Our Governors

 

Governors work as a team. They are responsible for making sure the school provides a good quality education for all pupils and our Catholic faith is at the heart of what we do. Raising educational standards in school is a key priority. Governors promote effective ways of teaching and learning when setting the school aims and policies.

 

Governors can be contacted via the school office.

 

Joyce Monaghan. Chair of Governors

Father Michael Hartley. Parish Priest

Sarah Rushton. Teacher Governor

Gaynor Havard. Governor and Parent

Sue Maguire. Foundation Governor. 

Joan Beard. Foundation Governor and Vice Chair.

Jayne Taylor. Parent Governor.

Amanda Welsh. Foundation Governor

 

Governors Impact Statement 2023

 

 ‘The newly restructured governing body is working very effectively to challenge and support the school leaders. Governors systematically check the effectiveness of the school’s work.’

 

The major concern to the governors is ensuring that our pupils progress appropriately in their education and appreciate that for this to happen the pupils must be supported by a well led, enthusiastic, professionally competent and motivated staff all working together within a safe, supportive and Catholic environment.

To achieve their objectives governors too must continually evaluate the role they have played within the life of the school, and publish relevant information to all interested parties. This statement and report are part of that evaluation and publication process.

Governors work closely with the head teacher and senior management team in contributing to and monitoring the School Improvement Plan. The School Improvement Plan sets aims for the forthcoming term and school year. The current SIP is based on priorities identified from data, school self-evaluation and Ofsted priorities. The SIP is set out with clear aims, the key tasks which will be completed in order to achieve these aims and the success criteria in order to measure outcomes. The SIP is monitored and review termly, with an evaluation overview being completed and presented to governors alongside the HT report.

Father Michael visits the school weekly to check that all children are happy and safe and to offer support where necessary and most recently, he carried out lesson observations and pupil voice work in Religious Education alongside our coordinator to ensure all teaching is good or better. Governors attend school activities such as Harvest Festival, Summer Fair, Christmas activities and Church Mass to ensure members are accessible to parents, staff and children alike. She will also help to invigilate the SATs to ensure they are carried out in line with best practise. The governors visit the school as part of their monitoring of the SIP and of specific issues and these are considered a valuable opportunity for governors to be able to work closely with staff. Nominated link governors follow a cycle which sets out the monitoring activities which they will be undertaking with the staff leaders and managers. They are very much involved in monitoring the quality of our work here and have observed lessons, scrutinised the data and a whole host of other activities. Guidance in terms of the roles and responsibilities of statutory link governors are provided to relevant governors and regular training is available in order to up skill our team. Examples of the impact of these visits include: Close working to prepare and introduce new policies and working practices on Special Educational Needs, Keeping Children Safe in Education, Progress towards achieving the Key Objectives to Implement a programme of effective interventions which will show sustained progress and positively impact on learning in Reading, Writing and Maths and the implementation of interventions that will best support children to achieve their potential with careful monitoring of the achievement of children in receipt of pupil premium monies.

Foundation Governors, of which there are seven, have a key role to play in ensuring that at our school has everyone is welcome and no-one is excluded and that everyone is being treated with respect and dignity. As a result of our close working together, it was validated by RE inspectors in July 2014 that our school:

 

• Has a strong value system based on Gospel values with Christ as the centre of the school.
• Is a faith community that fosters positive relationships among learners, teachers and parents.
• Is committed to the formation of the whole child.
• Has worship and prayer at the centre of school life
• Fosters social responsibility based on Gospel values and enables learners to become citizens who will hopefully make a difference in society.

 

Governors review all relevant policies on a programmed basis to ensure that all guidance is current and up to date. Specific attention is paid to ensure that the school complies with the Department of Education and Diocesan mandatory policy list and the Local Authority recommended list.

The governing body have received regular support from both the LA Finance team and the schools Business Manager in School Finance management. The governors have worked with school staff to achieve ‘The Schools Financial Value Standard’ accreditation. The impact of the governors’ role in the school ensures that the budget is managed effectively and improvements are effective, continuous and sustainable. There has been effective allocation and imaginative use of Sports funding so as to further inspire and up skill teaching staff and pupils which has resulted in weekly quality sports teaching and learning.

The head teacher and two of our governors are trained in “Safer Recruitment”. Governors are involved in the recruitment and selection of all teaching staff and use the appointment process to ensure that high quality staff who share the schools mission statement and aims are appointed. As a result of quality appointments, teaching and learning at St Mary’s is continuously good or better. Newly qualified teachers are supported correctly and Governors check that a programme of support and proper mentorship is in place and new teachers quickly become good.

There are  six formal governor meetings each academic year. Governor attendance has, as always, been of a very good level, with any absences having been fully explained and accepted and approved by the governing body. There are no causes for concern at the level of commitment shown by any member of the governing body. During this academic year governors have received training in a range of subjects including: Taking the Chair, Extremism, PREVENT training, preparing children for Modern Life in Britain and Capturing and Evaluating Impact. Training has enabled Governors to ask the right questions of the leadership team, ensuring that the school is up-to-date with both new local and national expectations and ways of working.

The governing body and senior management team are constantly striving to improve and develop the school. Ongoing and future areas for targeting will include: Ensuring continued improvement in pupil progress and attainment across all ability groups including vulnerable groups, the introduction of the new curriculum and assessing without levels strategy, continuing to increase pupil numbers and further strengthening middle leadership.

 

REGISTER OF BUSINESS INTERESTS  2023   NAME OF SCHOOL/ACADEMY: Since 1 September 2015, governing bodies have to publish on their website their register of interests. The register should set out the relevant business interests of governors/board members and details of any other educational establishments they govern. The register should also set out any relationships between governors and members of the school staff including spouses, partners and relatives. ‘None’ should be the recorded entry on the register by governors who have no interests to register.