What is a School Governor?

School governors are volunteers who help to run the school. Some are elected (staff and parent governors) and others are appointed either by the local authority or from the local community.

What do Governors do?

School governors have a wide range of responsibilities, helping to raise standards of pupil achievement and planning the school’s future direction, always in consultation with the Headteacher and other staff. We are also accountable for the performance of the school to parents and the wider community. We are not expected to take detailed decisions about the day-to-day management of the school: that is the job of the Headteacher.

Governors’ responsibilities include:

• Helping to establish the aims and policies of the school and how standards of education can be constantly improved
• Ensuring that the school upholds Christian values and ethos
• Ensuring that a broad and balanced curriculum is delivered and that it meets statutory requirements, while promoting high standards and monitoring progress during the year
• Appointing, challenging and supporting the Headteacher (being a ‘critical friend’)
• Acting as a link between the local community and the school
• Helping to set and manage the school budget
• Ensuring the health and safety of pupils and staff

At St Andrew's we do this on several levels. We meet as a Full Governing Body about four times a year but also within our sub-committees, where certain aspects of the school are considered in more detail. At present our committees are:

• Curriculum (as part of the Full Governing Body) - dealing with curriculum and assessment matters and monitoring standards; ensuring that pupils learn about British Values 
• Finance, Premises, Staffing and Pay – dealing with finance, our building and grounds and dealing with all staffing matters including recruitment and appraisal
• Health and Safety - dealing with all health and safety matters
• Ethos – ensuring that the Church School foundation is fully embraced and celebrated; embedding Christian values through Collective Worship and the RE curriculum

Individual governors are also linked with a particular area, such as Special Educational Needs, Safeguarding, a curriculum subject or a year group. All governors are encouraged to visit the school during the working day if they can, but we do not interfere in the day-to-day teaching or running of the school: we leave that to the professionals!

Regular training opportunities are provided in all aspects of governors’ responsibilities and we take full advantage of these, in order to be as effective as possible.

At St Andrew's we have a lively and dedicated team who work hard for the school. Governor meetings are held either face to face or via Teams with attendance at these meetings almost always 100%.

St Andrew's CE Primary School Governors:

Mr Geoff Bailey - Chair of Governors                                                                                                                                Co-Opted Governor                                                                                                                                                        Governor responsible for SEN/GRT                                                                                                                            04.03.22-03.03.26

Mr Tom Filer                                                                                                                                                                  Parent Governor                                                                                                                                                                Chair of Finance, Premises, Health and Safety Committee                                                                                                04.09.23-03.09.27

Mr Paul Friend                                                                                                                                                                    Co-Opted Governor                                                                                                                                                              Vice Chair of Ethos                                                                                                                                                              11.02.22-10.02.26

Mr Benjamin Jeffery                                                                                                                                                          Parent Governor                                                                                                                                                                Vice-Chair of Finance, Premises, Health and Safety Committee                                                                                    Governor responsible for Health and Safety                                                                                                                  05.11.20-04.11.24

Mrs Fran Martin                                                                                                                                                               Staff Governor and Headteacher

Mrs Carol Motteram                                                                                                                                                            Co-opted Governor                                                                                                                                                      Governor responsible for Child Protection, Mental Health and Thrive                                                              16.01.22-15.01.26

Rev. Matt Thomson                                                                                                                                              Foundation  Governor
Joint Chair of Ethos Committee

Mrs Ruth Wratten                                                                                                                                                      Foundation Governor
Chair of Ethos Committee                                                                                                                                                26.01.21-25.01.25

Mr Andrew Quinton                                                                                                                                                        Staff Governor

VACANCY                                                                                                                                                                                  Co-Opted Governor

Mrs Julie Mayo
Clerk to Governing Body

 

2023-24 Governing Body Meetings

25/09/2023	LGB incl Curriculum
06/11/2023	H&S Committee
20/11/2023	Finance, Premises, Staffing and Pay Committee
23/11/2023	Ethos Committee
04/12/2023	LGB incl Curriculum
29/01/2024	Finance, Premises, Staffing and Pay Committee
05/02/2024	H&S Committee
19/02/2024	LGB incl Curriculum
20/05/2024	Finance, Premises, Staffing and Pay Committee
Date TBC	H&S Committee
08/07/2024	LGB incl Curriculum