Moorside Primary School

Governors

The members of Moorside's Governing Body have a wide range of life, work and cultural experiences but we are united in our commitment to the children attending Moorside Primary School. We are working with school leaders and staff to make sure that children here enjoy school life and experience success. 
 
The role of Governors is to:
• Provide the long-term strategic direction to how the school is managed;
• Act as a "critical friend", supporting the work of the Head Teacher and all staff;
• Ensure the school is accountable for its actions.
 
Governors discuss and have input on:
• School policies, such as discipline, dress, sport, curriculum and safeguarding
• Long term plans and the future of the school;
• How the school budget will be spent;
• How the school will try to reach performance targets;
• Appointment and dismissal of staff;
• Complaints from pupils, staff and parents;
• Repair and maintenance of school building
• To undertake the above duties, the governing body have appointed sub-committees of governors to look at specific issues. These are: Staffing and Finance (includes Premises) - Quality of Education and Appeals (Ad hoc)
 
It is the responsibility of Governors to appoint the Head Teacher, and also oversee the appointment of other teaching staff.
 
Structure and Responsibilities
Our governing board is structured as follows, with committees responsible for specific areas of school governance:
 
Full Governing Body (FGB)
• Chair: Pauline Piddington
• Responsible for: Overall strategic direction, policy approval, headteacher performance management, and monitoring school improvement
 
Staffing, Finance and Premises Committee (SFPC)
• Chair: Pauline Piddington
• Responsible for: Overseeing the school’s finance, staffing, health and safety, compliance and value‑for‑money processes, ensuring that resources, policies and the learning environment effectively support school priorities and meet the needs of all children.
 
Quality of Education and Well-Being Committee (QoEWC)
• Chair: Pauline Piddington
• Responsible for: Supporting and challenging school leadership in improving teaching, learning, pupil development, safety, well‑being and policy implementation while monitoring performance, promoting the school’s vision and values, and ensuring children are prepared for future education and life
 
Current Governors
Below is information about each governor who has served on our governing board over the past 12 months:

Name Category Appointed / Elected By Start Date of Current
Appointment		 Term of Office
End Date		 Attendance (Last Academic Year)
Asri Asmawati Parent Parents 01/09/2023 31/08/2027 3 out of 4
FGB meetings
Susan Brooks-Tyreman Co-opted /
Vice Chair		 Governing Body 24/03/2025 23/03/2029 2 out of 2
FGB meetings
Michael Cochrane Co-opted Governing Body 06/10/2025 05/10/2029 n/a
Sarah Cook Staff Staff 04/01/2025 03/01/2029 3 out of 4
FGB meetings
Jane Dube Foundation Trust West End Schools’ Trust 10/12/2022 09/12/2026 4 out of 4
FGB meetings
Linda Hall Head Teacher Ex‑officio 01/09/2017
4 out of 4
FGB meetings
Rachel Kilmartin Co-opted Staff Governing Body 01/09/2023 16/03/2026 4 out of 4
FGB meetings
Modou Lamin Colley Parent Parents 04/10/2025 03/10/2029 4 out of 4
FGB meetings
Pauline Piddington Co-opted / Chair Governing Body 26/03/2026 25/03/2030

4 out of 4

FGB meetings
Tiffany White Co-opted Governing Body 21/11/2022 20/11/2026 4 out of 4
FGB meetings

Governor Categories
• 1 Head Teacher
• 2 Parent governors
• 1 Staff governors
• 1 Local authority governors
• 5 Co-opted governors
• 2 Foundation governors
 
Business and Pecuniary Interests
In the interests of transparency, we publish relevant business and pecuniary interests of our governors, including governance roles in other educational institutions and any material interests arising from relationships between governors or between governors and school staff.

Governor Name Business and Pecuniary Interests
Asri Asmawati None declared
Susan Brooks-Tyreman None declared
Michael Cochrane None declared
Sarah Cook None declared
Jane Dube Head Teacher at Hawthorn Primary since 01/01/2018; Trustee/Board Member of Glow Newcastle since 30/04/2024; Director of the West End Schools’ Trust since 22/02/2018
Linda Hall Director of the West End Schools’ Trust since 15/11/2018
Rachel Kilmartin None declared
Modou Lamin Colley Works at North East Autism Society since 20/01/2020; Wife works at Moorside Primary
Pauline Piddington Director of the West End Schools’ Trust since 28/02/2019
Tiffany White Head of Junior School at Newcastle School for Boys since 04/09/2017

How to Contact the Governing Board
If you would like to contact the governing board, please write to:
 
The Clerk to Governors
Moorside Primary School
Beaconsfield Street
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NE4 5AW
 
Governor Training and Development
Our governors are committed to continuous professional development to ensure they can effectively carry out their strategic role. Governors regularly attend training on safeguarding, finance, Ofsted preparation, and other relevant topics.
 
How Governors Monitor the School
Governors visit the school regularly to:
• Monitor progress against our School Development Plan
• Review the impact of policies and initiatives
• Speak with staff, pupils and parents
• Understand the strengths and areas for development in our school
 
All governor visits are focused and pre-arranged, with findings reported back to the full governing board to inform strategic decision-making.
 
Becoming a Governor
We value the diverse skills and perspectives that governors bring to our school. If you're interested in becoming a governor at Moorside Primary School, please contact the clerk to governors for more information about current vacancies and the role.