Who are the Governors and what is their role?
The Board of Governors is comprised of volunteers who represent different parts of our community. This includes parents, school staff, the local authority and the church. Governors have the following three core functions in order to support the school:
1. To help set the strategic direction of the school.
2. To help create systems of accountability and hold the school to account for the educational development of the pupils.
3. To agree the school’s budget and ensure that the school’s money is well-spent.
In addition to this, Foundation Governors in a church school like St Paul’s have a responsibility to ensure that the school’s religious ethos is preserved and developed.
Many of the responsibilities of the Governing Board are statutory which means we are required by law to undertake them. Governors attend 8 meetings across the school year. In addition, they also visit school to meet with staff and pupils according to the needs of the school. The main areas of responsibility are Finance and Resources, Curriculum, Ethos and Worship, Admissions and Disadvantaged Pupils and SEND support and needs at school.
Finance and Resources
The governors review the financial management of the school in line with the Finance Policy and the Scheme of Delegation. Their role is to guide the Head, the Senior Leadership Team and the full Governing Board in all matters relating to finance. They have to present the annual budget to the full Board after reviewing the School Financial Value Standard document. They also oversee audits of the school. They should promote a positive and safe learning environment and advise the full Board on priorities for maintenance or development. They oversee repairs or maintenance and the arrangements for use of the site by outside users. They also review the Health and Safety Policy.
Curriculum
The governors review the School Development Plan with the Head and make recommendations to the full Governing Board as required. They also make recommendations in light of changes to the Ofsted framework or SIAMS framework and following inspections. They meet with staff subject leaders for feedback on how each curriculum area is taught and resourced and to oversee progress being made. They also review the Policies and provision for PSHE, Relationships and Sex Education, Acts of Worship and the RE Curriculum. They monitor school’s academic performance and assessment and the way these are reported to parents/carers.
Ethos and Worship
Governors support, advise and challenge the Headteacher and Governing Body on matters relating to the Christian distinctiveness and effectiveness of St Paul’s as a church school and the impact which this has on pupils and the whole school community. They promote the relationship between the school and the church; evaluate the impact of worship and the effectiveness of religious education on the school community, including the impact of Christian values within the curriculum and the wider life of the school; appraise the way in which the Christian character of the school is monitored and evaluated in terms of its impact on pupils, staff, parents and the wider community and support the Headteacher with the self-review documents and preparation for the Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS).
Admissions
The governors meet to apply the over-subscription criteria as agreed by the full Governing Board and advises the Local Authority of the ranked list of applications. They are responsible for reviewing the Admissions Policy and recommending changes to the full Board. They ensure the Admissions process is carried out in accordance with the guidance in the Schools Admissions Criteria document and support the reasons for refusal of an application. They also oversee mid-term admissions where required and consider appeals against the LA directions on admissions, if necessary, in specific circumstances.
