Our Governing Board
Governors work closely with the Co-Executive Headteachers, school staff and representatives from the local authority (LA). Following the federation of The Dales Partnership of Butterknowle, Frosterley and Woodland Primary Schools and the Durham Dales Federation of Hamsterley, St John’s Chapel and Wearhead Primary Schools on 01/11/2025, a new governing board has been appointed consisting of governors from the two previous governing boards. The Governing Board of the Durham Dales Partnership has recently been established, and roles of responsibility allocated.
Federation Governor Committee Structure
| Name | Representing | Term of Office |
Committees | Monitoring Link Governor |
Relationship to Staff |
Register of Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Hodgkinson (Executive Headteacher) |
Staff | First Appointed 01/01/2021 - ongoing |
Curriculum, School Performance and Welfare Finance, Staffing & Resources First/Pay Review |
Executive Headteacher (0.6) Hamsterley, St John's Chapel, Wearhead, Frosterley, Butterknowle, Woodland | ||
| Richard Sains (Executive Headteacher) |
Staff | First Appointed 30/01/2021 - ongoing |
Curriculum, School Performance and Welfare First/Pay Review |
Executive Headteacher Hamsterley, St John's Chapel, Wearhead, Frosterley, Butterknowle, Woodland | ||
| Edward Henderson | LA representative |
11/11/25 - 10/11/29 First Appointed |
Finance, Staffing and Resources First/Pay Review |
|||
| Mark den Hollander Chair |
Co-opted | 1/11/25 - 31/10/29 First Appointed 08/06/2016 |
Finance, Staffing and Resources First/Pay Review HT Performance Management |
|||
| Hilary Currie | Co-opted | 01/11/25 - 31/10/29 First Appointed 12/07/2017 |
Appeals Curriculum, School Performance and Welfare First/Pay Review |
Governor Training | Parent | |
| Barbara Scott Co-Vice Chair |
Co-opted | 01/11/2025 - 31/10/2029 First Appointed 24/09/2020 |
Curriculum, School Performance and Welfare Finance, Staffing and Resources |
Parent | ||
| Aimie Alderson | Parent Governor | 01/11/25 - 31/10/29 |
Appeals Curriculum, School Performance and Welfare |
PSHE & RSE | Parent | |
| Victoria Menzies | Co-opted | 01/11/25 - 31/10/29 |
Appeals Curriculum, School Performance and Welfare HT Performance Management |
Pupil Premium Sports |
||
| Alan Petty | Staff Governor | 01/11/25 - 31/10/29 |
Curriculum, School Performance and Welfare |
Teacher | ||
| Katrina Scanion | Co-opted | 01/12/2025 - 20/11/2029 |
Curriculum, School Performance and Welfare |
Member of Staff | ||
| Caroline Coatworth | Parent Governor | 01/11/2025 - 31/10/2029 |
Finance, Staffing and Resources First/Pay Review |
EYFS | Parent |
Committee Structure up to November 2025
How To Become A School Governor
If you require further information on the roles and responsibilities of School Governors or you are interested in becoming one, visit the Durham County Council website School Governor section.
Statutory Guidance for Governing Bodies
St John’s Chapel Primary School adhere to the statutory guidance from the Department of Education. This means that governing bodies must have regard to it when carrying out duties relating to the constitution of governing bodies in maintained schools. For further information please view or download the documents below.
The Constitution of Governing Bodies of Maintained Schools (2017)
Federation Governor Attendance
Schools are required to display a record of Governor attendance at meetings for each school academic year.
Committee Terms of Reference
Committee Structure and Terms of Reference 2026
National Governors Association (NGA) – Code of Conduct (2023)
Adobe Reader
You may need a product like Adobe Reader (free download) to view our PDF documents on our website.