Governance at The Bluebell Federation 

Horsted Infant School and Horsted Junior School are maintained schools who operate under Medway Local Authority.  

After a considerable consultation period Horsted Infant School and Horsted Junior School voted to join with Swingate Primary School to form The Bluebell Federation on April 21st 2022.  

The Horsted governing body was reconstituted in line with statutory guidance to form the The Bluebell Federation Governing Body with the aim of ensuring that federation governance is strategically focused and accountable. 

The Full Governing Body of The Bluebell Federation meet three times a year. These meeting are preceded by separate Horsted and Swingate Strategy and Monitoring meetings which feed into the Full Governing Body meetings. There is also a separate finance committee, comprised of members of the full governing body, who meet three times a year which also feeds into Full Governing Body meetings.  

Governors are members of the general public who have an interest in the education of children and are prepared to volunteer to work alongside the Executive Headteacher, the Head of School and school staff to improve teaching and learning and the general educational experience for all the children across the federation. 

Day to day management of the school is delegated to the Executive Headteacher and the Heads of School. 

The constitution provides for 19 Governors made up of 2 parent governors, 1 local authority governor, 1 Executive Headteacher, 1 staff governor and 14 co-opted governors. All governors are required to register any business interests they may have to avoid any conflict of interests that may arise in meetings. 

All governors are volunteers and terms of appointment are normally for 4 years. Vacancies may arise at any time and efforts are made to fill posts with people who have appropriate skills or experience to offer the school.  

Committees and other bodies 

There is finance committee that meets three times a year and is Chaired by Tara Baker. The Committee has initial oversight of the budget; agrees priorities for revenues and capital funding; ensures the school maintains internal financial controls; has initial oversight of school premises and grounds; receives proposals for capital projects and ensures best practice in procurement and implementation of works and takes a lead responsibility for health and safety and mandatory requirements.   

There is a Horsted Strategy and Monitoring Group that meets three times a year at Horsted School and is chaired by Stephen Roe and Swingate Strategy and Monitoring Group that meets three times a year at Swingate Primary School and is chaired by Racheal Simpson. 

 

These Groups ensure the school offers a broad and balanced curriculum in accordance with the National Curriculum; receives performance data and timely reports of pupils' achievements and progress; provides strategic advice and guidance on personnel matters; ensures well-being of pupils and staff is being considered; discuss proposed building projects; look at current and future staffing and look at safeguarding and child protection.   

Different types of Governors 

Parent governors are elected by parents of children in the school. 

Staff governors are elected by all teachers and support staff. The governing body may appoint someone should there be no nominations.  

Local authority governor  - appointed by Medway LA 

Co-opted governors - appointed by the governing body. Co-opted governors are usually made up of local people who have an interest in the local community. They can be chosen to reflect the diversity in the school and the local community.  

 

Please see below The Bluebell Federation Governors, their terms of office and the specific areas they are responsible for 

Our Governors

Role	Name	Term of Office
John Murdoch	Chairman	21 April 2022 – 20 April 2026
Stephen Roe	Vice Chairman	21 April 2022 – 20 April 2026
Steve Geary	Executive Headteacher	n/a
Tara Baker	Co-opted Governor	21 April 2022 – 20 April 2025
Samantha Carter	Parent Governor	21 April 2022 – 20 April 2026
David Coates	Co-opted Governor	21 April 2022 – 20 April 2026
Nasima Ephraim	Co-opted Governor	21 April 2022 – 20 April 2025
Cheryl Francis	Co-opted Governor	26 May 2022 – 25 May 2026
Sally Furniss	LA Governor	20 July 2022 – 19 July 2026
Paul Harrison	Co-opted Governor	21 April 2022 – 20 April 2026
James Packman	Co-opted Governor	21 April 2022 – 20 April 2024
Rachel Simpson	Co-opted Governor	21 April 2022 – 20 April 2026
Terry Smith	Co-opted Governor	21 April 2022 – 20 April 2026
Zoe Spearink	Co-opted Governor	21 April 2022 – 20 April 2026
Adam Strudwick-Long	Staff Governor	26 April 2022 – 25 April 2026

Finance and Resources

Tara Baker	Chair of Finance and Resources
David Coates	Vice Chair
Steve Geary	Executive Headteacher
John Murdoch	Chair of The Bluebell Federation
Liz Stamp	Business Manager

Horsted Strategic and Monitoring Group

Stephen Roe	Chair
Sarah Steer	Head of School
Samantha Carter	Parent Governor
Cheryl Francis	Co-opted Governor
Paul Harrison	Co-opted Governor
James Packman	Co-opted Governor
Zoe Spearink	Co-opted Governor
Adam Strudwick-Long	Staff Governor

      The Bluebell Federation – Link Governors

Subject	Member of Staff		Link Governor
Overview	Steve Geary		John Murdoch
SEND	Katy Baker	Natalie Butler	Samantha Carter	Hinna Saeed
Finance	Steve Geary	Liz Stamp	Tara Baker	David Coates
Safeguarding	Matt Wignell	Sarah Steer	Nasima Ehraim	Stephen Roe
PPG	Matt Wignell	Sarah Steer	Rachel Simpson	James Packman
Health and Safety	Liz Stamp	Paul Webber	Terry Smith	Zoe Spearink
Curriculum	Mary Clark	Laura Packman	Paul Harrison	Adam Strudwick-Long
EYFS	Penny Davies	Kirsty Christopher	Sally Furniss	Chreyl Francis