Welcome to our Governors’ section.

Please find below details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.

Mr D Furness

I have been a school Governor at Herne since 2009, and have been Chair since 2013.  I am currently a Local Authority Governor and I sit on the Resources Committee and the Teaching and learning Committee and am frequently involved with the Head teacher and Leadership team on local authority and educational matters that involve the school.  I enjoy mountain biking, motorcycling and reading.  I initially volunteered to be a school governor so that I could be involved more in the education system and be able to make decisions which are in the best interests of the children and young people at Herne Junior School.  My role has since evolved with time and experience and responsibilities include ensuring that the school has sound and efficient leadership and governance.  My background is telecommunications and I have spent many years abroad predominantly in South East Asia so not only do I bring my own knowledge and skills to the role, but in ensuring that we all work as a team makes for far more effective decision making and hopefully a well-run and successful school.

Responsibilities:

Local Authority Governor
Chair of Governors
Teaching and Learning Committee
Resources Committee
LA school meetings

Mr A Gough

I have been a governor of the school since 2008 and am currently one of the governors appointed by the Parochial Church Council of St Martin in Herne Church. I am chair of the school’s Resource Committee. This includes the Finance Committee which is responsible for scrutinising the school’s budget and we undertake this every six weeks at our regular committee meeting. We review the monthly monitoring reports prepared by the school’s business manager and endeavour to ensure best value for contracts and services. Our reports are then presented to the next full governor’s meeting. Annually, in May, we will review with the head teacher and business manager the budget for the financial year commencing on the 1 April. We are particularly responsible for ensuring that money spent is referable to the School Improvement Plan.

The committee also scrutinises spending plans for the school buildings (both from income and capital) and reviews annually the school’s on-going maintenance and health and safety programme.

I have lived in Herne for many years and I am a regular member of the congregation of St. Martin’s Church. I am now retired but was formerly a solicitor and a partner in Furley Page, working in the commercial property and planning team of the real estate department based in our offices in Canterbury.

 I am a past president and current treasurer of the Rotary Club of Whitstable.

The only weakness, to which I admit, is that I am (still) a season ticket holder at West Ham United F.C. However, nobody’s perfect.

Responsibilities:

Vice Chair of Governors

Foundation Governor appointed by PCC

Chair of Resource Committee

Safeguarding Governor

Member of the Head Teacher Appraisal Committee

Member of Siams Committee

Mrs D Luetchford

I joined KCC’s Clerking Service in March 2011 and became Clerk to the Governing Body for Herne Junior School in March 2012.  I previously worked for KCC in Adult Education and Social Services but wanted to work part-time with more flexibility.  My role is to support the Governing Body in their administration.  I prepare for and minute GB meetings, maintain the GB records, source and provide information where necessary and hopefully help to make things run more smoothly.  It is a varied and enjoyable post and they are a very friendly group of people to work with.  Having two daughters who are teachers it also is helping me to understand a little more clearly what goes on in their working lives.

Mrs F Ventham

My name is Frances Ventham and I am a Foundation Governor nominated by the PCC at St Martins Church, where I am part of the ministry team. I co-ordinate the children’s groups on a Sunday and also have 30 years’ experience running local Brownie Packs. I have been a Governor at Herne Juniors since 2006 and have in the past been a Teacher Governor in Canterbury.  My professional background has been as a Junior School Teacher and until retirement as the Education Officer at Canterbury Cathedral.

It is a privilege to be part of the Governing Body, having the opportunity to support and make a positive contribution to the school.

Responsibilities:

Foundation Governor
STEM Hub monitoring
Teaching and Learning Committee
Recruitment

Mrs P Cox

I have been a governor for more than 30 years, firstly at Hampton Primary School where I had a particular interest in Special Needs, and also at Herne Bay Infant School where I was Chair of Governors for 10 years, involved in all aspects of governor responsibility, and spent a great deal of time as a voluntary classroom helper.  I stood down from the governing body at Hampton in 1996 to become a Foundation governor at Herne Junior School where I have since been a member of various committees and for several years was Chair or Vice-Chair of Governors.  Currently I have responsibility with monitoring English throughout the school, and also serve on the Resources Committee.

I am an active member of St. Martin’s Church, serving as warden, or deputy warden, and having previously acted as a long-standing Sunday School teacher and been very involved with church music.

My sisters and I are past pupils of Herne School.  All four of my grandchildren have attended Herne Juniors and have now moved on to secondary school.

Responsibilities:

Foundation Governor
Teaching and Learning Committee
Headteacher Appraisal Committee
Language Hub monitoring
Recruitment

I was appointed as the co-opted Governor at Herne Junior School in 2017.  I joined the school in September 2015 as a teacher in Year 3 and currently I am teaching in Year 6.  I am the Computing lead within the school, with a responsibility to oversee the curriculum; enhance children’s learning in technology use and provide current advice on how to keep safe online to teachers and pupils.

I am passionate about helping children achieve. I am proud to be part of the Herne community and in my role as a Governor.

Mrs A Ackland

I am a foundation governor nominated by the PCC of St Martin in Herne Church.
My professional background until retirement was working within the National Health Service.

I enjoy having the opportunity to support and make a positive contribution to the school.
I believe that all children deserve an outstanding education that allows them to develop as confident young people in a caring, supportive environment.
Responsibilities:
Teaching & Learning Committee
Resources Committee

Safeguarding Governor
Headteacher Appraisal Committee 
Wellbeing Hub monitoring

Mrs R Finn-Kelcey

I have been staff governor on the Herne Governing Body since 2017.  I have been a teacher at the school since April 2013.  During my time at Herne, I have been School Council leader, PSHE leader, P.E. leader and Maths leader.  Currently, I am a Year 6 teacher and have taught in Years 3 and 4 as well.

I believe the role of a governor is to help steer the school in the right direction. I feel proud to be a part of the Herne community.

Mrs S Allen

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work as a Parent Governor, supporting both the staff and children at Herne Junior School and supporting the values and mission of the Herne Junior School community.

I am married with two children, our eldest is currently at Herne Junior School and we also have a pre-school aged child attending Windmill Nursery (at Herne Infant School). I grew up in South Wales, have lived in Kent since 1996 and in Herne Bay since 2012.  As a family we enjoy the outdoors, weekends are often spent walking or on bike rides and we love living by the sea for this reason!  I am an avid reader, attend a local community art group, enjoy cooking, and continue in my limited efforts to play the piano. 

Professionally I have worked within law enforcement for twenty-six years, undertaking a wide variety of roles, including local policing, vulnerability investigation, human resources, and homicide investigation. For the past eighteen years I have worked in supervisory and leadership roles.

During my career I have spent over a decade in safeguarding roles, working with statutory partners and those within the voluntary sector, to protect children and vulnerable adults from harm and exploitation. I have experience of leading operations and projects, working at both an operational and strategic level, including the management of diverse teams, delivering front line services to local communities, often in challenging circumstances.  I have extensive experience of managing budgets, working with partners, chairing meetings, and delivering briefings.  I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to work as an associate lecturer, delivering vocational training for professionals within higher education.  Although in a different setting to primary education, this experience offered me a further insight into the transformative potential of quality education.

I believe that every child should have access to an outstanding education and the equality of opportunity which supports them to thrive.

I have a strong sense of public service and believe in the importance of giving back to the community and it is a privilege to contribute to the excellent work that the school team deliver for our children and the wider community. 

Mrs C Curry

My name is Cathy Curry and I have been a Foundation Governor since September 2021.
My professional background is in Primary Education working in schools across the Isle of Thanet for over 30 years.
I am enjoying having the opportunity to make a positive contribution to the school.
Responsibilities:
Chair of Teaching and Learning Committee
Member of SIAMS Team
Well-being Hub monitoring

Mr S Ruff

I became a parent governor in January 2022.  Being a parent of three sons and a daughter who have all been part of the Herne Junior family, I know just how hard the school works, giving all of their students the best education possible, in a really happy and friendly environment and I felt I wanted to give something back.

Since starting in this role, I have discovered it is very rewarding.  I get an insight into how the school runs, the dedication of all staff and the challenges facing the pupils, in terms of their learning (both academically and socially).  As governors, we also get to ask questions of the school around the curriculum and the methods of delivery, which has been both interesting and thought provoking.

Outside of being a governor, my day job is as an electrician at the University of Kent. 

When I'm not working or being a governor I'm a keen England Rugby supporter.  I have also coached a team at Whitstable Rugby club for about 10 years, and I am still enjoying watching both the senior and junior teams play at the weekends.  I also like to venture out and cycle, whether it be commuting to work or just for pleasure.  My cycling has taken me on some epic charity adventures through Europe visiting places such as Paris and Brussels. 

Responsibilities:

Health and Safety Governor

Resources Committee

Teaching and Learning Committee

Stem Hub monitoring