The Governing Body — What is it?
Every school has to have a governing body made up of a number of governors to oversee the running of the school.
Our Head of School, Mrs Hunt, organises and manages the school on a day to day basis, within policies and guidance agreed by the local governing body and The White Horse Federation.
The governors are accountable to The White Horse Federation, the Diocese, the local authority, and, most importantly, our community — our children, our staff, our parents, and our local people.
The governing body is responsible for:
- Making sure the school provides the best possible education for all its pupils.
- All major decisions about the school and its future.
- Setting the school’s vision and strategic aims.
- Monitoring and evaluating performance to ensure the school is accountable to those it serves.
- Acting as a critical friend to the head teacher.
How does the governing body do this?
The full governing body meets six times each academic year — approximately every two months. There is an ethos committee that meets to ensure the Christian ethos is maintained in all that the school do.
There are also a number of different panels that are required for different issues as they arise, such as admissions, exclusions, staff pay etc.
The governors, with the support of the head teacher and staff, consider issues and make decisions on a wide range of issues, such as the following:
- Child Protection
- Standards
- The Curriculum
- Admissions
- Staffing
- Discipline and Attendance
- Communication with Key Stakeholders
- Ofsted Inspection
- Health, Safety, and Welfare
- Control and Use of School Premises
- Organisational Change
How do we know what’s going on in the school?
Each governor has a number of delegated responsibilities with regard to subject areas which are called link governors. These cover all of the subject areas as well child protection, health and safety, and IT. Governors make regular link visits to the school to learn more about the areas they are responsible for and then feedback to the rest of the governing body.
To be a really effective set of governors, it is healthy to have a good cross section of the community represented. Each school’s governing body has a specific make up depending on what type of school it is. Before we became an academy, our school was a voluntary aided primary school, and as such the governing body is made up of:
- Two foundation governors who are appointed by the church.
- Two parent governors who are elected by parents.
- Two staff governors (including the head teacher) who represent the staff
- Three co-opted governors.
How do we know what the governing body is doing?
The minutes of the governing body meetings are available from the clerk to the governors upon request. Important decisions are also communicated through the school newsletter. If you would like the governors to consider an issue, please email the clerk to the governors, Danny Holland, on clerk@st-georges-semington.wilts.sch.uk or write a letter addressed to Danny Holland and hand it in at the school office.
Governing Body – 2018/2019
| Name | Role | Business Interest | Pecuniary Interest | Governor at Another Educational Establishment |
|---|
| Mrs Fiona Johnson | Chair - Foundation | Nil | Nil | Y |
| Mr Shaun Cooper | Vice Chair - Foundation | Nil | Nil | Y |
| Mrs Victoria Bowes | Vice Chair - Foundation | Nil | Nil | Y |
| Mrs Julie Cann | Staff Governor | Nil | Nil | N |
| Mrs Jacqueline Monckton | Local Governor | Nil | Nil | Y |
| Mrs Jackie Chalk | Staff - Head | Nil | Nil | Y |
| Mr Chris Downham | Parent | Nil | Nil | Y |
| Rev John Rees | Local Foundation Governor | Nil | Nil | Y |
| Mrs Pippa Hunt | Head of School | Nil | Nil | N |
| Mrs Sarah Somers | Foundation | Nil | Nil | Y |
Governing Body Attendance – 2018/2019
| Governor | Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Term 5 | Term 6 |
|---|
| Mr Shaun Cooper | A | | | | | |
| Mrs Sarah Somers | A | | | | | |
| Mrs Victoria Bowes | Y | | | | | |
| Mrs Fiona Johnson | Y | | | | | |
| Mrs Jacqueline Monckton | Y | | | | | |
| Mrs Jackie Chalk | Y | | | | | |
| Mr Chris Downham | Y | | | | | |
| Rev John Rees | Y | | | | | |
| Mrs Pippa Hunt | Y | | | | | |
| Ms Julie Cann | Y | | | | | |
Key
Y = In Attendance
A = Apologies Received
P = Part Attendance
Ab = Absent
