Governors’ Remit

When High Down Schools federated in 205, we formed a single Board of Governors to work on behalf of both schools. Now, as part of the Lighthouse Schools Partnership (LSP), the Governing Body’s remit is to:

• Oversee the running of the schools within the powers delegated to it by the LSP Board of Trustees
• Ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction for the schools in alignment with the Trust vision and strategic objectives
• Hold the executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the schools and their pupils, and the performance management of staff
• Oversee the financial performance of the schools; making sure their funding is well spent
• Draw any significant recommendations and matters of concern to the attention of the LSP Board of Trustees

Monitoring and evaluating the school’s performance and success play a major role for our Governing Body. We have a detailed monitoring schedule linked to the schools’ Raising Attainment and Progress Plan. These visits ensure governors have a detailed understanding of the life and workings of the schools and are to both support and challenge the senior leadership team.

Please follow the link to LSP Scheme of Delegation.

Please follow the link to find out more about the Trustees of LSP

Our Schools’ Governors

You can email the Co-Chairs of Governors at chair.governors@highdownschools.org or write to them at: Chair of Governors, c/o High Down Schools, Down Road, Portishead, BS20 6DY

Appointment of Governors

Our governors are drawn from parents, the community and school staff, and are appointed for a four-year term of office. Co-opted governors are appointed, based on their skill set, by the Governing Body (subject to ratification by the LSP Board of Trustees); parent governors are elected by parents and carers, and staff governors by school staff.

Governor Vacancies

If you are interested in being a governor at our schools, please contact the C0-Chairs of Governors at chair.governors@highdownschools.org. The links below provide information about the governor role, and also the circumstances in which someone cannot be a governor.

Information About Governors

The DfE requires schools to publish specific information about its governors, including those who served during the previous school year. The listing below, therefore, includes our current governors, and those who have resigned, or whose appointment ended, since September 2025. Governors undertake many activities in support of our school’s success; the meeting attendance rates below represent only a small part of this.

Abi Oldfield

• Headteacher Governor: from January 2026
• Business & Pecuniary Interests: Executive Headteacher at High Down Schools
• 2025/2026 Meeting Attendance: 00%

Andreya Cowan

• Headteacher Governor: from January 2003 – 25 December 2025
• Business & Pecuniary Interests: Executive Headteacher at High Down Schools
• 2025/2026 Meeting Attendance: 00%

Kate Coupar

• Co-Opted Governor: 6 July 2025 – 5 July 2029
• Business and Pecuniary Interests: Parent at High Down Schools
• 2025/2026 Meeting Attendance: 86%

Alison Francis

• Staff Governor: 4 April 2025 – 3 April 2029
• Business & Pecuniary Interests: class teacher at High Down Schools
• 2025/2026 Meeting Attendance: 00%

Ryan Gillson

• Co-opted Governor: 2 December 2023 – December 2027
• Business & Pecuniary Interests: Parent at High Down Schools
• 2025/2026 Meeting Attendance: 00%

Sarah Glover

• Co-opted Governor: 5 July 2026 - 2030 
• Parent Governor: 5 July 2022 – 4 July 2026
• Business & Pecuniary Interest: parent at High Down Schools
• 2025/2026 Meeting Attendance: 00%

Lucy Lang

• Co-opted Governor: 2 December 2023 – December 2027
• Business & Pecuniary Interests: None
• 2025/2026 Meeting Attendance: 00%

Sue Mason

• Co-opted Governor: September 206 – 4 January 209, 5 January 209 – 4 January 2023 and 5 January 2023 – 4 January 2027
• Local Authority Governor: 4 September 996 – 3 September 2008, 27 October 2008 – 26 October 202, 8 February 203 – 4 January 205, and 5 January 205 – 3 August 206
• Business & Pecuniary Interests: North Somerset District Councillor
• 2025/2026 Meeting Attendance: 00%

Andrew Parsons

• Co-opted Governor: 3 March 2020 – 30 March 2024 and 3 March 2025 – 30 March 2029
• Business & Pecuniary Interests: none
• 2025/2026 Meeting Attendance: 7%

Sarah Pogson

• Co-opted Governor: 2 December 2023 – December 2027
• Business & Pecuniary Interests: Parent at High Down Schools
• 2025/2026 Meeting Attendance: 86%

Amina Sorour

• Parent Governor: 8 July 2026 - 7 July 2030
• Business and Pecuniary Interests: parent at High Down School
• 2025/2026 Meeting attendance: n.a

Elizabeth Strong

• Parent Governor: 28 March 2024 – 27 March 2028
• Business and Pecuniary Interests: parent at High Down Schools
• 2025/2026 Meeting Attendance: 7%

Ruth Taylor

• Co-opted Governor: 6 July 2025 – 5 July 2029
• Business and Pecuniary Interests: parent at High Down Schools
• 2025/2026 Meeting Attendance: 86%

Ben Valentine

• Co-opted Governor: 8 December 202 – 7 December 2025
• Business & Pecuniary Interests: parent at High Down Schools
• 2025/2026 Meeting Attendance: 00%

Jane Williams

• Co-opted Governor: 28 June 208 – 27 June 2022 and 28 June 2022 – 27 June 2026
• Business & Pecuniary Interests: none
• 2025/2026 Meeting Attendance: 00%

• Being a Parent Governor