Local Governance Committee
Do you want to become a School Committee Member or a Foundation Committee Member?
We are currently looking for School Committee Members and a Foundation Committee Members to join our existing members to support the school. If you are interested in this role please see the two documents below. Further information can be obtained from either contact KCSP directly (as per the document) or the School Office.
Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership
Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership (KCSP) is a charitable trust and a company limited by guarantee, established in August 2012 by the Archbishop of Southwark. We are committed to providing strong, faith-led education across our family of Catholic schools in Kent.
At the heart of KCSP is a robust governance structure designed to ensure transparency, accountability, and excellence in leadership.
The Trust Board of Directors oversee the strategic direction, management, and administration of the Trust. To carry out these responsibilities effectively, the Board delegates specific functions to a series of governance committees, as outlined in our governance structure chart.
We recognise the vital role governance plays in the success of our schools. To support our committees and leaders. KCSP provides comprehensive guidance through our Governance Handbook and Scheme of Delegation. These documents outline the principles, responsibilities, and procedures that underpin our governance model, ensuring consistency and clarity across the Trust
St. Richard's Governance Committees is made up of volunteers who work together to support our school across all aspects of daily school life, including strategic, financial and the curriculum.
Setting the school's vision and strategic aims, agreeing plans and policies and making creative use of resources.
Monitoring and evaluating performance, supporting and challenging the Head teacher in the management of the school.
Ensuring that the school is accountable to the children and parents it serves, to its local community, to those who fund and maintain it, as well as the staff it employs.
The Governance Committee is a ‘critical friend’ of the school. It provides Strategic Leadership in school improvement. It does this by being appropriately involved in the school improvement cycle as follows:
- Developing and sharing the values and vision
- Setting out the aims and objectives of the school
- Setting out the policies and procedures by which the aims and objectives will be achieved.
- Establishing the criteria by which the aims and achievements will be seen to be achieved.
- Taking the views of stakeholders into account
- Evaluating evidence on how well the school is doing.
- Finding out how well the school is doing in comparison with similar schools.
- Agreeing targets for improvement
- Planning to achieve improvement.
- Ensuring that deployment of staffing and resources match the school’s priorities.
Key Issues
The governance committee will consider and keep under review: the progress and attainment of all groups of pupils, evidence of narrowing gaps between under achieving groups and other pupils, improvements in the quality of teaching, the school’s improvement since the last inspection, and the school’s self-evaluation of how well it is doing currently. Governance committee members are not expected to be involved in the day-to-day running of the school.
Who can be a governance committee member?
- Almost everyone over 18 can become a member. Governance committee members are volunteers from all walks of life – everyone has experience and skills to offer.
- An effective governance committee has people from different backgrounds and with a mix of skills. No formal qualifications are needed to be a member.
- Governance committee members are not education experts – they are there to offer a fresh perspective.
What makes a good governance committee member?
- The ability to work in a team.
- An interest in education and a commitment to the school
- Patience, energy and enthusiasm
- A willingness to listen, learn and to spend time in school
- A willingness to undertake training.
Our Chair of Governors, Nick Smyth can be contacted by email: nicholas.smyth@st-richards-dover.kcsp.org.uk
The Clerk to the committee Samantha Paterson can be contacted by email: spaterson@kcsp.org.uk
St Richard's Local Governance Committee
Declaration of Interests 24/25 and Historical Committee Members
The St. Richard's Local Governance Committee
Foundation committee members are selected by the appointing body to which the school is attached. They are appointed to preserve and develop the religious character of the school and to secure compliance with the trust deed.
Staff committee members are elected by the school staff. Both teaching and support staff paid to work at the school are eligible to be staff committee. The Head teacher is automatically a member of the governing body.
Parent committee members are elected by parents of pupils on the school roll at the time of election. They must be parents of pupils on the school roll themselves to stand for election.
Meet The Committee Members
Beth Boxall
Parent Member |
Curriculum Lead
| Hello, I am Beth Boxall and, apart from my years at Exeter University, I have lived in Dover all my life. I am always keen to be a part of the community that I live in and in whatever way I can try to support it. Hence, I am really excited to be a Parent Governor from 2021 at St Richard's. I live with my husband, son and daughter who both attend St Richard's. We have been really impressed by the school, particularly during lockdown, and so I am keen to be involved in its further progression and on-going development.
Additionally, I have taught in a few local schools and held a number of various roles ranging from Head of a Preschool to Assistant Headteacher. My husband is also a teacher and so, together, we are enthusiastic to bring our experience and knowledge to forward and support the education of Dover pupils in whatever way we can. We also attend church and have a strong faith. Therefore, I love the compassionate and faith-based ethos at St Richard's and am excited to see young children fulfil their potential both academically and spiritually. |
Vic Casambros
| Vice Chair Foundation Committee Member Catholic Character and Ethos Lead | Hi I'm Vic, and I feel very privileged to have been appointed as a Foundation Governor at St Richard’s. I’m really looking forward to working with the school leadership team to help nurture and strengthen the Catholic character and ethos of the school—something that is very close to my heart. I'm Filipino and had a fairly traditional catholic upbringing in Folkestone. I attended both Stella Maris and St Edmund’s, which are part of the KCSP Trust. It’s a joy to see my daughter now following in those footsteps at Stella Maris.
Since 2019, I’ve been involved in school governance as a Co-Opted Governor at another local primary school, and I’m excited to bring that experience to this new role. Outside of education, I work as a Compliance Analyst for a digital bank, focusing on tackling financial crime and money laundering. I also serve as a trustee for some local charities in Folkestone & Hythe. Before that, I spent over a decade working in Marketing, Communications, and Stakeholder Engagement across charities and the civil service. |
Alouisa Quansah-Brown
Staff Member |
Staff Committee Member CPD Lead | As a member of the Teaching staff at St Richard’s since January 2020, and Staff Governor I am looking forward to representing the wonderful, hardworking staff at St Richard’s and getting to know the wider school community. I am an experienced class teacher having taught in primary schools for the past 16 years, from volunteering through to becoming a qualified teacher for the last 11 years.
Before teaching I studied for an Art degree and then finally a teaching degree when realising teaching is my passion! I live with my husband and son in Deal having moved from London 21 years ago. I am a keen artist and devote every spare moment to creating mosaics and walking our lively cocker spaniel! |
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Nicholas Smyth
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Chair Co-Opted Committee Member Finance Lead | Hello my name is Nicholas Smyth. Having attended St Richard's in the 90s along with my four brothers and sister; all three of my children have followed in our footsteps.
When an opportunity to support the school which has given so much to my family arose, I jumped at the opportunity.
In addition to this role, I manage the Internal Sales Department for VJ Technology, a UK industry leading Technical Fixings supplier and coach the Dover Ranger's Colts U10s football team.
I plan to utilise my leadership, business and IT technical skills to support the school, faculty and students throughout my tenure giving back to a school and community which given so much to my family. |
 Yasmin Howarth |
Parent Committee Member Health and Safety and Safeguarding Lead | My name is Yasmin, and I live in Dover with my Fiancé, our 6-year-old who attends St Richard's and our two toddlers, who will eventually attend St Richard's too!
I couldn't be more impressed with the school and all the teachers. They do so much for each child, it really is such a wonderful little school! I was impressed from the moment I looked round on the open days 3 years ago! The one thing that really stood out for me was the school values and how every child really embraces them.
So, when I noticed there was an opportunity to be a Governor, I knew I had to apply, to have the chance to give something back to the school. It's a wonderful opportunity to be able to support the school and the community. I look forward to working with the school and the other Governors to make a great school, even better! |
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The Chair of The Governance Committee may be contacted via the school office (see the home page for details) – any correspondence marked ‘Private and Confidential’ will be passed to them without opening in school.
Meeting Attendance 24-25
Committee Member Recruitment
Are you enthusiastic about education?
Do you have some spare time?
If so, then you may be just the person we need!
The following link provides more information about the Role of a Committee Member, as well as the Appointment Process: https://www.rcaoseducation.org.uk/could-you-become-a-governor/
Further information about our school can be found using the following links:
https://www.kcsp.org.uk/governing-bodies-and-academy-committees/
https://www.kcsp.org.uk/st-richards-catholic-primary-dover/
https://www.kcsp.org.uk/what-our-pupils-and-parents-say-about-our-academie/
If you would like to enquire about becoming a Committee Member at St. Richard's, please contact our LGC Chair using the details below.
Contact Details
The St. Richard's Local Governance Chair of the committee:
Local Governance Committee Chair - Nick Smyth
Address: St. Richard's Catholic Primary School, Castle Avenue, Dover, Kent. CT16 1EZ
Telephone: 01304 201118
Email: nicholas.smyth@st-richards-dover.kcsp.org.uk
Kent Catholic Schools Partnership
Chief Executive: Mrs Annemarie Whittle
Address: Barham Court, Teston, Maidstone, Kent. ME18 5BZ
Telephone: 01622 232665