through the TAB Way and the many facilities, strong staff team, exciting provision and enrichment opportunities the children have access to. I am thoroughly looking forward to leading TAB Junior as it continues on its journey to be the best school it can be for all the children in our community.                                                                                     

Name: Liz Maguire

Position: Co-opted Governor

Responsibilities/Committees: Co-Chair Pupil Welfare Committee, SEND & Safeguarding

Date Appointed: Dec 2022

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date 7th Dec 2026

Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: None Declared

Meetings Attended 2022/23: 75%

I retired from teaching six years ago when my first grandchild was born. In my teaching career I have held posts of responsibility pastorally as Head of House and have been subject team leader for Food Technology and Health and Social Care. The last twenty years of my teaching career was at Steyning Grammar School where I taught mainly examination groups in the Upper School. I have a strong interest in Food and Nutrition and practical based activities and as the mother of a child with a disability I have personal experience and interest in inclusion and SEN provision.

Name: Candice Lloyd

Position: Co-opted Governor

Responsibilities/Committees: Pupil Progress Committee

Date Appointed: Dec 2021

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date 1st Dec 2025

Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interest: Married to another Governor

Meetings Attended 2022/23: 75%

I am delighted to be a Governor for Thomas A Becket Junior School. As a parent, I have seen how well my children have developed during their time and everything that the school embodies, and I look forward to bringing my experience and passion to the school.

I have been teaching since 2017, working at a local primary school. I have a keen interest in the curriculum taught and the inclusion of all pupils.

Name: Ryan Watson

Position: Co-opted Governor

Responsibilities/Committees: FGB

Date Appointed: Sept 2023

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date 20th Sept 2027

Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interest: None Declared

Meetings Attended 2022/23: 75%

My career at Thomas A Becket Junior began in 2012 when I was appointed as a class teacher. I have particularly enjoyed sharing my interests in reading and writing with the pupils. I am English subject leader & run a competitive go-karting club. I became a governor in the summer of 2014 and have certainly enjoyed the challenge presented by the role. I am fully committed to serving the school community in which I work and aim to support the governing body by offering the perspective of a practising class teacher.

Name: Paul Ollerton

Position: Co-opted Governor

Responsibilities/Committees: Chair Resources Committee, Performance Management, PE Link

Date Appointed: Sept 23

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date 20th Sept 2027

Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: None Declared

Meetings Attended 2022/23: 75%

I am a new Parent Governor, joining the team in November 2019. My youngest son is currently in year 4 at TAB. I have three other children and one step-daughter. For the last 4 years, I have run a local financial services firm based in Worthing, and prior to this enjoyed a long career in corporate companies, mainly within Management and Sales/Marketing. My experiences throughout my life have set me up well to take on the role of a school governor, having a broad range of experience. I have decided to become a governor so that I can use my experience to benefit the team at TAB, particularly from a commercial and financial perspective.

Name: Karen Butcher

Position: Co-opted Governor

Responsibilities/Committees: Pupil Welfare Committee

Date Appointed: Sept 2023

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date 20th Sept 2027

Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: None Declared

Meetings Attended 2022/23: 100%

I have worked with children for over 27 years. Initially running my own business: “Mini Melodies”, a preschool music group, before moving on to work at TAB as an HLTA, most recently in the role of Phonics Intervention & Assessment Lead. I am also a qualified tutor and assessor in Further Education and have trained and supported many new and experienced Teaching Assistants in various qualifications. Both my children attended TAB and were very happy during their time at the school. Their experiences at TAB fostered interests which they have both pursued into successful careers. Having recently retired from my role at TAB I am delighted to be given the opportunity to remain part of the TAB family. I hope to continue to make a positive contribution to the life of the school for many more years.

Name: Stefano Paoletti

Position: Co-opted Governor

Responsibilities/Committees: Resources Committee and Full Governing Body

Date Appointed: Dec 2023

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date 6th December 2027

Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: None Declared

Meetings Attended: N/A

I am delighted to have been asked to join the board of governors and very much looking forward to supporting the school and adding value wherever possible. I have enjoyed a 30 year commercial career, the last 17 of which have been in leadership roles within banking, finance and technology firms. I am a married dad of 2 and have lived in the area since moving from London with my wife in 2012. 

Name: Kate Blight

Position: Co-opted Governor

Responsibilities/Committees: Full Governing Body

Date Appointed: March 2024

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date March 2028

Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: 

Meetings Attended: N/A

I have been a teacher at a local secondary school for 20 years, having taken on responsibilities such as head of maths, SENCO and more recently Assistant headteacher for Standards and Inclusion.  I am excited to be a govenor at TAB and hope that my experience and expertise can benefit all.

Name: Alex Jones

Position: Parent Governor

Responsibilities/Committees: Resources Committee, Performance Management, Diversity, Equality and Representation Link

Date Appointed: Sept 2020

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date 24th Sept 2024

Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: Solicitor who deals with Employment Law

Meetings Attended 2022/23: 100%

I have been a Parent Governor since 2020. My children attend TAB Junior School. I grew up in Worthing and attended TAB Junior School when it was TAB Middle School. I run my own solicitors firm specialising in Employment Law, advising both employees and business. I have sat on and chaired committees relating to Employment Law at a national level, and bring local knowledge, business and legal experience to the role.

Name: Pema Jackson

Position: Parent Governor

Responsibilities/Committees: Pupil Welfare Committee

Date Appointed: March 2023

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date 12th March 2027

Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: None Declared

Meetings Attended 2022/23: 100%

I joined the governing body in March 2023. I have two children at TAB. My professional background is in modern foreign languages and I now work as a translator for a global insurance firm. I am looking forward to having the opportunity to offer my perspective as a parent and I will fulfil the role with enthusiasm and dedication.
 

Name: Jessica Craft

Position: Staff Governor

Responsibilities/Committees: Well-being

Date Appointed: Sept 2022

Term of Office: 2 Years, end date 18th Oct 2024

Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: None Declared

Meetings Attended 2022/23: 100%

I took on the role of staff governor in September 2020. I have worked at Thomas A Becket Junior since 2017 and worked within schools in the West Sussex area since 2014. I studied my degree in Primary Education and Teaching with a Citizenship specialism (with QTS) at Chichester University. I have a keen interest in teaching and learning and developing this within the school. I hope to bring the staff perspective of a current class teacher to the governing body.

Associate Members

Our associate members of the Governing Body do not have voting rights in any of the committees to which they have been appointed.

Name: Zoe Borley

Position: Associate Member

Responsibilities/Committees: Pupil Progress Committee

Date Appointed: December 2022

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date 7th December 2026

Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: None Declared

Meetings Attended 2022/23: 100%

I qualified as a teacher in 2000, and taught predominantly KS2 pupils in a two-form entry primary school where I also developed my subject leadership experience.  In 2007, I joined Thomas A Becket Middle (now Junior) school as Y7 leader.  Since 2010 I have been part of the school senior leadership team as assistant head teacher with a variety of whole school leadership responsibilities including attendance, data and assessment, curriculum and continued professional development.  I am committed and enthusiastic to be part of the journey of ensuring pupils and staff can be the best they can be and I enjoy working with the governors to help bring about school change and improvement in children’s lives. 

Name: Kristie Lyne

Position: Associate Member

Responsibilities/Committees: Pupil Welfare Committee

Date Appointed: Jan 2023

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date 15th Jan 2027

Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: None Declared

Meetings Attended 2022/23: 100%

I have worked at Thomas A Becket Junior since 2018 and worked within schools in the West Sussex area since 2014. I completed the National Award for SENCos in 2021 and completed my National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership in 2023. Supporting and working with children who find learning difficult is my passion, so I am really enjoying working as the SENDCo here at Thomas A Becket. I hope to bring my perspective and knowledge of inclusion at TAB to the governing body.

Name: Sandie Saunders

Position: Associate Member

Responsibilities/Committees: Pupil Welfare Committee 

Date Appointed: December 2022

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date 7th December 2026

Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interests: None Declared

Meetings Attended 2022/23: 100%

I have been teaching for a number of years and in different settings in West Sussex including a First and Middle School, an Infant School and a Primary School. I spent 5 years working for West Sussex Special Educational Needs Support Service in an advisory and assessment role before returning to work in a school as a SENDCo/Inclusion Manager, and then joined TAB in 2009. I am passionate about providing holistic, bespoke support for children with additional needs, those who are more vulnerable and whose mental health and wellbeing has been impacted by whatever circumstances in their lives. I love working at TAB with such an amazing group of colleagues and am very proud to be a member of the TAB team.  

Name: Karen Wise

Position: Associate Member

Responsibilities/Committees: FGB

Date Appointed: December 2022

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date 7th December 2026

Business, Personal and Pecuniary Interest: None Declared

Meetings Attended 2022/23: 100%

I have been at Thomas A Becket Junior School since September 2000, having previously taught in schools in London and Manchester. I started as a class teacher, then moved to being a subject leader, then year leader and finally I am proud to say Assistant Headteacher. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here and consider it to be a very nurturing, inspiring and forward thinking environment. My three children all experienced the delights of TAB Junior and look back at their time here with fond memories. I hope to one day see my grandchildren journey through the school too! I am committed to ensuring that the children at TAB Junior get a complete, rounded education that sets them up for life not only in an academic sense but also in developing positive values of  relationships, respect and resilience. 

Name: Carol Graham

Position: Associate Member

Responsibilities/Committees: Resources

Date Appointed: November 2023

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date 22nd November 2027

Business Interest: Nothing to declare

My career background spans over 20 years in finance and IT having held various project management positions in the banking sector.  After a period of home responsibilities I joined TAB in 2005 as a volunteer, and stayed ever since! I feel privileged to be part of the warm and nurturing TAB community.

Name: Jayne Ball                 

Position: Associate Member

Responsibilities/Committees: Resources

Date Appointed: November 2023

Term of Office: 4 Years, end date 22nd November 2027

Business Interest: None to Declare

I worked in the insurance industry prior to having my family and then joined a WSCC primary school in 2002 working in an admin role.  I joined Thomas A Becket Juniors (then Middle) in 2004.  I started as an attendance officer, then progressed to Bursar in 2008 and finally School Business Manager in 2012.  I love working at TAB, it really feels like an extended family, I feel very proud to be part of this wonderful school.

Becoming a Governor

If you are interested in becoming a governor please contact the clerk via e-mail and also take a look at the 'Governor: Qualifications and Disqualifications' PDF below.

The governors of Thomas A Becket Junior School believe it is important that the board reflects the diversity of the school community they serve. Diverse boards promote inclusive school environments and provide diverse role models for staff and young people. 

The governors collect data on the diversity of the board, including data on age, gender and ethnicity. They will use that data to inform their recruitment and training needs and ensure there is always a diverse range of perspectives around the table to support robust decision making. 

Due to our relatively small governing body we do not publish this diversity data online as individual governors could be identified and we have a legal obligation to protect their personal data.