Trustees & Governing Body 

St Dominic’s School is a non-maintained school owned by the charitable trust of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. (www.sacredheartsjm.org). The trust appoints a Governing Body to run the school on their behalf within a constitution approved by the Charity Commission. Our role is to provide a framework of leadership and oversight over the running of the school and to monitor and review the work of the school management. We also have an essential role to play in supporting the school and ensuring that all of our children are well-looked after, enjoy their time at St Dominic’s School and achieve their full potential. 

The Governing Body is made up of 11 members:  eight Foundation Governors, two Staff Governors, one Parent Governor and one Local Education Authority (LEA) Governor. Unlike state schools, the Foundation Governors on the Governing Body in a non-maintained school are appointed by the Trustees. The Parent and Staff Governors are appointed by means of an election. Normally Governors are appointed for a term of 4 years. The current membership has skills and expertise in Catholic Education, Vocational Education and Training, Human Resources, Law, Finance, Special Needs Education, Therapies and Health.  Two  of the Foundation Governors are also Trustees. Each year the Governing Body elects a Chair and Vice-Chair.

The Governing Body meets four times per year.  Its work is supported by two specialist advisers (governance and human resources) and by two committees, each meeting three or four times a year.  In 2009/10, their structure and functions are as follows:

FINANCE AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE:

Financial Management and Control; Budgets; Risk Management; Communications; Marketing; Public Relations; Human Resources; Premises; Accommodation 

CURRICULUM & STANDARDS COMMITTEE:

Curriculum Development; Catholic Ethos; Pupil Achievement; Individual Learning Plans; Self Evaluation; Inspections; Quality Standards; School Improvement Plan

 The Governors and Trustees are:

Mrs Caroline Allen OBE

Caroline is the Principal of Orchard Hill College, a National Specialist College located in Wallington, Vauxhall, Carshalton, Hackbridge and Tulse Hill.   She was elected by the parents as their representative Governor in spring 2009 and is also Chair of the Curriculum and Standards Committee.

Caroline graduated from Central School of Speech and Drama, London with a B.Ed (Hons) degree and worked in Hong Kong teaching English and Business Studies and working with people with learning difficulties.   After travelling throughout Asia, she returned to the UK where she specialised in work with people with sensory impairments and learning difficulties.   She completed an MBA in 1985 and she has just submitted her PhD thesis.

Caroline’s son is currently a Year 10 pupil at St Dominic’s.

Mike Child

Mike is the senior groundsman at the School and was elected by his colleagues as the non-teaching Governor in November 2009.  He previously worked in the printing industry where he held various positions including graphic design, IT, management and working for the Monotype Corporation with its extensive operations in mainland Europe.  Mike is a former Chairman of Billingshurst Football Club.  He is a keen photographer and an MG enthusiast.  His two grown-up children are currently both at university.

Ken Cowdery MRICS  FRSA (Chair)

Ken is a Chartered Surveyor and was appointed in late 2010 as a Foundation Governor and as a member of the Finance and Resources Committee.  Ken’s background is in property having gained considerable professional and commercial experience as founder/director of two property consultancies and as managing director of a property plc.  He has a particular interest in sustainability and in reducing carbon emissions.  Ken is a also an active Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce (RSA).  Ken was elected Chair of Governors in October 2012.

Mrs Brenda Dempsey (B.Ed(Hons) Dip SEN)

Brenda was elected to the Board of Governors as the teacher representative in November 2009.  She joined the School as an English and Learning Support teacher in September 2005 and is now the SENCO of the School with responsibility for Learning and Teaching.  Prior to coming to St Dominic’s from Scotland, Brenda was a Network Support Teacher for West Dunbartonshire Council where she worked in Primary and Secondary Mainstream, advising on the latest National and local SEN developments, policies, practices and procedures including specialist learning and teaching multi-sensory styles.

 Mrs Monica Fisher (Deputy Chair)

Monica was appointed as a Governor in July 2009 by Surrey County Council, the Local Education Authority for the area in which St Dominic’s is located.  She lives in Hambledon and is currently also a Governor of Cranleigh School, a Trustee of Children’s Hospices UK and Chairman of the Trustees of Hambledon Nursery School.

After a career of nearly 20 years in corporate banking, Monica established her own consultancy practice.  She has used her considerable analytical, communications and business skills to help the development of a number of public and charitable organisations, including CHASE, a charity that supports terminally ill children, where she advised on the restructuring of its corporate governance.  She retains a close interest in CHASE as a member of its Advisory Group.  

Sister Catherine McLaughlin

Sister Catherine has been a Foundation Governor since November 2005.  She joined the Congregation of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in 1962.  She trained as a teacher in Craiglockhart College, Edinburgh and did a diploma in special education at Liverpool University.  She taught in St. John's School, Chigwell, Pontville School, Ormskirk, and St. Ann's, Roscrea, Ireland.  She went to Colombia, South America in 1994 and returned to England in 2002 to be part of the Leadership Team. She has special responsibility for the Congregation’s houses in the Philippines and is also the Child and Vulnerable Adult protection co-ordinator for the Congregation.

John McManus

John has been a Foundation Governor since 2005  His background is in Catholic secondary and special education.  Currently he works for the Cabrini Children’s Society and manages the Fountains Centre (Bexhill) for people with learning difficulties in the Church who have issues around access and inclusion.  He is a member of the Arundel and Brighton Diocesan Pastoral Team and also is a member of the Diocesan Schools Committee.  He is Chair of Governors at St. Joseph’s Specialist School and College, Cranleigh.

 Mrs Judith Potter

Judith is a Chartered Certified Accountant.  She has been a Foundation Governor since 2008 and is also Chair of the Finance and Resources Committee. 

She has a strong financial background having worked first of all in the hotel industry, as a financial controller and subsequently as Director of Finance at the Lanesborough, a privately owned 5-star deluxe London hotel.  She was appointed Financial Controller at Richmond Adult Community College in 2004, moving on to become the College’s Director of Finance and, in August 2008, Vice Principal (Finance and Corporate Services).

 Sister Julie Rose

Sister Julie entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in 1986, having obtained her teaching certificate from St Mary’s, Strawberry Hill in 1979 and her diploma in special needs from the North East London Polytechnic in 1984.  She has taught at St John’s special school, Chigwell and for many years has been the Head Teacher at Pield Heath special school in Hillingdon.  She joined the leadership team of the Congregation in 2002 and is the co-ordinator for its special needs schools.