School Governors

As an Academy Trust, governors are directors of the school and are responsible for the effective running of the school, with an emphasis on financial efficiency and effective governance.  Annually, the Department for Education requires us to audit the skills, knowledge and experience of the Governing Body to ensure that there is sufficient expertise to support a successful academy.  

Together with the Headteacher, the Governing Body has overall responsibility for the running of the school.  Governors are involved in deciding school policies, allocating the school’s budget and appointing staff. Governors act as a critical friend to the school staff and support the Headteacher through monitoring, participation in school activities and in offering their own expertise and guidance.

Governors are asked to sign a Code of Conduct on appointment and attend termly full Governing Body meetings.  The Governing Body is divided into sub-committees which reflect the areas of whole-school improvement, along with a Standards Committee and Finance Committee.

Our Members:

• Mrs Victoria Back, Chairman of Governors ( Member Appointed Governor )
• Mr Rupert Fleming
• Mr Andrew Wilkinson
• The Venerable Nick Cornell, Archdeacon of Tonbridge

Our Governors are:

• Mr Jerome Basdeo, Member Appointed Governor, Chair of Standards Committee
• Mrs Susie Braid, Foundation Governor 
• Mrs Kate Haysom, Headteacher, Ex-officio Governor & Accounting Officer
• Mrs Min Hancock, Member appointed, Deputy Chair and responsible for Safeguarding 
• Mr Joel Hopwood, Chair of Finance Committee, member appointed
• Mrs Laura Page, Member appointed Governor, Wellbeing and Mental Health
• Mr Nicholas Potter, Member Appointed Governor responsible for property and finance
• Mrs Annette Thompson, Member Appointed Governor
• Dr Gemma Wilkinson, Member appointed Governor, responsible for Inclusion
• Mr Stefan Woodward, Parent Governor, responsible for HR

• Mrs Lucy Ralph, Associate Governor (Staff)
• Mrs Louise Clarke - Clerk to the Governing Body and Company Secretary

Governors are responsible for reporting to parents on an annual basis on the end-of-year financial accounts and a review of the school's academic year.  

Minutes of Governor Meetings are available, on request to Louise Clarke, Clerk to the Governors

Chiddingstone School has no employee exceeding a £100,000 annual salary

REGISTER OF BUSINESS INTERESTS – 2026-2027 MEMBERS AND GOVERNORS

• Victoria Back: Member, Managing Director RH & RW Clutton Property Limited Land Agency; Director RH & RW Clutton Development Limited; Partner of Palmers Farm Trust ,Trustee of Sussex Heritage Trust

• Susie Braid: N/A

• Jerome Basdeo: Parent at Chiddingstone School; Solicitor at National Grid plc.

• The Venerable Nick Cornell: Member;The Rochester Diocesan Society and Board of Finance, Member - Inspire Schools Trust and Tenax Schools Trust

• Rupert Fleming: Member: Director RF Trustee Co Ltd; Partner Evelyn Partners and Director Stonewall Park Ltd

• Min Hancock: Partner in J&GM Hancock, Owner Queens Arms, Cowden 

• Kate Haysom: Teacher at Chiddingstone  School

• Joel Hopwood: Grave Expectations Ltd, Director Trafford Bell Ltd

• Laura Page: Solicitor at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP 

• Nicholas Potter: Tradelend Ltd; NSP Lending Ltd.

• Annette Thompson: N/A

• Andrew Wilkinson- Member:  Director, Nephila Syndicate Management Limited

• Gemma Wilkinson- Partner Westerham Medical Practice

• Stefan Woodward: Parent at Chiddingstone School 

In the interests of transparency, and in accordance with the statutory requirements of the Education Funding Agency, please find below details of the current governance arrangements for Chiddingstone Church of England School.

As a school, we recognise that a diversity of thought, voices, and perspectives is essential to good governance and the effective running of any organisation.