Our Governors
The governors ensure the school is well run and provide children with the best possible education. They visit the school to see the day-to-day experience of the pupils and staff, often a visit will have a specific focus e.g. assessment and marking, student well-being, and behaviour.
Governors also attend school events such as secondary transfer evening, the four annual Cathedral services, school play performances, music concerts and parent/carer consultation evenings.
If you would like more information about the work governors do, or have any concerns or queries you would like to raise with the governors, please contact the Chair of Governors, by writing to her at the school address and marking your envelope as confidential for the attention of the Chair of Governors.
Who We Are
This section gives a broad outline of the role of the Governors, how we go about fulfilling our responsibilities and who we are.
Helen Quenet (Chair of Governors)
Foundation Governor – Appointed by the St Albans Diocese Board of Education
Current Term: 01.09.2022 – 31.08.2026 (first elected Parent governor in September 2011)
Link Governor for: Quality of Education.
Member of: Admissions & Appeals Committee, Curriculum & Standards Committee, Finance & General Purposes Committee, Governors’ Disciplinary Committee, Personnel Committee and Policy & Urgency Committee.
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: worked for the NHS in Mental Health Services. Runs own business. Former Local Borough Councillor for Welwyn Hatfield. Had two children through the school.
Helen Fellows (Vice Chair of Governors)
Foundation Governor – Appointed by the St Albans Diocese Board of Education
Current Term: 01.09.2020 – 31.05.2024 (first appointed in September 2009)
Link Governor for: Pupil Premium.
Member of: Admissions & Appeals Committee, Finance & General Purposes Committee, Governors’ Disciplinary Committee, Personnel Committee and Policy & Urgency Committee.
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: Associate of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (ACMA).
Reverend Nigel Ward
Foundation Governor – Appointed by the St Albans Diocese Board of Education
Current Term: 01.09.2022 – 31.08.2026 (first appointed in September 1997)
Link Governor for: Personnel and Wellbeing.
Member of: Curriculum & Standards Committee, Governors’ Disciplinary Committee and Personnel Committee.
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: retired Database specialist and Associate Minister, Diocese of St. Albans. Parent of three former students.
Tony Hale
Foundation Governor – Appointed by the St Albans Deanery Synod
Current Term: 08.06.2022 – 07.06.2026 (has served for many years previous to current appointment)
Link Governor for: Health and Safety and Environment/ Sustainability.
Member of: Admissions & Appeals Committee and Finance & General Purposes Committee.
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: retired architect.
Vacancy
Foundation Governor – Appointed by the St Albans Deanery Synod
Vacancy
Foundation Governor – Appointed by the St Albans Deanery Synod
Bishop Jane Mainwaring
Ex Officio Foundation Governor – nominated by Trust Deed is the Dean of St Albans Cathedral
Link Governor for: SIAMS/ Religious Education.
Current Term: 01.04.2023 – 31.03.2025
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: none declared.
Vicky Franco
Local Authority Governor – Nominated by Hertfordshire County Council and appointed by the Governing Body
Current Term: 01.01.2024 – 31.12.2027
Link Governor for: Behaviour.
Member of: Curriculum & Standards Committee and Governors’ Disciplinary Committee.
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: none declared.
Sally-Ann Aguiar
Parent Governor – Elected
Current Term: 27.11.2023 – 26.11.2027
Link Governor for: Safeguarding.
Member of: Admissions & Appeals Committee and Finance & General Purposes Committee.
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: School Business Manager in an independent school, Sally-Ann holds a BA in Childhood and Youth Studies and is completing the DSBM in School Business Management ILM. As a full member of ISBL, her diverse professional background includes over a decade in retail store management and banking. Prioritising education, she transitioned to school leadership which she finds very fulfilling. She is personally invested in this school community because her children attend Townsend CofE School.
Caroline Potts
Parent Governor – Elected
Current Term: 27.11.2023 – 26.11.2027
Link Governor for: SEND.
Member of: Finance & General Purposes Committee and Governors’ Disciplinary Committee.
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: none declared.
Anna Philpott
Staff Governor – Elected
Current Term: 01.01.2022 – 31.12.2025
Link Governor for: Post-16 and Careers.
Member of: Curriculum & Standards Committee.
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: Vice Chair of Governors at St Albans School with a professional background in Education, Law and Finance. Anna teaches Business and is the SENCO at Townsend CofE School.
Anthony Flack
Headteacher and Ex Officio Governor
Current Term: ongoing while employed as Headteacher
Member of: Curriculum & Standards Committee, Finance & General Purposes Committee, Personnel Committee and Policy & Urgency Committee.
Relevant business and pecuniary interests: employed as the Headteacher of Townsend CofE School, member of St Albans Diocesan Board of Education, member of St Albans Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust, member of St Albans Diocese Academy Education Trust, member of Hertfordshire Schools Music Service Forum and Safeguarding Committee, Director of not for profit St Albans and Harpenden Schools Umbrella Trust and volunteer Chair of Scouting Committees.
How to contact us
If you have any queries for the governors please email Mrs Laetitia Thompson (LThompson336@townsend.herts.sch.uk).
If you would like more information about the work governors do, or have any concerns or queries you would like to raise with the governors, please contact the Chair of Governors, by emailing Chair@townsend.herts.sch.uk or by writing to the school address and marking your envelope as confidential for the attention of the Chair of Governors.
If you would like information on how to become a Governor in a Hertfordshire School please follow the link to ‘Becoming a school governor’.
