The role of the governing body

The governing body exists to ensure high standards of achievement for all pupils in the school.  We do this by:

• Helping to set the school’s vision, ethos and strategic direction
• Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils  
• Overseeing the financial performance of the school to make sure our money is well spent
• Ensuring the voices of stakeholders are heard

Governors work by:

Contributing to discussions at governing body meetings which help to:

• Determine the vision and ethos of the school
• Set clear and ambitious strategic priorities and targets for the school
• Ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs, have access to a broad and balanced curriculum and that the school encourages the pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development
• Agree with the school’s budget, including the expenditure of the pupil premium grant
• Devise the school’s staffing structure and key policies

Holding the senior leaders to account by monitoring and evaluating the school’s performance; this includes:

• Scrutinising the leadership’s own evaluation of the school’s performance and ensuring the conclusions are used to inform the priorities in the school development plan
• Considering relevant data and feedback on all aspects of school performance, in particular pupil progress
• Asking challenging questions of school leaders

The responsibility of a governor is to be strategic – to challenge, evaluate, monitor and support.  It is essential that governors do not get involved in the day-to-day operation of the school. That is the role of the headteacher and staff.  Governors and the school leadership are supported by a school improvement partner from the local authority who is an expert in primary education and provides independent advice to continually assess the school's strengths and areas for development.

Governors also:

• Appoint the headteacher and other senior leaders
• Undertake the performance management of the headteacher
• Set the headteacher’s pay and agree the pay recommendations for other staff
• Hear staff grievances and disciplinary matters
• Hear appeals about pupil exclusions

Governors undertake regular monitoring visits to understand the main strengths and challenges of the topic to which they are linked and may meet with pupils as well as staff as part of the visit.