governorsRole of Governors
Governors work as a team. They are responsible for making sure the school provides a good quality, Catholic education and secures the welfare of pupils. |
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Securing the school’s mission and sustaining its ethos as a Catholic school is a key priority as is raising standards. This has the best chance of happening when all members of the community are clear about the purpose of the school and have high expectations of what pupils can achieve.
Governors also promote effective ways of teaching and learning when setting the school’s aims and policies. They do this together with the head teacher, who is responsible for the day to day management of the school. Heads are chosen by governors – and most heads choose to be governors themselves.
Governors also promote effective ways of teaching and learning when setting the school’s aims and policies. They do this together with the head teacher, who is responsible for the day to day management of the school. Heads are chosen by governors – and most heads choose to be governors themselves.
The governing body’s main role is to secure its mission, sustain its ethos and help raise standards of achievement.
Governors are at the heart of how a school operates.
It is important to get things right. How they do their job affects the interests of pupils, staff morale and how the school is seen by parents and others in the community. Governors’ support and challenge heads by gathering views, asking questions and deciding what’s best for the school. They are not there to rubber stamp decisions. They have to be prepared to give and take and be loyal to decisions taken by the governing body as a whole.
A governing body is not a supporters club. Governors are responsible for how the school is performing. Following up inspection reports is an important job. Governors should try to be ahead of the game – identifying problems and tackling them in advance.
Governors are voluntary and are not paid, but being a governor can be very rewarding. Some of St. Martin’s governors have served the school community in this way for many years.
Joan Sallis, a well known commentator and writer on governance, once said:
“Using the image of the school as a public garden and the pupils as its flowers and shrubs, the trustees are accountable to the landlord, the local community and the members of the public who visit the garden. They are responsible for the overall design, leaving the head gardener to supervise watering, weeding, pruning and feeding.”
A local authority governor from a primary school in Blackburn said of being a governor:
“Emphasis is usually on what members of the community can bring to the school, not on what the individual can gain from being involved in the school. It has given me great satisfaction to know that in some small way I have helped to make a positive difference to children’s lives."
- It ensures that the school delivers a Catholic education and encourages the children’s spiritual, moral and cultural development;
- It plans the school’s future direction and sets targets;
- It is accountable for the performance of the school to parents and the wider community;
- It selects the head teacher;
- It makes decisions on the school’s budget and staffing;
- It makes sure the National Curriculum is taught;
- It makes sure the school provides for all its pupils, including those with special needs.
Governors are at the heart of how a school operates.
It is important to get things right. How they do their job affects the interests of pupils, staff morale and how the school is seen by parents and others in the community. Governors’ support and challenge heads by gathering views, asking questions and deciding what’s best for the school. They are not there to rubber stamp decisions. They have to be prepared to give and take and be loyal to decisions taken by the governing body as a whole.
A governing body is not a supporters club. Governors are responsible for how the school is performing. Following up inspection reports is an important job. Governors should try to be ahead of the game – identifying problems and tackling them in advance.
Governors are voluntary and are not paid, but being a governor can be very rewarding. Some of St. Martin’s governors have served the school community in this way for many years.
Joan Sallis, a well known commentator and writer on governance, once said:
“Using the image of the school as a public garden and the pupils as its flowers and shrubs, the trustees are accountable to the landlord, the local community and the members of the public who visit the garden. They are responsible for the overall design, leaving the head gardener to supervise watering, weeding, pruning and feeding.”
A local authority governor from a primary school in Blackburn said of being a governor:
“Emphasis is usually on what members of the community can bring to the school, not on what the individual can gain from being involved in the school. It has given me great satisfaction to know that in some small way I have helped to make a positive difference to children’s lives."
Governing body
Every school has a governing body. At St. Martin’s there are twelve governors:
- An elected parent governor – Mr R. Marsh (Chair of Governors) & Mrs F Zafar
- Associate Member - Mr J Gray
- Staff governor – Mrs N. Ahmed
- Local Authority governor – vacancy
- The Head Teacher – Mrs J. Tomlinson
- Foundation governors appointed by The Archdiocese of Birmingham – Fr D. Innamorati, Sr C. McCann, Mrs D. Braggs and Mr M. Drugan, Mr C. Packham, Mrs M. Munn + 1 vacancy
- Clerk to the Governors - Mrs D. Barwell
Governor Committee Members 2017-2018
Parents Questionnaire Analysis 2013
Parents Questionnaire Analysis 2015
Parents Questionnaire Analysis 2013
Parents Questionnaire Analysis 2015
Governor Details & Register of Interests
