Governing Body
We are a group of parents, members of the community and staff, who work collectively to form the Governing Body. We give our time voluntarily to support and challenge the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team in the governance and strategic leadership of the school.
We focus on three key areas, specified for Governors by the Department for Education:
- Ensuring clarity of 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 ensuring money is well spent.
As governors we also have a responsibility to ensure that:
- The National Curriculum is followed
- Ensure that special educational needs are met
- Monitor the condition of the school grounds and building.
We meet as a full committee at least once per term and attend sub-committee meetings for finance, premises, personnel and curriculum.
In addition individual governors:
- Meet with staff, ie, subject co-ordinators, SENCO, Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Visit the school to undertake learning walks
- Undertake book scrutinies and talk to children
- Conduct premises health & safety inspections
- Attend concerts, plays and other events
We are committed to achieving an excellent environment where all pupils can achieve their potential.
Our Chair of Governors, Mrs J Furbank, may be contacted through the school office.
- None of our governors are also a governor at any other educational establishments.
- There are no personal relationships between any governors and school staff.
- None of our governors have declared a business or pecuniary interest in the business of the school.
Committees
In addition to three full governing body meetings each year, governors also meet each term for the following sub-committees:
Curriculum and Personnel Committee - Chaired by J Furbank.
Finance and Premises (including health & safety) Committee - Vacant
The following committees can be called to deal with specific issues and would be made up of at least three governors with no prior involvement, co-opted by the chair of governors:
Appeals Committee
Complaints Committee
Discipline Committee
In addition a Governors Safeguarding Working Party meet at least once per term.
Who are our school governors?
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Jeanine Furbank - Chair |
I retired in 2014 after over 30 years teaching science, mainly at Driffield School where I ended my career as head of science. I really missed the classroom so decided to volunteer at Driffield Junior School one morning per week which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was invited to join the governing body and in June 2016 was co-opted into it. My responsibilities include attendance and I serve on the personnel and curriculum committee and the safeguarding group. I feel that my first-hand experience of teaching and my leadership role as head of science gives me a wide understanding of the issues which affect schools. I am passionate about education for all children of all abilities and wish to continue to support them to reach their potential. I am married and have two adult children.
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I am the Headteacher at Kings Mill School, which is a local Driffield school for pupils with autism and severe and profound learning difficulties, where I have worked for many years, starting as a teacher working up through the leadership team to become Head in September 2021. I joined the Governing body as a parent governor in December 2010, and by the end of my term both my sons had moved on to the senior school. No longer a parent I was still keen to play a part in the school and its governance. I was then reappointed as a co-opted governor. My responsibilities have included S.E.N.D (Special Educational Needs and Disability) governor and I am also the vice–chair. I feel that my first-hand experience of teaching gives me a board background and a wide understanding of the issues affecting schools within the authority. I am dedicated to children’s education, supporting pupils of all abilities to achieve their potential. I am very keen to continue being able to support all that the school is aiming to achieve and to bring my experiences of working within education and as a parent to the school’s decision-making processes. |
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Alison Hall - Co-opted
Lisa Rugg Vice- Chair Pupil Premium Governor
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I have been involved with Driffield Junior School for 11 years as a parent and previous Chair of the PSA. I currently have a child in year 5. I have lived in Driffield for 18 years, I’m married and have two boys and a very energetic Labrador!
I believe in making the student’s journey as enjoyable and beneficial as possible and I want each child to have fair and equal
opportunities. In my Governor role, I will assist with planning for Pupil Premium and consider how we approach supporting eligible students. I really enjoy seeing children progress, both socially and educationally. I intend to do regular learning walks and support to make sure that the school is the best it can be.
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Susannah Henderson Parent Governor
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I am a mum of 3 lovely children and we currently live in Driffield. We relocated from the North East of Scotland in 2019 back to my roots of East Yorkshire. I am new to the role of Parent Governor but I am looking forward to the challenge. I hope that my background in education will lend well to this role. I qualified as a primary teacher in Aberdeen and have been involved in education for over 16 years. In that time, I have taught in a variety of schools and nurseries, taught at all stages of primary and run several after-school clubs. I am passionate about education and getting the best from children by providing them with opportunities where they can excel. As such, I joined the Governing Body at Driffield Junior School to support the school staff and children to help them achieve to the best of their ability.
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John Jenkinson Local Authority Governor Health & Safety Governor |
My wife, my 14 year old daughter and I moved to Driffield in September 2020. Prior to the move we lived in Salford, Greater Manchester and I was Chair of Governors at my daughter's primary school from 2014 to July 2020. I stepped down in 2020 because we were moving to Driffield. I have experienced two OFSTED inspections and led the recruitment process for both a head teacher and deputy head. I have attended many committee meetings and chaired around 20 full governing body meetings. Although retired now, all my career was IT based and I worked for a major UK bank for 23 years. |
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Louise Selby Safeguarding Governor |
I am a married mum of two daughters and one step-daughter and I have lived in Driffield for 12 years. I am a Police Officer with Humberside Police and have been for 18 years, 14 of those years as a Detective. The department I work in deals with the investigation of abuse against children and vulnerable adults. I am also involved in joint working with other partner agencies such as Social Care, Education and Health in relation to the assessment of risk and safeguarding measures to protect. Through my role in the police I have relevant and current knowledge, skills and experience in safeguarding and I have taken on the role of Safeguarding Governor for the school. I care passionately about the protection of children and the fundamental importance of school being a safe place for all pupils. I support the school’s values and aims and I will use my skills and knowledge to help Driffield Junior School to fulfil its obligations in safeguarding children. |
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Rose Backhouse Parent Governor |
My name is Rose Backhouse and I am 42 years old. I have two children aged 14 years and 10 years, both have experienced their education at Driffield Junior School with one now at the Secondary school. I am a long term member of the local community and I am invested in contributing to the development of our local provision. My hobbies include exercise, reading, skiing and dog walking and I am lucky to have a fantastic network of friends and family to spend time with. I am the Director of Science and TEAL Science Subject Lead at Driffield Secondary School. I lead a large science team at Driffield and facilitate collaboration across the trust schools. I lead on the ITT (Initial Teacher training) and ECT (Early Careers Teacher) programme within school and am part of the Raising Standards team responsible for the continued development of curriculum, standards, and intervention. I have worked at Driffield since 2017 and have been proud to be part of the journey the school has seen: leading change and seeing an upward trajectory in student outcomes whilst building a productive team with a range of experience and expertise. I applied to be a governor at Driffield Junior School so I can contribute to their development and bring the experience and expertise I have from a secondary setting to their team, as well as being a parent of students that have gone through the school. |
In addition:
Mrs Ruth Dixon, Headteacher, is a member of the governing body
Mrs Sandra Lazenby, School Business Manager, has been co-opted to the governing body.
Mr Dan Lowe has been elected by the staff as their representative on the governing body.
Membership of Governing Body
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Current Members |
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Category |
Start Date |
End Date |
Attendance 2021/22 |
Attendance 2022/23 |
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Rose |
Backhouse |
Parent |
14/03/2022 |
13/03/2026 |
1/1 |
3/4 |
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Ruth |
Dixon |
Co-opted |
17/11/2008 |
12/07/2023 |
3/3 |
3/3 |
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Jeanine |
Furbank |
Co-opted |
09/07/2020 |
08/07/2028 |
2/3 |
3/4 |
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Alison |
Hall |
Co-opted |
09/03/2015 |
08/03/2023 |
3/3 |
4/4 |
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Susannah |
Henderson |
Parent |
14/03/2022 |
13/03/2026 |
1/1 |
3/4 |
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John |
Jenkinson |
Authority |
14/03/2022 |
13/03/2026 |
1/1 |
3/4 |
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Sandra |
Lazenby |
School Business Manager |
26/02/2024 |
26/02/2028 |
n/a |
n/a |
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Daniel |
Lowe |
Staff |
01/09/2022 |
31/08/2026 |
n/a |
3/3 |
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Yvonne |
Mills |
Co-opted |
26/02/2024 |
26/02/2028 |
n/a |
n/a |
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Lisa |
Rugg |
Co-opted |
14/03/2022 |
13/03/2026 |
1/1 |
3/4 |
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Louise |
Selby |
Co-opted |
14/03/2022 |
13/03/2026 |
1/1 |
3/4 |
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Retired Members |
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Vince |
Barrett |
Co-opted |
Stepped down |
31/08/2024 |
3/3 |
4/4 |
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Karen |
Hamilton |
School Business Manager |
Retired |
31/12/2023 |
2/3 |
4/4 |
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Linda |
Laird |
Headteacher |
Retired |
07/04/2024 |
3/3 |
4/4 |
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Richard |
Pinkney |
Co-opted |
Stepped down |
30/1/2023 |
3/3 |
0/1 |
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Elizabeth |
Sutcliffe |
Co-opted |
Stepped down |
31/08/2022 |
3/3 |
n/a |
How could you become a governor?
For further information please use the following link.
There is also more information on the National Governors Association (NGA) website