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 six times a year but also in three main committees, where certain aspects of the school are considered in more detail. At present our committees are:
 

• Staffing and Curriculum - dealing with curriculum and assessment matters and monitoring standards; ensuring that pupils learn about British Values; dealing with all staffing matters including recruitment and appraisal
• Finance, Premises and H&S – dealing with finance, our building and grounds and Health & Safety
• 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 13 governors (currently 2 vacancies), a lively and dedicated team who work hard for the school.  Governor meetings have been held by Teams during lock down and attendance at these meetings has been almost 100%.

St Andrew's CE Primary School Governors:

Mr David Kemp

Foundation Governor

Chair of Governors

30.1.21-29.1.25

Mr Geoff Bailey

Vice-Chair of Governors

Co-Opted Governor

Governor responsible for SEN/GRT

5.3.18-4.3.22

Mr Paul Friend

Co-Opted Governor

11.2.22-10.2.26

Mr Benjamin Jeffery

Parent Governor

Vice-Chair of Finance, Premises, Health and Safety Committee

Governor responsible for Health and Safety

5.11.20-4.11.24

Mrs Claire Lang

Parent Governor

Chair of Finance, Premises, Health and Safety Committee

23.11.20-22.11.24

Mrs Fran Martin Headteacher

Staff Governor and Headteacher

Mrs Carol Motteram

Co-opted Governor

Governor responsible for Child Protection, Mental Health and Thrive

16.1.22 - 16.1.26

Mr Luke Penberthy

Co-Opted Governor

Vice-Chair of Curriculum, Staffing and Pay Committee

16.1.22 - 15.1.26

Rev. Matt Thomson

Foundation  Governor

Chair of Ethos Committee

Ms Amy Weaver      

Staff Governor

Mrs Ruth Wratten      

Foundation Governor

Chair of Ethos Committee

26.1.21-25.1.25

Parent Governor

VACANT

Local Authority Governor

VACANT

Mrs Julie Mayo

Clerk to Governing Body