Governors
Abel Smith School Governance
Governance has never been more critical to the education of our children. The governance duty is, above all, to drive relentless ambition for the children served by our school, whatever the circumstances. The governing body at Abel Smith is ambitious for all children and is infused with a passion for education and a commitment to continuous school improvement that enables the best possible outcomes.
Our governing body is grounded in reality as defined by both high-quality objective data and a full understanding of the views and needs of pupils, staff, parents, carers, and the local community. Our governing body is driven by inquisitive, independent minds and through conversations focussed on the key strategic issues which are conducted with humility, good judgment, resilience, and determination.
Effective governance is based on six key features:
- Strategic leadership that sets and champions vision, ethos, and strategy.
- Accountability that drives up educational standards and financial performance.
- People with the right skills, experience, qualities, and capacity.
- Structures that reinforce clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
- Compliance with statutory and contractual requirements.
- Evaluation to monitor and improve the quality and impact of governance.
The Governing body at Abel Smith is made up of the headteacher, staff governor, parent governors elected by parents and co-opted governors appointed by the governing body from the local community. The full governing body meets termly as do the two sub-committees (School Improvement and Resources).
- The School Improvement Committee has responsibility for curriculum planning and delivery, assessment, improvement for all children and engagement.
- The Resources Committee has responsibility for budget monitoring, premises, health & safety and staffing.
If you would like to contact the governors please email chair@abelsmith.herts.sch.uk or via the school office on 01992 583 244.
Current Governing Body Membership
A full list of governors, their responsibilities, and a description of the role of each committee is below.
| Name | Type of Governor | Position | School Improvement Committee (SIC) | Resources Committee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miss. Dorothy Abel Smith MBE | Associate | |||
| Mr. Louis Bone | Co-Opted | ü | ||
| Mrs. Anna Cockley | Staff Governor | Senior Leader | ü | |
| Cllr. Bob Deering | Local Authority | SEND | ü | |
| Mr. Daniel Hewitt | Ex-Officio | Headteacher | ü | ü |
| Mrs. Nicola Law | Associate | Deputy Headteacher | ü | ü |
| Ms. Alison Mahoney | Co-Opted | Chair of SIC | ü | |
| Mrs. Sally Scott | Parent | ü | ||
| Ms. Philippa Sexton | Co-Opted | ü | ||
| Mrs. Maddie Waller | Co-Opted | Chair of Governors | ü | ü |
| Mrs. Emily White | Co-Opted | Chair of Resources | ü | |
| Miss. Louise Wilmshurst | Parent | Vice-Chair of Governors Safeguarding | ü |