The Governors

Introduction to the Governing Body

The dynamic, dedicated and experienced board of governors at St Nicholas School supports the school in a number of ways. It provides strategic leadership and accountability, appoints the Head Teacher and Deputy Headteachers, and ensures the schools performance is continually monitored, evaluated and improved.

It is governors who hold the main responsibility for the school’s finances, and it is governors who work with the headteacher to make the best use of the money we receive.  They are also ultimately responsible for important matters such as teaching and learning, safeguarding, health and safety, staffing and premises.

The board comprises governors elected by parents, appointed on the basis of their skills and experience, and appointed by the Local Authority. Together they work hard to support the Head Teacher, staff and pupils with the aim of ensuring that St Nicholas School is the best it can be and provides the highest quality education for our children and young people.

Minutes of FGB meetings can be obtained by request from the school office. This does not include any confidential minutes.

SALARY DECLARATION

The school declares that there are no employees in the band above £100,000.

Governors

Nigel Wootton

Chair of Governors

Nigel worked for many years in central government to improve vital services to the public. Since retiring, he has been involved with local schools as a governor and as a trustee for a disabled children’s charity. A governor at St Nicholas since 2013, he was elected Chair in February 2017.

Sharon Godden

Vice Chair

Sharon has a background in the financial markets working for 23 years in the City with Listed companies on strategic planning, providing bespoke financial solutions with a specialism in Interest Rate Derivative structures. She also focussed on the impact of International Accounting Standards and the Derivative market and BASEL II on the International Banking Sector before choosing the complex and challenging vocation of a full time parent. Sharon was the parent ambassador on the Department for Education funded Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (CLDD) Research Project. She is also a member of the Advisory Board to the charity Together for Short Lives and the parent engagement group at the Evelina Children’s Hospital. She is the Welfare Officer, Inclusive Hockey Coordinator and a Coach for Herne Bay Hockey Club. Sharon also enjoys playing hockey, running, cycling and pilates.

Heidi Dawson

Co-opted Governor

Heidi has two children, one of whom attended St Nicholas School from the age of 4 and successfully completed the 6th Form at 19. In the years that have followed her son's diagnosis she has been a dedicated supporter of the school, assisting with fundraising and highlighting the needs of local charities. In her spare time she enjoys decorating, attending concerts and going to the cinema.

Angela Pike

Co-opted Governor

Angela graduated from The University of East Anglia in 1982 with a teaching degree and a focus on Special Educational Needs. Her first teaching role was in a post 16 unit for young people with complex physical and health needs in London. Following this Angela spent three years in a residential school in Berkshire for children with a wide range of learning and emotional needs. Angela started her life at St Nicholas in 1987 as teacher in the Reception class and then went on to be phase manager for the Primary department. In the year 2000 Angela was appointed Deputy Head Teacher at the school. She went on to lead on many projects including the training of new teachers and support of children in mainstream schools with SEN. She retired in the summer of 2017 and after many happy years at the school, was asked to become a governor and is now only too happy to continue to support the school and the pupils in any way possible. Angela has two grown up children and enjoys a very outdoor life which includes dog walking!

Penny Webb

Co-opted Governor

Penny is a Senior Lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church University in Primary Education and leads Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Inclusion for the Primary department. Before joining Christ Church in 2016, Penny worked as primary school teacher for 22 years and started her career in a special school. As a teacher, Penny took on a range of leadership roles, including History and Geography, Literacy, RE and SENCo. Now, Penny teaches students about teaching and supporting children with SEN. She owns a Dunkirk little ship, is member of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships and loves to get out on the water whenever she can.

David Stratton

Parent Governor

David is a father of two sons, his youngest has loved attending the school since 2016. Following medical negligence at six weeks old, David and his wife fought a ten year clinical negligence court case for their son, who has cerebral palsy, is a wheelchair and eye gaze user. David has over twenty years experience in travel partnerships and marketing, including the introduction of online services, multi million pound contract negotiations and speaking at the World Travel Market on a panel about disability travel. David enjoys socialising, motor sport and travel.

Louise Huddleston

Co-opted Governor

Louise qualified as teacher in 2010 through the GTPr program with St Nicholas School and continued her teaching career within the school; predominantly in the secondary department. She went on to be the KS4 department manager, and then the lead of the 14-19 department before leaving in November 2020. She also had a number of other roles within the school including the coordination of both the MOVE program and SHINE curriculum. Louise is passionate about supporting our pupils to develop their skills in preparation for adulthood, to enable them to optimise opportunities and access within their local community and was keen to continue supporting St Nicholas School by joining the governing board on her departure. Louise enjoys sports (both spectating and participating), travelling and hiking with her dog.

Liz Rook

Co-Opted Governor

Liz is a retired Headteacher who has worked in education for four decades in Hampshire, Gloucestershire and London. She is now enjoying retirement in Canterbury. Liz’s second child was born blind and it was her daughter’s education which inspired her to work with children with special needs and their families. She opened a new special school in Cheltenham in 1990, completing her career in London where she opened a maintained Nursery School and Children’s Centre in Wandsworth on the second largest council housing estate in Europe. Here she worked with many Asylum Seeker and Refugee families and children with a very wide range of special educational needs and disabilities. Liz is half Italian and loves the sunshine and hot countries where she likes to spend her holidays!

Jesse Sazant

Co-opted Governor

Jesse is the Chief Operating Officer of The Canterbury Academy Trust. He has been a school leader at both primary and secondary level, having taught from, Year 1 through to Year 13 in a variety of subjects. He is passionate about education being a vehicle to support each and every young person in pursuing their dreams. Outside of work, basketball coaching is his passion and he is currently Programme Lead for GB Maxibasketball.

Joe White

Co-opted Governor

Joe is Deputy Principal of Meadowfield School in Kent. He has spent his career in special education including a working in a residential special school. Joe is a Principal Instructor for the Kent PROACT SCIPr UK® Network where he works closely with colleagues to develop Proactive behaviour support in schools. He runs the website inclusiveteach.com which shares free SEN teaching resources and sensory stories.

Governors' Documents