Our Governors

The role of governing bodies is to help schools provide the best possible education for the pupils at the school. School governing bodies that clearly understand their roles and responsibilities, build productive relationships with school leaders, know their schools well and use the views of parents, pupils and the wider community are best equipped to drive improvement in their schools.

The main aim of the governing body is to maintain and improve the quality of education and the standards of achievement and attainment at the school.

A key role of the governors is to challenge and support the school leaders, holding them to account for their actions in ensuring that all pupils make good progress.

Governors:

• Know the school well and its strengths and weaknesses. They have a clear vision and create a culture that enables pupils and staff to excel.

• Know the pupils, their strengths, areas for improvement and vulnerabilities. They are ambitious for all pupils and promote improvement.

• Know the finances and approve the budget, ensuring that money is spent effectively.

• Are strategic in making use of targets, budgets, appraisal, the school development plan and other success criteria.

• Are committed unwaveringly to setting high expectations for the conduct of pupils and staff.

• Systematically challenge senior leaders so that the effective deployment of staff and resources, including the pupil premium, the primary PE and sport premium and SEND funding, secures excellent outcomes for pupils.

• Act as a partner to the strategic leadership team [SLT], making use of data and targets, action plans, appraisal and other mechanisms to hold the SLT to account.

• Know the quality of teaching and all staffing.

• Ensure that all health and safety and safeguarding requirements are in place and implemented.

• Understand performance management systems, appraisal process and performance related pay leading to professional development that encourages,     challenges and supports teachers’ improvement.

• Validate their knowledge, making use of external verification and external data.

• Promote equality of opportunity and diversity for pupils and staff, so that the ethos and culture of the whole school prevents any form of direct or indirect discriminatory behaviour.

Governor Statement 

Adderley School’s Governing Body is responsible for the strategic management of the school. Its 3 main roles are:

1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
2. Holding the Head Teacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils;
3. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.

The Governing Body is a committed group of 9 Governors.   Following a review of our governance it was decided to adopt a ‘no committees’ model and to hold Full Governing Body meetings with a focus alternating between curriculum and finance.   This ensures that every Governor has an understanding of the full range of governing body responsibilities and it assists Governors in making more informed and rounded decisions.

Governors are very much involved in the school development planning and review process. At our curriculum focus meetings, Governors receive reports directly from subject leaders and are able to question them to ensure we are monitoring progress towards the targets in the School Development Plan.   As well as our Governor responsibilities, each Governor is assigned to a year group and a subject area. Our visits to school and meetings with subject leads give us a clearer insight into each subject area and help us to understand the current attainment and progress.  Governors also attend events at school, i.e. assemblies, performances and take an active part in the wider school community.

At our finance focus meetings, Governors continue to closely monitor the school budget to check that even when costs are rising we strive to ensure that staffing levels and resources do not suffer.

Governors put the emotional, personal well-being of all staff and children as a priority, so by attending pupil voice and meetings with staff we support the health and well-being policies in school.

In order that Governors continue to develop the knowledge and skills that we can bring to the Governing Body, we identify suitable training and attend external training sessions to make certain that we can govern effectively.

The children are always at the forefront of our decisions as we endeavour to give each child the best educational and pastoral environment to allow them to achieve their full potential.

Chair of Governors

on behalf of the Governing Body