Governors

Governing Body at Roade Primary School

  • Chair of Governors: Lorne Murray
  • Co-opted Governor: Callum Aird
  • Co-opted Governor: Judith Dunkley
  • Co-opted Governor: Richard Howlett
  • Co-opted Governor: Sue O’Grady
  • Parent Governor: Joanne Cayley
  • Parent Governor: Kirk Hopkins
  • Staff Governor: Val Metcalf

Mission Statement

The role of the governing body is a strategic one. The governing body at Roade Primary School is responsible for the conduct of the school and promotes high standards of educational achievement. It is the accountable body and as such it:

  • Provides a long term strategy for the school by working with staff to establish a vision and setting the ethos and aims of Roade Primary.
  • Appoints and holds the head teacher to account for the educational performance of the school
  • Agrees the school improvement strategy, including setting targets with supporting budgets and staffing structures
  • Monitors and evaluates the work of the school by reviewing the performance of the headteacher, the effectiveness of the policy framework, progress towards targets, and the effectiveness of the school improvement strategy.
  • Signs off the self-evaluation process and responds to Ofsted reports as necessary. In addition it ensures that parents are involved, consulted, and informed as appropriate, with information to the community being made available as required.

As governors at Roade Primary School, our over-arching aim is to ensure that the children in our school are able to perform to the best of their ability.  There are a range of governors from different walks of life that are able to provide different perspectives. All of us are charged with acting in the best interests of the children in the school.


Role of the Governing Body

The governing body is the school’s accountable body.  It is responsible for the conduct of the school and for promoting high standards. The governing body aims to ensure that children are attending a successful school which provides them with a good education and supports their well-being.


What does the Governing Body do?

Sets the strategic direction of the school:

  • Setting the values, aims and objectives for the school
  • Agreeing the policy framework for achieving those aims and objectives
  • Setting statutory targets
  • Agreeing the school improvement strategy which includes approving the budget and agreeing the staffing structure

Challenges and supports the school by monitoring, reviewing and evaluating:

  • The implementation and effectiveness of the policy framework
  • Progress towards targets
  • The implementation and effectiveness of the school improvement strategy
  • The budget and the staffing structure

Ensures accountability:

  • Signing off the Self Evaluation form
  • Responding to School Improvement partner and Ofsted reports when necessary
  • Holding the Head Teacher to account for the performance of the school
  • Ensuring parents and pupils are involved, consulted and informed as appropriate

Appoints and performance manages the Head Teacher

  • The Head Teacher will deliver the aims through the day to day management of the school implementing the school improvement strategy, and delivering the curriculum, reporting appropriately to the governing body.

The Role of a Governor

In law the governing body is a corporate body, which means:

  • No governor can act on his/her own without proper authority from the full governing body
  • All governors carry equal responsibility for decisions made, and
  • Although appointed through different routes (i.e. parents, staff, local authority, co-opted), the overriding concern of all governors has to be the welfare of the school as a whole.

The role of the Chair of Governors includes the following:

  • To maintain the governing body’s focus on school improvement and performance
  • To ensure affairs are conducted according to the law
  • To report any urgent action taken on behalf of the governing body, making sure it is fully explained and supported (Chairs do not normally take decision on behalf of governors).
  • The year’s cycle of meetings are planned with a timetable drawn up for action and reports
  • Meetings are well run and minuted correctly, and decisions taken as necessary
  • Governors understand their collective responsibility for decisions and they work as a team
  • Objectives are clarified, and committees created to work out and put into practice areas of planning

The Chair works closely with the Head Teacher, listening to concerns, offering advice and talking through disagreements before governing body meetings. Attend school functions or make sure another governor represents them, and are accessible to other governors, staff and parents. The Chair of governors also works with the local authority.


Role of Committees

Each committee is made up of at least 4 governors and the Head Teacher. The School Business Manager is also a member of The Resource Committee

Resource Committee

  • To provide support and guidance on all matters relating to premises and grounds
  • Ensure school complies with Health and Safety regulations and ensure that the necessary school management is in place to implement the school policy.
  • To approve the costs and arrangements for maintenance repair and redecoration.
  • To provide guidance and assistance to the head teacher and the governing body in all matters relating to budgeting, finance and all personnel.
  • To receive from the Head Teacher and review; budgets and financial policy statements, including consideration of long term planning and resources
  • To rigorously monitor the income and expenditure of all public funds and report the financial situation to the governing body.
  • To review the staffing structure particularly when a vacancy occurs and be involved in appointment of teachers.
  • To review the school’s Pay Policy annually, to take account of statutory guidance, local and national developments and to make appropriate recommendations to the Full Governing Body.