Governance

Contents

1. Introduction and Overview

What do governors do?

The governing body works with the headteacher and the staff at the school to make sure the school provides good quality education for all its pupils, and constantly strives to improve. Governors don’t need specialist skills, just an ability to listen, think through new ideas, and decide what’s best for the school as part of a team. They need to set high expectations and ask challenging questions, but are not expected to make day to day decisions about how the school is run. That’s the job of the headteacher and senior staff.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

In addition to ensuring that the school carries out its statutory responsibilities, the three key roles of a governing body are to:

• Provide strategic direction for the school;
• Monitor the performance of the school and constantly look to raise standards;
• Ensure sound financial management and accountability.

This means that as a governor, you will be involved in:

• Deciding how the budget should be spent and ensuring good value for money
• Making sure the curriculum provides for and challenges all pupils
• Making sure the school buildings are welcoming, safe and well used
• Setting and monitoring the school’s values, aims and policies
• Appointing the Head and Deputy Head and assisting the Head in appointing other staff
• Reviewing the performance of the Headteacher annually, and setting targets for the following year

Different Types Of Govenor

In a community school such as Chapelfield there are four types of Governor:

1. Parent Governors who are elected by the parents of children at the school.
2. Staff Governors who are elected by the staff at the school.
3. Local Authority Governors who are usually Councillors and are appointed by the Local Authority.
4. Co-opted Governors who are Governors appointed by the Governing Body and the Headteacher.

The Governing Body at Chapelfield has ten Governors and is made up of :

• 2 Parent Governors
• 1 Staff Governor
• 6 Co-opted Governors 
• The Headteacher

The Sub Committees

There are full Governing Body meetings each term. Much of the work however is carried out in sub committees, which are summarised as follows: 

• The Standards Committee meet at least twice a year where we analyse the latest performance data and discuss future priorities.
• The Finance Committee monitor spending on the current budget and recommend acceptance of the following year’s budget. They also work to ensure that the school get best value from bought in services.
• The Buildings Committee look after premises and buildings matters and have a responsibility for health and safety in the school.
• The Staffing Committee oversee staff performance management, pay progression and allowances.
• The Safeguarding Committee are responsible for all safeguarding and child protection issues.

The other committees, such as Complaints and Appeals, meet only when needed.

2. Current Governing Body Information

3. Governing Board Sub-Committees Information 2022-2023

• Appeals: Mr M D Swailes (Chair), plus any 2 Governors who are not on Staff Dismissal Committee and are not a member of staff  
• Buildings: Mr J Rickard, Mr D Binks and Mrs E Bilsberry
• Complaints: Mr J Rickard any 2 Governors who are not on Staff Dismissal Committee and are not a member of staff  
• Finance: Mrs K Wilson, Mrs P Norris, Mrs S Hannaby-Williams and Mr M D Swailes
• Headteacher’s Performance Management:  Mr D Binks and Mrs P Norris
• Pupil Discipline: Mr D Binks (Chair)
• Safeguarding, Attendance and SEND: Mr D Binks
• Staffing: Mr D Binks, Mr J Rickard and Mrs E Bilsberry
• Curriculum Governors: Mr J Rickard and Mrs P Norris
• English Governor: Mrs K Wilson
• Early Years Governor: Mrs E Bilsberry

4. Governors who positions expired or who left during 2021-2022

5. Governing Board Attendance Record

Due to the Covid 19 situation there were no scheduled sub committee meetings this year apart from HT Performance Management meeting. The Headteacher will liaise with the Chair should any committee needs to meet 2021 – 2022.

Note: