A warm welcome to the Governor Section of the St Hild’s College School website.

It is our pleasure and our privilege to serve as the Governing Body of this fine school. St Hild’s College School has a long history of serving the whole community of Gilesgate, by providing excellent holistic education within the family of schools of the Diocese of Durham (Church of England).

Church of England schools offer education to all in the community. It is an education rooted in the Anglican Christian ethos of welcome and faith. As we write elsewhere, it is our hope that children and their families, and our staff, will experience ‘life in all its fullness’, as Jesus Christ Himself promised.

Our responsibility as governors is to oversee the running of the school - the quality of teaching and learning, leadership and management, pupil and staff welfare, spiritual development – and we exercise this through regular meetings of the Governing Body, its sub-committees and by frequent visits to school.

We have had a challenging couple of years at St Hild’s, but through the hard work and dedication of Mrs Ryder, her staff, the children, and with the support of both the Diocese of Durham and Durham County Council, we are confident that we are making excellent progress, confirmed by our Good Ofsted in May 2019.

If you are not already a parent/carer of a child at St Hild’s, we look forward to welcoming you to our school. This is a caring, happy and life-giving community.

Come and meet us.

Jen Moss

Chair of Governors.

Our School Governing Body

Governors are a voluntary body of people who guide and support the strategic direction of the school. They are members of the school team and their contribution to the running of the school is highly valued.

School Governing Body

The instrument of government states that the governing body shall consist of:

•9 Foundation Governors

•1 Local Authority Governor

•1 Staff Governor

•1 Headteacher

•2 Parent Governors

The role of the governing body is a strategic one, its key functions are to:

•Set the aims and objectives for the school

•Set the policies for achieving those aims and objectives

•Set the targets for achieving those aims and objectives

•Monitor and evaluate the progress the school is making towards achievement of its aims and objectives

•Be a source of challenge and support to the headteacher (a critical friend)

Financial Information

Please note that we do not have any employees with a gross annual salary of more than £100,000

Please Click here to view our school's financial data.

Meet Our Team

Chair of Governors Foundation Mrs Jen Moss

Responsibilities / Committees: Chair of Governors, Safeguarding Governor, Finance and Personnel Chair, First & Pay Review, Church School Distinctiveness.

Term of Office: Start 20/12/2018  & End Date 18/02/2022

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: Framwellgate School Durham – Careers Leader

Jennifer Moss Private Flute Tuition

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

Meetings attended in previous academic year (FGB and Committee) 9 of 9

Vice Chair Foundation Reverend Tim Ferguson

Responsibilities / Committees: Vice Chair of Governors, Pupil Premium Governor, Schools and Community Chair, Church School Distinctiveness, Appeals

Term of Office: Start 10/01/2021  & End Date 09/01/25

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: Chaplain at the College of St Hild and St Bede, Durham University and development officer for Durham Diocese.

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

Meetings attended in previous academic year (FGB and Committee) 5 of 6

Headteacher Alex Ryder

Responsibilities / Committees: All

Term of Office: Start 27/11/2018

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests:Headteacher at St Hild's

Governance roles in other educational institutions: Governor Local Board Wynyard CE Primary School 

Meetings attended in previous academic year (FGB and Committee) 11 of 11

Foundation Jane Holmes

Responsibilities / Committees: Staff Well-Being Governor, Headteacher Performance Management, Finance and Personnel, Admissions, First & Pay Review

Term of Office: Start 04/02/2021 & End Date 03/02/2025

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: St John’s and St Margaret’s Churches Rector’s Secretary.

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

Meetings attended in previous academic year (FGB and Committee) 4 of 9

Foundation Julie Winkless

Responsibilities / Committees: Health and Safety Governor, Headteacher Performance Management, Finance and Personnel, First & Pay Review.

Term of Office: Start 01/09/2019 & End Date 31/08/2023 

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: Belmont St Mary Magdalene Parochial Church Council

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

Meetings attended in previous academic year (FGB and Committee) 9 of 9

Foundation Roger Ward

Responsibilities / Committees: SEND Governor, Appeals

Term of Office: Start 26/11/2018 & End Date 17/05/2021 

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: Headteacher Wynyard CE Primary School, CEO Melrose Learning Trust

Governance roles in other educational institutions: Wise Academies Director

Meetings attended in previous academic year (FGB and Committee) 2 of 3

Foundation John Ashworth

Responsibilities / Committees: Link Governor responsible for training, Finance and Personnel, First & Pay Review Chair. 

Term of Office: Start 28/11/2019 & End Date 27/11/2023

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: University of Durham (Professor), Trustee of the Durham University Pension Scheme, Spouse, Member of St Giles PCC

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

Meetings attended in previous academic year (FGB and Committee) 6 of 6

Foundation Reverend Abbey Hughes

Responsibilities / Committees: School and Community, Church School Distinctiveness, Appeals 

Term of Office: Start 14/01/2020 & End Date 13/01/2024

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests: Curate St Giles Church

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

Meetings attended in previous academic year (FGB and Committee) 2 of 2

Local Authority Canon Linda Burton

Responsibilities / Committees: School and Community, Church School Distinctiveness, Admissions

Term of Office: Start 27/04/2020 & End Date 26/04/2024

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests:St Hild & St Bede Trust, Durham SACRE

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

Meetings attended in previous academic year (FGB and Committee) 2 of 2

Parent Kate Bell

Responsibilities / Committees: School and Community, Appeals

Term of Office: Start 14/01/2019 & End Date 13/01/2023

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests:Nursery Nurse, Durham University, Member of executive board for 4th Durham Gilesgate Scouting group.

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

Meetings attended in previous academic year (FGB and Committee) 4 of 4

Staff Nicola Banks

Responsibilities / Committees: Member of School SLT, Finance and Personnel

Term of Office: Start 11/09/2019 & End Date 10/09/2023

Business, Personal & Pecuniary Interests:Teacher at St Hild's

Governance roles in other educational institutions: None

Meetings attended in previous academic year (FGB and Committee) 2 of 3