Carole Bell has been associated with Biddenham since her own children attended the school in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She has chaired the Governing Body for some time, and is passionate about the school being inclusive and fully comprehensive. The strength of the school lies in its values and putting them into practice – the respect shown to all staff and all students is paramount.
The purpose of the Governing Body is to discuss and agree the best strategy and policies for the school. Governors work hard to ensure that these reflect the need for a good, happy learning environment, where children grow into confident and caring adolescents and adults, and staff feel supported and are able to develop their skills in teaching. A mark of the school's success is the number of students who go to university and return to teach and support children in the school.
Biddenham has 13 Governors who meet as a whole Governing Body four times a year. It is made up of lay members with an interest in the school and education, the Principal, Mr Bailey, as well as a staff representative. Two of the lay members are parent governors.
The current Governing Body is representative of the multi-ethnic student population. Governors strive to be the school's critical friend. As the school continues to grow in numbers and popularity, it is vital that the work that we do and oversee remains relevant to our aims.
Governors attend regular committee meetings twice a term; there are two of these – the Curriculum Committee and Business and Welfare Committee.
Carole sits on the Full Governors, Business and Welfare Committee and the Strategy Committee. Her key areas of responsibility are: Key Stage 4, Professional Learning and Safeguarding.