ABOUT THE BOARD
The Board may have between 15 and 21 members
of whom the majority must be members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).
New governors are appointed by the General Meeting (FSSWGM), the body which oversees
the school on behalf of Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
(BYM). Governors serve an initial 4 year term and may be nominated to serve
for a second such period. In exceptional circumstances a governor may serve a
further 2 years but never beyond this maximum of 10 years. Suggested names of
people to join the Board may come from a variety of sources; from constituent
Area Meetings of the General Meeting, from Old Scholars, parents and any other
interested parties. The full Board meets once a term as do the two main
sub-committees Education Committee and Finance Committee. An Executive Committee
comprising clerks of committees plus the Bursar and the Heads of both schools
keeps things ticking over between meetings of the full Board. A Search & Governance
Committee (3 strong) is responsible for overseeing Board training, induction of
new members and close liaison with the GM Nominations Committee to maintain Board
numbers and spread of skills. In addition to these committees there is a
small Junior School Working Group and a Finance Working Group. Individual governors
attend meetings of the Health and Safety Policy Committee, Finance and Premises
Committee and the Senior School Council. Governors are encouraged, indeed
expected, to play as full a part in the life of the school as other commitments
and living at a distance permit. The Board is committed to fostering an understanding
of Quaker values and practice among staff and pupils, as well as making the work
of the school known to the wider Quaker community. The Board of Governors:
Summer 2008Ann Brereton
Ann is a member of Saffron
Walden Friends' meeting. She trained as a teacher and subsequently worked with
parents whose children had special educational needs. She has a clear insight
into the benefits that children derive from living, playing and learning in an
environment enriched by Quaker values. Through service on the Board she seeks
to repay something of the individual attention her son gained from a Quaker education.
Sheila Brignall
Is a local Quaker whose son and
daughter both attended the school. She works in the charity sector in Cambridge
and is a non-executive director of a water company. She was recently released
from service as the Board's assistant clerk. She has been a governor for 7 years
and is keen to play a part in ensuring the future of 'this distinctive and rather
special school.' Sue Collins
Worked in the Children
& Young Peoples' section of Quaker Home Service (now Quaker Life). She has
been involved with FSSW for more than 35 years as staff wife, parent and part
time piano teacher. She is a trained primary school teacher and was on the Junior
School staff for 4 years from 1998. She is now Assistant Clerk to the Board and
seeks to promote Quaker values throughout both schools. Jane Dawson
Has been a Quaker for 25 years and on the Board since 2007. She coordinated Friends'
Summer school for 7 years in the late 80s, getting to know the site (and her future
husband, also on the staff) very well. She was Programme Manager for Britain Yearly
Meeting under-19 programme for 7 years from 1999. She is currently Project Manager
at the national volunteering charity, TimeBank. Martin Dickinson
After reading History at Cambridge Martin went into teaching and in 1995 became
Head of Ackworth, the Quaker school near Pontefract. He has been a Friend for
30 years. He retired in 2004 and came on to the Board a year later. In 2010 he
will take over as Clerk. Sue Fellows
Is a Quaker
and has been on the Board since 2006. She is a librarian at North London's Middlesex
University. Her particular area of interest vis à vis the school lies in
ensuring that it offers a safe, stimulating & supportive environment for pupils
to succeed in, using the most up to date equipment, software and resources available
(affordable within budget), within the framework of a Quaker ethos. Katie
Frost
Joined the Religious Society of Friends in 2002 and works
in the Quaker Communications Department at Friends' House in fundraising, as well
as continuing to run a training and coaching business delivering management and
leadership skills to not-for-profit and commercial organisations. She is concerned
with governor recruitment, building the effectiveness of the Board as well as
links with the wider Quaker community. Chris Hayward
Chris joined the Board in 2008 at the same time as Douglas Kent. He's an accountant
by training and for the past 6 years has been a CIO (IT head). He has two sons
in the Junior School and although interested in all aspects of the school his
particular focus is on Finance and the Junior School. He was recently appointed
Assistant Treasurer to Martin Holmes and will succeed him when Martin is released
from service at the end of 2008. Tim Holding
Tim
is one of the Quaker governors and has served since 2004. He was Senior Lecturer
in Fine Art and 3D design at Colchester School of Art from 1964 to 1993. He is
a Professional Painter, Sculptor and restorer of Vintage vehicles and musical
Instruments. He serves on the sub committees of Finance and Property and Health
Safety and Premises committee. Martin Holmes
Began
his long period of service with the Board in 1990 and has been governor of a state
school and also of Otley college in Suffolk. He was a farmer, much involved with
agricultural supplies and marketing, and was on the Health Litigation Authority.
He has given Trojan service to Friends' School as Treasurer to the Board for many
years and will be released from service at the end of 2008. Douglas
Kent
Joined the Board as recently as January 2008 at the same
time as Chris Hayward and was recommended by the Old Scholars' Association. He
is a Chartered Surveyor specialising in the conservation of old buildings. He
is particularly interested in helping the school in matters to do with its building
fabric. Lorraine Sheldon Lee
Is a Friend and attended
the school from 1975 to 1980. She has worked mainly in the voluntary and charity
sectors, largely in youth work for Quaker residential events. Lorraine has recently
been involved in a Barnados support project. Her service on the Board began in
2003. Her main interest lies in child protection and in fostering knowledge of
Quakerism within the school. Jenny Marks
Having been
Governors’ Secretary for 3 years Jenny joined the Board in 2007. Her original
training was in medicine but she brings her experience of marketing, public relations
and an ongoing commitment as Company Secretary of her family business to the service
of the Board. Mario May
Is a teacher and a Quaker.
He is joint warden of Letchworth Friends' Meeting House and has served on the
Board for the past 6 years. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, his interest lies in educational
issues of all kinds. Shaun O'Callaghan
Shaun has
four children in the junior school and so this is where his focus of interest
lies. He is a chartered accountant and has served for eight years on the Board.
He is the director of a leadership research business, based in Saffron Walden. Tony
Watson
Tony's long involvement with FSSW goes back to 1944 when
he came here as a pupil. He joined the Board in 2000 and has served as its Clerk
since 2005. His training and experience as a solicitor have been of great service
to the Board's concerns over the past 8 years. He will be released from his service
as Clerk in 2009 but will remain for a further year on the Board putting his considerable
energies into pursuing the school Development Plan. Alison Whitfield
Ali Whitfield is an old scholar and a parent of scholars past and present. She
has served the Board as a parent-governor for the past 5 years. She was formerly
a nurse and her particular interest is in child protection and pastoral matters. Barry
Wilsher
A Quaker since 1970, he has served on the Board since 2005.
His three youngest children are former pupils. Barry’s working life was
spent as a professional actor with the last 20 years being given over to performing
poetry and verse in primary schools. His interests lie with the Junior School
and with promoting knowledge of Quakerism throughout both schools.
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