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Governing Body

Welcome to The Federation's Governor’s page.

Our Governing Body is a diverse group of volunteers, made up of parents, staff and members of the local community, who have a common interest in education and have made a commitment to the staff and pupils to provide strategic leadership and accountability. Each Governor has an area of responsibility and reports back to the full Governing Body at least once per term.

Our Governing Body has 3 core functions, as set out by the Department for Education:

  • Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
  • Holding the Executive Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils.
  • Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure it is money well spent.

Our Governing Body carries out these responsibilities by reviewing and monitoring core policies, overseeing school improvement and ensuring a broad and enriching curriculum is taught. Through regular meetings and visits to the school we have strategic oversight of curriculum, finance, safeguarding, SEND and Health & Safety. Whilst day-to-day management of the school is the responsibility of the Executive Headteacher, the Governors provide challenge, support and constructive advice.

On this page, you can meet all of the Governors of The Darent Federation, and learn a little bit of their background and their interest in governance.

The Governing Body works across both schools in the Federation: Sundridge & Brasted C of E Primary School and Kemsing Primary School.

Both Sundridge & Brasted and Kemsing are wonderful schools, filled with happy, confident children, with a love of learning. As part of our monitoring visits, we are privileged to witness this in action and we are all proud to serve on the Governing Body of such a nurturing, welcoming schools.

Full Governing Body Details as at September 2024

The Governing Body was re-constituted in September 2022 following the federation with Kemsing Primary School.  The structure is now as follows:

  • 1 Executive Headteacher
  • 1 Staff Governor
  • 2 Parent Governors
  • 1 Local Authority Governor
  • 4 Co-opted Governors
  • 4 Foundation Governors

Business, financial or other interests:

Rebecca Hamburger is Assistant Maths Hub Lead at Leigh Academy Trust, Kent and Medway Maths Hub.

Minutes of the Full Governing Body (non-confidential) meetings are available upon request from the clerk of governors Robert Baldock via robert.baldock@theeducationpeople.org

Below is a list of Governors and their roles within the Hybrid Model of Governance.

SEN = Special Educational Needs 

SIAMS = Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools 

Governor 
Dates of Office
Governor Type
Appointed by
Responsibilities

Tom Hardwick

30.03.20 – no end date Executive Headteacher Ex Officio

All except H/T Performance

Rebecca Hamburger

01.09.22 - 31.08.26

Co-opted 

Full Governing Body

Co-Chair

Kirsty Oliver

01.09.22 - 31.08.26

Foundation

Full Governing Body

Co-Chair, Head Teacher Performance, Finance, Disciplinary

Sophie Sutherland

01.09.22 - 31.08.26 Foundation Ex Officio

SEND, SIAMS 

Stephanie Stephens

01.09.22 - 31.08.26

Co-opted Full Governing Body

Pupil Premium, Sports Premium

Denise Hart

23.11.22 - 22.11.26 Co-opted Full Governing Body

Finance, Resources, Personnel

Fiona Christmas

21.11.22 - 20.11.26 Staff Staff Staff Wellness

Paul Mayo

20.04.23 - 19.04.27 Foundation Ex Officio

Vice-Chair, SIAMS, RE

Lucy Berks

12.07.23 - 11.07.27 Parent Parent body Finance, Resources, Personnel

Graham Gee

12.07.23 - 11.07.27 Parent Parent body Finance, Resources, Personnel

Jannine Ravens

24.01.24 - 23.01.28 Co-opted Full Governing Body Finance, Resources, Personnel

Hannah Glover

22.04.24 - 21.04.28 Foundation Ex Officio  

Declarations

Rebecca Hamburger is Assistant Maths Hub Lead at Leigh Academy Trust, Kent and Medway Maths Hub.

Attendance at 2025-2026 Meetings 

Attendance at Governing Body meetings in 2024/25 is noted in brackets below each governor and shows how many meetings they attended against how many they were required to attend. Attendance for the current year is noted in the table below.

FGB=Full Governing Body
FRPC=Finance, Resources, Personnel Committee

Governor

(and attendance at meetings 2024/2025)

24/09

FGB

15/10

FRPC

19/11

FGB

28/01

FRPC

25/02

FGB

01/04

FGB

09/05

FGB

13/05

FRPC

08/07

FGB

Tom Hardwick (9/9)

                 

Rebecca Hamburger (3/6)

                 

Kirsty Oliver (7/9)

                 

Sophie Sutherland (4/6)

                 

Stephanie Stephens (5/6)

                 

Denise Hart (5/6)

                 

Fiona Christmas (3/6)

                 

Paul Mayo (5/6)

                 

Lucy Berks (9/9)

                 

Graham Gee (6/9)

                 

Jannine Ravens (7/9)

                 

Hannah Glover (3/6)