The role of the school governor is demanding but very rewarding. School governing bodies are responsible for working with the school to ensure that it delivers a good quality education. Together with the Headteacher, who is responsible for day-to-day management, they set the school’s aims and policies. Governors work closely with headteachers, school staff and representatives from the local authority.
Governors have three main roles:
- To provide strategic direction for the school
- To act as a critical friend to the headteacher
- To ensure accountability
They also carry out a number of other important duties, which include:
- Determining how the school’s budget is spent
- The appointing and dismissing of staff
- Hearing appeals and grievances
- Forming policy on the school’s curriculum and collective worship
- Setting standards for pupils’ behaviour and discipline
- Making sure school buildings are welcoming and safe
- Setting and monitoring the school’s aims and policies
Statutory Guidance for Governing Bodies
Frosterley Primary School adhere to the statutory guidance from the Department of Education. This means that governing bodies must have regard to it when carrying out duties relating to the constitution of governing bodies in maintained schools.
For further information please view or download the full document below.
The Constitution of Governing Bodies of Maintained Schools (2017)
How To Become A School Governor
If you require further information on the roles and responsibilities of School Governors or you are interested in becoming one, visit the Durham County Council website School Governor section.
For more information, you can contact Mrs Sofia Gurbillon, our office manager, on 01388 528358.
Governor Body Committee Structure
Click on each name below to find out more about their roles and responsibilities:
| Name | Category | Term of Office | Committee | Special Interests | Register of Interests | Relationship to Staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miss Judith Bainbridge -Chair | LA Governor | 06/03/2020-05/03/2024 | Finance, Premises and Personnel Committee Curriculum and Standards Committee First/Pay Review Committee Headteacher’s Performance | SEND RE PHSCE and Disadvantaged Pupils | Chair of Governor at Cockton Hill Infants Primary School | None |
| Mrs Clare Carr - Head Teacher | Head Teacher | N/A | Finance, Premises and Personnel Committee Curriculum and Standards Committee | Governor at Woodland Primary and Butterknowle Primary School | None | |
| Mrs Joy Bellis - Vicechair | Co-opted Governor | 21/04/2020-20/04/2024 | Finance, Premises and Personnel Committee Curriculum and Standards Committee Appeals Committee | None | None | |
| Mrs Alice Hardy | Co-opted Governor | 14/11/2018-13/11/2022 | Curriculum and Standards Committee | Attendance | None | None |
| Ms Sarah Hudspeth | Parent Governor | 15/05/2019-14/05/2023 | Finance, Premises and Personnel Committee First/Pay Review Committee Headteacher's Performance Learning and Development Governor | E-safety and GDPR | None | None |
| Mrs Victoria Menzies | Parent Governor | 19/04/2021-18/04/2025 | None | None | ||
| Mrs Claire Calvert | Staff Governor | Curriculum and Standards Committee | None | None | ||
| Mrs Carole Moffat | Co-opted Governor | 21/04/2020-20/04/2024 | Safeguarding | None | None | |
| Ms Joyce Jackson | Co-opted Governor | 30/11/2017-29/11/2021 | Chair of Finance, Premises and Personnel Committee Appeals Committee | Pupil Premium and Sports Premium | None | None |
| Mrs Karen Hall | Parent Governor | 19/04/2021-18/04/2021 | None | None | ||
| Ms Julia Knight | Co-opted Governor | 17/03/2021-16/03/2025 | None | None |
There are also a Headteacher’s Pay Commitee (HP) and an Appeals Committee (A) which meet as when needed.
Governor Body Attendance
Schools are required to display a record of Governor attendance at meetings for each school academic year.
You can also view previous years attendance on our website.
Record of Governor Attendance 2020-2021
| Name/Meeting Date | Curriculum Meeting 15th October 2020 | Finance Meeting 15th October 2020 | Full Governing Body Meeting 11th November 2020 | Pay Review Meeting 23th November 2020 | Finance Meeting 11th February 2021 | Curriculum Meeting 11th February 2021 | Full Governing Body Meeting 10th March 2021 | Curriculum Meeting 6th May 2021 | Finance Meeting 6th May2021 | Full Governing Body Meeting 9th June 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miss J Bainbridge | A/A | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | A/A | A/A | ✓ |
| Mrs A Hardy | A/A | n/a | A/A | n/a | n/a | A/A | A/A | ✓ | n/a | A/A |
| Mrs C Calvert | A/A | n/a | ✓ | n/a | n/a | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | n/a | n/a |
| Mrs Carr | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ms I Simons | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Mrs J Bellis | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mrs C Moffat | ✓ | n/a | ✓ | n/a | n/a | ✓ | A/A | n/a | n/a | ✓ |
| Mrs J Jackson | n/a | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | n/a | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ms J Garrod | n/a | n/a | ✓ | n/a | n/a | n/a | A/A | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Ms J Knight | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | ✓ | n/a | n/a | ✓ |
| Ms S Hudspeth | n/a | A/A | ✓ | n/a | A/A | n/a | A/A | n/a | A/A | A/A |
KEY
✓ – Attended meeting
A/A – Apologies sent and accepted by meeting
N – Did not attend
n/a – Not a member of the committee
Committee Terms of Reference
The Governing Body has three working committees that meet termly:
Curriculum and Standards Committee
Miss J Bainbridge
Mrs J Bellis (Chair)
Mrs C Carr
Mrs C Calvert
Mrs A Hardy
Terms of reference:
- To make recommendations to the Governing Body and review the school’s curriculum statement and policies as required in the light of the LA Curriculum statement and statutory obligations regarding the National Curriculum.
- To develop and review the policies and provision for SMSC and to make recommendations to the Governing Body as necessary, including for: Sex and Relationship Education, Collective and RE
- To agree and review policies and practices relating to EYFS.
- To develop community cohesion and global citizenship.
- To support the development of ICT across the curriculum by: 1.agreeing, monitoring and reviewing all school policies relating to ICT. 2. agreeing, monitoring and reviewing a programme of ICT spending priorities/equipment replacement and making recommendations on ICT spending to the Finance Committee.
- To contribute to and monitor the School Development Plan and SEF
- In collaboration with the staff to provide information about how the curriculum is taught, evaluated and resourced.
- To agree the strategies, in consultation with the Headteacher, to improve the quality of teaching and learning across the School. To monitor the quality ot teaching and learning across the School
- To set targets for achievement at KS1 and KS2 and to monitor the School’s performance against those targets and ensure that each child reaches it’s potential.
- To monitor and review information about school performance and reporting to parents accordingly to statutory requirements including ensuring that a report on each pupil’s educational achievements is forwarded their parents/ guardians annually.
- To monitor the achievement of disadvantaged groups and the impact of policies on race, SEN, Looked After Children and Disability on pupils, parents and communities.
- To monitor the use of Pupil Premium and evaluate the effectiveness / impact of how this has been spent.
- To monitor the development of pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities.
- To set attendance targets and monitor the school’s performance against these targets.
- To monitor out of hours provision and the provision of extra-curricular activities including overnight stays provided to encourage recreation and social development.
- To ensure that adequate provision is made for transition between primary and secondary education.
- To ensure that the School works well with its community, parents and other schools.
- Act as Pupil Discipline Committee for permanent / fixed term exclusions
Meetings: The clerk to the committee shall be responsible for convening the meetings of the committee. Proceedings of the committee meeting will be minuted and those minutes presented to the next meeting of the governing body. The committee shall meet at least once per term and otherwise as required.
Finance, Premises and Personnel Committee
Miss J Bainbridge
Mrs J Bellis
Mrs J Jackson (Chair)
Mrs C Carr
Ms S Hudspeth
Terms of reference:
- In conjunction with the Headteacher, to draft the first formal budget plan of the financial year, for approval by the full Governing Body
- To establish and maintain an up to date 3 year financial plan
- To monitor income and expenditure, including virement decisions, significant anomalies from the anticipated position and report termly to the Governing Body.
- To ensure the school operates within the financial regulations of the County Council and the requirements of the DFE School Financial Value Standard (SFVS).
- To monitor expenditure of all voluntary funds kept on behalf of the Governing Body
- To annually review the charges and remissions policies and expenses policies
- To make decisions in respect of Service Level Agreements.
- To make decisions on expenditure following recommendations from other committees
- To prepare financial statements for inclusion in any reports to parents
- To ensure that appropriate systems and procedures are in place to detect, prevent and report Fraud.
- To ensure that buildings and the learning environments are maintained and fit for purpose
- To oversee the use of the premises by outside users
- Establish and keep under review an Accessibility Plan and Asset Management Plan.
- To ensure as far as practical that any Health and Safety Issues are appropriately funded in accordance with priorities
- To ensure the annual Health and Safety Audit is completed and consider any issues/recommendations made as a result.
- To agree and review policies relating to Health and Safety.
- To ensure that adequate provision is made to make the building safe and secure
- To ensure that the Pay Review Committee and Pay Appeal Committee decisions are appropriately funded.
- To carry out the annual review of the staffing structure in consultation with the Headteacher..
- To oversee the appointment procedure for all staff.
- To establish and review a performance management policy for all staff
- To keep under review work /life balance, working conditions and well being, including the monitoring of absence.
- Teaching staff appointments
- Pupil Exclusions
- To monitor the arrangements to support and develop NQTs
Meetings: The clerk to the committee shall be responsible for convening the meetings of the committee. Proceedings of the committee meeting will be minuted and those minutes presented to the next meeting of the governing body
The committee shall meet at least once per term and otherwise as required. As far as possible meetings will be scheduled to fit in with Oracle reports and timely reporting to full governing body meetings.
Disqualifications: where there may be a conflict of interest, a fair hearing is required, or a pecuaniary interest. Associate members may not vote.
First and Pay Review Committee
Miss J Bainbridge
Ms S Hudspeth
Mrs C Carr
Sub Committee for Head Teacher’s Performance:
Miss J Bainbridge
Mrs S Hudspeth
Terms of reference:
- Annually agree the Teachers’ Pay Policy.
- Act in accordance with the Teachers’ Pay Policy when carrying out the annual review of teachers’ salaries.
- To act in accordance with the Teachers Pay Policy adopted by the Governing Body to include matters relating to; teaching and learning responsibility payments, SEN allowances, recruitment and retention payments, points for previous experience, bursaries and regradings.
- To report to the Finance Committee on Pay Review related expenditure.
- Consider any requests made in accordance with personnel policies e.g. flexible working, leave of absence etc , Unless delegated to the Headteacher.
- Make any decisions under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body e.g. disciplinary, grievance, ill health, capability etc (Unless delegated to the Headteacher.)
- Deal with matters relating to staffing reductions
- To make decisions under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body, e.g. disciplinary, capability, grievance, ill health etc. where the Headteacher is the subject of the action.
- To make any decisions relating to a member of staff ( other than the Headteacher) under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body ( unless delegated to the Headteacher.
- Reducing the staffing
Meetings:
The clerk to the committee shall be responsible for convening the meetings of the committee. Proceedings of the committee meeting will be minuted and those minutes presented to the next meeting of the governing body
The committee shall meet at least once per term and otherwise as required.
Disqualifications: Headteacher; Chair of Governors (if have prior knowledge); Where there may be a conflict of interest :Any Governor whose spouse or partner is involved; Staff (annual pay review and matters relating to staffing reductions
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