Governing Body

St Mary and St Gile’s Local Governing Board is made up of governors with wide ranging skills and careers and a shared enthusiasm and drive to support the school in delivering the best education and experiences for all pupils. We are committed to supporting the school to become a primary school of excellence with the highest of ambition and standards which enables every child to maximise their potential.  We are part of one of the largest volunteer forces in the country. We strive to promote school improvement and support the leaders and the staff of the school in their work.

The role of St Mary and St Gile’s Local Governing Body is crucial in driving continuous school development and particularly focuses on ensuring the strategic direction, educational progress, safety and community engagement of all, including our most vulnerable children and families, within our school community. It is made up of representatives from Parents, Staff, Trust and the Community. We bring our experience and knowledge from both inside and outside of education.

We are proud to be a part of the IFtl Family and share their vision to inspire he futures of us all through learning together and their values. Our role as local Governing Body is to use our understanding of the school’s needs and its community to provide focused and strategic local governance. We meet at least once every half term and interact with the school via governor visits. Whilst Governors form part of the strategic leadership of the school, we are not expected to get involved in the day to day running of the school; our Headteacher, Head of School and senior school leaders are responsible for the internal organisation and management.

The Local Governing Body is accountable to the Board of Trustees of IFtL for the way our school is run and as such, are part of a wider governance structure of IFtL. The remit and responsibilities of the Governing Body of the school and the Members and Board of Trustees of IFtL are outlined in the Scheme of Delegation of Inspiring Futures through Learning, our Multi-Academy Trust and can be found on IFtL’s governance page. For further information regarding IFtL’s Board of Trustees, please visit the following link -  Board of trustees – Inspiring Futures through Learning (iftl.co.uk) We regularly attend training provided by the Inspiring Futures through Learning (IFtL) Trust to expand and develop our knowledge of all aspects of education to enable us to fully support and effectively challenge SMSG.

Our duties include:

• setting strategic direction for the school
• ensuring progress and attainment for all children
• adopting and monitoring correct implementation of Trust policies
• identifying and monitoring risks
• ensuring safeguarding is effective and compliant
• appointing, challenging and supporting the headteacher

The governors maintain relationships with our key stakeholders as we as endeavour to make the school a real community one whilst living our IFtL and school values. We help the school set and reach targets in order to strive for excellence across the whole range of school life.

Being a governor is an exciting role that delivers real impact within our community and for all children. It is a role of which we are proud.

Adam Palmer - Headteacher (ex-officio position)

Carly Elsworth – Chair of Governors - Parent-Appointed Governor

Jezamin Lindsay – Safeguarding Link Governor – Trust Appointed Governor

James Matthews – Staff Appointed Governor

Phillippa Wass – Trust Appointed Governor

Gwen Yates - Wellbeing Link Governor - Trust Appointed Governor

Kim Kemp - Trust Appointed Governor

Matt Billingsley - Parent Appointed Governor

The Local Governing Body: 

• meets 6 times per year as a full board, with no additional committees
• is part of a larger governance structure for Inspiring Futures through Learning Multi Academy Trust, which includes IFtL Members and Board of Trustees.  The full structure and responsibilities of these roles, including details of who serves within them, is available at iftl.co.uk/governance-in-iftl) 
• carries out its delegated functions and responsibilities which are focused upon:
• the wellbeing and safety of all children and adults within the schools’ communities
• the standards of educational performance, for all children, within the schools
• the position of the schools within their wider communities and how the schools contribute positively to this
• to identify, and look to mitigate, risk in relation to the above
• to carry out the duties delegated to the Local Governing Body by the IFtL Board of Trustees, outlines in the IFtL Scheme of Delegation (seen at iftl.co.uk/governance-in-iftl) 

The Chair of the Local Governing Body is Carly Elsworth. 

If you are interested in becoming a governor or would like to make contact with the Chair, please contact them via office@smsg.uk.com

Alternatively, please send a letter in a sealed envelope marked 'Chair of the Local Governing Body' via the school office. 

Adam Palmer - Headteacher

I am delighted to work alongside our governing board to ensure the school continues to thrive and go from strength to strength each year. I welcome the support and challenge the governors give to me during our local governing body meetings but also through the regular visits to school of our members. 

Carly Elsworth – Chair of Governors

I have been a parent Governor since October 2020 and was elected as Chair of Governors at St Mary and St Giles Church of England School in November 2023. I lead the governing body with a clear focus on challenge and scrutiny to support making sustainable progress. I have one son who attends SMSG at South site and I’m a Galley Hill resident and grew up in our neighbouring county of Bedfordshire.

I used to work as a qualified project manager, but gave up full time work when I became a mum. But I am still able to use my project management training to bring my best to the role of Chair of Governors to ensure that we are constantly evaluating and improving.

Gwen Yates – Trust Appointed Governor

Shortly after getting married my husband and I travelled overland to South Africa, where we lived for three years on a cacti and Keeshond farm. We returned to the UK travelling overland through Africa and the Middle East and moved to Stony Stratford so that my husband could take up an appointment with the Open University. We have a daughter and a son and four grandchildren (all born from 2013 onwards).

Most of my working life has been spent in London doing a variety of jobs. This has included qualifying as a nurse, teaching at a special needs school; working as an information officer for the British Medical Association and the BMJ and also with the Schools and Youth Team at Christian Aid.

Later I joined the pioneering Citischool (school without walls) in MK at its inception where I devised and presented citizenship sessions. I then moved to the MK Youth Offending Team where I was part of a small team that set up the early prevention project called Platform (originally Platform 8-13) where I worked closely with primary schools, especially those in disadvantaged areas.

As a mature student I completed an Open University (OU) degree where I developed a passion for philosophy. I discovered it was a perfect tool for Platform children and young people who had poor language and communication skills and also challenging for more able pupils. I presented workshops on philosophy for children at the BEST conference in 2008 and at the launch of FACT (First Assess Communication Tool) at the ‘Communication is everybody’s business’ conference in 2011. I attended training with SAPERE (Society for the Advancement of Philosophical Enquiry and Reflection in Education) in 2008 and 2011, and with The Philosophy Foundation in 2014. During my time with Platform I facilitated philosophy groups in many schools in MK and since retiring have continued to present group philosophy sessions on a voluntary basis at SMSG and another local school where I have also run an after school philosophy club. I was a volunteer at Stony Stratford Junior Youth Club for two years.

Kim Kemp – Trust Appointed Governor

Kimberley is the Head of Quality Assurance and lead for SEND at Inspiring Futures Through Learning. A key part of this role is to strategically lead and assure quality of provision across all areas of education and safeguarding to validate and check self-evaluation judgements. The findings inform the school improvement strategy and strategic direction of priorities at a trust and school level. She is an Ofsted inspector and and has vast experience of leadership including headship. She has also been headteacher of a very large Primary School. She has specific interests and expertise around inclusion, including SEND, safeguarding and Pupil Premium.  Being a governor and using these skillsets to support and challenge the school and make a difference is key.

Jezamin Lindsay – Trust Appointed Governor

Hello, my name is Jezamin Lindsay and I have worked in the education sector for over twenty years. In all the roles that I have been a part of, I am most proud that I am an advocate for children and families. As an advocate for children and families, I am extremely passionate that all children have the opportunity to reach their full potential. I am fully committed to ensuring that all educational settings strive to be places of diversity, equity and inclusion for all. I am extremely proud to join the Governing Body at SMSG and I look forward to working with the children and families across both sites.

Phillippa Wass – Trust Appointed Governor

I am Phillippa Wass I have over 14 years teaching experience. Having previously taught at SMSG for over 7 years, I have such a passion for education and for SMSG.

Now as a Trustee appointed governor, I am looking forward to being part of SMSG continued journey watching , helping, and supporting the school to go from strength to strength.

I am committed to making sure all children at SMSG feel safe, have their learning needs met and that all children achieving the best that they can achieve.

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