Governors

Our School’s Governing Body

The role of the Governing Body

St Martin’s School governing body fulfils a number of important functions, addressed through a planned programme of meetings and quality assurance visits throughout the school year. They are to:

Ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction, including long-term planning.
Carry out their statutory duties, such as safeguarding.
Ensure that they and the school promote tolerance of and respect for people of all faiths (or those of no faith), races, genders, ages, disability and sexual orientations (and other groups with protected characteristics) and support and help, through their words, actions and influence within the school and more widely in the community, to prepare children and young people positively for life in modern Britain.
Contribute to the school’s self-evaluation and understand its strengths and weaknesses, including the quality of teaching, and reviewing the impact of their own work
Understand and take sufficient account of pupil data, particularly their understanding and use of the school data dashboard.
Assure themselves of the rigour of the assessment process.
Be aware of the impact of teaching on learning and progress in different subjects and year groups
Provide challenge and hold the Headteacher and other senior leaders to account for improving the quality of teaching, pupils’ achievement and pupils’ behaviour and safety.
Use the pupil premium and other resources to overcome barriers to learning, including reading, writing and mathematics.
Ensure solvency and probity and that the financial resources made available to the school are managed effectively
Provide support for an effective Headteacher.
Monitor performance management systems and understand how the school makes decisions about teachers’ salary progression, including the performance management of the Headteacher, to improve teaching, leadership and management.
Engage with key stakeholders and be transparent and accountable.

St Martin’s School Governors

NAME OF GOVERNOR	ROLE	TERM OF OFFICE	DATE OF APPOINTMENT
Chris Tuckett	Headteacher	Ex-officio	1 September 2024
Dan Rose	Co-Chair of Governors (Parent Governor)	4 years	4 October 2023
Kat Stanger	Co-Chair of Governors (Co-opted Governor)	4 years	1 March 2023
Kerry Peregrine	Staff Governor	4 years	21 September 2022
Dave Damon	Parent Governor	4 years	1 March 2023
Ellie Wilson	Parent Governor	4 years	16 October 2023
Michael Carden	Parent Governor	4 years	10 October 2023
Drew Vermeulen	Parent Governor	4 years	24 February 2026
Clare Mansfield	Co-opted Governor	4 years	1 April 2024
Johnny Lloyd	Co-opted Governor	4 years	17 February 2023
Jennie Drake	Co-opted Governor	4 years	1 September 2025
Madeleine Grubb	Co-opted Governor	4 years	24 February 2026
Anthony Rustell	Foundation Governor	4 years	1 April 2024
Caroline Lazenby	Foundation Governor	4 years	24 February 2026

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Becoming a Governor

There are opportunities for parents and carers to become parent governors through the regular election process and for members of the community to be appointed to co-opted or Church of England appointments. To find out more about what the role entails, you will find useful advice on the SGOSS, Governors for Schools and Colleges and the Inspiring Governors websites. If you feel that this rewarding role is for you, then please contact the Headteacher or the Chair of Governors.

Contact us

If you are a parent, and have any concerns about aspects of life at St Martins, please contact your child’s teacher, or the Headteacher in the first instance. If you wish to contact a member of the Governing Body about a matter of governance, please contact the school office.

Governors’ Biographies 2024/2025

This section provides a short biography of each of our current governors.

Christopher Tuckett - Headteacher

Chris Tuckett is our Headteacher and ex-officio member of the governing body. Chris was appointed as Headteacher in September 2024, having previously been Deputy Headteacher of The Raleigh Primary School in West Horsley. He has previously worked as Assistant Headteacher of Boxgrove Primary School in Guildford and has experience of leading on curriculum development, assessment and teacher training.

Chris' passion is to find success in every child and to utilise the confidence that brings, to motivate them to tackle areas where they may struggle.

Kat Stanger – Co-Chair - Co-opted Governor

Kat has lived in Dorking with her family since 2011. She is an Environmental Consultant and Chartered Geographer, working for AtkinsRéalis, a large engineering consultancy. Her role includes project management, data interpretation, policy and strategy development and communication with a range of stakeholders. Mum to two children who have loved and benefited from being at St Martins, she is keen to give something back as part of the Governing Body.

Kerry Peregrine - Staff Governor

Kerry Peregrine has lived in Dorking since 2007 with her family. After spending 15 years as a Fashion Buyer she had a career change and has been a HLTA for the last 5 years at St Martins, currently teaching in Year 6.

Clare Mansfield - Co-opted Governor

Clare has been a Governor since 2004, originally as a parent governor with 3 children at St Martin’s school. She is a passionate supporter of high-quality state education and has previously chaired both the Curriculum and Finance Committees for substantial periods of time, led many working parties and been a member of the governing body of St. John’s Community School. As a Chartered Accountant, Clare has a strong background in finance, enjoys strategic problem-solving and analytics. She has a degree in Geography from Cambridge University and a master’s degree in psychology. Clare is portfolio holder for Finance for the Local Academy Board.

Michael Carden - Parent Governor

Michael is a senior communications professional working in the NHS, with significant experience in strategic, internal and crisis communications. He has lived in Dorking since 2020 and, with two young children currently on their St Martin's journey, wants to help make sure that all children and staff at the school are getting the best possible experience. Michael is portfolio holder for Curriculum for the Local Academy Board.

Dave Damon - Parent Governor

Dave is a dad of two girls, the eldest loving her time at St Martin's so far. He is a former Secondary maths teacher, now a Child and Educational Psychologist working for Surrey's 'Mindworks' Child mental health alliance. He is particularly interested in child development; social, emotional and mental health; and whole school approaches to emotional wellbeing. On the weekend you'll most likely find him and his family taking a walk around Wisley, Polesden Lacey, or similar. Dave is portfolio holder for Community for the Local Academy Board.

Jonny Lloyd - Co-opted Governor

Jonny has been a co-opted governor at St Martin’s since December 2022 and loves playing a part in supporting such an inclusive and nurturing environment at our school. He is a solicitor working in the public sector specialising in public law and inquests and also volunteers giving legal advice to parents of children with special educational needs (SEN). He leads on SEN issues and the achievement portfolio for the Local Academy Board.

Daniel Rose - Co-opted Governor

Daniel is a chartered company secretary currently working for Kingfisher plc, the parent company of B&Q and Screwfix. He has held similar roles in other UK listed companies, having worked in the energy and telecommunications industries in recent years. Daniel has two children at St Martins and has lived in Dorking since 2013. He was co-opted to the governing body in 2023 and is the Health & Safety Portfolio holder.

Ellie Wilson - Parent Governor

Ellie has enjoyed living in Dorking since 2013 and is mum to one quickly growing pupil at St Martin's. She has been teaching for twenty years in Epsom, with a specialism as a teacher of the Deaf. She is passionate about inclusion, meeting all children's needs and helping children be their very best so they can embrace their future and all opportunities that will come their way.

Drew Vermeulen – Parent Governor

I am Drew Vermeulen, a husband, dad-of-two, and history teacher. Originally from Oxford, I’ve lived in Dorking since 2016 where, over the past six years, I’ve been raising my two boys. My eldest is in Year 1 and my youngest will be joining St Martin’s in September. As a teacher, I have performed head of department and head of year roles, as well as spending five years as a senior leader. I am a DDSL, and I currently have overall responsibility for ECTs and trainees, as well as the induction process for new pupils and new staff. When I’m not teaching, or building Lego with the boys, I’ll be on two wheels chasing Strava segment times around the Surrey Hills or on Zwift. My eldest absolutely loves school and I am keen to give something back to St Martin’s.

Madeleine Grubb – Co-opted Governor

Madeleine worked as a School Business Manager in a primary school in NW Surrey until her retirement, giving her a good understanding of the workings of all aspects of school life. She also served as staff governor for several years. She has continued to work in the education sector as an accredited Clerk to Governors, working in a wide variety of infant and primary schools in Surrey, including St Martins until 2024. She believes in the importance of providing high quality education for all children. She and her husband moved into Surrey Hills in 2020 and are enjoying life in the countryside and traveling in their motorhome.

Reverend Caroline Lazenby - Foundation Governor

Caroline is a retired priest with Permission to Officiate in the diocese of Guildford. She is on the ministry team within the Benefice of St Martin’s Church Dorking, with a focus on St Barnabas Church, Ranmore Common. Caroline has a background in IT, has worked for the diocese of Guildford within the Discipleship and Vocation team helping to administer ordination and developmental training for clergy before being ordained herself. Caroline is also a qualified Spiritual Director working within the local Benefice as well as now developing a private practice alongside some spiritual direction course facilitation at Sarum College in Salisbury. Her interests include art and gardening, including volunteer work for a local horticultural charity, and creating textural knitted fabrics.