Governors and School Governance | Sidegate Primary School

Welcome to our Governors’ section

Sidegate is part of the Active Learning Trust (ALT). Click here to contact the Active Learning Trust. ALT are a multi academy trust and there is an Active Learning Trust Board who place a local governing body in each school to oversee the leadership of the school. The Local Governing Body acts in accordance with the scheme of delegation agreed by the ALT Board. This scheme sets out what the Trust board asks the Local Governing Body to carry out on its behalf. Please click on the document link below to view our Scheme of Delegation.

Scheme of Delegation

Further ALT Governance information, including the below documents can be found by visiting the documents section on the ALT website.

Annual reports
Memorandum and Articles of Association
Charity Trustees and Members
Funding agreement.

Further Governance information is located on the ALT website.

Public Documentation - click on the below link to access minutes of our Governing Body meetings.

Governor Minutes and Attendance

Meet our Sidegate Governing Body

Mr Tim O'Keefe - Acting Chair of Governors/Parent

Mr Matthew Ferrier - Staff Representative

Mrs Helen Quantrill - Staff Representative

Mrs Heather Valentine - Staff Representative

Mrs Karen Wesley - Trust and Safeguarding Governor

Biographies

Mrs Wendy James	As the headteacher, I am automatically a member of the Governing Body. Before I became a headteacher I was a staff governor. I was also a parent governor at Suffolk One when my daughter was in the 6th Form. I value the challenge and support that the Governing Body offers the school. Our governors bring a wide range of experience to the school and can bring a new perspective to our work. Business Interests to declare: Employee of Active Learning Trust.
Mr Tim O'Keefe	Acting Chair of Governors with effect from January 2020. Appointed November 2016 as Parent Governor. Term of office ends October 2020. Business Interests to declare: None declared.
Mr Matthew Ferrier	I joined the school in 2001 and before becoming Deputy Headteacher, was a class teacher in Years 1, 3 and 5. I have been an Associate Governor since 2011, helping to shape and facilitate the future direction of the school. Whilst I am proud of the breadth and quality of learning opportunities that the school offers our pupils, I understand that the work of the Governors to build upon, improve and sustain this, remains a constant challenge. I am pleased to contribute to this process. Staff Representative. Business Interests to declare: Employee of ALT.
Miss Mary Hallett	I am a chemistry teacher at Northgate High School, where I am also responsible for teacher training and professional development across the school. I have been a governor at Northgate since 2008 and I sit on the Finance Committee of the governing body. I am passionate about teaching and working with teachers to support them as they work with young people. I am excited about being a part of Sidegate’s local governing body and I hope that I will be able to make a valuable contribution to the life of the school. Appointed by ALT September 2018 as Trust Governor. Term of office ends July 2022. Business Interests to declare: Northgate High School Employee.
Mr Matt Moseley	Appointed December 2018 as Parent Governor and converted to Trust Governor by ALT February 2019. Term of office ends February 2023. Business Interests to declare: None declared.
Mrs Helen Quantrill	Staff Representative since April 2017. Business Interests to declare: Employee of ALT.
Mr Jack Rich	I originally worked as a journalist before moving into public relations, and currently work as a communications professional for a bank in London. Having grown up as the son of two teachers, and having married one myself, I maintain a strong interest in education issues and am appreciative of the challenges facing schools. I have lived in Ipswich since 2017 when my family and I moved here from London, and I was appointed a Trust Governor in September 2018. I have one child at Sidegate and one of pre-school age, and am committed to helping Sidegate build on its many strengths. Outside of work I enjoy exploring new places with my family, as well as sport, writing and playing the guitar badly. Appointed by ALT September 2018 as Trust Governor. Term of office ends July 2022. Business Interests to declare: None declared.
Mrs Heather Valentine	Staff Representative since September 2017. Business Interests to declare: Employee of ALT.
Mrs Karen Wesley	I have lived and worked in Suffolk for most of my life and I am currently employed as a School Financial Business Manager at two Suffolk Local Authority schools. Prior to this I worked in the School Finance Team of Suffolk County Council (Schools Choice) and provided financial support and advice to a number of schools and academies in Suffolk. I believe that every child should be given the opportunities to reach their full potential and I am proud to be part of the school team as we continue to build on the positive progress made over the last three years. Appointed by ALT September 2018 as Trust Governor, Child Protection Governor and Safer Employment Champion. Term of office ends July 2022. Business Interests to declare: Suffolk County Council Employee.