Farmilo Board of Governors with Responsibilities

Mrs Suzanne Tryner- Head

Mrs Carol Brierley-  Chair- Foundation Stage, Safeguarding & Achievement

Mr David Stocker- Vice Chair- training governor, Pupil Premium & English, Finance

Mrs Rebecca Daysh- staff- SEND, English

Mr Roger Walton- Health & Safety, English & SEND

Mrs Julie Marsh- Curriculum, Maths

Miss Vanessa Blore- Staff- PP, EYFS

Mrs Louise Hart- KS1, curriculum

Mrs Rachelle Lawson- curriculum

Mrs Caroline Gill - Governor

Mrs Leanne Rodgers - Foundation Stage

Farmilo Primary and Nursery School Governors meeting structure and responsibilities of the governing body and committees

At Farmilo Primary school, the board’s structure is in accordance with their Instrument of Government with a membership of 11 governors and 2 associate members as listed below.

The head teacher is responsible for the educational performance of the school and for the internal organisation, management and control of the school – which includes the performance management of staff.

The board’s role is to hold the headteacher to account for exercising their professional judgement in these matters and for the performance of all of their other duties. Having advised the board, the headteacher must comply with any reasonable direction given by it.

There are three core functions consistent with the strategic role of the board. These are to:

• set the vision and strategic direction of school.

• hold the head teacher to account for its educational performance; and

• ensure financial resources are well spent.

To create robust accountability, governors ask challenging questions, scrutinise school date and objective national data and verify what we are told by carrying out observations and visits to the school. We also ensure the head teacher’s termly report provides appropriate and sufficiently detailed information for governors to have an accurate overview of the school.

The governors, meet as a full governing board 3 times per academic year and in addition there are 2 committees that meet each term, and a pay committee convened when required. The school is also part of collaboration agreements between 5 local school, the Joint collaboration committee (JCC)  meet once a term to share best practice and support and is attended by 2 governors and the headteacher from each of the schools.

Many of the decisions that governors are responsible for can be delegated to the committees, the headteacher or an individual governor and this delegation is annually reviewed and agreed by the Full Governing Board (FGB) and stated in the Scheme of Delegation that underpin the work of the committees as well as ensuring the 3 core functions of governance  are met.

Chair of Governors and committee chairs

• The Chair of Governors is Carol Brierley

• The Finance Pupil and Personnel and General purposes Committee is chaired by David Stocker (Vice Chair)
• The Strategic and Curriculum committee co-chaired by Carol Brierley and Julie Marsh
• The Joint Collaboration committee (JCC) is chaired by David Stocker
• The Pay Committee is chaired by Julie Marsh

The Farmilo Primary and Nursery School Board of Governors

Question 1 -  What does the School’s Board of Governors do?

Answer - The Board of Governors has three main strategic functions and Ofsted make judgements against these objectives as part of their inspection of the school :  

• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and direction for the school – including engaging with stake holders and meeting statutory/legal duties.

• Holding the Head teacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils – using data to provide challenge and hold leaders to account for teaching, achievement, behaviour and safety. Strengthen school leadership and the skills of Governors. Performance managing the Head teacher. Contribute to school self-evaluation and evaluating the broad of Governors impact.

• Overseeing the finance performance of the school and making sure it's money is well spent:- Solvency and effective financial management. Use of pupil premium money and other resources to overcome barriers to learning.

   

  Question 2 - How do Governors know what is happening at our school?

Answer -The Full Board of Governors is made up of volunteers who are all passionate about helping Farmilo Primary be the best it can be - for your children.

• We meet each term to undertake the legal duties and responsibilities of a Board of Governors. We also have 3 sub committees which also meet each term to focus on the priorities and monitor and evaluate the impact of our strategies. We do this by working with the Head teacher, Mrs Tryner, and receive progress reports from the staff and other data and evidence.

• We use the data available to set challenging targets for performance at all levels, including achievement, teaching and senior leadership work.

• We take part in learning walks during class time to see the progress and impact for ourselves and we have link governors who come into school to look at subjects across the school and talk to children and teachers.

Question 3 - What are they key areas for improvement at the school?

In our last Ofsted inspection the School received a good with outstanding features and we feel that the school has the capacity and drive to improve even further.   It is important that we build on our strengths and identify and deal with areas of weakness. One of our key areas for development is to improve the achievement of writing and we have a strong strategy and intervention support in place which we monitor the impact of closely.  We have a summary of the school improvement plan available on this web site for you to see but this is a working document and changes regularly so please speak to the Head teacher, Mrs Tryner for more details. 

Question 4 – How can parents and Governors work together?

Answer - We really want to hear your views - representatives from the Board of Governors attend all parent’s evenings so that you have an opportunity to talk to us face to face during the year. We also try to use newsletters and questionnaires to keep you up to date and gain your views.

We have Parent Governors on the Board of Governors and if you feel you would like to be part of our team and have the skills and experience to help us do this, we would love to receive an application from you - when we have a vacancy.

Please remember - if you have any concerns or compliments please raise them directly with the Head teacher, Mrs Tryner, or the Chair of Governors, Carol Brierley, directly,  so that we can try to resolve any confusion or issues that might have arisen or deal with any concerns as quickly as possible.

It’s always great to hear about all the good things we do - so please let us know how you think we could improve further and make our school event better.

It is also the responsibility of the Board of Governors to make sure all parents are aware of the Ofsted web site Parent View where you can share your views of the school –. Please go to https://parentview.ofsted.gov.uk/

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP for GOVERNORS

Chair and Vice-Chair Duration of Office agreed at 4 years.

Chair and Vice-Chair – Current Holders by Election reviewed bi-annually.

Pupil, Personnel and Finance Committee- Chair Mr D Stocker

Strategic Development & Curriculum Committee- Chair Mrs Carol Brierley

Quoracy (See Decision Planner)

Full Governing Body

50% of the governors in post.

P, P and F, SD & C Committees

3 of the governors in post.

Discipline Panel

All Governors except the headteacher and any member of staff be they a staff or co-opted governor.

Complaints(Appeal) Panel

Any 3 governors except any Governor involved previously nor the Complaints Governor if involved in the issue previously nor the headteacher and any member of staff be they a staff or co-opted governor.

Complaints Governor

Chair or in their absence the Vice-Chair

First Appraisal / Pay Appeal Panel

3 Appointed Governors who are not part of the P&P & Finance Committee

Second Appraisal / Pay Appeal Panel

3 Governors who are not part of the P, P & F Committee

Appraisal Panel

Chair, Vice Chair and 1 other QA Governor

Farmilo may use Governors from the Collaboration schools to deal with complaints and appeals.