1. The Coombes CE Primary School Governing Body Carole Craven September 2014

2. 1 Who are we ? Foundation Chris Barrows Barbara Teague Steve Elliot Parent Andrew Salt Niall Collier Tracy King Jenny Salter Fraser Dowling Local Authority Carole Craven Community Anne Miles Staff Governors Matt Dickson Ray Faulkner Neil Lyddiatt Carole Holmes Sarah Forrester Kim Johnson Head Teacher Staff Governor Associate Head Teacher Associate Sinead O’ Flynn – Clerk to the Governing Body

3. 2 What does Governing involve?

4. 3 Specific Tasks of Governance Monitor progress. Evaluate outcomes. Build working relationships. Receive the Heads report. Challenge and analyse the content. Help shape the strategy for school improvements. Set targets. Secure best value. Providing a strategic view Being a critical friend Ensuring accountability

5. 4  Hold the Leadership of the school to account for the performance of the school to provide best possible education for all pupils  Provide effective challenge and support and make effective use of the data and information to manage performance ensuring value for money  Establish a strategic framework for leadership development and champion continuous professional development for all school staff  The governing body are to carry out their functions with the aim of taking a largely strategic role in the running of the school. This includes setting up a strategic framework for the school, setting its aims and objectives, setting policies and targets for achieving the objectives, reviewing progress and reviewing the strategic framework in the light of progress. What do we do?

6. 5  The School Development Plan, School Improvement Plan or post-OFSTED Action Plan, along with agreed policies, will generally provide the strategic framework  Governing bodies will need to monitor progress, but are not responsible for collecting monitoring data themselves. Instead they should agree arrangements with their head teacher.  Governors should agree with their head any visits they may wish to make to classrooms.  Working strategically, governors should then use any monitoring evidence to review and evaluate progress against any targets set to see whether a policy is working or needs changing. The head can suggest arrangements for monitoring and evaluating particular requirements and policies. What does a Strategic role look like ?

7. 6  Agreeing the vision and aims of the school  Ensuring supporting policies are in place  Ethos and discipline  Providing an appropriate curriculum  Staffing and related pay issues  Managing the budget  Setting targets for pupil achievement  Reporting assessment results  Appointing the Head Teacher and Deputy Head Teacher  Ensuring performance management is in place  Responding to inspection Statutory responsibilities

8. 7  The head teacher is responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of the school; and for advising on and implementing the governing body’s strategic framework  As "lead professional" the head will be responsible for formulating and implementing the policies, for leading the school towards the set targets and for discharging many responsibilities on the governing body's behalf, as well as for discharging responsibilities imposed directly on him or her.  Heads should give their governing bodies enough information for the governors to feel confident that those delegated responsibilities - and the head’s own responsibilities - have been met. Governing bodies should make sure they get enough information to allow them to check on their school’s achievements and progress, over time and in comparison with similar schools. Role of the Head Teacher

9. 8 Good relationships between governors and teachers are characterised by:  Frequent and close contact  Mutual understanding and respect  Openness, honesty and trust  Good communication  Common aims and school ethos  Exchange of ideas, discussion and debate  Incisive questions  Appropriate confidentiality  Keeping in mind the achievement and progress of all pupils  Listening to other points of view  Being self critical and reflecting on actions and outcomes Teamwork