The Role of the Governing Body
All schools in England have a Governing Body which is responsible for overseeing many of the strategic decisions of the school. The Governing Body works in close partnership with the Headteacher, staff and the Local Authority. Whilst the Headteacher is, of course, responsible for the day to day running of the school, the governors main three roles include:
Strategic– The governing body sets the general direction of the school, looking at how it should best develop. This is done by reviewing and agreeing policies, targets and priorities and monitoring and reviewing aims and objectives.
Critical Friend– A governing body should work with the Headteacher and create a clear understanding of the challenges face in managing a school.
Accountability – A school is a business and its stakeholders are the learners. The governing body must have a professional attitude and use its collective skills to benefit the learners. It must gather views, ask questions and decide what is best for the school. The governing body is answerable to parents, the wider community and the local authority.
School governors are drawn from different parts of the community. This helps to ensure that the governing body has sufficient diversity of views and experience but does not mean that governors of a particular category “represent” that group on the governing body.
The different categories of governor are as follows:
Parent governors - Elected by parents to serve on the Governing Body
Community governors - Elected by the Governing Body to serve on the Governing Body
Staff governors - To include the Head Teacher if they wish to be a governor. Remaining staff (both teaching and non-teaching are represented) governors are elected by other members of staff at the school via elections.
Authority governors - Local Education Authority ( LEA ) governors are appointed by the LA . LAs can appoint any eligible person as a LEA governor.
HOW OUR GOVERNING BODY OPERATES
The Constitution of Heptonstall J & I School Governing Body is as follows:
2 Parent Governors (elected by parents of children attending the school)
3 Staff Governors (can be teaching or support staff and are elected by School Staff. The Headteacher is usually one of the staff governors, but this is not obligatory.)
6 Community Governors (2 of whom are parents of children attending the school and are appointed by St James / St Thomas Parochial Church Council)
Each Governor is appointed to serve for a term of 4 years.
Should you wish to contact any of the Governors please do so via the Clerk to the Governing Body, Mrs A Rhodes, who can be contacted here.
They will also be able to supply information should you be interested in becoming a School Governor.
All Governors (and staff) are required to complete a Pecuniary Interest Form annually, details of which are in the table below.
Attendance Record Sep 22 to July 23
List of Governors left Oct 22 to Oct 23
NONE