Our Governors
The governing body at Westbury Infant School oversee the strategic direction of the school.
It is made up of a wide range of individuals with many different skills and experiences.
Members represent the parish, parents, the Local Education Authority and also staff. The full governing body meets regularly throughout the year; there are also sub committees that take responsibility for finance and resources, premises and curriculum. The governing body is responsible for a number of areas including: overall standards within the school; ensuring the school meets its statutory duties; safeguarding measures; the strategic direction of the school and the successful implementation of the school improvement plan and priorities.
The children, their development and welfare are always at the centre of all decisions made by governors.
What does a Governor do?
The Governing Body currently has a vacancies for governors. The role of the school governor is more important than ever. The governing body plays a critical role in the school’s success and the success of its children. Governors ensure there is clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction, hold school leaders to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and oversee the financial management of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
No special qualifications are needed and the most important thing is to have a keen interest in the school and be prepared to play an active part in the governing body’s work. Training is available for all governors. Being a governor will enable you to develop new skills, create strong links with the school community and influence the school’s vision and strategy for the future. By joining the governing body you can contribute to making decisions that have a huge impact on the lives of young people in your community as every governor has a role to play in helping make sure every young person gets the best possible education.
If this sounds of interest to you and you would like to find out more then please contact the Sarah Andrews, Clerk to Governors on clerk@westbury-inf.wilts.sch.uk or call into the school office.
The current Governing body comprises:
Chair of Governors & Safeguarding Governor - Mrs Minnie House
I retired as a Headteacher of an Infant and Nursery School (Academy) in Somerset, in 2015. I was appointed by the WIS governing body and Authority in September 2016.
During the last four years of my time as Headteacher I was also a Leading Learner in Education ( LLE) supporting schools in Somerset. I have lived in Chapmanslade throughout my life and in my early days of teaching taught at Westbury Infant School. As well as being a Governor at Westbury Infant School I am also a Governor at another Wiltshire School.
I have a strong and passionate commitment to ensuring that every child is equally able to access excellent learning opportunities, within a culture of high expectations and that all children are supported in becoming confident lifelong learners.
Headteacher - Mrs Stacey Budge
I was a classroom teacher for 20 years before becoming Headteacher at Westbury Infant School in 2014. During my teaching career, I have had the privilege of working in six different schools, with the majority of my experience being in the Early Years Foundation Stage, including Nursery. This has given me a strong understanding of the importance of those early years and the huge impact that positive relationships, experiences and environments can have on children’s development and future success.
I strongly believe that there is a close connection between the school environment and positive outcomes for children. Over the years, I have worked hard to develop an environment at Westbury Infants that is welcoming, nurturing, stimulating and inspiring, where children feel happy, safe and confident to be themselves and where they are encouraged to develop a lifelong love of learning.
I am passionate about ensuring that all our children have access to a wide and exciting range of experiences during their time at school, extending far beyond the purely academic. I particularly enjoy creating opportunities for children to explore the world around them, try new things and make special memories. Taking the children on trips and seeing their excitement as they experience something new is one of the many joys of my role.
As Headteacher, one of the things I am most proud of about our school is the caring, close-knit family atmosphere. At Westbury Infants, every child matters, every child is valued and every child is special to us. We know our children as individuals and celebrate their unique personalities, strengths and achievements. Our school vision, “Belong, Thrive, Achieve, Play – where infants shine every day,” perfectly embodies what we believe in and influences everything we do. We want every child to feel that they belong, to have the opportunity to thrive, to achieve their very best and, importantly, to enjoy their childhood and learn through play.
Outside of school, I am lucky enough to have three adult sons who keep me very much on my toes! I am also a huge animal lover and share my home with a dog and two cats. I have never been very good at turning away a stray, and they do seem to have a habit of finding me! In my limited spare time, I enjoy knitting, sewing and cooking, as well as spending time with my family and, of course, my animals.
Co-opted Governor - Mrs Sally Evans
I was appointed as a Co-opted governor by the governing body in December 2018.
The majority of my career has been spent working for various organisations within the Ministry of Defence (MOD). My roles have mainly related to Human Resources tasks such as recruitment, discipline, capability issues and absences. In addition, I was responsible for setting up MOD’s first workplace nursery in Whitehall and produced the Department’s Childcare handbook: its policy on how to provide childcare support for working parents. I also provided advice to other MOD organisations setting up nurseries in places such as Foxhill, Bath & Abbeywood.
Now that I no longer work, I am Chair of a Wiltshire pre-school as well as safeguarding governor at the adjacent primary school. This has enabled me to be involved in the development of children from when they join the pre-school until they leave for senior school. I believe it is very important for children to have a secure, happy, interesting and stimulating environment in which to learn and becoming a governor has enabled me to support Mrs Budge, the Headteacher, and her staff in helping to achieve the school’s visions, aims and values.
Governor - Mrs Vicky Whitfield
I have worked in education for the last 15 years and currently work for Wiltshire Council as the Governance Lead, supporting governing boards to strengthen their effectiveness and impact. I am an experienced governor, having served in both primary and secondary school settings, which has given me a broad understanding of the opportunities and challenges schools face.
I am passionate about supporting schools to achieve the best possible outcomes for their pupils and believe every child should have access to high-quality education, provision and enriching learning experiences. As a governor, I am committed to providing constructive support and challenge to help ensure all pupils can thrive and succeed.
Staff Governor - Mrs Sally Russam
I was appointed to the Governing body in November 2021. Having been a governor in a previous school, it is interesting to see how much governance has changed.
As a teacher I have taught across the primary school range and in a variety of different roles and have lead various subjects with my main passion being in Mathematics.
I have been at Westbury Infant School since April 2019 and I am keen to work with the Governing Body to continue to maintain the high standards of the school and its reputation. The school offers the children the most wonderful and magical experiences which, in turn, forms happy memories of their childhood.
Outside of school I have two young children who are passionate about cricket and rugby so most of my time is spent taxiing them to various sport grounds around the county.
Parent Governor - Alexandra Young
As a proud mum to a son and daughter, family life keep me and my husband wonderfully busy—especially with our two dogs, who bring plenty of energy and fun to our home.
I work in a local Resource Base, where I am passionate about supporting children with a range of needs and helping every child to thrive. In my spare time, I enjoy running, playing netball, reading and talking with friends and family.
I became a parent governor because I care deeply about the children in our community and want to use my knowledge and experience to support the school. I aim to be a supportive friend who listens, encourages and constructively holds the school to account, helping to ensure the best possible outcomes for every child.
I also believe strongly in recognising and celebrating the many successes that happen each day. By working together, I hope to help create a school community in which children and staff feel supported, valued and proud of everything they achieve.
Attendance & Voting Rights
See below to view the Governor's attendance, declaration of interests and voting rights.
Governors attendance, declarationg of interests and voting rights
They are supported by our clerk – Mrs Sarah Andrews.
If you need to get in touch with the governing body for any reason please email the clerk at: clerk@westbury-inf.wilts.sch.uk.
If you would like to become a school governor at Westbury Infant School please download the letter and nomination form below and return to the Clerk to Governors via email at clerk@westbury-inf.wilts.sch.uk
WIS Scheme of Delegation framework
If you would like a copy of our Governor Meeting Minutes, please contact the school office and a member of the team will be happy to assist.
