School Governors
Our Governing Body
Our Governing Body plays a vital role in helping our school fulfil its vision of giving every child the very best education, opportunities and support to flourish. Working in partnership with the headteacher, governors provide both support and challenge, ensuring that every decision is made with the best interests of our children at its heart.
Guided by our core values of community, individuality and responsibility, governors help to shape the strategic direction of the school, oversee its financial sustainability, monitor educational standards and ensure that statutory responsibilities are met. Their role is to look beyond the day-to-day running of the school, focusing on long-term improvement so that every child has every possible opportunity to achieve, belong and thrive.
The Governing Body approves the school's key policies, monitors progress towards our strategic priorities and regularly evaluates the impact of our work. Governors meet formally each term, as well as through committees, monitoring visits and discussions with school leaders, to ensure they have a thorough understanding of the school's strengths and areas for continued development. Minutes of governing body meetings are available from the school on request.
Our Governing Body consists of parent, staff, foundation, local authority and co-opted governors, each bringing a wealth of experience, knowledge and expertise to support the school. Governors normally serve a four-year term of office, with the exception of the ex officio foundation governor, Reverend Chris, who serves by virtue of holding the office of Principal Officiating Minister of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Peter, Moulton.
Our Governing body comprises the following people:
Mr Joe Reynolds (Chair of Governors)
Co-opted Governor
Appointed by the governing body 14.11.2022
Joe is the Chair of Governors and Chair of the Resources committee (12.11.2024)
Pecuniary interests - none.
Joe is not a governor at any other school.
Mrs Nicola Sheail (Vice Chair of Governors)
Co-opted Governor
Appointed by the governing body 11.03.2024
Nicola is the Vice Chair of Governors and Chair of the Learning and Achievement committee
Pecuniary interests - none.
Nicola is not a governor at any other school.
Local Authority Governor - Vacancy
Local Authority Governor
Appointed by the Local Authority
Mrs Deborah Shipp (Headteacher)
Headteacher of Moulton CEVC Primary School
Deborah Shipp is Headteacher of Moulton CEVC Primary School and is automatically on the School’s Governing Body.
Deborah completed her degree in maths and music in 2003 and the following year she earned a PGCE. She began her career in Leicestershire before moving to Suffolk in 2007. She taught in Cambridge for four years and then moved to Moulton CEVC Primary School in 2011. In 2013, Deborah became the deputy headteacher of the school and in 2016, the headteacher. Deborah is a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE) which enables her to support colleagues from other schools, which she enjoys. Deborah works closely with Angles Maths Hub, and is a member of their strategic board. She is also a Maths Specialist Teacher - she definitely enjoys championing maths across the school!
Deborah is a member of the Parochial Church Council, and attends St. Peter's Church (Moulton) or All Saints' (Gazeley) weekly.
Deborah lives in Red Lodge. She has three children: one son and two step-daughters.
Pecuniary Interests - Yourlogohere.co.uk
Rev Canon Chris Childs
Foundation Governor (Ex-officio)
Appointed by the diocese 11.02.2021
Chris has been ordained for 16 years and has served mostly in rural communities in Suffolk. Chris is now looking after the parishes of Moulton Gazeley, Kentford and Higham as well as being Rural Dean of Mildenhall. Chris has been a school Governor for over 20 years in previous parishes.
Chris lives at the Vicarage in Gazeley with his wife Wendy and they have 2 children who live in Cambridge and Bury St Edmunds.
Chris's great interests are in:
1) 'community' and its development so I am very pleased to be working with the school to encourage those links with the villages it serves.
2) developing children's spiritual as much as their academic and physical lives to support them for their future.
3) encouraging children to think of others as well as themselves and to appreciate difference and diversity.
Chris is a member of the Resouces committee.
Pecuniary interests - none
Chris is not a governor at any other school.
Mrs Alison Kirkman
Foundation Governor
Appointed by the diocese 14.11.2022
Alison is a member of the Learning and Achievement committee.
Pecuniary interests - none.
Alison is not a governor at any other school.
Mr David Baynes
Parent Governor
Appointed by the governing body following a parent nomination 11.03.2024
David is originally from Hinxton and grew up there, however, in 2010 he moved to this area with his wife. They live near Moulton with their two children - one currently attends Moulton and hopefully the other one will when she is old enough.
After leaving school, he trained to become an electrician and did this line of work for a number of years, working for a large building firm in Cambridge. He then became a Health & Fire Safety Manager, as well as managing projects for one of the Cambridge University Colleges.
His current role now sees him as Senior Operations Manager for the Cavendish site of Cambridge University.
He is keen to get involved in school life and wants to support the school as best as he can.
David is a member of the Resources committee.
Pecuniary interests - none
David is not a governor at any other school.
Mr Matthew Cooper
Parent Governor
Appointed by the governing body following a parent election on 11.11.25
Mrs Nuala Gilmore
Staff Governor
Appointed by the governing body following a staff election 22.11.24
Nuala joined the school as a class teacher in 2014 and was appointed at the deputy head 01.09.2016. Nuala currently teaches in Y6. In 2017, Nuala became a specialist leader of education (SLE) for English.
Nuala is a member of the Learning and Achievement committee.
Pecuniary Interests - none
Nuala is not a governor at any other school.
Mrs Arabella Melville-Claxton
Co-opted Governor
Appointed by the governing body 15.12.2021
Arabella is a member of the Resources committee
Pecuniary interests - none
Arabella is not a governor at any other school.
Co-opted Governor
Co-opted Governor
Appointed by the governing body
Mr Carl Logan
Co-opted Governor
Appointed by the governing body 09.11.2020
Carl lives in the Parish of Moulton with his wife Nicola and their two children who both attend Moulton.
He worked as a civil servant in Whitehall for a number of years on a range of policy issues before spending six years working in Downing Street supporting the Prime Minister in carrying out their duties. He relocated to the area eleven years ago and now works within the Life Sciences sector at the Welcome Sanger Institute.
He is keen to get involved in school life as he is passionate about giving something back to the community in which he lives.
Carl is a member of the Resources committee.
Pecuniary Interests - none.
Carl is not a governor at any other school.
Mrs Sarah Barclay
Associate Governor
Appointed by the governing body 11.03.2024.
Sarah is a member of the Learning and Achievement committee.
Pecuniary interests - none.
Sarah is not a governor at any other school.