The Governing Body sets the strategic direction for the school by 

• monitoring progress an attainment of all children throughout the school
• evaluating whether the school is meeting its targets
• working with the Head Teacher to decide what the school needs to do to improve
• supporting staff to provide the best education for all children that they can
• challenging the school if something is not working well

The Governing Body acts as a 'critical friend' to the school and plays a key role in making sure Holly Hill is the best school it can be.

The Department for Education says governing bodies should have a strong focus on three core strategic functions.

1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
2. Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the performance management of its staff
3. Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.

Strong governance is based on 6 key features:

1.  Strategic leadership that sets and champions vision, ethos and strategy

2.  Accountability that drives up educational standards and financial performance

3.  People with the right skills, experience, qualities and capacity

4.  Structures that reinforce clearly defined roles and responsibilities

5.  Compliance with statutory and contractual requirements

6.  Evaluation to monitor and improve the quality and impact of governance

Our Governing Body has 2 full governing body meetings per term to ensure that all aspects of our governance work are carried out to a high standard.  

Meet the Governors

I have been the Chair of Governors since January 2026. I am a parent governor and have a child who attends the school. I have been a Primary School teacher for the past ten years and hope to use my experience to help Holly Hill continue to give the best possible education to its pupils.

I am the Headteacher at Holly Hill and therefore staff governor. I am held to account by the Governing body. 

I am a staff governor.  I provide a link between the Governing Body and members of staff.  I am an Assistant Headteacher and KS1 Lead. I also lead English across the school. 

Lucy Fretwell

I am a staff governor and act as a link between staff and the governing body. I have been a teacher in Upper Key Stage 2 at Holly Hill for 8 years and am responsible for leading Music and Pupil Premium across the school. I am passionate about every child in our school being given the opportunity to thrive in an ambitious, inclusive and nurturing environment.

I am a co-opted Governor.

I live with my family in Selston and have done so for most of my life! I attended the local schools, as did my own children. I have an education background and was fortunate enough to be a pastoral, nurture, and emotional literacy TA here at Holly Hill for 22 years. Even though I chose to leave to pursue other interests there has always been a special place in my heart for the school and it's community of staff, pupils and parents. I hope in my new role as Governor I can play a part in the continued success of this wonderful school and be an advocate for all who attend here.

I am a co-opted Governor. As an individual who struggled throughout my early education, I am passionate about helping & guiding those who find themselves lost. I have been in engineering for the past 14 years & would like to bring my experience to the classroom to ensure our children's future is bright. 

I am a former Holly Hill pupil and now a parent of a child in Reception, it’s really special to be involved as a parent governor. With my background in interior design, I enjoy bringing a creative perspective while supporting the school and its community. 

I am a co-opted Governor.

I live locally, and my daughter is currently in Reception. From the very first day we visited Holly Hill, we both felt warmly welcomed into the school community. Since then, I’ve been keen to support the school in any way I can, drawing on the skills I’ve developed through my career in the NHS. I’m particularly motivated to help maintain and strengthen the safe, nurturing environment that has made for such a positive experience for my daughter.

I'm a co-opted governor who lives locally and has a daughter in KS1, so I feel connected to both the school and the wider community it serves. I’m incredibly proud to be part of such a warm, welcoming school and feel very lucky to support it in this role. In my day-to-day work, I’m based in a special school setting where I lead on reading, curriculum and EYFS, areas I’m truly passionate about. With 10 years of teaching experience behind me, I’m excited to bring my knowledge, skills, and experiences to help support the school’s continued development. Outside of work, I enjoy spending quality time with my family, which keeps me grounded and inspired.

David Ottewell - Co-opted Governor

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