Contacting the governing body:

If you wish to contact Jess Elford, our Chair of Governors, please do so by emailing the Clerk to governors, Hayley Cutchey.

HCutchey@iftl.co.uk

 

A word from our Chair

 

 

Would you like to join our governing body? 

We need new governors and parents governors to join our team. Please speak to either Kirsty Outtram (Head of School) or Isabel Parker (Chair of Governors) if you are interested to know more.

More About Us...

The role of the school governor and governing bodies

Welcome to our school.   

 

Governors are a vibrant group of committed volunteers that represent and reflect the community of the school (parents, school colleagues and our wider community). Our governors are a key part of the strategic leadership of the school.   

The School governing body is responsible for working with the school to ensure that it delivers a good quality education. Together with the headteacher, who is responsible for day-to-day management, we set the school's aims and policies. The role of the school governor is demanding but very rewarding and is a good way to give back to your local community.

Governors have three main roles:

  • To provide strategic direction for the school
  • To act as a critical friend to the headteacher
  • To ensure accountability

They also carry out a number of other important duties, which include:

  • Determining how the school's budget is spent
  • Hearing appeals and grievances
  • Forming policy on the school's curriculum
  • Setting standards for pupils' behaviour and discipline
  • Making sure school buildings are welcoming and safe
  • Setting and monitoring the school's aims and policies

Who can be a school governor?

You don't have to have children at the school to join the board, unless you are applying to become a parent governor. You have to be over 18 and pass a safeguarding check for your suitability to be within a school. No specific qualifications are required but there are certain expectations. What's really important is that you have energy, enthusiasm, time and a real desire to help provide children with the best possible education.

Our governors come from all sections of the community and all walks of life. They are parents, staff at the school, residents in the locality and representatives of local businesses. It is important that you can work as part of a team and can give commitment to the school to include attending governor meetings (six per year), training and school visits. Advice, support and training for the role is given by IFtL. Some governors are elected by parents, some by staff and some are appointed by the governing body itself. This ensures governing bodies reflect the communities they serve.

The Local Governing Body: 

  • meets 6 times per year as a full board, with no additional committees
  • is part of a larger governance structure for Inspiring Futures through Learning Multi Academy Trust, which includes IFtL Members and Board of Trustees.  The full structure and responsibilities of these roles, including details of who serves within them, is available at iftl.co.uk/governance-in-iftl
  • carries out its delegated functions and responsibilities which are focused upon:
  • the wellbeing and safety of all children and adults within the schools’ communities
  • the standards of educational performance, for all children, within the schools
  • the position of the schools within their wider communities and how the schools contribute positively to this
  • to identify, and look to mitigate, risk in relation to the above
  • to carry out the duties delegated to the Local Governing Body by the IFtL Board of Trustees, outlines in the IFtL Scheme of Delegation (seen at iftl.co.uk/governance-in-iftl

 

The Chair of the Local Governing Body is Jess Elford. 

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Governing Body vacancies

We are always looking for people interested in becoming governors at Heronshaw School. Governors work closely with the headteacher, school staff and representatives from the local authority (LA). If you require further information on the roles and responsibilities of school governors or you are interested in becoming one, please speak to Jamie Ainscow.

The expectation of individual governors is that they will:

  • enhance the work of the governing body to enable a strong focus on raising standards, so that every child achieves their potential
  • demonstrate their commitment by getting to know the school and becoming involved in school life and activities
  • take personal responsibility for their ongoing training and development
  • prepare for meetings so they are well informed, having at minimum read all of the papers sent out with the agenda
  • attend meetings (governing body/committees/working group) and play an active part
  • support the school with parents and in the community
  • recognise the corporate status of the governing body and the concept of collective responsibility
  • respect confidentiality and the need to act with circumspectionTerm of office and meetings

The term of office for a school governor is normally four years. We have a full governing body meeting once a term. You are required to join a committee which usually meets once a term. Most governors find they usually attend meetings or visit a school three or four times each term. You may be invited to special occasions such as assemblies, sports days, plays and presentations.

We hope this information has been useful and should you have any comments or questions please do not hesitate to contact school.