Governors work closely with headteachers, school staff and representatives from the local authority (LA).
Statutory Guidance for Governing Bodies
St John’s CE (Aided) Primary School adhere to the statutory guidance from the Department of Education. This means that governing bodies must have regard to it when carrying out duties relating to the constitution of governing bodies in maintained schools.
The Constitution of Governing Bodies of Maintained Schools August 2017
The Role of the School Governor and Governing Bodies
The role of the school governor is demanding but very rewarding. School governing bodies are responsible for working with the school to ensure that it delivers a good quality education. Together with the Head Teacher, who is responsible for day-to-day management, they set the school’s aims and policies.
Governors have three main roles:
- To provide strategic direction for the school
- To act as a critical friend to the Head Teacher
- To ensure accountability
They also carry out a number of other important duties, which include:
- Determining how the school’s budget is spent
- The appointing and dismissing of staff
- Hearing appeals and grievances
- Forming policy on the school’s curriculum and collective worship
- Setting standards for pupils’ behaviour and discipline
- Making sure school buildings are welcoming and safe
- Setting and monitoring the school’s aims and policies
Annual Governance Statement for 2017
School Vision/Mission Statement
The Governing Body of St. John’s C of E Primary School has a strong focus on its three core strategic functions:
1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
2. Holding the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and
3. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
Governance arrangements
The Governing Body of St. John’s C of E Primary School was re-constituted in 2014 coming to effect in September 2015. It is now made up of 2 staff governors (including the Headteacher), 2 elected Parent Governors, 1 Local Authority Governor and 7 Foundation governors. Foundation governors are appointed by the Durham Diocese Board of Education and the Parochial Church Council of Saint John’s Church: they also include the Priest in Charge of the parish.
Members of the governing body have been appointed because they have the skills required to contribute to the effective governance and success of the school.
The staff and parents governors bring detailed knowledge of the education provision offered to pupils over a period of time. Foundation governors ensure that the distinctive nature of our school as a Church of England school is maintained. Our local authority representative provides invaluable experience from a wider political and social perspective.
Each governor also has a wide range of skills identified in a skills audit. Highlights from this include: community leadership, social care provision, justice, health, adult mental health, education (teaching) (public and private sector), education (support), administration, Church leadership and economic regeneration.
The full Governing Body meets once each term, and we also have a number of committees to consider different aspects of the school in detail:
- Finance, Premises and Personnel
- Headteacher’s Performance
- Children and Community
- School
We also have committees that meet if required to consider pupil discipline and staffing matters.
Key Issues faced and addressed by the Governing Body
The Governing Body has had a busy year, focusing on school improvement, changes to the Governing Body and Governing Body development, including:
- Securing improvement in all Key Stage outcomes.
- New Foundation Governors and a Parent Governor have been appointed.
- Governor Training has been completed and next steps identified
The Governing Body has also managed a number of significant staffing issues:
- Secondment of Deputy Head teacher led to a permanent position as a Headteacher at another CofE School in County Durham. As a result there has been a restructure of the Leadership Team. This now comprises of the Headteacher and two Deputy Headteachers.
- Appointment of a newly qualified teacher (NQTs) to cover maternity leave.
Governors are active participants in the life of the school: they are regular visitors. All governors (where possible) have spent time in their partner year groups ‘classroom’. Governors have also visited school to complete specific tasks linked to school improvement, examples include:
- Safeguarding Section 11 Audit
- Monitoring of E-Safety event
- School Website review
- Monitoring of Teaching and Learning in English
- Pupil behaviour, well-being and safety
- Collective Worship and Distinctiveness
- SEND Review
The finance committee reviewed and the full Governing Body have approved the 2017/18 budget plan for the school: we are pleased to report that the school is in a viable financial position.
One of the roles for the governors is reviewing and agreeing school policies, and this year we have considered all statutory policies. Recently Governors have been involved in a review of other policies which are evident on the website.
Minutes of Governing Body and Committee meetings are public documents: you can ask at the school office if you would like to see any of the minutes of our meetings.
Assessment of Impact
The school has maintained its ‘Outstanding’ status.
A new Strategic Plan for 2015 to 2020 is in place.
Future plans for the Governing Body
The Governing Body will focus on securing full membership and maintaining high levels of involvement in the continual school improvement of St. John’s.
It will ensure funds are allocated to support the development of the curriculum and enrichment activities. It will continue to ensure that pupil premium funding is used effectively to support disadvantaged pupils.
The Governors will continue to develop their knowledge and understanding of the Ofsted Framework and respond to changes implemented in September 2015. The Governors are currently preparing for our SIAMS inspection in July 2018.
Contact Details
The Governing Body always welcomes suggestions, feedback and ideas from parents/carers. Please contact the Chair of Governors, Revd David Tomlinson via the school office.
| Name | Position / Relationships | Committee | Term of Office Ends | Representing | Responsibilities | Link Class | Business & Pecuniary Interests including other Governance Roles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revd D Tomlinson | Chair of Governors Husband of Governor: Davina Tomlinson | Finance (Chair) School Steering (Chair) First/Pay Review | Foundation Ex Officio | Governing Body School Improvement Planning Governing Body Development Plan Strategic Planning | Year 4 | Vicar Employee of the Diocese of Durham Area Dean of Auckland Deanery 'Chair of the House of Clergy' 'Bishops Council member' Trustee of registered charities 'Fairplay for all' and 'The Edith Jackson Trust' Deputy chair of SCYPAN (Shildon Children and Young Persons Action Network) |
|
| Mrs O Bainbridge | Vice Chair of Governors | Finance Children's & Community (Chair) School HT Performance | 13.07.2021 | Foundation - PCC | Church Safeguarding Personal Development, Behaviour & Welfare | Year 1 | Awarded British Empire Medal Retired JP Retired Health Professional |
| Mr A D Farnell | Headteacher | Finance Children's & Community School Steering | Headteacher |
||||
| Mrs A Cleasby | Governor | School Appeals | 06.06.18 | Foundation - PCC | Community RE Church | Year 2 | None |
| Mrs B Callaghan | Parent | Children's & Community First/Pay Review | 21.11.2020 | Foundation - PCC | Medical Needs SEND Community | Year 4 | None |
| Mrs L Scott | Staff | Children’s & Community | 21.03.2021 | Teaching Staff | Teaching & Learning | Year 5 | School Employee HLTA |
| Clr T Pemberton | Governor | Finance Children's & Community School (Chair) First/Pay Review HT Performance | 20.07.2021 | Local Authority DCC | Pupil Outcomes Data Analysis Teaching & Learning | Year 6 | Governor at Timothy Hackworth Primary School, Shildon Governor at St. Andrew's Primary School, Bishop Auckland Appointed Durham County Councillor Retired Teacher Deputy Major of Shildon Town Council Cabinet Support Member for Economic Development Regeneration including Culture & Sport Board of Bowes Museum Business Durham |
| Mrs A Boyd | Governor | Finance Children's & Community HT Performance | 08.03.16 | Parent | Administration and School Systems | Year 3 | None |
| Mr J Loverance | Governor | School Appeals | 31.08.18 | Parent | School Website Sport Computing | Year 5 | Residential Child Support Worker at Spark of Genius |
| Mrs D Tomlinson | Governor Wife of Chair of Governors: David Tomlinson | Children's & Community Appeals | 18.05.2019 | Foundation - DEB | Safeguarding | Year 6 | Foster Carer: Reach Out Care Part Time Administrator (Auckland Deanery) and Trustee of Fairplay For All |
| Mr M Hudghton | Governor | Foundation | |||||
| Mrs T Teasdale | Governor | Children and Community Finance and Premises Headteachers Performance | 26.03.2021 | Parent | |||
| Miss A Tweddle | Governor | Finance, Premises and Personnel Headteachers Performance | 13.07.2020 | Foundation | |||
| Mrs J Plews | Governor | Children's and Community First/Pay Review School | 10.08.2019 | Foundation - DEB | To be confirmed | Nursery & Reception | Nurse: NHS |
Register of all attendees at Full Committees and Sub Committees of the Governing Body from September 2016
| Rev D Tomlinson | Mrs O Bainbridge | Mrs B Callaghan | Mrs J Plews | Mrs D Tomlinson | Miss A Tweddle | Mr M Hudghton | Mrs T Pemberton | Mr J Loverance | Mrs T Teasdale | Mr A Farnell | Mrs L Scott | Mrs A Cleasby | Mrs A Boyd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Governing Body 01.11.2016 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes | No | N/A |
| Full Governing Body 07.02.17 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | N/A | No | No | N/A | Yes | Yes | No | N/A |
| Full Governing Body 28.03.17 | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | N/A | Yes | No | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| Full Governing Body 23.05.17 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | N/A | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| Full Governing Body 11.07.17 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| Full Governing Body 10.10.17 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
| Full Governing Body 21.11.2017 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
| Full Governing Body 06.02.2018 | ||||||||||||||
| Full Governing Body 27.03.2018 | ||||||||||||||
| Full Governing Body 22.05.2018 | ||||||||||||||
| Full Governing Body 10.07.2018 | ||||||||||||||
| Full Governing Body 09.10.2018 | ||||||||||||||
| Full Governing Body 20.11.2018 | ||||||||||||||
| Children and Community Committee 06.07.17 | Yes | Yes | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
| Children and Community Committee 05/12/07 | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | N/A | Yes | No | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
| School Committee 22.06.17 | Yes | No | Yes | N/A | Yes | N/A | N/A | No | Yes | No | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| School Committee 27.11.17 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Finance, Premises Committee 18.10.16 | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | N/A | N/A | Yes | N/A | N/A | No |
| Finance, Premises Committee 07.04.17 | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | N/A | Yes | N/A | N/A | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Finance, Premises Committee 08.06.17 | Yes | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | Yes | N/A | No | N/A | N/A | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Finance, Premises Committee 19.09.17 | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | N/A | Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| First/Pay Review Committee 11.07.17 | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | Yes | N/A | Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| First/Pay Review Committee 21.11.17 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||
| Head Teachers Performance Management 16.11.17 | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | Yes | N/A | Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
How To Become A School Governor
If you require further information on the roles and responsibilities of School Governors or you are interested in becoming one, visit the Durham County Council website School Governor section.
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