Governance

Governing Body Statement

Welcome to our Governors’ section

Please find below details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.

The Governing Body acts as a corporate body. It acts with integrity, objectivity, honesty and in the best interest of the school. The day-to-day management of the school is the responsibility of the Headteacher. The Governing Body has three main roles:

1) To provide strategic direction for the school
2) To act as a 'critical friend' to the Headteacher
3) To ensure accountability

The strategic role of the governors is to support the work of the school through a range of activities to develop policy and practice. This includes curriculum, pupil and personnel related matters, finance, premises, admissions, complaints/pupil discipline, pay and performance, and staff discipline and dismissal. As a governing body we meet once every half term. With the exception of the pay and performance committee who meet as required we do not have separate committees as all aspects of our work are covered at our full governing body meetings throughout the year.

Governors undertake a wide range of monitoring activities, including visits to the school to observe aspects of its work, which enables them not only to support the work of the school, but to focus on their role to challenge. This enables governors to gain a sound understanding of the strengths of the school and the impact of work to improve areas identified for development. Governors have significant input into the development and promotion of the school vision.
 

When the school is inspected by Ofsted, the following areas aspects of the role of the governors will be evaluated: "Whether governors:

• carry out their statutory duties, such as safeguarding, and understand the boundaries of their role as governors
• ensure that they and the school promote tolerance of and respect for people of all faiths (or those of no faith), cultures and lifestyles; and support and help, through their words, actions and influence within the school and more widely in the community,
• to prepare children and young people positively for life in modern Britain
• ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction, including long-term planning (for example, succession)
• contribute to the school's self-evaluation and understand its strengths and weaknesses, including the quality of teaching, and reviewing the impact of their own work
• understand and take sufficient account of pupil data, particularly their understanding and use of the school data dashboard
• assure themselves of the rigour of the assessment process
• are aware of the impact of teaching on learning and progress in different subjects and year groups
• provide challenge and hold the Headteacher and other senior leaders to account for improving the quality of teaching, pupils' achievement and pupils' behaviour and safety, including by using the data dashboard, other progress data, examination outcomes and test results; or whether they hinder school improvement by failing to tackle key concerns or developing their own skills
• use the pupil premium and other resources to overcome barriers to learning, including reading, writing and mathematics
• ensure solvency and probity and that the financial resources made available to the school are managed effectively
• are providing support for an effective Headteacher
• monitor performance management systems and understand how the school makes decisions about teachers' salary progression, including the performance management of the Headteacher, to improve teaching, leadership and management
• engage with key stakeholders
• are transparent and accountable, including in terms of recruitment of staff, governance structures, attendance at meetings, and contact with parents and carers."

(paragraph 166, School inspection Handbook: Handbook for inspecting schools in England under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 (as amended by the Education Act 2011) September 2014; reference 120101)

The governing body of Ghyllgrove Primary School is made up as follows:

Staff

Mrs Rachelle Tidiman - Headteacher  

Miss Keeleigh McKeon 

Co-opted

Mrs Heather Faulkner – Chair of Governors & Vice Chair of Pay Committee

Mrs Fiona Mowling – Vice Chair of Governors & Chair of Pay Committee

Ms Traci Beamish

Mr Peter Jon Prince

Mrs Tosca Boothman

LA

Mrs Danielle McCarthy

Parent

Mrs Laura Balcombe

Associate

Mrs Lisa Morley – Deputy Headteacher

Clerk to the Governors

Mr Keith Clark

How to contact the Governing Body

 As a Governing body, we always welcome suggestions, feedback, and ideas from the parents/carers. The Chair of Governors, Mrs H. Faulkner, can be contacted via the School Office.

Mrs. H. Faulkner

Chairperson