Our School Governors

Rachel Street

Chair of Governors

We as governors have developed a small section of the website, so that you can read a little bit more about us and what we do in partnership with the Head teacher and the rest of the staff.

Please contact us if you have any questions on governors2616@welearn365.com.

Governing Body

For general information about being a governor, please view the information available on: http://www.nga.org.uk/Be-a-Governor.aspx or http://www.inspiringgovernors.org/volunteers/

At Brownsover Community School, we currently have 13 Governors and a school's Governance Professional. The Full Governing Body (FGB) which is all Governors, typically meets once a half term. All governors are volunteers.

Our job, as Governors is to work in partnership with the school to strategically plan for the next 3-5 years of the school's life, and to ensure that all pupils are supported and challenged, whilst maintaining a safe and happy environment in which they can learn and play.

FGB – Full Governing Body

HT Review – Head teacher performance review Committee

Pay – Pay Committee

SG – Safeguarding

H&S – Health & Safety

SEND – Special Educational Needs & Disability

V.Ch – Vice Chair

Ch - Chair

PP - Pupil Premium

MH - Mental Health

EY - Early Years

Sue Wilson

Vice Chair & Co-Opted Governor

I was delighted to join Brownsover Community School as a Co-Opted Governor in November 2017. I retired 6 years ago after a long and very rewarding career in education. I started as a nursery teacher and finished as the deputy head of an outstanding special school. I feel I have the skills and time to contribute as a school Governor. 

I am the vice chair and have responsibility for SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability), Pupil Premium and also share the role of Mental Health and Wellbeing Governor.

I have been very impressed with the enthusiasm for learning and exceptional behaviour which pupils at the school exhibit and the dedication of the staff team who support them. I look forward to contributing to the schools' continuing success and hope to continue being involved in the life of the school by supporting school events and helping on school trips as well as in my role of Governor. 

Elisa Basnett

Headteacher Governor

I was appointed governor here at Brownsover, when I joined the school as headteacher in November 2009. In addition to my teaching and headship experience, I have been a governor in one way or another for the last 18 years, from a parent governor at my daughter’s school, to a staff representative in my previous post. My different roles have enabled me to always consider school from a range of perspectives.

As headteacher governor, I sit on all the sub- committees. My contributions to these ensure that all governors are fully involved and up to date with school priorities and developments, ensuring that we continue on our journey to outstanding.

I carry out on-going monitoring and evaluation of the teaching and learning experiences here at school, in addition to close scrutiny of every individual child’s progress and attainment. This enables me to ensure that every child is fulfilling their maximum learning potential.

Beyond the day-to-day running of the school, I aim to support as many events as I can including the Christmas and Summer fairs, shopping night and our annual community gardening day, so that I can truly be a part of our whole learning community.

Julia McLeod

LA Governor

I am a Local Authority Governor and have spent many years working in schools in lots of different roles, including being a headteacher for 15 years, an executive headteacher and supporting other schools in my role as consortium chair. I now enjoy working with a wide range of schools in both Coventry and Warwickshire.

I am delighted to have joined the governing body at Brownsover Community School and have been so impressed by the dedication of the staff and fellow governors and the amazing children that I have met during my visits to the School. 

I am also excited to be involved with the School at such an important time in its development as it becomes a primary school serving the Brownsover community.

Marie Coburn

Parent Governor

I am a parent governor and have been since September 2023. My daughter currently attends Brownsover Community School in year 1.

I have experience in working in early years and primary schools for 10 years in total. I love seeing children learn and thrive by having positive role models around them.

I am keen to see the primary journey that is happening, and to see how the staff and children will thrive with this, and being able to help with my experience of working in a primary school, but also in early years.

As a parent, Brownsover Community School, is a very welcoming school to everyone. The school also make sure all children use their values all the time.

As a parent governor, I hope I am able to give a different view on school life as a parent.

Elvis Nyamhamba

Parent Governor

Rosemary Hercock

Co-opted Governor

I am Bridges Childcare Co-ordinator and part of school Senior Leadership Team, I was previously a governor in 2003 and returned to the governing body in September 2016. I support the finance Committee and beyond the day-to day running of the extended care facilities, I aim to support the whole school to continue on our journey to outstanding.

I am extremely proud of our school, and honoured to be part of such a dedicated team of people, over the last 27 years that I have worked at Brownsover I have always believed that at the heart of our school are the children.

It is vitally important to provide them with an exciting, nurturing, caring and engaging environment that stimulates them on their own learning journey’s to becoming independent, inquisitive, thoughtful, caring young people.

Lydia Witham

Co-opted Governor

I teach history at the University of Warwick, and I joined Brownsover Community School as a co-opted governor in 2024. In my work as a historian and teacher of university students, I have a longstanding commitment to anti-racism and inclusion, and I am convinced of the importance of the foundational learning that students gain at primary school in these areas. Issues of socio-economic deprivation, queer and trans issues, sexism, (dis)ability, all affect children in their formative years, and I hope to bring a passion for inclusion to my role as governor in order to make a difference in children’s lives in my local community.

Brownsover Community School’s values of kindness and respect are absolutely central to the development of well-rounded, thoughtful, and engaged adults. As a fervent advocate of the humanities, I am keen to think further about how children could be encouraged to make use of the excellent library and express themselves through writing. In this sense, my experience as a historian and my approach to learning is wholly in line with Brownsover Community School’s priorities, and I look forward to working with the school as it transitions into a primary.

Lindsay Harrison

Co-opted Governor

I have been a co-opted governor at the school since December 2023 having previously also been a parent governor. My eldest son attended the school and my younger son will join the school in September 2024.

Having worked as a secondary school science teacher for the last 17 years I am passionate about education and ensuring young people are given the best opportunities to learn.

It is a pleasure to be able to be a governor at the school and to help and support with its exciting transition to a primary school, bringing my experience and expertise from secondary education to help and support an important part of the local community.

Alison Tompkins

Co-opted Governor

I am a Brownsover resident and have lived here for over 40 years. I have been involved in school life as a parent of 3 children, as a midday supervisor and as a primary school teacher with almost 20 years’ experience in early years.

Since retiring, I wanted to continue being part of school life and approached Brownsover Community School as a volunteer in 2023. I am thoroughly enjoying working with the children and seeing the progress they make in their learning. Brownsover is a warm, welcoming community that focuses in individuals and encourages every child to be their best self.

As a governor I hope to support all aspects of school life in every way I am able.

Tony Freeman

Co-opted Governor

I was honoured to become a co-opted governor in May this year. Before retirement, I was Chartered Certified Accountant and worked in the public sector in Finance, Regeneration and Education. Since retiring, I have been active in the local community and have recently been elected as ward councillor for Newbold and Brownsover.

I am very impressed with the school. Staff and students are enthusiastic and committed to learning, and it is friendly and welcoming place. I chair the Finance Committee, and I am looking forward to helping with the transition to primary school.

Karen Crane

Staff Governor

I have been involved with Brownsover Community school in a range of roles as a parent, chair of FABs and as a member of staff since 2004. It was seeing the excellent education and opportunities that my two children received that encouraged me to apply to work here as a Teaching Assistant.

I have worked throughout school and found each part very rewarding.

My role within school has evolved over this time to also being involved with community liaison, working within the community to acquire contacts and support from many different fields that can work with us in school. I enjoy working with a team of staff, parents and children putting together our annual Rugby in Bloom application which has led us to win many awards.

I feel passionately about our School and our Children and I look forward to working throughout the transition to a Primary School.

Helen Westerby

Deputy Headteacher 

Observer

I Joined BCS 17 years ago as a member of staff but my connection with the school actually began earlier than that when my first child started in reception in 1999. She was followed a couple of years later by her sister and I learned what a special place Brownsover is through their experiences in school and in Bridges. 

Prior to my time at BCS I worked in a large inner-city primary school in Coventry which I loved, but I jumped at the chance to join BCS when the opportunity arose after my children had moved onto the local junior school. 

I was thrilled to take on the role of Deputy Head Teacher in 2017 and became even more involved in the leadership of the school in our journey from good to outstanding. I have learned so much since becoming Deputy and becoming a school governor has enabled me to fulfil my roles in school even more fully. I am super excited to help lead our newest adventure, something that we have long hoped for, journeying from an infant to Primary school. 

I have always been passionate about Early Years and have spent much of my teaching experience since 1991 working with the youngest children in schools. The chance to ignite a love of learning by providing exciting, meaningful experiences for children within a safe, nurturing, child centred setting is an absolute privilege. I also have a passion for the arts and have responsibility for leading the creative subjects in school. I have seen first-hand how they support wellbeing, and love to see individual children experience creative success, especially when they sometimes struggle to succeed in other areas. In my spare time I love to draw, paint, sew, crochet and generally be creative in any way possible.