Purpose of Governance

The purpose of governance is to provide confident and strong strategic leadership which leads to robust accountability, oversight and assurance for educational and financial performance.

All governing boards have three core functions:

• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
• Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the effective and efficient performance management of staff; and
• Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.” – DfE Governance Handbook.

Our main role is to support and challenge the Headteacher, the phrase often used to describe this role is ‘a critical friend’. We help them to set and reach targets, to strive for excellence across the whole spectrum of school life. This is actioned through school development planning, we use a School Development Plan, and Raising Achievement Plans (RAPs). Subject Leads use RAPS to regularly plan, action and review areas of identified need. The school’s progress is evaluated termly through RAPs.  

The  school’s Self Evaluation Form (SEF) is another working document that reflects the school’s recent journey and current outcomes.

Our legal duties include: setting strategic direction, policies and objectives; approving the school budget; reviewing progress against the school’s budget and objectives; appointing, challenging and supporting the headteacher.

The Governing Board meets regularly, at least once every term. We are currently holding face to face Full Governing Board meetings. Curriculum and Standards, Finance and Personnel, Premises and Health and Safety are covered during these meetings, with all Governors present.

There are several categories of governor appointed: Co-opted Governors, Local Authority (LA) Governor, Parent Governors, the Head Teacher and a member of Staff.  The Chair and Vice Chair are elected annually or whenever there becomes a vacancy. Governors with statutory subject links monitor the subject area by liaising with teaching staff to discuss plans, data, teaching and learning, children’s work and any other relevant information.

Governors are committed to providing an excellent education and environment for all pupils to enjoy during their time at our school. They have many skills, with some Governors having educational and pastoral backgrounds, as well as knowledge of the demographics and context of our school.