Helping Captain Shaw's to Flourish

Our governors care deeply about Captain Shaw's and the children, families and community we serve. Their role is to help ensure that our school remains ambitious, inclusive, well-led and sustainable – now and for the future.

Governors work alongside school leaders to protect and develop our vision, values and ethos. They help set the strategic direction of the school, ask challenging questions, monitor progress and make sure that decisions are always focused on what will make the greatest difference for our children.

As a Church of England school, governors also help us remain true to our Christian foundation and our commitment to serving the common good, while ensuring that Captain Shaw's is a welcoming and inclusive school for children and families of all faiths and beliefs.

What Do Our Governors Do?

The Governing Body has three core responsibilities:

• Setting the school's vision, ethos and strategic direction – deciding where we want Captain Shaw's to go and what our priorities should be.

• Holding school leaders to account – making sure children receive a high-quality, ambitious and inclusive education and that agreed priorities lead to real improvements.

• Overseeing the school's finances – making sure our resources are managed carefully, sustainably and used where they will have the greatest impact on children.

Alongside these responsibilities, governors provide strategic oversight of important areas including safeguarding, SEND and inclusion, curriculum and educational standards, attendance, staff wellbeing, equality, finance, premises and the school's statutory responsibilities.

Inclusion: Everyone Belongs

Our commitment to inclusion is central to the work of the Governing Body.

Governors help ensure that our ambition for every child to belong, achieve and flourish is reflected in the decisions we make. They monitor how well the school identifies and removes barriers to learning, supports children with additional needs and maintains high expectations for every pupil.

This means looking beyond whether policies are in place and asking an important question:

What difference is this making for our children?

Knowing Our School

Good governance is about much more than attending meetings.

Governors visit school, talk to pupils and staff, consider information and evidence, review progress against our strategic priorities and see our vision in action. Individual governors take strategic responsibility for particular areas of the school's work so that the Governing Body can develop a deeper understanding of the school while retaining collective responsibility for its decisions.

Governors provide both support and challenge. They celebrate what is working well but are also prepared to ask thoughtful and sometimes difficult questions when this will help the school improve.

Listening to Our Community

Captain Shaw's belongs at the heart of its community and governors value the views of our children, parents, staff and wider community.

Listening to different perspectives helps governors understand what is working well, where things could be better and how decisions may affect the people we serve.

Looking to the Future

As a small rural school, careful long-term planning matters. Governors work with school leaders to consider not only what our children need today, but what Captain Shaw's will need in the years ahead.

This includes educational standards and inclusion, pupil numbers, staffing, finance, our buildings and resources, partnerships and the long-term sustainability of the school.

Our aim is simple: to help ensure that Captain Shaw's continues to be a thriving, inclusive and ambitious school where every child is known, valued and able to flourish.

Our Strategic Governing Roles

Chair of Governors: Helen Webber

Our governor roles are strategic rather than operational. They do not inspect individual subjects or teachers. Through planned visits, discussion with leaders, pupils and staff, and consideration of school evidence, governors ask challenging questions about how well our priorities are working and the difference they are making for children.

Strategic Governor Role	Governor	Key Areas of Responsibility
Chair of Governors – Vision, Strategy & Leadership	Helen Webber	School vision and values • Strategic leadership • School Development Plan • Governance effectiveness • Headteacher performance management
Safeguarding, Attendance & Wellbeing	Helen Webber & vacancy	Safeguarding • Attendance • Behaviour • Online safety • Medical needs • Pupil and staff wellbeing
Inclusion & Vulnerable Learners	Catherine Vance	SEND • Inclusion Framework • Ordinarily Available Provision • Equality and accessibility • Pupil Premium • Early Help
Curriculum, Teaching & Achievement	Yvonne Wrigley	Curriculum • Teaching and learning • Assessment • EYFS • Classroom practice • Pupil outcomes
Finance, Resources & Premises	Hannah Maiden & Karl Fox	Budget and financial sustainability • Staffing • Health and safety • Premises • Capital projects
Community, Church & Personal Development	Linda Sloan	Christian vision • SIAMS • Collective Worship • RE • Personal development • Community engagement • Relationships with parents and the wider community

Governing Body Membership and Meeting Attendance 2026-2027

Governor's Name	Election date	Term of Office	End of Office	Elected / Appointed By	Governor Type	School Visits attended	Full Committee Meetings attended
Helen Webber	31/03/2026	4 years Chair - 1 year term of office	30/03/2030	Governing Body	Co-opted Chair	0/0	0/0
Hannah Maiden	22/03/2025	4 years Vice Chair - 1 year term of office	21/03/2029	Governing Body	LA	0/0	0/0
Terentius Jackson	01/09/2021	by virtue of office	By virtue of office	Governing Body	Staff	0/0	0/0
Rev Canon Angela Overton-Benge	11/01/2018	Ex-officio	Ex-officio	Diocese of Carlisle	Foundation (ex-officio) Vice Chair	0/0	0/0
Linda Sloan	31/03/2026	4 years	30/03/2030	Diocese of Carlisle	Foundation	0/0	0/0
Karl Fox	05/07/2026	4 years	04/07/2030	Parents	Parent	0/0	0/0
Catherine Vance	02/02/2026	4 years	01/02/2030	Parents	Parent	0/0	0/0
Vacancy					Co-opted

Governing Body Membership and Meeting Attendance 2025-2026

Governor's Name	Election date	Term of Office	End of Office	Elected / Appointed By	Governor Type	Sub Committee Meetings attended	Full Committee Meetings attended
Helen Webber	31/03/2026	4 years Chair - 1 year term of office	30/03/2030	Governing Body	Co-opted Chair	2/3	3/4
Hannah Maiden	22/03/2025	4 years Vice Chair - 1 year term of office	21/03/2029	Governing Body	LA	2/3	4/4
Elaine Miller	28/03/2023	4 years	27/03/2027	Staff	Staff	0/1	3/4
Terentius Jackson	01/09/2021	by virtue of office	By virtue of office	Governing Body	Staff	3/3	4/4
Rev Canon Angela Overton-Benge	11/01/2018	Ex-officio	Ex-officio	Diocese of Carlisle	Foundation (ex-officio) Vice Chair	1/1	3/4
Jean Hughes	31/03/2022	4 years	30/03/2026	Diocese of Carlisle	Foundation	1/1	3/3
Linda Sloan	31/03/2026	4 years	30/03/2030	Governing Body	Co-opted	1/1	4/4
Karl Fox	05/07/2026	4 years	04/07/2030	Parents	Parent	3/3	3/4
Anna Anderson	05/12/2024	4 years	04/12/2028	Parents	Parent	Resigned 25/11/25	0/1
Catherine Vance	02/02/2026	4 years	01/02/2030	Parents	Parent	0/0	2/2

Governing Board Register of Personal & Pecuniary Interests

Name	Name of Organisation	Nature of Interest i.e. business, relationship or governorship roles in other educational establishments	Date Interest was Registered	Date of Cessation of Interest	Comments/ Notes
Terentius Jackson	Captain Shaw's CE Primary School	Partner is a Teacher	12/09/2021	Still Active
Helen Webber		None	11/09/2025	Still Active
Rev Angela Overton-Benge		None	11/09/2025	Still Active
Yvonne Wrigley		TBC			Begins role 1/9/26
Elaine Miller		None	11/09/2025	Resigned 17/07/26
Jean Hughes		None	11/09/2025	Resigned 17/07/26
Hannah Maiden	Millom School	School Business Manager	22/03/2021	Still Active
Linda Sloan	Captain Shaw's School Governing Body	Related to a governor	31/03/2022	Still Active
Karl Fox		None	11/09/2025	Still Active
Anna Anderson		None	05/12/2024	Resigned 25/11/25
Catherine Vance	Millom School	Assistant Headteacher & Associate member of Millom School Governing Body	02/02/2026