Meet our Governors
Structure of Our Governing Body
Our Governing Body is Co-Chaired by Jenny Candy and Steph Martin, bringing double the knowledge and experience to the role. It meets six times a year, with alternate meetings, has a finance focus and does not have sub-committees. Our meetings are minuted by our clerk, Zoe Watt, who is a fully trained and experienced member of the LA clerking service.
Pre-reads for governors’ meetings are available in advance of meetings to enable plenty of time to read and consider the information presented. The agenda is drawn up jointly by the Co-Chairs, Headteacher and Clerk.
We have appointed individual governors for some of the key roles: SEND, Safeguarding, Health & Safety, and Online Safety, and the monitoring they do, feeds into our FGB meetings. All other Governors are part of two ‘working groups’ who complete monitoring according to an annual timetable. Each ½ term one group focus their monitoring on the Quality of Education, whist the other group focus on: Leadership & Management/Personal Development/ Behaviour and Attitudes.
All Governor documents are accessed via Microsoft TEAMS.
The Role of a School Governor
The role of a school governor is to contribute to the work of the governing board in ensuring high standards of achievement for all children and young people in the school by:
- setting the school’s 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 - see 'Financial Accountability' below.
What do our Governors do?
Things to celebrate:
- really strong advocacy of the standards of education, quality of teaching & diversity of curriculum
- exceptional levels of thoughtfulness, consideration, care, compassion and balanced thinking that speaks of both our Christian vision and the way in which school has helped to support the personal development of pupils and their ability to contribute to society
- Extremely strong relationships between pupils and teachers - and the benefits this brings including an appreciation of how school has treated them as individuals and helped them to target areas for improvement
Jenny Candy is Co-Chair of Governors. She says...
'I spent time with every Y6 pupil in groups of 2 or 3 to discuss their perspective on school; preparation for secondary school; the best bits of school; and areas for improvement.
The pupils spoke without exception of their preparation for the education they have received at Markington. They detailed their very strong, positive relationships with teachers, their appreciation for a wide and diverse set of subjects and the effort that goes into making learning fun, interesting and engaging: 'teachers make every lesson as exciting as possible', 'a fantastic education', 'we have learnt so many different things', 'there are always new things for us to try.'
Many children spoke of the way in which they felt school had prepared them for future life, 'school has worked to help me to become more confident', 'sharing during collective worship has helped me to prepare to talk to new people'. June 2019
Minutes of Governing Body Meetings
Minutes of Meetings are available on request by contacting Mrs Lewis or Mrs Lyman in the school office by emailing admin@markington.n-yorks.sch.uk or telephoning school: 01765 677442
Governor Monitoring
Abi Fulton is a Parent Governor
As the nominated 'Online Safety Governor' she met with Mrs Lyman at school to find out more about how Markington School keeps everyone safe online. She looked at the curriculum, policies, procedures and record keeping.
She also had a short tour and learnt a little more about the daily running and strategic management of the school.
She is currently working with a small group of governors to gather the views of parents and carers - the results of which are very helpful in informing decisions made by the school and Governing Body and will be discussed at the next Full Governors Meeting on the 1st July 2021.

Foundation Governor - Monitoring
Our Foundatin Governor came into school to listen to a (socially distanced) Pupil Voice. He asked the children for their views on a range of aspects of school. He has also been collating the data from an anoymous Online Safety Questionnaire with Y2-Y6 pupils - which will be analysed and shared with the full governing body at the next meeting.
Health & Safety Monitoring
'I take a particular interst in overseeing the school's Health and Safety arrangements - from policy to practice - and I check that we are compliant and doing everything we can to keep the school community safe.
We have two Y6 pupils who are our 'Safety Ambassadors' and they represent 'Pupil Voice' in this respect.
Governor Monitoring Guidance
Governor Attendance
Please click on this link for up to date information on Governor attendance:
2021 - 22 Governors Meeting Attendance
Governor Skills Audit
Due to recent changes in the Governing Body and skills, this is currently being updated.
Governor Information
Business and financial interests, governance roles in other institutions and any material interests.
Financial Accountability
The Governing Body, Bursar and Headteacher compare the school's financial data to see how it compares with others.
click here to link to the Government's financial benchmarking site.
Register of Business Interests
See table below
Our Governing Body
Type of Governor/Category |
Elected by |
NAME |
SURNAME |
TERM OF OFFICE START DATE |
TERM OF OFFICE END DATE |
Declaration of Interests /Relationship to any Staff Member |
Co-opted Governor |
Governing body |
Jenny |
Candy |
1/3/2019 |
27/2/2027 |
Is a teacher at a secondary NYCC school |
Co-opted Governor |
Governing body |
Steph |
Martin |
26/11/2020 |
26/11/2024 |
None |
Head Teacher |
Appointed by virtue of office |
Rebecca |
Lyman |
1/9/2018 |
Not recorded |
None |
Staff member |
School Staff |
Elizabeth |
Stansfield |
9/12/2021 |
09/12/2025 |
None |
Foundation Governor |
Governing body |
Sue |
Sanderson |
14/7/2022 |
14/7/2025 |
Headteacher Holy Trinity School, Ripon |
Parent Governor |
Parents |
Kyla |
De Lehenstein Collins |
13/5/2021 |
13/5/2025 |
None |
Parent Governor |
Parents |
Abigail |
Fulton |
11/2/2021 |
11/2/2025 |
None |
Ex-officio foundation Governor |
Appointed by virtue of office |
Paul |
Harford |
1/12/2020 |
1/12/2024 |
None |
LA Governor |
Nominated by LA appointed by GB |
Kate |
Shaw |
3/10/2019 |
2/10/2023 |
None |
|
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Clerk |
N/A |
Zoe |
Watt |
N/A |
N/A |
As part of the LA clerking service, Zoe clerks for other governing bodies. |
RETIRED GOVERNORS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ex-Officio Foundation governor |
Appointed by virtue of office |
Peter |
Kilford |
8/12/2020 |
1/2/2022 |
None |
Staff |
School Staff |
Sam |
Thompson |
1/10/2019 |
25/11/2022 |
None |
Associate Governor | Governing Body | Chloe | Rhodes | 25/11/2021 | 21/11/2025 | NYES H&S |