Introduction

Cotswold School is governed by a Board of Trustees comprised of:

• Five Parent Elected Representatives

• One Staff Elected Representative

• The School Principal

Our current Board having taken up office on Wednesday 17th September 2025.

Trustees are elected every three years with the next election due during Term 3, 2028.

2026 Meeting Schedule

Upcoming Board Meeting Dates

• Wednesday 25 February (Week 4)

• Wednesday 25 March (Week 8)

• Wednesday 20 May (Week 5)

• Wednesday 24 June (Week 10)

• Wednesday 12 August (Week 4)

• Wednesday 16 September (Week 9)

• Wednesday 4 November (Week 4)

• Wednesday 9 December (Week 9)

Board Meetings begin at 6 pm in the Staff Room

Board Members

Chairperson / Presiding Member

• Brooke Marshall - brooke.marshall@cotswold.school.nz

  • Finance

Deputy Chairperson

• Nathan Gillespie- nathan.gillespie@cotswold.school.nz

  • Property

  • Health and Safety Portfolios

Trustees:

• Kate Prendergast - kate.prendergast@cotswold.school.nz

  • Property

  • Strategic Documentation, Policy, and Procedures Portfolios

• Nic Tolchard - nic.tolchard@cotswold.school.nz

  • Finance

  • Personnel & Employment

• Amanda Willetts- amanda.willetts@cotswold.school.nz

  • Personnel & Employment

  • Health and Safety

Principal

• Chris Smith / Paula Fleming-Connell (Acting Principal)
  

  • Student Learning / Curriculum

Staff Representative

• Cameron Anderson - cameron.anderson@cotswold.school.nz
  

  • Student Learning / Curriculum

Board/Minutes Secretary

• Marie Bianco - marie.bianco@cotswold.school.nz

All trustees also share the Strategic Documentation & Legislative Requirements Portfolios.

Board Responsibility

The board of trustees is a crown entity and is responsible for the governance of this school. The key focus of their role is the improvement of student progress and achievement.

At Cotswold Mātāhae School, the Board of Trustees is responsible for the following board-level overarching policies:

• Curriculum and Student Achievement Policy
  

• Documentation and Self-Review Policy
  

• Employer Responsibility Policy
  

• Finance and Property Management Policy
  

• Health, Safety, and Welfare Policy
  

• Legislation and Administration Policy
  

NB: To access our school policy and procedures please use:

• Username: cotswold
  

• Password: elephant
  

The board delegates the day-to-day implementation of many of its responsibilities and the supporting operational policies and procedures to the principal, but does not delegate the board's accountability.

Principal Responsibility

The principal is the educational leader, the chief executive, and an employee of the board. The principal is also a full member of the board of trustees and is the link between policy and operation.
The principal:

• is responsible for the supporting policies and procedures relating to the board-level overarching policies
  

• has discretion to manage the school's day-to-day administration (as the board delegates)
  

• may further delegate some of the responsibility to other staff members
  

• keeps the board of trustees informed of the information it relies on to carry out its own responsibilities.