Our Governing body has full meetings each half term. In addition to this we have committees overseeing finance and standards, which each meet once per term. Should you wish to view the minutes taken please contact the office for further information.

Governors' Long Term Vision and Plan

Our vision is to be the best school we can, by striving towards being Outstanding. While we appreciate all areas of the curriculum are important to the development of a rounded education in Upland children, our key aims will focus in the following areas:

We will maintain our commitment to a high level of personal development and wellbeing for everyone in our school. 

We recognise the ever-increasing use of technology in society and the importance of 

developing technologically literate children who also gain from a close interaction with a wide range of library resources. 

Unlike many schools, we have extensive grounds which we will continue to develop and utilise to improve the educational experience of our children in an environmentally friendly manner. 

If you would like to find out more about the role of the school Governor, then you may find this link useful:

PARENT GOVERNOR VACANCY

Meet our Governors

Please find below details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.
We have also provided a Register of Governor Interests and an Annual Statement of Issues for your information.

Christina Dalingwater - Headteacher - October 2023 Ex-officio Governor by virtue as Headteacher
No Pecuniary Interest
Designated Safeguarding Lead
Safer Recruitment Trained
Member of Finance Committee and Standards Committee

Dorothy Fane - Chair of Governors - Local Authority Governor - 10 Feb 2021 - 9 Feb 2025 - 4 year term of office

No Pecuniary Interest

Member of the Standards committee,

Member of the Finance committee

Headteachers Performance Management Panel

Member of the Governor Recruitment Panel

Member of the vision long term plan working party

Safeguarding Governor

Safer Recruitment Trained

Link Governor for Art

I am a retired Headteacher, living in the local area. 

I have spent most of my career working in schools in the Gosport and Fareham area and throughout that time I was involved in the work of and served on various Governing Boards. I fully understand the importance of the Governing Board to the school and its contribution to the school’s effectiveness.

Since I retired from headship, I continued to fulfil my interest in education by working part time as a Link Tutor with Winchester, Chichester and Southampton Universities, visiting primary schools across Hampshire, to supervise Trainee Teachers while they were on School Experience.

I remain very interested in education and I firmly believe that schools must provide the best possible education for each and every child, so that they can maximise their ability in all areas. I therefore fully endorse Uplands’ vision “to be the best you can be”.

I very much enjoy being a member of the Governing Board at Uplands and relish the opportunity of being involved in education and working as part of the team to serve the school. 

Robin Tucker - Vice Chair of Governors - Co-opted Governor - 05 Feb 2024 - 14 Feb 2024 - 1 year term of office

No Pecuniary Interest

Chair of Finance Committee

Vice Chair of Standards Committee

Chair of the Headteachers Performance Management Panel

Governor for Pupil Voice

Link Governor for PE

Following a 26 year career in the Royal Navy, I qualified as a primary teacher and taught full time for about 10 years in several different schools. I then qualified as a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor and Hypnotherapist running my own practice alongside a little teaching on a supply basis. I have experience as a secondary school governor in the past and other interests have included being a UEFA qualified coach and football referee. Helping to raise the profile of mental health issues and encouraging individuals, young and old, to believe in their own abilities has been a driving force in my life; I feel this is never more important than in the early education of our children. I am now at a stage in life where I am learning to adjust to the opportunities of retirement. I am therefore delighted to be able to offer my time, knowledge and experience to the Uplands team in their quest for educational excellence.

Hannah Cottam - Staff Governor - 08 Feb 2021 - 7 Feb 2025 - 4 year term of office

No Pecuniary Interest
Appointed by Staff
Member of Standards Committee

Member of the Governor Recruitment Panel

Governor for SEN/Inclusion/Pupil Premium

Link Governor for ICT

I have been a member of staff since 2015; I work as part of the KS1 team in Year 1/2. My role as teacher and team leader enables me to work collaboratively with my colleagues within the really supportive environment we have at Uplands. As the subject leader for PDL, I have a committed interest in supporting children's well-being and ensuring that we work to develop and prepare our children for a healthy and successful life beyond Uplands. I have been a member of the USA since 2016 and thoroughly enjoy working within our wider school community. I hope to be able to continue this in my capacity as staff governor and I look forward to supporting the school further.

Zulfikar Kermali - Parent Governor - 25 Oct 2023 - 24 Oct 2027 - 4 year term of office

No Pecuniary Interest

Elected by Parents

Member of the Standards Committee

Member of the Pay Review Committee

Health & Safety Governor

Link Governor for Design Technology

I qualified as a pharmacist in 2009 and after working for a large high street chain I settled as a manager for a supermarket pharmacy. During that time, I had the opportunity to be part of the Local Pharmaceutical Committee (LPC) helping shape pharmaceutical services across Hampshire.

In 2012, when my eldest daughter was born, I opened my first pharmacy with some friends and the second in 2014 when my youngest daughter was born. Recently, I’ve bought Opticians with my optometrist business partner and we co-manage them.  I was delighted to be elected as a parent governor in 2019. I care about the education and experience my children and their peers have in school. I strongly believe that early education has a critical role in building our children’s foundations for the future. I am humbled to be part of this diverse team and hope to make a positive impact and support the school in their commitment to continuous improvement.

Mrs Katie Hutton - Co-opted Governor - 25 Nov 2020 - 24 Nov 2024 - 4 year term of office

No Pecuniary Interest

Co-Chair of Standards Committee

Member of the Pay Review Committee 

Governor for SEN/Inclusion/Pupil Premium

Local Governor forum representative

Link Governor for Geography

I joined the governing body of Uplands in 2021. I have been a teacher for 19 years. I spent 16 years teaching in a junior school, and am now teaching in an infant school. I have a secure knowledge of teaching and the curriculum, and I look forward to supporting Uplands from a more behind-the-scenes role.

I am also interested in Special Educational Needs (SEN) and supporting all children to achieve their full potential within a school setting. Having grown up on the Uplands Estate, I am now settled here with my young family. Both my children attend Uplands, and I really appreciate the passion that the staff have, and their desire to give our children the best possible opportunities. I am also a member of the Uplands School Association, and enjoy participating in fundraising activities for the school.

Mrs Fatimah Hameer - Co-opted Governor - 25 Nov 2020 - 24 Nov 2024 - 4 year term of office

No Pecuniary Interest

Co-Chair of the Standards Committee

Safeguarding Governor

Link Governor for Science and Religious Education.

I was born and raised in Tanzania and I came to the UK for my university education in 2009. I am a pharmacist by profession and I have had the opportunity to work in both hospital and primary care services. I have always had a passion for teaching and education, volunteering at faith schools both here in the UK and back home in Tanzania. I thoroughly enjoy working with students and facilitating their learning accordingly. One of the primary reasons for wanting to be a school governor is to be able to engage with my local community and invest in the education and development of students. As a parent, I would like to be involved in the decision making process for a holistic approach to learning. I am grateful for the opportunity to have become a member of the Governing Board and I look forward to working with and supporting the school.

Laura Melsome - Co-opted Governor - 17 Mar 2021 - 16 Mar 2025 - 4 year term of office

No Pecuniary Interest

Member of the Finance Committee

Member of Pay Review Committee

Member of the Governor Recruitment Panel

Member of the vision long term plan working party

Safeguarding Governor

Link Governor for History and Music

I have spent most of my life in the Fareham area and went to Uplands for a couple of years, many moons ago, before moving to Portchester.  My early adult years took me to North Yorkshire and then Germany, for several years, but I moved back to the area in time for both my sons to attend Uplands.  While my sons were at Uplands I was a regular visitor, taking my oldest sons class for cooking, once a week, and listening to  reading in my younger sons class. I was an active member of the PTA during this period.  For the past 20 years I have worked in the financial sector and am currently an Account Manager with a commercial bank, where I work within the Invoice Finance team.  I completed a Chartered Management Institute level 3 diploma in Principles of Management and Leadership in 2019, which gave me new skills and showed me that you are never too old to learn.  For the past two years I have also been the Health and Wellbeing representative for my office, supporting colleagues, when required.  I look forward to my term as a Governor and hope that my work experiences, along with my experience as a Mother and a Grandmother, help me support Uplands to be the best school that it can be.

Laura Burton - Co-opted Governor - 26^th  January 2022 - 25^th January 2026 - 4 year term of office

No Pecuniary Interests

Elected by the Governing Body

Member of the Standards Committee

Member of the Headteachers Performance Management Panel

Development and Training Governor

Louise Clubley - Co-opted Governor - 30^th March 2022 - 29^th March 2026 - 4 year term of office

Pecuniary interest declared: Fareham Borough Councillor

Elected by the Governing Body

Member of the Finance Committee

Member of the vision long term plan working party

I have been brought up in Fareham all of my life and lived in central Fareham for 50+ years, having been a past pupil of Wykeham House School and also sending my 2 daughters through the private sector. Later to become involved in the running of the finances of the school. My career has included working within a local building society and dealing with mortgage issues and buildings insurance, to now currently working within the Office for National Statistics in Titchfield collecting data. I have a keen interest in children’s education as they are our future. I am very honoured to be accepted as a governor and hope to help in many ways across the spectrum. I am currently also a Fareham Borough Councillor of which Uplands School is part of the area I represent.

Robert Jempson - Co-opted Governor - 30^th March 2022 - 29^th March 2026 - 4 year term of office

Elected by the Governing Body

Member of the Standards Committee

Member of the Finance Committee

Member of the Pay Review committee

Member of the vision long term plan working party

I was a Governor for 8 years at Uplands when my children were at the school in the late 1990s and now the Grandchildren have started their educational journey at Uplands, I am delighted to have been selected to join the Governor Team again.

My career extended through Banking for a top four organisation where I became an Area Manager and then I moved into Corporate Finance looking after major clients before early Retirement. I have also been a Trustee and Governor at a large Private School where I was Chair of the Finance Committee.

I have been a resident in Fareham since I was at school and reside within the school’s catchment area.

Sam Farrant - Co-opted Governor - 20th February 2023 - 19th February 2027 - 4 year term of office

Elected by the Governing Body

Member of the Finance Committee

I have lived in Fareham since 2005 and have 2 children at Uplands. As a qualified Chartered Engineer and Manager, I have been engaged with education and personal development from a young age and am particularly interested in developing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in the younger generations. I am also keen to see that the children of Uplands get the best educational start possible in life, to complement their physical, social and emotional development and become successful and rounded individuals who maximise their talents.

I have been an engineering manager throughout my career but I also hold a number of coaching and mentoring qualifications which I hope will complement my work as a Governor. I intend to bring a fresh perspective to the board and I look forward to helping Uplands to be a safe, happy and aspirational School.

Mr James Doherty - Parent Governor - 15th November 2023 to 15th November 2027 - 4 Year term of office

James has worked in education for his whole career, including helping to found UTC Portsmouth – the region’s only specialist STEM college for 14-19 year olds - since before it opened its doors in 2017, and took over as Principal in 2020. 

Having studied biomedical sciences, he has carried his passion for STEM forwards through to the establishment and running of UTC Portsmouth. His background in chemistry, biochemistry and genetics and his decision to study these subjects stems from inspirational teaching received during science lessons in school.

The importance of primary education as a vehicle for enthusing young people about education is something that cannot be understated and James is excited to be a part of the Uplands Primary School governing body; a school he attended.

In his free time, James enjoys Warhammer and has been inducted into the Warhammer Wall of Heroes, speaks regularly at a local historical society and spending time with his young family.

Sue Johnson - Clerk to Governors

No Pecuniary Interest

I have worked as Clerk to the Governors at Uplands Primary School for a number of years. My role is to provide administrative support and offer legislative advice as required, to the governing body. I find the clerk role very interesting and enjoy supporting governors in their role.

Please click on this link to for the Hampshire Governors page https://www.hants.gov.uk/educationandlearning/governors