Our Governors

Downloads

• Instrument of Government
• Governor’s Code of Conduct 2022-23
• Governing Body Standing Orders 2022-23
• Governor Qualification and Disqualification criteria
• Governor Visits to School Policy 2020-2022
• Governor Allowances’ Policy 2021-23
• Annual Equality Report to Governors 2022
• Structure of Governing Board 2020 onwards
• 6.0 FGB Final Minutes 14 07 22 (accepted 20 10 22)
• 1.0 FGB Final Minutes 20 10 22

What is the Governing Body

Every school has a Governing Body, which is made up of representatives of the local community who give their time and services to the school.  As a Church of England Voluntary Aided faith school, the majority of our Governors are Foundation Governors who are required to be members of the church and local parish.  The governors come from a wide variety of backgrounds and do not have to have direct experience in education. Governors volunteer their time and particular area of skill, experience or expertise; the main requirement for the role is the desire to see the school and its pupils succeed in their education and achieve their individual potential.  All Governors are required to hold a current Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate and to attend governor training, including mandatory Safeguarding, on a regular basis.

The Full Governing Body meets six times a year (or more) to discuss and review any current issues at the school and to look forward to upcoming developments.  Additionally, there are three sub committees (the Strategy Committee, the Standards and Assessments Committee and the Finance and Resources’ Committee) that also meet once or twice a term.

What role do the Governors play at Sandford St. Martin’s CE VA Primary?

All governing bodies have three core functions determined by the Department for Education:

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

Governors are not involved in the day-to-day management of the school; instead, the governing body acts as a “critical friend” to the head teacher by providing advice, challenge and support.  Any questions or issues relating to a particular lesson, subject, pupil or class should be referred to the relevant teacher or the head teacher in the first instance.

The kinds of issues kept under review by governors include:

• How are children developing academically?
• Are they making appropriate progress?
• Are all pupils, regardless of age, background or ability, given the appropriate support and opportunity to succeed?
• How much money does the school have to spend?
• How is the money being spent?
• Is the school getting good value for money?
• Are the premises safe and fit for purpose?
• What burden is being placed on teachers?
• Do they have appropriate time, training and resources to do their job?

Whilst most issues and concerns should be referred to the head teacher, governors can provide further information or advice on their role where appropriate. Governors often attend school events so can be approached there, or they can be contacted via the school office, or by email at: governors@sandfordprimary.dorset.sch.uk

How to become a Governor

All Governors are elected or appointed for a period of four years. Vacancies arise as individuals’ terms come to an end.  If you are interested in becoming a school governor, please contact the Headteacher or Chair of Governors.  For full details of the various categories of governor and any eligibility prerequisites, please see the school’s “Instrument of Government” and “Governor Qualification and Disqualification Criteria” available to download at the top of this page.

Governor Vacancies

Foundation Governor

Would you like to support the school and can spare a few hours per week?
We are currently looking for a new member of our governing body as a Foundation
Governor (Church attendee/Christian Faith). Filling this vacancy would take us back to a full complement of governors.

1x Foundation governor vacancy:
Our School’s Governing Board provides for 8 Foundation Governors who are appointed by Salisbury Diocese to support and develop the distinctive Anglican and Christian ethos of the school. The PCC of Wareham manages nominations for appointment as a Foundation Governor at our School. According to the policy, Foundation Governors must fall within one of the following groups:
• Communicant members of the Church of England,
• Baptised individuals who regularly attend Church of England services,
• Members of a church which belongs to ‘Churches Together in Britain and Northern
Ireland’,
• By exception, an individual may be appointed as Foundation Governor being a Christian
who does not belong to the churches listed above but is committed to the tenets of the
Apostles’ Creed A reference from a member of the clergy or a church leader must be
provided by everyone putting their name forward for consideration under this new policy.

If you are interested in applying for a nomination to become a Foundation Governor at our
School, please email Revd. Stuart Cocksedge at: teamvicar@warehamchurches.org.uk

Local Authority Governor

The Governing Board are also looking for a new Local Authority Governor. If you feel that you could fulfil this role, please contact the school for further information. You will need to:

• Have the wellbeing of the school as your prime consideration
• Act as a representative, not a delegate, of the local authority
• Seek to know and understand the LA’s education policies and have views about their impact on the school
• In consultation with the GB, make sure the local authority is aware of matters relating to its policies as they affect local schools
• In consultation with the GB, consider wider issues of education in the area
• Take a particular interest on behalf of the GB in the services provided by or made available to the school by the local authority and relate this to considerations of Best Value
• Contribute to effective links between the local authority and the school
• Develop your role as a governor, which should include attending relevant governor training

As ever, the Governing Board is keen to attract people with any of the following skills, in either role:

• Governance Skills
• Project Management
• Data Analysis
• Organisational Accountancy
• Budget Setting and Financial Management

This does not preclude anyone else from the community from putting themselves forward.

Complaints

Sandford St. Martin’s CE VA Primary School has an open-door policy and will always listen to parents’ concerns.
It is in everyone’s interest that complaints are resolved at the earliest possible stage.  Many issues can be resolved informally, without the need to invoke formal procedures.  The school will take informal concerns seriously and make every effort to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.
There are occasions when a concern is unresolved, and complainants would like to raise their concerns formally.  In those cases, the school’s formal complaints’ policy and procedure should be invoked.  (See summary below and full policy and procedure at: www.sandfordprimary.dorset.sch.uk/our-school/policies/)

Complaining about the actions of a member of staff other than the Headteacher.

1)   Informal Stage

The complainant is normally expected to arrange to communicate concerns directly with a suitable member of staff but this may also include another designated post-holder or middle manager such as a Key Stage Coordinator. This may be by letter, by telephone or in person by appointment.

2)  Formal Stage

If the complaint is not resolved at the informal stage the complainant should preferably put the complaint in writing and pass it to the Headteacher or other designated member of staff on behalf of the Headteacher who will be responsible for its investigation. The Headteacher may nominate an alternative, suitable Investigator/Complaints Coordinator at this time or handle the investigation and coordination personally.

Complaining about the actions of the Headteacher

1)   Informal stage

The complainant is usually expected to arrange to speak directly with the Headteacher. In the case of serious concerns it may be appropriate to raise them directly with the Chair of the Governing Body. Many concerns can be resolved by simple clarification or the provision of information. If the matter is not resolved, and if both parties agree, then a third party may be invited to act as a mediator at a further meeting. A refusal, unreasonably, to attempt an informal resolution may result in the procedure being terminated forthwith.

2)   Formal Stage

If the complaint is not resolved at the informal stage the complainant must put the complaint in writing and pass it to the Chair of the Governing Body who will determine which of the agreed procedures to invoke. If it is determined that the complaint is “General”, the Chair of the Governing Body will arrange for its investigation either personally or by an alternative designated Governor (the Investigator/Complaints Coordinator).

Summary of Governor roles, terms of office, business interests and previous year’s attendance records – September 2022 – Aug 2023