Information about our Governors

Our Governing body
 
(2024-2025) 
 
Jo Dale - Chair
Andrew Naughton - Vice Chair & Local Authority
Steve Abey - Headteacher
Caroline Buckle - Co-opted Governor
Natalie Bayes - Co-opted Governor & Deputy Headteacher
Sarah Harrison - Staff Governor
Kerry Bailey - Parent Governor
Rhian Freear - Parent Governor
Kirsty Miller - Parent Governor
Chrissie Moore - Associate Member
 
Kay Naughton - Clerk to the Governing Body
 
Governor Profiles
ANDREW NAUGHTON (VICE-CHAIR)
In 1994 I became a parent governor at Lionel Walden Primary School and am now a Local Authority governor. I have lived in Doddington for 32 years.
 
My reason for first becoming a governor was because I wanted to be actively involved in school life at a time when our two daughters were being educated at Lionel Walden and to have a better understanding of the many changes that were being made within the education system at the time. Our daughters enjoyed an excellent education at Lionel Walden and our eldest went on to become a primary school teacher which is positive testimony to her time at Lionel Walden. After they left, I was keen to continue providing help and support to the school and to ensure all children have the opportunity to achieve their full potential. After 26 years, changes within the education system continue apace and despite the many and varied challenges encountered, the school remains as focused today as ever in providing children with the best possible start in life.
 
Having previously worked in the financial sector, I was encouraged from the start to become involved with school finances and I have been Chair of the Finance Committee for most of my time as a school governor. I am also Vice Chair of the Governing Board and have responsibility for Pupil Premium activity.
 
 
CAROLINE BUCKLE
I have recently transferred to a co-opted governor having previously served for eight years as a parent governor at Lionel Walden Primary School. When I joined, my own two children were pupils at the school but they have since moved on to their secondary education locally. I have thoroughly enjoyed being a governor which made my decision to remain in post, once I could no longer serve as a parent governor, an easy one.
 
I am currently the link governor with responsibility for the curriculum and I also sit on the appointments panel. I enjoy both of these different roles.
 
The main reason for wanting to take on this very challenging role was to have an input into children’s education which is ever evolving. I felt that I would like gain a better understanding of primary education in order to help the transition process for young people as I work in a secondary school and having this background in education has assisted me in my role as a governor. I assist with Year 6 transition so I have gained lots of knowledge over the years working with many other local primary schools.
 
I remain committed and consequently attend various training courses over each academic year; these cover many aspects of what is expected of governors and the roles we undertake. I continue to attend local briefings run by Cambridgeshire County Council so that my knowledge remains up to date at all times.
 
I share the school's joint vision to make sure we are ambitious for each and every one of our pupils and their achievements are at the heart of everything we do as we strive to recognise, nurture and reward these. We are as proud of our social and sporting achievements as well as our academic performance. The successes we enjoy are due to the strong partnership we are proud to hold between children, parents, staff and governors alike.
 
I feel very proud of what we have achieved during my time here as a governor and very much look forward to the new challenges that we will no doubt be facing during the coming years.
 
 
 

Lionel Walden Primary School - Governor Information
Name Committees
Category of
Governor
Appointed By Date of Appointment 
Term End
Relevant Business
Interest
Governors at Other
Schools
Relationship with
Other Governors
or Staff
Steven
Abey
HEADTEACHER
Appointments/
Finance/
School 
Improvement
Head N/A September 2022 N/A Member of Staff No None
Natalie Bayes
DEPUTY HEAD
Appointments/
Finance/
School
Improvement
Co-opted
Governing
Body
1/9/24 N/A
Member of
Staff
No None
Caroline Buckle
Appointments/
School Improvement
 
Co-opted Governing Board 12/6/23
11/6/27 
None No None
Veronica Cronin
SEND
 
Co-opted
Governing
Body
1/9/23
31/8/27
Resigned
None None None
Joanne Dale
CHAIR
Appointments Co-opted Governing Body 1/9/23 31/8/27 None None Daughter - Georgina Dale (Teaching Assistant) 
Gary Croxon   Parent Elected June 2018 Term Expired June 2022      
Stuart Cave   Parent Elected June 2018 Term Expired June 2022      
Paul Richmond School Improvement Parent Governing Board September  2020 Jan 2023 - resigned      
Andrew Naughton
VICE CHAIR
Finance (Chair) Local Authority Local Authority 31/1/22 30/1/26 None No
Wife: Kay Naughton (HLTA/
Governor)
Sister-in-law: Lynn Clarke (Finance Manager)
Kay Naughton
School Improvement
 
Staff Elected June 2021
June 2025
Resigned Aug 2024
Member of Staff No
Husband: Andy Naughton (Governor)
Sister: Lynn Clarke (Finance Manager)
Kerry Bailey School Improvement Parent Elected 21/7/22 20/7/26 None No
Sister:  Natasha Billimore (Class Teacher)
Sarah Royston   Parent Elected September 2022
September 2026
resigned 4/7/23
None None
None
Emily Patrick-Brown   Parent Elected February 2023
February 2027
resigned 7/3/23
  Thomas Eaton PS, Wimblington
None
Elaine Stratford   Clerk   September 2022  Resigned July 2024 None No
None
Rhian Freer   Parent Elected 1/11/23 31/10/27 None No
None
Kirsty Miller   Parent Elected 21/5/24 20/5/28 None No
None
Sarah Harrison   Staff Elected 9/9/24 8/9/28 Member of Staff No
None