A warm from the Governing Body

We have a highly committed, experienced and skilful team of governors working very hard to support our Headteacher and staff. We hold high aspirations for the school and we want the very best for all children.

The Local Governing Body is responsible for all matters relating to Kemsley Primary Academy, including teaching and learning, safeguarding, health and safety, staffing, premises and ensuring financial accountability and sustainability. The Local Governing Body meets once every half term and acts as a ‘critical friend’, supporting and challenging the Headteacher and leaders.

  

What is a school governor?
The role of a governor is to act as a critical friend to the school. School governors provide a robust and consistent challenge as they review the progress and achievement of pupils. Our governors are very present, visiting the school regularly, observing lessons, speaking to children and hearing their thoughts on what they are doing and how they feel at school.  They also speak to the staff to understand how they feel things are going across the school. The governing body also watch how the senior leadership team of the school use the resources and funding at their disposal to ensure the children have the best possible opportunity to maximise their potential during their time at Kemsley Primary Academy. 

Overall, the governing body work with the senior leadership team at the school to ensure that children have a safe, nurturing and stimulating place to learn, not just the core subjects the school offers like reading, writing and maths, but also the values and behaviours that the governing body believe will give them the best possible start in life.

If you want to contact the interim Chair of Governors, Mr Dendor, on any matter concerning the school, then please email: mike.dendor@kemsley-academy.org

 

The governors are here to listen and to help where they can.

 

 

Mike Dendor - Interim Chair of Governors
Business Declarations: None
Type of Governor: Trust Appointed Governor
Term of Office:  12/07/2025 – 11/07/2029
Area of Responsibility: SEND & Inclusion, Early Years, Safeguarding, Leadership & Management

My name is Mike Dendor. Following 30 years of school governance at various schools in Midlands and Kent, I originally joined the governing body of Kemsley Primary, soon after its initial opening, as an LEA (Local Education Authority) governor (and for some of the time Chair of Governors). During those years, we federated with Milton Court Primary. When both Kemsley and Milton Court Primaries became academies, I was elected as a Trust-appointed governor (sometimes Chair of Governors), eventually resigning from Milton Court Academy to concentrate on Kemsley Academy.

I am retired, father of 4 and grandfather of six. My employment background over 55 years has been in ICT/Operations Research across all disciplines including finance, and I still do some freelance work. I was a Swale Borough Councillor for Kemsley from 2015 to 2023, and a Kent County Councillor from 2021-2025. My focus at Kent County Council was on CYPE (Children and Young People in Education) specifically SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities).  I am also involved with a number of local charities.     

My experience has covered all aspects of school governance. I am at the disposal of the school and Governors to cover anything they wish me to work on, to help ensure that children of all abilities at nursery and primary ages get the best possible education and start in life.


 

Rebecca Stowell - Governor
Business Declarations: 
Type of Governor: Co-opted Governor
Term of Office:  19/11/2024 – 18/11/2028
Area of Responsibility: SEND & Inclusion & Quality of Teaching & Sports Premium

 

Sarah Hornsby – Staff Governor
Business Declarations: None
Type of Governor: Staff Elected Governor
Term of Office:  01/07/2025 – 30/06/2029
Area of Responsibility: Governor Training & Development

 

Lucy Hartley: Staff Governor
Business Declarations: None
Type of Governor: Staff Elected Governor
Term of Office:  28/09/2024 – 27/09/2028 (term of office due to be extended)
Area of Responsibility: Community & Website

My name is Lucy Hartley, I have worked at Kemsley Primary Academy since 2008, primarily as a teaching assistant whilst I studied at Canterbury Christ Church University for my BA (Hons) degree in Childhood Studies with SEN specialism.   Once qualified I taught in KS1 for four years and became KS1 Lead.  Over the last four years I have taught in Year 6 and progressed from KS2 Lead to Lead Practitioner across the whole school; supporting teaching and learning in both KS1 and KS2. During this time, I have completed my National Professional Qualification for Middle Leadership (NPQML) and my National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL). 

In addition to my senior leadership role, I am also Literacy Lead, Phonics Lead, MFL Lead, our 11B411 Ambassador and became a school governor in September 2021. 

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team at Kemsley, I take an active and forward-thinking role in the school improvement and self-evaluation process, both as a member of the Senior Leadership Team and as a Staff Governor.  I take an active role in developing the key priorities determined in our School Improvement Plan (SIP) to drive school improvement forward to ensure that all children reach their full potential and become life-long learners.  
 

 

 

Iris Homer: Headteacher
Business Declarations: Partner at school
Type of Governor: Trust Appointed
Term of Office:  01/01/2020 – ongoing
Area of Responsibility: Headteacher

My name is Iris Homer. I am proud to be the Headteacher of Kemsley Primary Academy. I joined Kemsley and REAch2 in January 2020. Prior to joining Kemsley, I was a senior leader for four years and I have worked in education for just over 18 years. During my time at Kemsley, I have remained committed to ensuring every one of our pupils reaches their full potential and develops a passion for life-long learning.

I am so fortunate to work alongside a fantastic, hardworking team of staff and be both supported and challenged by a proactive and diligent governing body. I am so proud to lead our school, where our pupils are so incredibly polite, kind, and caring and always try their very best in all that they do! Go Team Kemsley!

 

Tracey Rose - Clerk to Governors

My name is Tracey Rose. I am the Governance Professional, also known as the Clerk to the Governing Body. I have been involved with Kemsley Primary School since 2014 and enjoy working with the governors. I have been a governor at a secondary school for the last 16 years so I know the governor role very well. 

 

Areas of Responsibility To Be Redistributed: Pupil Premium, Finance & Data, GDPR
 

Term of Office 2025-2026

Sarah Carter - Parent Governor  - Term of Office: 17/06/2024 – 28/11/2025

Andy Macrow - Vice Chair & Co-opted Governor - Term of Office: 21/11/2023 – 22/01/2026

Alex Edwards - Parent Governor - Term of Office: 17/06/2024 - 12/02/2026

Scott Edwards - Chair of Governors - Term of Office: 08/03/2018 - 12/02/2026

 

Membership
We currently have 4 members on our Local Governing Body:

 1x Headteacher

2x Staff Governors

0x Parent Governor

1x Co-opted Governors (appointed by governors)

1x Appointed Governors (appointed by the Trust)

We are clerked by a highly experienced Governance Professional, who ensures that we discharge our statutory obligations in accordance with the REAch2 Scheme of Delegation.

We are actively recruiting parent governors, co-opted governors and trust appointed governors - if you are interested in filling one of these roles and feel you have the time to commit to six 2 hour meetings a year (half-termly) and a monitoring visit every six weeks, please contact us at office@kemsley-academy.org

 

Structure
Governing Body meetings happen six times a year, with the key focus alternating between Quality of Education and Resources & Enrichment. 

As well as attending meetings, governors are expected to arrange visits to schools, linked to the area of specific focus agreed at the start of the year. It is a requirement that each governing body has a named governor linked to:

• Safeguarding
• Special Educational Needs
• Statutory Grants

In addition, we appoint governors to oversee the progress on the school priorities for the year. 

Governors also regularly attend training, to ensure that they are kept up to date on the ever-changing educational landscape.

 

REAch2 Governance on a Page: