Who's who in the local governing body
Richard Roberts
Vice Chair of Governors.
Richard was appointed as a
Community Governor in October
2015. Richard is father of two. He
has experience in education having
worked as a teacher at a local FE
college for over ten years, and as a
Curriculum Manager. Richard was
appointed at Vice Chair of the
Governing Body in October 2019
Dan Woodman
Headteacher
Dan became Headteacher of The St. Christopher School in September 2022. Prior to this, Dan was Headteacher at Edith Borthwick Special School in Braintree for 6 years. He has worked in special education for 21 years and is deeply committed to the school. Dan is passionate about providing exceptional provision, opportunities and culture for all children with SEND. He wants to continue to challenge perceptions about our learners and champion their abilities, ensuring they are visible and valued members of the local community.
Paul Barber
Community Governor
Paul was appointed as a Community Governor in February 2025. Paul worked in IT as a software developer for NatWest Bank for over 40 years. Away from work Paul has been on the committee of Southend & District Badminton Association for over 25 years, 10 of those as chairman, and now as a Vice President. Paul is a Trustee at a local community sports hall.
Paul has recently been elected to Leigh Town Council, and hopes to use his skills to add value in the local community.
Chris Hebden MBE
Community Governor
Chris has been a Governor of
the school for over 20 years.
Chris represents Southend
MENCAP and works closely with
them at the School.
David Gribbon
Community Governor
Governor for Safeguarding
David works in social care and has a long-standing commitment to social justice and equality. He brings significant experience supporting disadvantaged groups, including adults with mental health needs and learning disabilities. As the school’s Safeguarding Link Governor, David is dedicated to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all members of the school community. His insight, professionalism, and experience in challenging situations strengthen the school’s safeguarding practice and wider governance.
Richard Newman
Community Governor
Richard was appointed to the Governing Body in December 2022 as a Community Governor. Richard has a background in IT, working for investment and private banking organisations.
Richard is the Managing Director of the family company, overseeing business development, strategy and financial management.
Sakhile Twine
Parent Governor
Sakhile was appointed as a Parent Governor from September 2023. As a Business Analyst, Sakhile understands the importance of being a critical friend to the support the school and ensure accountability, oversight and assurance. Sakhile is eager to take on the role of parent governor to help provide strong strategic direction and ensure every pupil receives the best education experience.
Andrew Stokes
Staff Governor
Andrew has worked at The St. Christopher School since 2012, as a teacher in the secondary school. Andrew was appointed as Staff Governor in November 2022 and is looking forward to taking on this role to learn more about the school whilst helping to implement new initiatives and strategies that are introduced.
What Do Our Governors Do?
Think of our governors as your school’s “critical friends” – they support and challenge us to be the very best we can be for your children.
Our governors are volunteers who give their time and expertise to ensure The St Christopher School provides excellent education and care for all our learners. They work closely with our leadership team to set the strategic direction, monitor progress, and ensure we’re always improving.
The Three Core Functions of Governance:
Setting Strategic Direction
- Agreeing our school vision, values, and long-term goals
- Approving key policies that affect your child’s education
- Planning for future developments and improvements
Holding Leaders to Account
- Monitoring the quality of education and outcomes for learners
- Asking challenging questions about school performance
- Ensuring resources are used effectively for maximum impact
Ensuring Financial Probity
- Overseeing the school budget and financial planning
- Making sure money is spent wisely on things that benefit learners
- Ensuring value for money in all school expenditures
Our Governing Body Structure
Full Governing Body
Vice Chair: Richard Roberts
Our full governing body meets termly to discuss school performance, review policies, and make strategic decisions. All major decisions about the school’s direction are made collectively by the governing body.
Governor Responsibilities Linked to Our School Improvement Plan
Our governors each take lead responsibility for key areas that directly connect to our School Improvement Plan priorities:
Learner Regulation & Progress
Lead Governors: Richard Newman, Andrew Stokes
What they do:
- Monitor behaviour support strategies and therapeutic interventions
- Review pupil progress data and regulation outcomes
- Ensure appropriate support for learners’ emotional and behavioural needs
Empowering Staff
Lead Governors: Sakhile Twine, Chris Hebden
What they do:
- Monitor staff wellbeing and professional development
- Review staff feedback and workplace culture
- Ensure effective support and empowerment of all team members
Therapeutic Thinking
Lead Governors: Richard Newman, Paul Barber
What they do:
- Oversee therapeutic approaches and interventions
- Monitor staff training in therapeutic thinking
- Ensure trauma-informed practice across school
Curriculum Excellence
Lead Governor: Richard Roberts What they do:
- Monitor curriculum development and implementation
- Review teaching quality and learning outcomes
- Ensure curriculum meets all learners’ individual needs
Digital Strategy
Lead Governors: Paul Barber, Sakhile Twine
What they do:
- Monitor digital learning and technology integration
- Review online safety and digital citizenship
- Oversee IT infrastructure and digital resources
Middle Leadership Development
Lead Governor:
What they do:
- Support development of middle leadership capacity
- Monitor leadership succession planning
- Review staff professional development opportunities
Pupil Premium Impact
Lead Governors: Richard Roberts, David Gribbon
What they do:
- Monitor pupil premium strategy and spending
- Review impact on disadvantaged learners’ outcomes
- Ensure value for money and effective interventions
Safeguarding Excellence
Lead Governor: David Gribbon
What they do:
- Conduct regular safeguarding audits and monitoring
- Ensure robust safeguarding policies and procedures
- Monitor staff safeguarding training and culture
Capacity Building
Lead Governor: Chris Hebden
What they do:
- Monitor organisational development and growth
- Review school capacity and improvement planning
- Ensure sustainable development of school provision
How Governors Monitor Our Progress
Regular School Visits
Governors regularly visit school to:
- Observe lessons and learning activities
- Talk with learners, staff, and families
- See improvements and developments in action
- Gather evidence about our School Improvement Plan progress
Data Review Sessions
Every term, governors review:
- Pupil progress against EHCP outcomes
- Achievement and attainment data
- Attendance and behaviour trends
- Financial performance and budget monitoring
Policy Review Cycle
Governors systematically review all school policies to ensure they:
- Reflect current best practice and legislation
- Support our School Improvement Plan priorities
- Meet the needs of our learners and families
- Are implemented effectively across school
Governance Documents
Meeting Minutes: Available for each termly meeting
Register of Business Interests: Updated annually for transparency
Governing Body Attendance: Published annually
Terms of Reference: Outlining committee responsibilities
Governor Handbook: Our governance procedures and expectations
All governance documents are available in the statutory information section of our website.
Contact Our Governors
Want to share feedback or raise concerns with our governing body?
Email: governors@tscs.southend.sch.uk
Post: Chair of Governors, The St Christopher School, Mountdale Gardens, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 4AW
Our Chair of Governors is always happy to hear from parents and families. Whether you have suggestions, concerns, or simply want to share positive feedback about our school, we value your input.
Our Commitment to You
Our governors are passionate about ensuring every learner at The St Christopher School receives the very best education and support. They
Governors
For information about our Governing Body, please click on the link below:
Governors Register of Business Interests 2024/2025
Governors Register of Business Interests 2023/2024
Governors Register of Business Interests 2022/2023
Governing Body Attendance 2023/2024