Millfield Primary School Governing Board

The School governors are a team of people who work closely with the head teacher to make the major decisions vital to the successful running of the school. The governors appoint the head teacher and make decisions that directly affect the education and well-being of the children. 

School governors have three main roles:

To ensure clarity of vision and strategic direction for the school;

To hold the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school;

To oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure its money is well spent.

We ask the “Ten Essential Questions for Governors” from the Norfolk Governors’ Toolkit.

These questions are used to guide the governing board meetings and to review our governing board performance and test the effectiveness of delegated structures and operations:

• What is the vision for our school?
• Have we developed long-term aims for our school with clear priorities in an ambitious school development plan which is regularly monitored and reviewed?
• Do we understand the school’s data well enough to hold our school leaders to account and manage performance?
• Are our financial systems robust enough and do we ensure best value for money?
• How do we know what pupils, parents and staff think of our school and how do we meet their expectations?
• Does every governor contribute and how do we know we are effective?
• Is our governing body helping the school to improve?
• Are we working with others to give all of our children the best chances in life?
• Has our governing body got the right skills to do the job?
• Is the size, composition and committee structure of our governing body conducive to effective working?

The governing board was reconstituted in 2021 in accordance with regulations from the Department for Education (DfE) and consists of 9 governor positions.

There are 4 co-opted governors, who are selected by the governors from the local community for their skills and relevant experience. There are two parent governors who are required to have children at the school when they are elected by the other parents. One governor is nominated by Norfolk County Council. There is one staff governor elected by the school staff. The headteacher is also a governor.

The governing board fulfils its duties through formal meetings of the whole board twice each term. The board sets the overall direction and priorities for governors each term, oversees safeguarding, scrutinises academic performance, teaching and learning and the curriculum and oversees all financial matters, human resources (personnel) and premises.  All governors are committed to a governor’s code of conduct (download below).

Individual governors visit the school periodically. Some governors are parents and others have previously had children at the school. During the year there is at least one formal “governors in school” day when several governors visit together to monitor aspects of the school improvement plans and to meet pupils and staff.

Governors contribute to the wider local education system through participation at cluster events, training sessions and conferences and through involvement with other schools’ governing boards. 

You can contact the governors by sending an email, letter or message marked "for the attention of Chair of Governors" via the school office ( office@millfield.norfolk.sch.uk  or phone 01692 403172).

Meet the Governors

Jan Harazdiuk

Headteacher governor, permanent member of governing board.
Responsibilities: member of all committees.
Meeting attendance 2020-21: attended 5 out of 5 full governing board meetings, 
Register of interests: None

Sarah Lanchbury

Staff governor, 17/11/2017 - 16/11/2021
Responsibilities: pupil learning
Meeting attendance 2020-21: attended 5 out of 5 full governing board meetings.
Register of interests: none

Jimmy McCarthy

Parent governor, 14/06/2021 - 13/06/2025
Responsibilities: .
Meeting attendance 2020-21: attended 1 out of 1 full governing board meetings.
Register of interests: None

Kerry Porteous

Parent governor, 12/07/2021 - 11/07/2025
Responsibilities: link governor for Safeguarding, RSE, RE, PSHE.
Meeting attendance 2020-21: attended 4 out of 5 full governing board meetings.
Register of interests: None

Alex Robinson (Chair of Governors 2020-21)

co-opted governor, 06/12/2020 - 05/12/2024

Responsibilities: Chair of the Governing Board (2020-21),link governor for maths, science and computing,  member of Headteacher Performance Management Committee, member of Pay Committee.

Meeting attendance 2020-21: attended 5 out of 5 full governing board meetings.
Register of interests: Director of the Viscount Nelson Education Network CIC which provides school improvement services to schools not including Millfield.

Other Governing Boards: none.

Anne Somers

Co-opted governor, 14/09/2018 - 14/09/2022
Responsibilities: link governor for history, geography and international links.
Meeting attendance 2020-21: attended 2 out of 5 full governing board meetings.

Register of interests: None

Roger Smith

Local Authority governor, 23/03/2019 - 22/03/2023

Responsibilities: Vice Chair of governing board, link governor for Health and Safety, link governor for music, art, DT and PE.
Meeting attendance 2020-21: attended 5 out of 5 full governing board meetings.

Register of interests: spouse works as a Teaching Assistant at the school.

Gordon Woolcock