Governing Body Details
Who are they?
Governors are volunteers, from various backgrounds, who support the work of the school. Some represent the parents or school staff, some are appointed by the Local Authority and others are drawn from the community.
What do they do?
The governors work in partnership with the executive head teacher (also a governor) who directs the day to day running of the school. They have to ensure that what is taught in the school is broad, balanced and meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. The governors are highly ambitious for the pupils of Harry Gosling and base their actions on an accurate understanding of the school's performance and of staff and pupils' skills and attributes. Governors stringently hold senior leaders to account for all aspects of the school's performance. They ensure financial stability, including the effective and efficient management of financial resources such as the pupil premium funding which enables the excellent deployment of staff and resources to impact all groups of pupils. They formulate and review policies for operation in the school for a wide variety of matters ranging from attendance to health and safety. The most important role for governors is to ensure that all the pupils are kept safe at all times. We do this by adhering to safer recruitment practices and keeping abreast of all safeguarding legislation.
When do they meet?
The full governing body generally meets twice each term at the school and smaller groups meet at other times to discuss specific topics.
The purpose of having a governing body is to:
- ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
- hold the head teacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils
- oversee the financial performance of the school and making sure it is money well spent
A school's governing body is a corporate body. This means it has a legal existence separate from that of its individual members. As long as governors have acted honestly, without ulterior motive, and reasonably, within the law and regulations, the governing body can't be held to account as individuals for any liabilities incurred by the governing body.
Frequently asked questions:
- As a parent (or teacher, etc.) governor, do I
- a) represent and convey the views/opinions of the parents (or teachers, etc) of the school, or
- b) represent the views/opinions of 'a parent' (or 'a teacher', etc)?
- As a parent (or teacher, etc.) governor, you do represent the views/opinions of 'a parent" (or "a teacher", etc.). You are on the governing body to give a parental (teacher) perspective to discussions and decisions. The governing body is given its powers and duties as an incorporated body. Individual governors have no power except where the whole governing body has delegated a specific power to that individual.
If parents (teachers, etc.) of the school wish to have their views represented or conveyed at a governing body meeting, they should be advised to contact the chair, who will put it on the agenda. As a parent (teacher, etc.) governor, you are then able to express your own views/opinions of the item from your parental (teacher, etc.) perspective, and may if you wish, voice the views/opinions that have been put forward by other parents (colleagues), but are under no obligation to do so.
If parents ask you (as a representative) to deal with problems about their particular child, you should be firm and state that governors deal with school policies affecting all children. If they have a concern about their own child, they must take it up themselves with the head or class teacher. If it can't be resolved to their satisfaction, they may then complain formally to the governors, who will programme it as an agenda item.
Please see below for further information about the school governing body: