Welcome from the Chair of the Board of Trustees
What are School Governors?	Governor Bios and Photos
Information	Roles and Responsibilities

Articles of Association

Scheme of delegation

Governor Details 2025-2026 (March 2026)

Memorandum of Agreement

Trustee meeting attendance 2024-25

Structure and remit of the Board 2025-2026

Funding Agreement


Members:
Chair of the Board of Trustees
John Bosco Macdonald (Bishop, Diocese of Clifton)
The Clifton Catholic Diocesan Education Foundation

Trustees:
Clancio Barreto
Maria Barreto e Fernandes
Carolina Cabrera (Chair of the Board)
Sheila d'Costa
Murphy da Costa
Delfina da Cruz
Sam Dowdeswell
Jessica Higgins
Annie Parayakattil
Margaret Robinson
Joanna Vickers



What is a Parent Governor?

• School governors are volunteers who help in the leadership of the school.
• Most schools work with a group of school governors - together they are called the 'governing body' or 'board of directors/trustees' (as the school is an academy). Governors get involved at a strategic level, eg overseeing the budgets and curriculum, rather than the day-to-day running of the school.
• Governors also help to make decisions about the school's long-term goals. At this School, they support the Head Teacher, but also ask questions to make sure the Senior Leadership Team is taking the school in the right direction.
• This School believes very strongly that it is important to have parents involved in the governance of the school, so please think about applying for the role of Parent Governor.

Who can I talk to so I can find out more about this?

• Please contact Amelia Penfold, the Governance Lead, if you would like to have an informal chat about the role: apenfold@holycross.swindon.sch.uk

How do I Stand for Election as a Parent Governor?

• Read through the document 'The Role of a Parent Governor' and see if you think you have what it takes.
• Then read the document 'Disqualifications' - this is to make sure you are (legally) able to serve as a school governor.
• Then fill out the Nomination Form (MS Word or Adobe PDF). You need to be proposed and seconded by two parents of two different (and unrelated) pupils who are also currently registered at the school. The proposer and seconder should indicate their support for you by signing the Nomination Form.
• All nominations should be emailed to Amelia Penfold, the Governance Lead, at apenfold@holycross.swindon.sch.uk by 9am on Monday 1st June 2026.
• Please also prepare a Personal Profile (MS Word or Adobe PDF) about yourself and why you would like to become a Parent Governor (no more than 200 words) to support your nomination, and email (apenfold@holycross.swindon.sch.uk) this to the Governance Lead as well. This will only be used if there needs to be an election by secret ballot (if there is more than one nomination for the place available).

Please do not be put off by thinking that you need to have specialist knowledge or experience. Genuine interest and willingness to learn are much more important to start with, there is good quality training and support available to help you, and you will be joining an established Governing Board, with good support from fellow governors.

We look forward to hearing from you.

How To Apply
Below are the documents that you will need to apply to join the Governing Body of Holy Cross Catholic Primary School.

Closing Date is 9am on Monday 1st June 2026.

The Role of a Parent Governor
Disqualifications
Nomination Form (MS word document)
Nomination Form (Adobe pdf document)
Personal Statement (MS word document)
Personal Statement (Adobe pdf document)
Information about being a governor