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

Carly Elsworth – Chair of Governors - Parent-Appointed Governor

Dawn Robinson – Quality of Education and Pupil Outcomes Link Governor - Trust Appointed Governor

Rita Wiseman - Safeguarding Link Governor - Trust Appointed Governor

Gwen Yates - Wellbeing Link Governor - Trust Appointed Governor

Nick Deahl – Parent Appointed Governor

Victor Bullock –  Trust Appointed Governor

Kim Kemp - Trust Appointed Governor

Our Clerk to the Governors is Ify Oduko and If you wish to contact Ify please do so by sending an email to: ioduko@iftl.co.uk.

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 email our governance professional, Ify Oduko by email: ioduko@iftl.co.uk  

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’ve been married for 13 years and have one son who attends SMSG at South site. 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. Now that my son is slightly older, I have taken the opportunity to volunteer at Bletchley Park for the last 3 years where I guide tours for groups of school children one day per week.

I use my project management training, and the fact that I am constantly around groups of learners, 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.

Dawn Robinson – Trust appointed Governor

I have been a Headteacher for over 20 years.  I am a National Leader of Education having had 9 outstanding inspections in my schools.  I have chaired Management Boards in a number of schools taking on the role of Chair of Governors.  I was a Headteacher in a Church of England Voluntary Aided School for over 10 years.  I have previously been an Advanced Skills Teacher for English and maths. My current role is Headteacher of Russell Street School.  It is very important for me to work with Mr Palmer and the Governing Board of SMSG to secure an outstanding education for our children across the two schools.

Nick Deahl - Parent Governor

I have been a parent governor since October 2020.  I am married and have one daughter who started at SMSG (North Site) in September 2020.  In my professional life, I am a qualified investment actuary and currently work for RSA Insurance plc where I am responsible for managing the assets of the company’s pension scheme arrangements.  I am keen to use my skills to help SMSG continue to improve and fulfil its potential as a great community school.

Rita Wiseman – Trust Appointed Governor

I strongly believe that learning should be stimulating and fun. Every child’s first impression of ‘learning’ is key and it will mould their future attitude towards their education. School is a vibrant part of the community and an essential part of children and families lives.

I have over 30 years experience in both the statutory and voluntary sector working with children and families. I have a background in social work and education, having taught on the Post Qualifying social work course at Goldsmith University, as well as on the Public Service MA.at Birmingham University.

I was the head of Early Years Education for a local authority in the Midlands, before being contracted by the Government as the National Director for ‘Together for Disabled Children’, where I was responsible for managing a national programme to ensure that local authorities did better for disabled children with both capital and revenue grants.

After retiring I was commissioned by a national charity to review and turn round a government program that had not been successful.  Since retiring I have worked voluntarily as chair of a local nursery and play scheme as well as supporting organisations with policies and procedures.

I appreciate how important the role of Governor is especially for the school at this time so can promise my commitment to support the staff in their work to take forward the future development so that together with parents and children the school can flourish enabling all children to reach their potential.

Canon Victor Bullock O.S.B. - Trust Appointed Governor

I am presently serving as Vicar and Parish Priest to the people and community at St. Martin's in Fenny Stratford. I am an associate member of the Society of the Holy Cross (S.S.C.) and the Sodality of the Precious Blood (S.P.S.) as well as being a professed member of a Benedictine Community. The Society of the Holy Cross and the Sodality of the Precious Blood both pride themselves as priestly catholic societies within the Church of England that are dedicated to encouraging their members to maintain the highest standards of pastoral care and personal holiness. The Benedictine House of Initia Nova exists to foster the monastic calling to seek God through the three vows of Obedience, Stability and ‘Conversatio Morum’ Conversion of Life through fidelity to monastic life.

I was born and grew up in the sea-side town of Bournemouth, in Dorset, where I attended Saint Peter's School run by the De La Salle Brothers, a teaching order founded by the French priest Saint Jean Baptist de la Salle in the 17th Century. After reading Theology at Southampton University, I continued my studies at Saint Mary's College, Strawberry Hill, London, towards a Post Graduate Certificate in Education.

After a spell in teaching, I entered Seminary life at Saint Stephen's House, Oxford and having gained there my priestly formation and Diploma in Ministry was ordained to the Diaconate in 1994 and served my title in the Cowley Team of Churches on the edge of Oxford. The following year after my ordination to the priesthood at the hands of John Richards, the first Bishop of Ebbsfleet, I moved to take up a second curacy post at St. Giles, Reading where I served for the next 4 ½ years. On the 20th January 1999 I was inducted as Vicar and became Parish Priest at Saint Martin's.

​For ten years I served on the Board of Governors of Knowles Junior School in Bletchley, with responsibility for school finance and head teacher performance management. My focus is to aid Saint Mary and Saint Giles School to attain and maintain the highest standards of Christian education.

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Kim Kemp