Governors

When Dame Alice Owen founded her school in 1613, she entrusted the administration of the school and its endowment to the Worshipful Company of Brewers which, for nearly four centuries as Trustee of the Dame Alice Owen Foundation, has supported and encouraged the school. Throughout the school’s history many members of the Brewers’ Company have served with distinction on the Governing Body, often as Chairmen.

The Foundation supports the school financially by providing funds to help maintain buildings and equipment over and above those granted by the Government. The Foundation supports staff and students to undertake a wide range of extracurricular activities, including overseas educational and sporting visits and also helps to fund extra support for our more disadvantaged students. The Master and Wardens of the Company of Brewers, as representatives of the Trustee, make an annual visit to the school in September; and the Master also attends the prize giving ceremony known as ‘Visitation’.

We have been fortunate to have had a consistently strong teaching and support staff, impressively led by the Headteacher and the staff Senior Leadership Teams over many years. The school has an excellent record of academic achievement, and is highly regarded for its breadth of sporting, musical, dramatic and cultural extra-curricular activities which give all students a wide range of opportunities for self-development. 

The school was judged “Outstanding” in every respect in its latest Ofsted inspection in December 2023. Our GCSE and A-Level results year on year stand comparison with the very best schools in the country. An overwhelming majority of students gain entry to their first-choice university, the vast majority being Russell Group institutions. The school regularly sends upwards of twenty students to Oxford and Cambridge. 

In 2021, we were delighted to be awarded The Sunday Times Southeast State Secondary School of the Decade and in 2025 we were awarded The Sunday Times South East Comprehensive School of the Year.

From a governance perspective, the school became an Academy in 2011. The Governing Body comprises up to 13 Foundation Governors, a minimum of 2 elected Parent Governors and the Headteacher. The Governing Body may also appoint one or more co-opted Governors to assist and advise them in their work. Co-opted Governors have full voting rights.

The Chair of Governors is responsible leading the Full Governing Body and represents the school at the five Court Meetings (Board Meetings) of the Worshipful Company of Brewers that are held across the calendar year.

Across the Governing Body we are fortunate to have a wide range of skills and backgrounds; including amongst its number: lawyers, a County Councillor, three Financial Services experts, a Public Relations specialist, a number of educationalists and a doctor, as well as a number of brewers, most of whom hold, or have held, senior positions in their industry.

The Full Governing Body normally meets once per term, unless there is a special requirement for an additional meeting.  In addition, there are 4 Governing Body Committees covering Curriculum, School Community, Admissions and Resources (which covers Facilities, Finance and Audit). Each Committee meets prior to the termly meeting of the Full Governing Body (FGB) and advises and recommends the FGB on matters relevant to its particular area of responsibility.

• Structure of Members, Board of Trustees and Committees 2024-25
• Governance Attendance 2023-24
• Governors Committees, Roles and Responsibilities

  Updated: Jan 25

Governors’ secure area – Governors please log in

Number of stage 2 complaints in the previous academic year 24-25 – 1

Number of stage 3 complaints in the previous academic year 24-25 – 1