Our Governing Body

Governors work closely with head teachers, school staff and representatives from the local authority (LA).

Consett Infant and Beechdale Nursery Federation Governing Body 

Name	Representing	Term of Office	Committee	Responsibilities	Business Interest	Relationship with staff members	Governor at another school
Mr Paul Dixon	Co-Opted	07/12/24-06/12/28	Curriculum Finance & Premises First/Pay Review Pupil Discipline	Foundation Subjects, English	None	None	Consett Junior School
Mr Nigel Allen	Co-Opted	27/02/25-26/02/29	Appeals Curriculum Finance & Premises Pupil Discipline	Attendance, Maths	None	None	No
Mrs Carly Grundy	Co-Opted	27/02/24-26/02/28	Appeals Finance & Premises Head Teacher Performance Pupil Discipline	English, SEND	DHT - The Grove Primary	None	No
Mrs Julia Graham	Head Teacher	01/01/16-ongoing			Head Teacher	None	No
Mr Neil Jukes	Local Authority	23/01/23-23/01/27	Appeals Curriculum Finance & Premises Headteacher Performance Pupil Discipline	Health & Safety, GDPR, Safeguarding, Child Protection, LAC, Prevent, Behaviour		None	No
Mrs Lauren Bowe	Parent	15/05/21- 13/05/25	Curriculum Finance & Premises First/Pay Review Pupil Discipline	EYFS Curriculum Provision	None	None	No
Miss Donna Tunney	Co-Opted	14/05/25-13/05/25	Curriculum Pupil Discipline	Confidence, Resilience and Emotional Wellbeing	None	None	No
Mrs Jill Stephenson	Staff	03/04/23-02/04/27	Pupil Discipline	Foundation Subjects, English	DHT - Consett Infant Sch.	None	Consett Junior School
Mr Tom Morris	Co-Opted	06/11/24- 05/11/28	Curriculum First/Pay Review Pupil Discipline	Foundation Subjects, RSE, School Council	None	None	No
Mrs Laura Burgess	Staff	21/03/24- 20/03/28	Appeals, Pupils Discipline	Foundation Subjects	None	None	No
Mrs Victoria Merrie	Co-Opted	21/05/25- 20/05/29	Curriculum	Foundation Subjects, EYFS Curriculum Provision	DHT - Beechdale Nursery Sch.	None	No
Mrs Claire Adams	Parent	16/01/25- 15/01/29	First / Pay Review	Confidence, Resilience & Wellbeing, Safeguarding, Child Protection, LAC, Prevent, Behaviour, SEND	None	None	No

Past Governing Body Members

• (2024-25) Mrs G Cornes, Mr K Fraser
• (2018-24) Mrs S Powell
• (2023-24) Rev S Grundy
• (2021-22) Mrs J Davison
• (2021-22) Mrs K Gray
• (2020-21) Mrs F Nichols
• (2019-20) Rev V Shedden
• (2017-18) Mrs M Rose, Mrs T Dodd, Miss A Reader, Miss Kelli Turner

Information from the Governors

The purpose of the Governing Body is to conduct the school with a view to promoting high standards of educational achievement.  Its three core strategic functions are:

• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
• Holding the Head Teacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and
• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.

Statutory Guidance for Governing Bodies

Consett Infant School adheres to the statutory guidance from the Department of Education. This means that governing bodies must have regard to it when carrying out duties relating to the constitution of governing bodies in maintained schools.  For further information, please view or download the full document below.

The Constitution of Governing Bodies of Maintained Schools (2017)

How To Become A School Governor

If you require further information on the roles and responsibilities of School Governors or you are interested in becoming one, visit the Durham County Council website School Governor section.

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Governor Attendance

Schools are required to display a record of Governor attendance at meetings for each school academic year.

KEY
✓   – Attended meeting
A/A   – Apologies sent and accepted by meeting
N   – Did not attend
X  – Not a member of the committee

CC   – Curriculum Committee
PRC  – Pay Review Committee
FGBM   – Full Governing Body Meeting
FC  – Finance Committee

Record of Attendance 2025-2026

Name	CC 23/10/25	PRC 04/11/25	FGBM 04/11/25	FC 04/11/25	CC 05/2/26	FC 17/2/26	FGBM 17/2/26	CC 03/6/26	FC 16/6/26	FGBM 16/6/26
Mr P Dixon	✓	A/A	A/A	A/A	X	✓	✓	X	✓	✓
Mr N Allen  (Vice Chair)	✓	X	A/A	A/A	A/A	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Mrs C Grundy	X	X	A/A	X	X	X	A/A	X	X	✓
Mrs J Graham	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Mr N Jukes (Chair)	A/A	✓	✓	X	A/A	A/A	✓	A/A	A/A	✓
Mrs J Stephenson	X	X	✓	✓	X	X	✓	X	X	✓
Mrs L Bowe	A/A	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Miss D Tunney	✓	X	✓	X	✓	X	✓	A/A	X	✓
Mr T Morris	✓	✓	✓	X	✓	X	✓	✓	X	A/A
Mrs V Merrie	A/A	X	✓	✓	X	X	✓	X	X	✓
Mrs C Adams	X	A/A	A/A	X	X	X	A/A	X	X	✓
Mrs L Burgess	X	X	✓	X	X	X	✓	X	X	A/A

Archived Attendance
You can also view our archived attendance on our website.

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Committee Terms of Reference

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