The document provides contact information for the Diocesan Education Office of the Diocese of Exeter and lists the roles and responsibilities of Foundation Governors in Church of England schools. There are 131 CofE schools in the Diocese of Exeter across 3 local authorities. Foundation Governors are appointed by the local church or Diocese to preserve and develop the Christian character of the school and act as a link between the parish, school, and wider community. The role requires attending meetings and school events, asking constructive questions, and displaying Christian values of care, fairness, and teamwork.

1. Diocesan Contacts:
Do you: Diocesan Education Office
The Old Deanery
• care about the education The Cloisters
Exeter EX1 1HS
children receive
(01392) 294950
• want to make an important ccyp@exeter.anglican.org
contribution to your local
Director of Education
community Philip Mantell
• enjoy a challenging and Admissions & Governance Advisers
rewarding role, working as Christina Mabin
christina.mabin@exeter.anglican.org
part of a team Cathy Slow
cathy.slow@exeter.anglican.org
• want to help strengthen
the link between schools Diocesan Education Officers Exeter Diocesan Board
Penny Burnside
and their communities, penny.burnside@exeter.anglican.org of Education
including parishes? Rev’d Richard Maudsley
richard.maudsley@exeter.anglican.org
Tatiana Wilson
tatiana.wilson@exeter.anglican.org
Being a
School Improvement & Organisation Manager
Noel Fowler Church of England
noel.fowler@exeter.anglican.org
Foundation Governor
Executive Assistants
Marilyn Pearce/Rachel Guyat
ccyp@exeter.anglican.org
Administrators (Part-time) “Foundation Governors are appointed
Valerie Black (Governance)
valerie.black@exeter.anglican.org
to Church Schools to be part of the
Emma Fraser (Training) formal Christian presence on the
emma.fraser@exeter.anglican.org Governing Body.”

2. There are 131 CofE schools in the Governors are drawn (or should be) There are various types of governors,
Diocese of Exeter in 3 local from every walk of life and will: depending by whom they are
authorities, Devon, Plymouth and appointed or elected, but all with
Torbay. • be good listeners equal status, e.g. LA (Local Authority),
• ask constructive rather than Parents, Staff, Community (appointed
All governors share the same confrontational questions by the governing body itself).
responsibilities for the school that is • share their wider experience,
to provide the best possible knowledge and skills for the In church schools there are also
environment for children’s learning benefit of the school as a whole Foundation governors, who are
and development, maintain and • be discreet, open-minded and fair appointed by the local church or the
improve the standards of the school, • work as part of a team, standing Diocese, and they especially seek to
respect and involve parents. by collective decisions, even if not preserve and develop the Christian
agreeing with them character of the school.
Foundation governors are
• give time to attend meetings (at
representatives of the Church of If you are interested in becoming a
least once a term) and school
England on the Governing Body. Their governor, please do speak to your
occasions
role is to ensure that the Christian local school or see contact details on
• keep up-to-date with local and
foundation of the school is upheld by the back of this leaflet.
national developments in
endeavouring to cultivate respect for
education
the spiritual and moral beliefs of the
Christian tradition and by seeking to • attend governor training – vital in
create a community in which pupils “learning the ropes”.
are cared for as individuals. As an
active Christian presence within the i.e. displaying Christian characteristics
school they are a vital link between in the role of a school governor.
parish and school, playing a unique
role in strengthening and enriching the
dynamic relationship between school,
church and the wider community.