Governance and Finance
All relevant individuals must complete a Declaration of Interests form. Click below to access it quickly.
Interested in being a Governor at Briarwood? Find more information by following the button below.
A note from the Chair of Governors.
On behalf of the Governing Body, welcome to Briarwood School.
My name is Deborah Smith and I have been a governor at Briarwood since 2002 and Chair since 2017.
The governing board at Briarwood is made up of 12 governors, including school staff, parents and carers and members from the local community who all care passionately about the mission of Briarwood to deliver high quality education in a safe, secure and fun environment.
We meet termly in focused committees and as a full board and offer both challenge and support to senior leaders and staff, and work with school leaders to develop the vision and values of the school.
All governors give up their time freely and have volunteered for the role. We enjoy the part we play in the life of this wonderful school and are proud to be
part of its exciting future.
Briarwood School Governing Board Constitution and Membership Details
There are 12 seats on the Governing Board. The Governing Board is also able to appoint Associate Governors to sit on a committee on an advisory basis.
Some areas of work of the Governing Board are delegated to committees. Each committee has the power to make its own decisions without referral to the full Governing Board, except where the subject matter requires full Governing Board consideration by law.
Terms of Reference available on request for each Committee. Contact Clerk to Governors:
Name: Kirsty Stifall
Governor Type: Clerk to Governors
Email: ClerkBriarwood@bristol-schools.uk
Committee and Membership details:
| Committee | Remit | Chair |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching and Learning | To make decisions regarding Teaching and Learning matters without referral to the full Governing Body, except where the subject matter requires full Governing Body consideration by law. | Deborah Smith |
| Operations | To make decisions regarding Finance, Health and Safety and Personnel matters without referral to the full Governing Body, except where the subject matter requires full Governing Body consideration by law. | Iain Mossman |
| Wellbeing | To make decisions regarding Wellbeing and Pastoral matters without referral to the full Governing Body, except where the subject matter requires full Governing Body consideration by law. | Deborah Smith |
| Pay | To make decisions regarding Pay matters without referral to the full Governing Body, except where the subject matter requires full Governing Body consideration by law. | Deborah Smith |
Current Membership over the past Academic Year (2025/26)
Name: Deborah Smith
Role: Chair of Governors, Juniors & Secondary Link Governor
Committee(s): Operations, Pay, Wellbeing, Teaching & Learning, Complaint Panel Sep 2020, Headteacher Performance Management, Phase Named Governors.
Governor Type: Community
Term of office: 14 Feb 2022 to 13 Feb 2026
First appointed: 13 Feb 2018
Appointed by: Briarwood Governing Body
Attendance: 100%
Name: Dr Iain Mossman
Role: Vice Chair of Governors, Infants Link Governor
Committee(s): Operations, Pay, Phase Named Governors, Headteacher Performance Management, Complaint Panel Sep 2020.
Governor Type: Community
Term of office: 17 Oct 2023 to 16 Oct 2027
First appointed: 18 Dec 2018
Appointed by: Briarwood Governing Body
Attendance: 100%
Name: Natalie Hamilton
Role: Staff Governor
Committee(s): Teaching & Learning
Governor Type: Staff Governor
Term of office: 31 Oct 2023 to 30 Oct 2027
First appointed: 31 Oct 2023
Appointed by: Staff
Attendance: 38%
Name: Jayne Turrell
Role: Children in Care
Committee(s): Teaching & Learning, Wellbeing
Governor Type: Community
Term of office: 14 Feb 2022 to 16 feb 2026
First appointed: 13 Feb 2018
Appointed by: Briarwood Governing Body
Attendance: 6%
Name: Lynne Hawkins
Role: Community Governor
Committee(s): Teaching & Learning, Wellbeing
Governor Type: Community
Term of office: from 21 May 2024 to 20 May 2028
First appointed: 22 Mar 2016
Appointed by: Governing Body
Attendance: 67%
Name: Sannah Mundy
Role: Community Governor
Committee(s): Wellbeing
Governor Type: Community
Term of office: from 12 Dec 2023 to 11 Dec 2027
First appointed: 12 Dec 2023
Appointed by: Governing Body
Attendance: 56%
Name: Nicolle Deighton
Committee(s): Operations, Pay
Governor Type: Executive Headteacher
Role: Executive Headteacher
Date of Appointment: 03 Sep 2018
Attendance: 92%
Name: Adam Bond
Role: Parent Governor
Committee(s): Wellbeing
Governor Type: Safeguarding Governor
Term of office: from 13 Dec 2022 to 12 Dec 2026
First appointed: 31 Oct 2022
Appointed by: Parent Body
Attendance:
Name: Carolina Gordillo
Role: Phase Named Governors
Committee(s): Teaching & Learning
Governor Type: Community
Term of office: from 1 Apr 2025 to 31 Mar 2029
First appointed: 1 Apr 2025
Appointed by: Briarwood Governing Body
Attendance: 100%
Name: Chi Yung Cheung
Role: Reach and Connect Named Governor
Committee(s): Operations
Governor Type: Local Authority Governor
Term of office: from 17/7/2025
First appointed: 17/7/2025
Appointed by: Briarwood Governing Body
Attendance: 100%
Name: Helen Sproates- Davis
Role: Safeguarding Governor
Committee(s): Wellbeing
Governor Type: Community
Term of office: 18 Oct 2022 to 17 Oct 2026
First appointed: 18 Oct 2022
Appointed by: Briarwood Governing Body
Attendance: 75%
Name: Matt Harrison
Role: Parent Governor
Committee(s): Operations
Governor Type: Juniors link Governor, Phased Named Governor
Term of office: 1 Sep 2024 to 31 Aug 2028
First appointed: 1 Sep 2024
Appointed by: Briarwood Parents and Carers
Attendance: 75%
Resigned Member Details over the past Academic Year (2023/24)
Name: Stephen O’Callaghan
Committee(s): Teaching & Learning
Governor Type: Parent Governor
Role: Careers & 6th Form Link Governor
Business & Pecuniary Interests: Son attends School
Current Term of Office: 01/10/2020
Attendance: 56%
Resignation Date: 13/05/2024
Interests declared: None to declare
Governor Vacancies
Governor Type: Parent Governor
Governor Type: Local Authority Governor
Governor Type: Community
Interested in being a Governor at Briarwood? Find more information by following the button below.
Associate Governors and Clerk
Name: Emma Squire
Committee(s): Operations
Governor Type: Associate Governor
Term of office: 1 Sep 2021 to 26 Nov 2025
First appointed: 27 Nov 2017
Appointed by: Governing Body
Attendance: 100%
Name: Kirsty Stifall
Committee(s): All
Governor Type: Clerk to Governors
Email: ClerkBriarwood@bristol-schools.uk
Interests declared: None to declare
Statutory Declaration of Interests
To comply with legal and regulatory requirements, all governors and relevant staff must declare any business, pecuniary, or financial interests in accordance with statutory guidance.
A full list of interests that must be declared is outlined in our Declaration of Interests Policy, available in the Policy Library.
Below is the most recent Declaration of Interests Summary.
If you are a staff member or governor who needs to submit or update a declaration, please follow the link below to complete the form.
This data is captured via Microsoft Forms and uploaded to a formal register that is reviewed by the Executive Headteacher and Governors annually and will be published here as stated above.
Sustainability and climate action plan 2025-26
The DfE’s guidance ‘Sustainability leadership and climate action plans in education’ has highlighted the importance of adopting a whole-school approach to turn planning into action. In its sustainability and climate change strategy, the DfE stated that it expects all schools to have nominated sustainability leads and put in place a climate action plan by 2025.
This action plan has been created in accordance with the above guidance and can be used to help schools identify priority areas of action. When using this template, indicate whether the action is in place, the date the action was last reviewed, any further action required, who will be involved in the action and any additional comments.
Financial Information
Schools Financial Benchmarking
Employees earning >£100k
| Gross Salary | Number of Employees |
| £100,000 – £110,000 | 1 |
| £110,000 – £120,000 | 0 |
| £120,000 – £130,000 | 0 |
Local Government Transparency code
As a Local Authority Maintained School, Briarwood has to follow both the Local Government Transparency code (2015) and the Financial Regulations for Schools with Delegated Budgets.
We have to publish basic details of contracts worth over £5,000 on a quarterly basis and detail basic information related to the commissioned activity, purchase order, framework agreement or any other legally enforceable agreement.
You can find these details at the link below.
PE and Sports Premium
The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend that children engage in 60 minutes of daily physical activity, with 20 minutes for those with special needs. Schools, especially primary schools, play a key role in promoting active lifestyles, with the Childhood Obesity Plan advising that 30 minutes of this activity should occur in school.
Schools can use PE and sport premium funding to enhance physical education, focusing on five areas: improving staff skills, increasing pupil participation, raising the profile of PE, offering a wider range of activities, and boosting competitive sports. These efforts support both physical health and academic achievement.
You can find our latest PE and Sports Premium Report and proposal in our Policies, Procedures, Reports and Documents Section.
These are titled 'Sport Premium 23 - 24' and 'Sports Premium 24 - 25'.
