The Role of Local Governors

Our Local Academy Council is made up of parents, staff members and representatives from the church. A governing body’s overriding responsibility is to work in partnership with the head teacher to promote continuous improvement in the performance of the school. This involves the establishment of a development plan, the setting of challenging but achievable targets and the interpretation of information to assess progress and determine appropriate action. Aligned to its improvement role, the Local Academy Council is there to be a critical friend who can provide the right balance between supporting and challenging the performance of both the head teacher and the school. Governors also have some specific roles such as Child Protection and Health and Safety.  The Local Academy Council works closely with LDLT to ensure standards are maintained and advanced in all areas of the school.

Link to the LDLT Governance page: https://www.ldlt.co.uk/governance-structure

Link the LDLT Scheme of Delegation: https://www.ldlt.co.uk/statutory-documentation

How do we do this?

Self Evaluation, we look at what we do and what we can do to improve. Agree the School Development Plan and monitor its implementation. Ensure that the school meets its statutory and professional responsibilities as an employer and a provider of services to children. Plan how the school budget is to be used and monitor compliance with the Budget. Authorise the policies and strategies required to provide the best available education to children. Ensure the children have a safe and supportive environment. Review how the school meets its statutory responsibilities to provide for the needs of every individual child. Agree the appropriate staff structure for the school and ensure that staff is managed in a way that holds them to account for their performance and develops their potential for the future. Confirm that the voice of the children, parents and others with a legitimate interest in the school are heard and taken into account. Resolve any serious conflict within the school or between the school and parents. Appoint and support the staff of the school.

How do we work?

We meet as a full Governing Body at every half-term. Extraordinary meetings are arranged if circumstances warrant such action. Every year we elect a Chair and Vice-Chair from amongst the existing members of the Governing Body (employees at the School cannot be elected to these positions). The Governing Body also has a Clerk who arranges its meetings, circulates the agenda and papers, takes minutes of full meetings of the Governing Body, and circulates information to Governors from the Local Authority. In order to delegate and share the responsibilities of the Governing Body more effectively, we have sub-committees for things such as finance, premises and performance management. Governors meet with the Headteacher, separately from the full Governing Body meetings and provide reports back to the full governors. Governors also have responsibilities for particular aspects of the school, these include Literacy, Numeracy, IT, Health & Safety, Child Protection, Landscape and Special Needs.