Meet the Governors
MATT BROWN
Co - Chair of Governors
Local Authority Governor
Lead Governor for Finance
Matt studied Economics at University and his early career was spent as a Management Accountant before he moved into IT Project Management. He has been a governor at the school for 7 years and enjoys the challenges that it brings. He has lived in Pinhoe for 17 years, and both of his children had a wonderful time at the school.
Matt takes a leading role in all aspects of financial decision making, investment appraisal and strategic development of the school. He works closely with the Headteacher and the School Business Manager, to monitor budgets and ensure that the school’s finances are sound. There have been major challenges regarding school budgets in recent years, and this is likely to become more acute in the coming years, and therefore the school will be working hard to ensure that our excellent performance is not impacted.
The Governors are proud of the school’s results in its last Ofsted and SIAM’s inspections and the commitment of all school staff in this success. However, the educational landscape continues to change and one of the primary roles of the Governors is to ensure that Pinhoe School continues to be a vibrant and successful school.
Matt is the Finance, Premises and Personnel Committee and was elected Co-Chair with Katherine Pearce in September 2018.
Term of Office: 15th September 2015 - 14th September 2019
Committee Membership: Finance, Premises and Personnel
Register of Business Interests: None
KATHERINE PEARCE
Co -Chair of Governors
Foundation Governor
Lead Governor for HR and Wellbeing
Katherine is married with two children and the youngest attends Pinhoe. She grew up in Exmouth before studying and working around the country. Katherine landed back in Exeter in 2004.
Katherine studied Law at University in Nottingham and has worked for a pharmaceutical company, the NHS and most recently a South West solicitors firm. As a solicitor Katherine brings the ability to critically evaluate information to consider risks and opportunities for the school. She enjoys being involved in the strategic oversight of the school to support and drive performance. Katherine is committed to using her personal and professional experience for the benefit the school and its pupils to ensure they receive an excellent education.
Katherine has been on the governing body since January 2017 and became a foundation governor in April 2018. Katherine became co-chair of the governing body with Matt Brown in September 2018 and sits on the Finance, Premises and Personnel committee.
Term of Office: 24th April 2018 - 25th January 2022
Committee Membership: Finance, Premises and Personnel
Register of Business Interests: None
ANDY HINGSTON
Vice Chair of Governors
Foundation Governor
Lead Governor for Safeguarding
Andy is a parent with a daughter and son at the school. He is also a member of our Teaching, Learning and Community committee and was elected Vice Chair of the Governing Body in December 2017. Andy is a Christian and Foundation Governor. Foundation Governors contribute to ensuring the school upholds its Christian distinctiveness and ethos, as part of decision making at a governor level. As Vice Chair, he also adds to the strategic leadership of the governing board, supporting the Co-Chairs by deputising in their absence.
In his professional life, Andy has worked in a local government role for the last thirteen years, where he is directly responsible for protecting and safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. He utilises his skills and experience as the Governing Body's lead Governor for Safeguarding in the school and pre school, working closely with the Deputy Headteacher and Headteacher to ensure strong and robust safeguarding processes and practice. Andy is often in school supporting this work, which he is professionally and personally committed to.
Term of Office: 1st March 2017 - 28th February 2021
Committee Membership: Teaching, Learning and Community
Register of Business Interests: Spouse employed by school.
CHRISTINE BARNETT
Parent Governor
Lead Governor for Curriculum - Maths
Chris Barnett currently has two children at Pinhoe Primary. She became a Parent Governor because she wanted to learn more about, and support, her own children's education.
Chris is a primary school teacher herself, so she understands how schools work and the dedication and hard work that is involved. Within the Governing body Chris is on the Teaching and Learning sub committee. She considers that this is an area she can support the school in as a member of the Senior Leadership Team and Maths Lead in her own setting.
Term of Office: 8th December 2015 - 7th December 2019
Committee Membership: Teaching, Learning and Community
Register of Business Interests: A member of Senior Leadership at another school
KAREN DAVIS
Parent Governor
Lead Governor for Fundraising and Parental Engagement
Karen is a working mum and has two girls within the school.
Before joining the Board Karen was been involved with the Friends of Pinhoe School (FOPS) since 2013 and has contributed to organising fundraising activities and events. She has also volunteered for many school trips and enjoy being part of her daughters’ education.
With her family Karen loves walking and cycling and when she has time she enjoys gardening and is captain of a ladies Skittles team.
Karen joined the Governing Body in the summer of 2018 as a Parent Governor. She believes that being part of her children's school life is important part for their future and the progress and onward improvement of the school.
Term of Office: 23rd March 2018 - 22nd March 2022
Committee Membership: Teaching, Learning and Community
Register of Business Interests: None
DAVID HILL
Foundation Governor
Lead Governor for Curriculum and Learning
Mr Hill grew up in Pinhoe and attended the former Infant and Middle schools. He moved back to Pinhoe in 2009 with his wife Pip and two children. He has been a Foundation Governor for around five years and chairs the Teaching, Learning and Community committee, which is responsible for monitoring the standards of teaching and learning within the school. Mr Hill is immensely proud of the quality and breadth of the education the children at Pinhoe receive, with both his sons attending the school.
Mr Hill works in a technical and customer services role for a major utility company and spends a great deal of his time at work meeting customers around the county. He has a passion for theatre and the performing arts and has been involved in the running of a couple of arts organisations as well as being a regular performer himself. He has appeared with numerous local organisations although he has recently taken a break while renovating the family home. However, he cannot give it up completely and still works regularly with a professional Murder Mystery company who perform throughout the South West. He enjoys the challenges of being a School Governor and finds his involvement in the life of the school community very rewarding.
Term of Office: 11th October 2015-10th October 2019
Committee Membership: Teaching, Learning and Community
Register of Business Interests: None
SARAH HITT
Foundation Governor
Lead Governor for Inclusion and SEND
Sarah Hitt is a teacher at Pinhoe Primary School and she became a Foundation Governor in 2017. She has a wide range of teaching experience and a particular interest in literacy, which she uses as a member of the Teaching, Learning and Curriculum sub-committee.
As the school’s Designated Mental Health Lead and PSHE coordinator, she is committed to promoting the wellbeing of children, staff, parents and the wider community.
Sarah has also worked as a full-time journalist on a weekly magazine. This gave her experience of tight daily deadlines, teamwork, research skills and communication skills, which are attributes she can bring to the governing body.
Sarah became a Foundation Governor so that she could be involved in the strategic planning of the school and contribute to maintaining the school’s Christian character.
She believes it is important that school is an inclusive place where every individual is valued.
Term of Office: 10th September 2018 - 9th September 2022
Committee Membership: Teaching, Learning and Community
Register of Business Interests: None
VIKKI IBBESON
Staff Governor
Lead Governor for Fundraising and Parental Engagement
Victoria is a teacher in our Key Stage One Team and has worked at our school for 4 years. She became a Teacher Governor to learn more about the wider vision of the school and to voice an opinion for the current teaching staff. Within the Governing Body, Victoria is on the Teaching and Learning Sub Committee so can offer support and relevant knowledge when discussing curriculum matters.
Term of Office: 1st November 2015 - 31st October 2019
Committee Membership: Teaching, Learning and Community
Register of Business Interests: None
JANET MARKS
Foundation Governor
Lead Governor for Community Engagement, Ethos and Siams
Janet served as a member of the Office team at the School for over 20 years, retiring in July 2016 and has been a Foundation Governor since 2007. This is Janet’s second term serving as a governor as she was a Parent Governor for six years when her two daughters attended the school. The school was a very different place then and spread over two sites and although the challenges were different during the late 1980s and early 1990s, Pinhoe School has always retained a strong Christian and caring ethos, which permeates through to the present day.
Janet considers that it is a privilege to represent the Church on the Governing Body and feels very strongly that the Church, the community, the local businesses and the school all play important roles in maintaining the village identify, especially in light of the new developments.
Having watched the school evolve over many years and seen many changes (and headteachers!) Janet believes that the school is in excellent shape, thanks to the dedication and commitment of the leadership team and all the staff. Education, like everything else in life, continually changes but she feels that Pinhoe School is in a strong position to face the challenges of the future.
Term of office: 5 October 2015 – 4 October 2019
Committee Membership: Finance, Premises and Personnel Committee, Teaching, Learning and Community Committee and the Ethos Committee
Register of Business Interest: None
RUTH SMITH
Foundation Governor
Lead Governor for Community Engagement, Ethos and Siams
Ruth is a foundation governor and is a member of St.Michael's & All Angels Church in Pinhoe. She is on the PCC and takes an active part in the life of the church community. A former primary school teacher she has lived in Pinhoe since 1981 and has served on the governing bodies of a number of Exeter schools and many years in Pinhoe.
She has also been a City Councillor for Pinhoe and is currently the secretary of the Pinhoe Community Association.
She has 3 married children and 6 grandchildren, loves patchwork and quilting and the occasional game of golf.
Term of Office: 24th March 2017 - 28th February 2021
Committee Membership: Teaching, Learning and Community
Register of Business Interests: None
STEVEN WHITFIELD
Foundation Governor
Lead Governor for Health and Safety
Steven Whitfield has over 25 years of experience in management, covering retail, manufacturing and production. He is currently working full time as a senior manager covering all areas of business.
Steven joined the Board in October 2016 as an associate members offering support and guidance from his business perspective. He became a Foundation Governor in January 2018.
As the Chair of the Finance, Premises and Personnel Committee he sees it as the responsibility of the Board to ensure that a strategic approach is taken to budget planning to meet the School’s educational objectives.
Term of Office: 26th January 2018 - 25th January 2022
Committee Membership: Finance, Premises and Personnel
Register of Business Interests: None
SIAN LANE
Headteacher
Ex-Officio Governing Body Member
Sian Lane has been headteacher of Pinhoe CE Primary School for the past 10 years. She is married with two daughters and lives in a village outside Exeter.
Sian has worked in a variety of schools and has enjoyed a varied career including leading a behaviour/nurture unit, serving as a SENDCo and deputy headteacher in schools within particularly deprived areas and as headteacher of a small village school.
She is a local leader of education and an associate primary advisor for Babcock LDP. Sian is also actively involved in the Exeter Teaching School Alliance and Exeter Consortium as a member of the management board and serves on a Diocesan board which considers applications for schools across the South West to become academies.
Sian is passionate about meeting the needs of all children in a loving and inspirational learning environment.
She is very proud that Pinhoe offers a rich curriculum and has consistently high expectations. Having been at Pinhoe for 10 years, she values the strong relationships she has built with children, their families and the wider community.
In her own time, Sian enjoys walking her two dogs, reading, socialising with friends and family and music.
NICOLA CHANNON
Clerk to the Governing Body
Nicola has lived in Pinhoe for 11 years and has been Clerk to the Board of Governors since spring 2017.
In addition to her work as the Clerk she continues to work part time for Devon County Council. Her working life has generally been in administration and management, starting in the Royal Navy and prior to moving to Devon, working in the Higher Education sector.
Getting to the know the School and the Governors has been a real pleasure and she is looking forward to helping the School in all its endeavours in future years.