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

Governance

Bassingham Primary School is supported by a well qualified, hard working group of governors. Governors have responsibility for setting the strategic aims, ethos and direction of the academy; monitoring and evaluating its performance; and determining the resources required to achieve the best possible outcomes for its pupils and the community. Please find below our governing body details and key documentation.

Our governors can be contacted via the Governing Body Clerk via the school office.

Jo Lambert - Chair of Governors

Contact: FAO Jo Lambert

Bassingham Primary School

Lincoln Road

Bassingham

Lincoln

LN5 9HQ

After leaving Nottingham University 31 years ago I began teaching as a nursery teacher in a large primary school in central London. Since I have taught all age groups from Early Years to end of Key Stage 2 and I have worked as a senior leader for the past 14 years. Throughout my career I have trained teachers as a fellow of Goldsmiths and Edge Hill universities, worked as a local authority consultant and advisor and I have had opportunities to work at national level and most recently with an outstanding primary school in Nottingham.

My family and I relocated home to Lincolnshire in 2015. After commuting to London for over 6 years I have retired from teaching to enjoy the birds sing and the flowers grow, for now.

Throughout my career I have been a governor in both mainstream and special school settings. I have had the privilege to be a governor at Sir William Robertson Academy since my son joined the school in Year 7. My specific foci in the setting are Safeguarding, Child Protection and Pupil Premium. I am looking forward to getting to know the Bassingham Primary School community and supporting Mr. Betts and the governing body in any way I can.

Nick Swindin - Parent Governor

I have twelve years’ experience as a School Governor having been a Governor at Bassingham Primary for the past 8 years with 4 years served previously at a Primary School in Cambridgeshire. I have recently been appointed as a Director of the Aspire Schools Trust, formed by Sir William Robertson Academy and Bassingham Primary School where I will aim to bring value and guidance to all Schools within the Trust as it grows and develops. 

I am married with three children, all are still in full time education – one studying in Further Education, one in Secondary Education and my youngest being in Primary Education. The day job sees me as a Company Director in the Print and IT Industry, an industry I have worked in approaching 30 years.  Interests outside work include cycling, and running and I can regularly be found at the City Ground as a frustrated Nottingham Forest supporter and at Sincil Bank enjoying the current successes of Lincoln City.

Richard Sheppard – Parent Governor 

I am married with two children, my eldest is a former pupil at Bassingham Primary School and now attends SWRA, my youngest is a current pupil and has been since Reception. We live locally to Bassingham and have lived in the area for 10 years since we moved from Lincoln. Our children are our number one priority in life and out of work my wife and I like to spend time with them (and our 3 cats!).

In work, I am the Commercial Director of a motor retail group, an executive director and regulatory compliance officer. I am an integrative leader who works with and through people, I have an outgoing interest in people and believe they should be at the heart of decision making whether they be staff, stakeholders, or customers. I strive to do business in a friendly way, while pushing forward to win an objective and sell a point of view. I am a good coordinator who is willing to delegate.

I like to feel part of the team, and prefer to lead people rather than direct them to achieve results, though am equally comfortable in giving direction when required. I have over twenty years of leadership experience, the last eight at a strategic level. I have recently completed a master’s degree in strategic leadership and a CMI level 7 diploma in strategic leadership and management. I am a chartered manager and fellow of the CMI.

I am excited to become a governor at Bassingham Primary School and hopefully make a meaningful contribution to the team.

Emma Jenkins – Parent Governor

After completing my A-Levels, I joined the Royal Air Force in 2002 and commissioned into the Personnel Support Branch. Following professional training, I have undertaken a variety of roles including visits and protocol, discipline, welfare, recruiting and personnel management. I am married to Al, who is also in the Royal Air Force, and we have one child who is in Primary Education. Interests outside of work include yoga, swimming and as a family maximising our National Trust Membership where I have a particular interest in the quality of their cake and hot chocolate! Throughout my career, I have held positions on management committees within childcare settings and I’m absolutely delighted to join the Local Governing Body at Bassingham Primary School where I look forward to working with the Senior Leadership Team and wider community. 

Georgie Wiltshire – Staff Governor

I have been a Governor for just over a year now and have enjoyed the experience so far.  I am in my fourth as a Teacher year at Bassingham Primary School and have taught both Year 3 and Year 4 during this period.

Out of school, I enjoy going to the gym and also eating cake! I have a passion for Formula 1 and because of this I have been lucky enough to attend races at Silverstone. I adore cats and kittens and around school I am often referred to as the cat lady!

Alan Brogan – Co-Opted Governor

After leaving school (many years ago) I qualified and worked as an electrician and then later worked for British Telecommunications PLC. After 10 years working in industry, I quit my job to go to university and complete a degree in education.

As a newly qualified teacher, I began my teaching career at Sir William Robertson Academy and after 25 years, I’m still at the same school where my currently post is deputy head teacher responsible for curriculum and achievement. During my time at this school, I have been involved in a variety of strategic school partnerships including both secondary and primary schools and this has given me valuable experience of the diversity of needs of individual schools and how solutions can be achieved through collaboration and innovation.

I am delighted to have joined the governing body at Bassingham and I look forward to working alongside the school community and supporting in any way I can. Having previously been a governor at a similar sized rural Lincolnshire Primary School near Sleaford, I understand the many challenges that we face and hope that my experience of working in Lincolnshire education will enable me to offer a good level of challenge and support to the school leadership team.

Sophie Longney – Co-Opted Governor

I am incredibly passionate about all aspects of teaching and learning and I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to support Bassingham Primary grow and flourish as part of the Aspire Schools Trust.

I currently work as part of the academic team at Bishop Grosseteste University as a Senior Lecturer in Initial Primary Education. Prior to this, I was the Vice Principal of a large primary school located in Nottinghamshire. As part of this role, I was the Head of Teaching and Learning, English and Key Stage 2 Lead while continuing to specialise in the teaching of English in Year 6. I was also the English and Year 6 Lead for a multi-academy trust.

I completed my Masters in Education in 2019 and focused on improving the teaching of reading within Key Stage 2. The findings from this research had a very positive impact and significantly improved end of KS2 reading outcomes. I have also been awarded Chartered Teacher Status and previously worked as a writing moderator for Nottinghamshire County Council.

I am looking forward to working with the Bassingham Primary School community and I hope that my previous experience of working within primary education will enable me to support the school and leadership team effectively.