The Role of School Govenors
School governors offer strategic guidance, rather than getting involved in the operational aspects of a school. This involves:
- Working with other board members to plan the school’s strategic direction.
- Overseeing the school’s financial performance, ensuring money is well-spent.
- Holding the headteacher or school leadership to account.
A school governor’s relationship with the school’s leadership team involves challenging existing processes to drive school improvement. School governors usually attend around six meetings per year. Although becoming a school governor requires drive and commitment, you’ll enjoy many professional and personal rewards, including career development opportunities and the chance to support young people’s futures.
From 1st September 2025 this board will operate under the Circle Model of Governance. The Circle Model of Governance is an approach where the governing body operates as a single unit, without relying on committees, to streamline decision-making and foster teamwork. This model emphasises direct communication and collaboration among all governors, ensuring everyone is well-informed and involved in all aspects of governance.
Diversity on the Board
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. We regularly collect diversity information from our governors and, depending on current data, can use this to target recruitment to address gaps in experience and diversity develop and adapt board practices to ensure full participation prioritise training and awareness-raising in identified areas address potential ‘blind spots’ through seeking wider advice and perspectives on current and upcoming opportunities, challenges, and risks. However, we are unable to publish this information as it would mean that individual members of our governing body are identifiable.
Key Documents
Governing Body Meeting Dates 2025-2026
Governor Code of Conduct 2025-2026
Governing Body Membership & Register of Interests 2024-2025
Full Governing Body Meeting Attendance Record 2024-2025
Full Governing Body Minutes
These are available on request from the Clerk. Please email clerk@haslingfield.cambs.sch.uk
Meet our Governors
Donna Peck
Category: Ex Officio
Term of Office: 26th September 2023 - date
Committees and Responsibilites: FGB and all committees
Voting Rights: Full
Relevant Business Interests : None
Governorship elsewhere: None
Relationship with School Members: None
Donna Peck is the Headteacher at Haslingfield Endowed Primary School, and has been at the school since January 2013. Donna started the school as a teacher in Ash class and progressed to Headteacher in September 2024. Donna spent four years studying a BA Honours degree in primary education at the University of Brighton and started her teaching career in her home county, Essex. Donna spent her first 7 years of teaching at a three form entry school and had the opportunity to lead and help develop a new EYFS block within the school. Throughout her career, both in Essex and Cambridge, Donna has led English, Maths, PSHE and PE across all three key stages. At home, Donna is kept very busy with her two children and her very energetic springer spaniels.
Pieter Hall
Category: Co-Opted
Term of Office: 13th February 2024
Committees and Responsibilites: FGB, Resources, Health and Safety
Voting Rights: Full
Relevant Business Interests : None
Governorship elsewhere: None
Relationship with School Members: None
Pieter became Chair of Governors in September 2024. Pieter holds a degree in Civil Engineering and currently works for Anglian Water. His background is in project and commercial management of construction works. Pieter has lived in Haslingfield for over 30 years and has two adult children who were pupils at the school in the 1990s. Education is a passion of Pieter's. Both his parents were teachers; his father becoming an inspector of schools and his mother running her own nursery school for 35 years. Pieter has tutored maths and physics locally for many years. Pieter is committed to working closely with the Headteacher to provide a nurturing, high-quality education for all children.
Natalie Gillies
Category: Parent Governor
Term of Office: 1st December 2023 - 30th November 2025
Committees and Responsibilities: Standards Committee, Literacy, Curriculum, Diversity and Equality
Voting Rights: Full
Relevant Business Interests: None
Governorship elsewhere: None
Relationship with School Members: None
Natalie's background is in SEND Primary Teaching and she currently works for a County Council in their Specialist Advisory Service as an Early Years Inclusion Specialist for Speech, Language, Communication and Autism. As part of this role she offers support, advice and training to nurseries, schools and in the home. She has a keen interest in sensory processing needs and therapeutic behaviour and wellbeing. Natalie has two children who attend the school. Natalie is passionate about the education of all children and is keen to help ensure that the children at Haslingfield School continue to thrive within a happy, secure and supportive environment.
Andrew Lee
Category: Foundation
Term of Office: 1st Otober 2024
Committees and Responsibilities:
Voting Rights: Full
Relevant Business Interests: None
Governorship elsewhere: None
Relationship with School Members: None
Andrew went to the Nobel School in Stevenage and then read History at Gonville and Caius, Cambridge. He has a PGCE from the Cambridge University Department of Education and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the University of Westminster. Working in secondary education in North West London from 1975 to 2012, Andrew has taught History, Government and Politics, was variously a House Master, Senior Master and DSL, having a range of managerial responsibilities. He has been a governor of two independant schools and until recently and inspector reporting on boarding, welfare, compliance and education for the Independent Schools Inspectorate. Andrew is a Churchwarden and Parish Councillor at his home in Norfolk and, together with his wife, is in Haslingfield weekly to help look after their daughter's children who attend the school. Interests include hill walking, long distance walking and driving steam trains.
Hayley Chadwick
Category: Staff
Term of Office: 10 November 2023
Committees and Responsibilities:
Voting Rights: Full
Relevant Business Interests: None
Governorship elsewhere: None
Relationship with School Members: None
Hayley is undertaking her teaching qualifications and is working as an Unqualified Teacher in classes across the school during her training. Hayley has been with the school since September 2015, initially starting as a Learning Coach for Year 1 and 2 before transitioning to Early Years in 2017. Recently she completed a BA Honours degree in Arts with the Open University, which she pursued alongside her role at the school over the past six years. She hopes the degree will benefit her future career aspirations in the Education sector. Outside of school, Hayley enjoys watching her two children play football, being outdoors and going for walks.
Hugh McCurdy
Category: Co-Opted
Term of Office: 11 July 2024
Committees and Responsibilities:
Voting Rights: Full
Relevant Business Interests: None
Governorship elsewhere: None
Relationship with School Members: None
Hugh trained as a teacher following his degree in Economics and Economic history, however he was, at the time, exploring ordination in the Church of England and so never really taught full time. Hugh has lived in the Cambridge area since 1991, moving to Ely in 2004 and finally, in retirement, to Haslingfield in 2022. Hugh and his wife have three children all of whom went to school in Histon and Impington and 6th form in Cambridge. They have 5 grandchildren, three in the UK and two in San Francisco.
Anne Dickinson
Category: Co-Opted
Term of Office: 11 July 2024
Committees and Responsibilities:
Voting Rights: Full
Relevant Business Interests: None
Governorship elsewhere: None
Relationship with School Members: None
Anne has been a resident in Haslingfield village for 40 years and both her daughters attended the primary school. Anne is a Chartered Librarian and worked at Netherhall School and Sixth Form College for 29 years where she was also the Staff Governor. Anne believes that the primary school is an integral part of the community and looks forward to supporting its staff and families.
Gareth Davies
Category: Local Authority
Term of Office: 01 January 2025
Committees and Responsibilities:
Voting Rights: Full
Relevant Business Interests: None
Governorship elsewhere: None
Relationship with School Members: None
Gareth Davies holds a Master in Chemistry (MChem) and is a Chartered Chemist (CChem) with extensive experience in professional standards and member engagement. A member of the Chartered Management Institute (MCMI), they have spent twelve years in the professional body sector, supporting career development and high-quality education in scientific fields.
Passionate about STEM education and lifelong learning, they have mentored university students from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds and contributed to educational support for GCSE and A-Level Chemistry students. As a school governor, they are committed to strengthening STEM opportunities, promoting professional standards, and ensuring students receive a strong foundation for future success.
John Lovegrove
Category: Parent Governor
Term of Office: 01 January 2025
Committees and Responsibilities:
Voting Rights: Full
Relevant Business Interests: None
Governorship elsewhere: None
Relationship with School Members: None
John has spent the last 23 years of his life working as a Podiatrist. Prior to that he spent 12 years touring the world as a lighting designer/programmer/operator and tech expert with various artistes including David Bowie, The Who, Stereophonics, Janet Jackson, Black Sabbath, Bon Jovi, Prince, Diana Ross, Cliff Richard, The Spice Girls to name a few. Although he no longer tours, he does continue to perform occasionally with his Pink Floyd tribute band (including his wife) or playing his guitar to the cat!
John has a very strong community spirit and a desire to see the school grow and flourish.
Clerk to the Governors: This role is provided by Cambridgshire LA Cam-Clerks.