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.
The key role of the Governors is to support the school as critical friends, providing a strategic overview and ensuring accountability. They are unpaid volunteers who represent the community the school serves. As a Voluntary Controlled C of E School 3 of the governors are Foundation governors.
If you wish to contact the governors all communication should be addressed to Ms Sharon Page, the clerk, via the school office.
The governing body is made up of 12 governors as shown below:
Mr Harvie Palmer
Hi there, my name is Harvie and I am the Chair of Governors at St Nicholas.
I started as a governor back in February 2019, shortly after leaving a company that provided IT Support to the school. Things have progressed since then – I’m now the Chair & live in Doncaster!
I have worked in education all my adult working life, so know how schools work and the struggles that face our young people & staff. My current job role is the Trust IT Manager for a Multi Academy Trust.
I am absolutely committed to ensuring St Nicholas is ‘A place to belong, a place to grow’!
My email inbox is always open so please don’t hesitate to get in touch – Harvie.Palmer@st-nicholas-birchington.kent.sch.uk
Mrs Lisa Shaw
I was in the Police for 12 years specialising as a detective within child protection which is a role I loved and found very rewarding, alongside this I also worked as Family Liaison Officer supporting families who had experienced bereavement.
I am married with 3 children, they all attend the school.
I am also the Chair of the PTFA, I love being involved in organising the events for the children and seeing their enjoyment while also raising much needed money for the school and am sure that these two roles will compliment each other and benefit the school.
I wanted to be a parent governor to be more involved with the school and how it works as well as having a keen personal interest in child welfare, development and education.
In my role as a parent governor no matter what decisions I am involved in I will always have the best interests of the children at heart.
Mrs Poppy Montgomery
Having lived in the Parish of St Nicholas–at–Wade and attended the Church for the last 43 years I am delighted to have joined the Governing body of the school.
I initially qualified as a primary school teacher and moved to Thanet following my marriage. I have spent the last 42 years running a farm/holiday letting business locally.
As a Grandmother of four I realise the importance of these formative years in instilling and developing the values and skills in young people that will serve them well throughout their lives.
Mr Peter Troke
I am a retired microbiologist and I have lived in Thanet for nearly 40 years. During much of this time I have been a Governor or Chair of Governors at various primary and secondary schools in East Kent. Currently, I am a Governor at Palm Bay Primary School in Thanet, Chair of Governors at the East Kent College Campus in Broadstairs, a Member of the Governing Board of the East Kent College Group and a Trustee of East Kent College Academy Trust Group. I also sit on appeal panels dealing with the inclusion and exclusion of pupils in Kent schools, as organised by Kent County Council. I very much enjoy being a Governor at St Nicholas and will do whatever I can to assist the school in providing the best education for all of its pupils.
Mr Glenn Pugh
Glenn is one of our co-opted Governors. He has a background in Finance before starting his career in Estate Agency. Glenn opened up his own Estate Agents in 2001, recently rebranding to Glenn & Co.
Mr Ashley White
I am a Senior Electronics Engineer working in a local design and manufacturing factory, I have lived in Thanet for over 20 years.
I am new to the role Parent Governor, with twin daughters in the school. I have always tried to encourage them to embrace the learning experience, and I hope, in my own small way, to help the school extend that encouragement to all pupils.
Mrs Yvonne Barnes
Appointed: December 2021
Mr James Kendall
Appointed: May 2022
Resigned within the previous 12 months:
Ms Loraine Bant
Appointed: November 2020
Resigned: April 2022
Rev Michael Darkins
Appointed: December 2020
Resigned: 2022
Appointed as a Ex-Officio Governor
No business or pecuniary interests; or material interests arising from intra-governor or staff relationships.
Member of the Learning & Development Committee