A governing body works with the headteacher and the staff at the school to make sure the school provides a good quality education for all its pupils. At Little Thetford C of E Primary School, governors believe that every member of our school community can reflect, be creative and flourish, shining as a light in the world. They ensure the school’s vision and values are being upheld in our policies and the strategic development of the school.
Governors do not need specialist skills, just an ability to listen, think through new ideas and decide what is best for the school strategically as part of a team. However, some governors provide the governing body with the benefit of their experience in finance, property management, education, safeguarding or personnel. Governors are not expected to make day to day decisions about how the school is run, this is the job of the headteacher.
The three key roles of a governing body are to:
- Provide strategic direction for the school
- Work with the headteacher to raise standards and promote the well-being of pupils
- Ensure accountability
The aim of the governing body is to help Little Thetford C of E Primary School to provide the best possible education for its pupils and working environment for its staff. The governing body of Little Thetford C of E Primary School is composed of:
- The headteacher
- 4 elected parent governors
- 1 LA governor
- 1 elected staff governor
- 3 foundation governors
- 4 co-opted governors (of which up to 2 could be members of staff)
With the exception of the headteacher and ex-officio Foundation governor, all governors serve for a term of 4 years.
At Little Thetford C of E Primary School, the governing body has established three committees in order to share responsibilities and provide better governance:
- Curriculum Committee,
- Foundation Committee,
- Finance and Resources Committee.
Each of the committees is composed by a small group of governors and meets once each term. These committee meetings give governors the opportunity to discuss matters in detail and make considered recommendations which are put forward to the FGB for approval.
Individual governors have specific areas of responsibility for safeguarding, SEND, finances and areas identified in the School Development Plan. Governors make arranged visits to school to monitor how the actions on the school development plan are being implemented and take part in school events. They provide the relevant committee with a report on the visit.
Cambridgeshire County Council provides training for new governors as well as specific refresher courses and in house training at Governing Body meetings. For information about school governors in Cambridgeshire, visit Cambridgeshire County Council website.
Further information on becoming a School Governor can be found on the department for education website.
Please direct any additional questions related to School Governance to our Chair of Governors, Hazel Morrison at chair@littlethetford.cambs.sch.uk