Welcome to the Advisory Board of Fossebrook Primary School
At Discovery Trust, the Board of Trustees (sometimes known as the board of directors or governing body) is ultimately responsible for governance of the schools in the trust and is accountable for their performance. To support effective governance, the Board delegates governance functions to be carried out through committees, locally through each school Advisroy Board and through the Central Executive Team.
The Advisory Board consists of parents, staff and community representatives; the Headteacher is a member of the Advisory Board by virtue of their office. Community Members are appointed by the Advisory Board and are people, who in the opinion of the Advisory Board, have the skills required to contribute to the work of the board; Parent and staff members are elected to the board by the parent and staff body respectively.
Message from the Chair of the Advisory Board
My name is Erica, and I am proud to serve as Chair of the Advisory Board at Fossebrook Primary School. I have been part of the Fossebrook community as a parent since 2018, with my children attending the school, giving me a strong personal connection to the school and its community.
At the heart of Fossebrook is our vision, Together We Rise. It reflects our belief that our whole school community is stronger when we work together. We encourage our children to be kind and compassionate, to take responsibility for their learning and choices, and to know that they belong and are valued. Most importantly, we want every child to feel confident to dream big, embrace new opportunities and believe in their own potential.
As an Advisory Board, we are committed to supporting the school, its staff, pupils and families, while helping to ensure that Fossebrook continues to be a place where every child can thrive.
It is a privilege to be part of the Fossebrook community, and I look forward to supporting the school as it continues to grow and develop.
School Advisory Board Members: 2026-27
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Sarah Evans | Headteacher (Ex-officio) Attendance at AB meetings 2026-27; n/a Attendance at AB meetings 2025-26: 3/3 Interests declared 29.9.25: Sister-in-law employed at Kibworth Primary School |
| Erica Dodd | Chair & elected Parent member Term of Office 22.11.23-21.11.26 Attendance at AB meetings 2026-27; n/a Attendance at AB meetings 2025-26: 3/3 No interests declared 5.9.25 |
| Sam Williams | Vice-Chair and Appointed Community member Term of Office 6.3.26-5.3.26 Attendance at AB meetings 2026-27; n/a Attendance at AB meetings 2025-26: 3/3 Interests declared 2.9.25: Son – pupil at Fossebrook Primary School |
| Gilly Paterson | Appointed Community member Term of Office 15.5.26-14.5.29 Attendance at AB meetings 2026-27; n/a Attendance at AB meetings 2025-26: n/a Interest declared 15.5.26: Retired. Part time work as a Diocesan Schools Advisor, Peterborough Diocese and as SIAMS inspector |
| Urszula Zawadzka | Elected Parent member Term of Office 22.11.23-21.11.26 Attendance at AB meetings 2026-27; n/a Attendance at AB meetings 2025-26: 3/3 VenturEd Solutions – school applications declared 26.11.25 |
| Ella-Mae Briggs | Elected Staff member Term of Office 28.1.26-27.1.29 Attendance at AB meetings 2026-27; n/a Attendance at AB meetings 2025-26: 2/2 No interests declared 25.2.26 |
Get in Touch
If you have a passion for improving outcomes for children and would like to use your skills and expertise to contribute to the governance of our schools please get in touch by contacting the Trust Central team c/o clerk@discoveryschoolstrust.org.uk
You can contact our Chair of the Advisory Board, Erica Dodd directly at erdodd@dsatfossebrook.org or via the Trust Clerk
Board meeting minutes are available on request. Requests should be directed to the Trust Clerk clerk@discoverytrust.org