Role of the Governing Board

The Governing Board is the School’s accountable body.  It is responsible for the conduct of the School and for promoting high standards.  The Governing Board aims to ensure that children are attending a successful school which provides them with a good education and supports their well-being.

The main functions of the Governing Board

To set the strategic direction of the School by:

• Setting the values, aims and objectives for the School
• Agreeing the policy framework for achieving those aims and objectives
• Setting statutory targets
• Agreeing the school improvement strategy which includes approving the budget and agreeing the staffing structure

To challenge and support the School by monitoring, reviewing and evaluating:

• The implementation and effectiveness of the policy framework
• Progress towards targets
• The implementation and effectiveness of the school improvement strategy
• The budget and the staffing structure

To ensure accountability by:

• Signing off the school’s own self-evaluation report after constructive review and challenge
• Responding to Ofsted reports when necessary
• Holding the Headteacher to account for the performance of the school
• Ensuring parents and pupils are involved, consulted and informed as appropriate
• Making available information to the community

To appoint and performance manage the Headteacher who will deliver the aims (through the day to day management of the school, implementation of the agreed policy framework and school improvement strategy, and delivery of the curriculum) and report appropriately to the governing board.

For governing board to carry out their role effectively, governors must be:

• Prepared and equipped to take their responsibilities seriously;
• Acknowledged as the accountable body by the lead professionals;
• Supported by the appropriate authorities in that task; and
• Willing and able to monitor and review their own performance.

The role of a governor

In law the governing board is a corporate body, which means:

• no governor can act on her/his own without proper authority from the full governing board;
• all governors carry equal responsibility for decisions made, and
• although appointed through different routes (i.e. parents, staff, Local Authority community, foundation), the overriding concern of all governors has to be the welfare of the school as a whole.

Vacancies on the Governing Board occur from time to time. Any parent interested in serving as a Governor is encouraged to put themselves forward for election at the suitable time. If you would like to discuss the role ahead of putting your name forward please contact Lesley Hamerton, clerk to the Governors, in the first instance.