Governors
Governors work closely with the Head Teacher and the Senior Leadership Team to ensure that children receive the best education and achieve their individual maximum potential during their time at Foster’s. School governors provide strategic leadership and accountability and while they do not manage the day-to-day running of the school, they do appoint the Head Teacher and Deputy Head Teacher as well as hold the Head Teacher accountable for the progress of children in the school. It is governors who hold the main responsibility for finance in schools, and it is governors who work with the head teacher to make decisions about balancing resources.
The governing body at Foster’s includes a mix of experienced and new governors representing a variety of professional backgrounds, expertise and skills. Click on the link above to go to our 'Meet the Governors Page' to find out more about each governor).
The role of the governing body is a strategic one and can be summarised by the following:
• set the aims and objectives for the school
• set the policies for achieving those aims and objectives
• set the targets for achieving those aims and objectives
• monitor and evaluate the progress the school is making towards achievement of its aims and objectives
• be a source of challenge and support to the Head Teacher (a critical friend)
(The Head Teacher is responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of the school and the implementation of the strategic framework established by the governing body.)
Committee Structure
Governors attend full Governing Body meetings once a term and sit on the curriculum and resources committee which take responsibility for particular areas of School business .
Chair of Governors: Scott Wilkins
Vice-Chair of Governors: Victoria Thompson
Headteacher: Jason Hemley
Foster’s Foundation Governing Body
We have a second set of Governors who are Foundation Governors. They meet separately to discuss charitable works in the area and have strong ties with the main Governing body as they have two representatives on it. Foster’s is fairly unique in that, even though we have Voluntary Controlled status, we are not affiliated to any religious organisation. Click here to go to the Foster's Educational Foundation page.
Governors’ Interests
Governors are required to declare any direct or indirect interests. The document below shows all declared interests and other required information about the Governors at Foster’s.
DECLARATION OF INTEREST STATEMENT
Foster’s Primary School Governing Body
Name | Role | Date of Appointment | Appointment Ends | Committee Membership | Responsibilities | Business & Pecuniary Interests | Other Educational & Governance Roles | Declarable Relationships |
Matthew Barrett | Co-opted Governor | 08/05/2025 | 07/05/2029 | Curriculum & Resources | Link Governor for Safeguarding | None | Parent Governor at Chantry Community Charity, Operations Director at Dartford Grammar School for Girls | Friend of Deputy Headteacher |
Anna-Louise Boorer | Co-opted Governor | 01/02/2025 | 31/01/2029 | Curriculum & Resources, Pay Committee, Headteachers Pay Committee | Chair of Pay Committee, Chair of Headteachers Pay Committee | None | Deputy Headteacher at Cardwell School (part of the Ambition Federation) | None |
Jason Hemley | Headteacher |
|
| Curriculum & Resources |
| None | Trustee of John Payne Charity, Trustee of Fosters Educational Foundation | None |
Fiona Law | Parent Governor | 04/02/2025 | 03/02/2029 | Curriculum & Resources, Pay Committee, Headteachers Pay Committee | Chair of Curriculum & Resources Committee | None | None | None |
Sharon Sandhu | Parent Governor | 09/02/2024 | 08/02/2028 | Curriculum & Resources |
| None | None | None |
Lauren Smith | Staff Governor | 28/06/2024 | 27/06/2028 | Curriculum & Resources |
| None | None | Partner of Liam Newell (Class Teacher) |
Victoria Thompson | Co-opted Governor | 01/02/2025 | 31/01/2029 | Curriculum & Resources | Vice Chair of Governing Board |
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Alice Townley | Co-opted Governor | 30/01/2025 | 29/01/2029 | Curriculum & Resources | Link Governor for SEND | None | None | None |
Scott Wilkins | Foundation Governor | 16/05/2024 | 15/05/2028 | Curriculum & Resources, Pay Committee, Headteachers Pay Committee | Chair of Governing Board | Director: London Consulting Services Ltd. | Chair of Dartford & Bexley Community Governance Board, Trustee of John Payne Charity, Trustee of Fosters Educational Foundation | None |
Joe Elliott | Associate Member (Deputy Headteacher) | 02/10/2025 | 01/10/2029 | Curriculum & Resources (with voting rights) |
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| Friend of Matthew Barrett |
Ken Scottow | Foundation Governor | 07/09/2021 | 15/05/2025 |
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| Trustee of John Payne Charity, Trustee of Fosters Educational Foundation |
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Governors Attendance at Meetings: 2024/25 | ||||
Governing Body | Curriculum & Resources Committee | Headteacher, Deputy & Assistant Headteachers Pay Committee | Pay Committee | |
Matthew Barrett | 3/3 | 2/3 | 1/1 |
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Anna-Louise Boorer | 3/3 | 3/3 | 1/1 | 1/1 |
Joe Elliott | 3/3 | 3/3 |
|
|
Jason Hemley | 3/3 | 3/3 |
| 1/1 |
Fiona Law | 1/1 | 2/2 |
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Sharon Sandhu | 2/3 | 3/3 |
| 1/1 |
Ken Scottow | 1/2 | 1/1 | 1/1 |
|
Lauren Smith | 2/3 | 3/3 |
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Victoria Thompson | 3/3 | 3/3 |
| 1/1 |
Alice Townley | 1/2 | 1/2 |
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Scott Wilkins | 3/3 | 3/3 | 1/1 |
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Types of governors explained:
- Local Authority (LA) Governor: appointed by the Local Authority that maintains the school.
- Co-opted Governor: appointed by the governing body to represent the community. A co-opted governor does not need to have any previous experience or knowledge of education, nor do they need to have children in the school.
- Parent Governor: elected onto the governing body by other parents from the school, and are usually parents of children in attendance at the school.
- Staff Governor: elected onto the governing body by staff at the school.
- Associate Member: invited to attend full and committee meetings to support the governors to make informed decisions. Associate governors do not have voting rights.
- Foundation Governor: (see ‘Foster’s Foundation Governing Body’)