All the latest news from our Governors will go here, please keep checking back!
Vice Chair
Hello, My name is Jacqueline Brown. I am the mother of 2 adult children and 1 grandchild. I have lived in Cleadon Village since 1976. I am a retired teacher, who spent 34 years teaching in Reception and Nursery. When Helen Gibson Nursery first opened, I worked as the teacher alongside Lynne Brown and Andrea Gilbert so I was delighted in 2011 when I was invited to be a community governor on Helen Gibson Nursery’s governing board. In November 2013, I was elected vice chair of the governing body. This role involves me in deputising for the chair in her absence and in doing so continuing and fulfilling the chair’s role and vision in ensuring that all meetings are run efficiently, fairly and openly, to ensure that the governing body and the school are fulfilling all statutory functions and providing a comprehensive and inspirational education for all our children at Helen Gibson Nursery and Kid’s Club. I am also the link governor for behaviour and safety.
Personally, being a governor has allowed me to continue my keen interest in Early Education, where the emphasis should always be on learning through exploration, investigation, creativity and most of all play. Being a governor is hard work but very rewarding and everyone is so helpful so why not give it a try in the future!
Chair
Hello my name is Eileen Thompson. I am Chair to the Governors at Helen Gibson Nursery. I was appointed in November 2012, although I have been a Governor for over 20 years. My involvement started when my daughter (who is now 27!) started at East Boldon Infants. At that time there was one governing body covering all East Boldon Primary schools but successive governments have insisted each school now has its own. I have lived in East Boldon since 1981 and am now retired having worked for over 40 years in local government in the legal department as a property lawyer.
The governing body meet regularly with a full termly meeting to discuss all issues relevant to the school and additional meetings, as and when necessary to discuss urgent items such as agreeing the budget. We also have smaller working parties to discuss issues such as leadership and management, behaviour and safety and curriculum matters. It is the responsibility of the chair to ensure meetings are run efficiently with everyone having a voice and all governors clear on items discussed. The chair is also responsible for ensuring the governors and the school are fulfilling all statutory functions and ensuring the strategic focus for the school. Personally, I am responsible as link governor for Special Educational Needs and Inclusion within the school and behavioural issues. I would recommend being a governor to all parents where possible. It is hard work but so rewarding. We have a brilliant school at Helen Gibson Nursery and Kids club with a committed governing body and an inspirational Head and fantastic staff. I look forward to the future with great optimism that Helen Gibson will be rated as an outstanding school at its next Ofsted inspection.
