All schools in England have a Governing Body which is responsible for overseeing many of the strategic decisions of the school. A key role is to act as a ‘critical friend’, to support, to challenge, to ask questions, ultimately to represent the school community.

The Governing Body works in close partnership with the headteacher, staff and the Academy Trust. Whilst the headteacher is responsible for the day to day running of the school, the governors are involved with teaching and learning.

Governors’ meetings are held once a term where governors monitor and evaluate the standards of teaching and learning and the impact that the school makes on children’s achievement and attainment.  The Governing Body monitors how the school ensures that we achieve our national and locally set targets and the targets that we set ourselves.

The governors of Walpole Cross Keys Primary School hold regular meetings in which we discuss and make decisions concerning the curriculum, school policies and many other issues that directly affect the well-being of the children at the school.

Governors are happy to answer questions of a general nature about the school or the Governing Body, but any questions or concerns about individual children must first be raised with the relevant class teacher and then, if not dealt with to your satisfaction, with the Head.

Parent Governor places will become vacant from time to time and the school will inform you when this happens. Application forms will be sent out and should there be more applicants than spaces available, an election will be held.

Being a school governor involves having a privileged insight into the running of the school and any prospective governor must understand the need for confidentiality. The Governing Body will also expect that any new governor would be willing to attend a short training course. Please consider whether you might make a good governor.

Agreed Governing Body minutes can be viewed on request by appointment.

The governing body consists of:

• Trust appointed chair
• Elected staff governors
• Elected parents
• Executive Headteacher
• Trust appointed governors

The standard term of office for a governor is four years.

Ricki Wenn (Trust) Chair & Safeguarding - Ricki is a parent governor who has three children in the school

Joanne Borley (Trust) Executive Headteacher - Over 23 years experience in the Primary sector, Jo has been a Primary Headteacher for the last 14 years in a variety of schools. She is currently Executive Headteacher of Clenchwarton, West Lynn and Walpole Cross Keys Primary Schools.  

Susan Robinson (Trust Governor) - Susan was the Assistant Head and a class teacher at Walpole Cross Keys Primary School before she retired in December 2021

Cllr Alexandra Kemp (Trust) - Currently a County Councillor for Clenchwarton and King's Lynn South. Alexandra was formerly a Lecturer in Further Education and National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Assessor.

Matthew Smith (Trust Appointed) - Matthew works for Clenchwarton, West Lynn and Walpole Cross Key's primary feeder school St Clement's High School. He currently teaches English and history 2 days a week, whilst also looking after his three children when not at work. Over the past 13 years Matthew has taught in both primary and secondary schools, including 5 years at Clenchwarton Primary.

Nigel Willingham (Trust Appointed) - Nigel is the Headteacher of St Clement’s High School. He has taught in secondary schools for 26 years, having started his career in Berkshire. Nigel also worked in Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire before returning to his home county of Norfolk. He worked as a faculty leader for Design and Technology and has been a senior leader in schools for 18 years. Nigel has two children who attend local schools.

Pam Foskett (Trust Appointed) - I enjoyed a career of over 35 years in primary education as a teacher and head teacher. Since retiring from headship, I have maintained my involvement in education and my joy of teaching through my role as a supply teacher and now as a school governor. In my free time I enjoy walking and being a volunteer at a local museum where I'm able to share my interest in our local history with visitors and school groups. 

Charlotte Howells (Staff Member Clenchwarton) - Charlie started her teaching career 10 years ago in Buckinghamshire in a village primary school. From the beginning, she developed a passion for supporting children with SEND needs and completed the National SENDCO award. Over the last 5 years, she worked in the SENDCo role across a number of primary schools across Buckinghamshire, improving the outcomes for children with SEND needs and ensuring an inclusive education for all. Charlie relocated to Norfolk in 2020 and joined the West Norfolk Academy Trust in April 2022. She is now an Assistant headteacher at Clenchwarton.

Billy Overton (Staff Member Walpole Cross Keys) - Billy has been teaching in and around the King's Lynn area for almost 20 years; working at a range of schools both large and small. He has predominantly taught in year 6 over this time and has a vast experience in preparing children for SATs and getting them ready for high school, but has really enjoyed the challenge of working with a wider range of year groups over the past few years. An experienced senior leader, Billy leads maths across the primaries for the trust. He worked at Gaywood Primary School when it joined the Trust in 2017 and has recently moved to Walpole Cross Keys as Assistant Head.

Simon Constant -  (Trust Governor) - I served as a police officer for 30 years with Cambridgeshire Constabulary and enjoyed a varied and specialist career as a Detective retiring as the Head of Intelligence on the Regional Organised Crime Unit. After my formal police service I worked for 4 years as one of 10 UK regional Coordinators to develop partnerships at a national, regional and local level to share information to impact on serious & organised crime. Most recently I have stepped away from main stream employment and have been project managing and ‘hands on’ in the construction of 2 executive family homes locally.I have a Master of Science degree in Criminal Investigation and am a proud grandfather with two grandchildren attending Walpole Cross Keys School.

Carl Suckling - (Parent Governor) - Carl works for Cambridgeshire County Council as a Youth and Community Officer. Carl has lots of experience with safeguarding and supporting the development of groups, he is also a Cambridgeshire County Council lead on equality and diversity. Carl and his family have lived in Clenchwarton for over 20 years. 
Carl has a son who attends the school and his daughter is a former student.

Sam Garrod - Sam attended both Clenchwarton & West Lynn primary schools as a student and now works as clerk of works for the Borough Council of Kings Lynn and West Norfolk where he has been employed since 2007. Sam is interested in most sports with football being top of the list, also being a fully qualified referee. He also has a daughter who current attends West Lynn Primary school.

Jason Moorse - (Parent Governor)

 

Nicki Gay - (Clerk) 

Our Governors - Picture Board

The Clerk to the Governors is Miss Nicki Gay.

If you wish to contact the Governing Body, please address any correspondence to her or the Chair of Governors via the following:

Email: n.gay@wnat.co.uk

Via Post to:
FAO Miss N Gay
Clerk to the Governors
Clenchwarton Primary School 
139 Main Rd,
Clenchwarton,
King's Lynn PE34 4DT

Telephone: 01553 828680

You can also contact the Chair of Governors. Mr Ricki Wenn, via the above or directly by email at r.wenn@westnorfolkacademiestrust.co.uk

Please click on the links below to view the up to date Governor Documentation:

• Governor Overview of Membership - 2024/2025
• Governor Overview of Membership - 2023/2024
• Governor Overview of Membership - 2022/2023
• Governor Overview of Membership - 2021/2022
• Governor Overview of Membership - 2020/2021
• Governor Overview of Membership - 2019/2020
  Including:
  Responsibilities within the governing body
  Relevant links and business interests within the school and trust
  Meeting Attendance

Information on becoming a Governor at this school, or any other school within West Norfolk Academies Trust can be found in the  Become a Governor at WNAT leaflet. 

To register your interest in this school, or any of the other schools within the trust, please fill in the 'Become a Governor' form here. 

Responsibility for all the academies that make up  West Norfolk Academies Trust and for providing education in those academies is entrusted to the Board of Trustees.

The Board of Trustees have overall accountability for all the schools within the trust and manage all finances (including audits), premises and personnel areas, via subcommittees. Work is also delegated to our local governing body, whose assistance is greatly valued and supported by the Trustees.

For further information on our Board of Trustees, visit the West Norfolk Academies Trust website, Governance Page.