Our Local Governing Body is made up of a membership of 11 members:
6 DDAT Trust/PCC Governors
2 Parent Governors ( 1 Vacancy)
1 Teaching Staff Governors
1 Head of School / Executive Headteacher
1 Ex-officio Governor (Vacancy)
What do the Local Governors do?
The three core functions of the Governing Board are:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
- Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils and the performance management of staff
- Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent
Pecuniary Interests
To find out the pecuniary interests of our Local Governors please download the document at the bottom of the page.
September 2022 sees me taking up my new role as a Trust Governor. I am delighted to have the opportunity to still be involved in ensuring the children at Bishop Lonsdale continue to receive the highest standard of education in a safe, caring and nurturing environment.
I am originally from Lincoln and came to Derby to train as a teacher. I am married with three children.
Before retiring, I spent most of my career teaching junior school children but also taught adults and nursery children.
Since retiring in July 2021, I have been able to spend more time with my two grandchildren - usually visiting parks and farms! I have also spent a great deal of time catching up on all the books I’ve wanted to read as well as doing some gardening.
Sport has always been a passion of mine, whether watching or playing. I especially enjoy netball, football, rugby and athletics. I started playing netball at junior school, continuing throughout secondary school before taking up badminton at college. These days I watch more sport than play although up until the pandemic I did play Goal Shooter in the staff netball team. Some of my team mates have been heard to comment that I was playing walking netball long before it had been invented!
Mr Duncan Ellingworth
Vice Chair Governors
My name is Duncan Ellingworth and I was appointed as a parent governor in November 2018. I have three children, George who is Year 3, Matilda who is in Year 1 and Henry who will be joining them at school once he is old enough.
As a governor I currently sit on two committees, the Finance committee and the Strategic Development committee. I am Chair of the Finance committee and have a responsibility for the Pupil Premium funding. I am also Vice-Chair of the Governing Body. At each meeting, I question the school leaders on each of these areas, with the aim of working together to ensure that the children receive the highest quality of education and care and that these standards are maintained.
I am an accountant by trade and currently work at a practice on Burton Road. My hobbies include darts, snooker and the (not so mighty at the moment) Derby County!
Mrs Helen Lillie
Trust Governor
Hello, my name is Helen Lillie. I am honoured to be a school governor at Bishop Lonsdale School. I have been in education a long time in various roles with 46 years experience of teaching, learning and assessment with observation and performance management at the heart of driving up standards across education. I have a vast understanding and undertaking of quality assurance and compliance engaging with external stakeholders and staff alike. I am passionate about students achieving their goals and being the best versions of themselves. I am committed to helping the organisations I work with and alongside to meeting their strategic aims and objectives that drive forwards towards outstanding outcomes. I have over 35 years working as a member of the Senior Leadership Team within two very large colleges as well as Quality Nominee working with a vast number of awarding organisations to ensure compliance as well as promoting right choices of delivery to meet local and national priorities.
Mrs Fiona Lingard
Trust Governor
Mr Stuart Lydon
Teaching Staff Governor
My name is Stuart Lydon and I was appointed a staff governor at Bishop Lonsdale Primary school in September 2021. As the teaching staff governor, I aim to represent the viewpoints of the teachers so that their needs, hopes and successes continue to be recognised and valued. Our school works together as a team so well and I hope to be able to contribute to that success. I joined Bishop Lonsdale in 2016 and I am currently the Year 5 class teacher as well as the lead teacher for Key Stage 2, Science and Computing. I help to run the Drama Club and also lead the pupil e-safety team, the I-Vengers. In my spare time, I love to write, sing and (over)act on stage in pantomime, when global events aren't putting a stop to that kind of thing!
Rev Anita Matthews
Foundation Governor
My name is Rev’d Anita Matthews and I was appointed as a Foundation governor in September 2018. I have been involved with Bishop Lonsdale for a number of years, contributing to the RE curriculum and Worship. I am also involved in overseeing the Derbyshire/Kolkata School links programme which Bishop Lonsdale participates in. I am on the Strategic Development Committee, and on the SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools) Committee. I am a member of Derby SACRE (Schools Advisory Council for Religious Education). Currently I am Acting Vicar of St. Peter’s in the City of Derby and Lead Chaplain for Derby City Centre Chaplaincy. In my spare time I enjoy travelling, going to the cinema and sharing food with friends.
Ms Tania Sanders
Foundation Governor
My name is Tania Sanders and I have been a Foundation governor at Bishop Lonsdale Primary School since before the school was made an Academy in 2013. I am currently Chair of the Governing Board and sit on both the Finance and the Strategic Committees. I have responsibilities for Safeguarding, Children in Care and the Early Years. I also work with a group of other governors to monitor the effectiveness of the school as a church school.
I trained as a teacher many years ago at the former Bishop Lonsdale College of Education and I am now retired. In my spare time I enjoy walking and I lead a French conversation group for the University of the Third Age (U3A). I am also a member of St. Luke’s congregation.
Mr Malcolm Hetherington
Executive Head
Miss Sarah Brownhall
Head of School and Associate Governor