School Governors

The school is run by the Headteacher and staff with the assistance of a Governing Body.

Some are appointed by the Local Authority and Foundation Governors are appointed by the Diocese of Peterborough, others are elected by parents and staff, and some are co-opted.  The head teacher is also a governor.  We are all local people with a strong interest in the well-being of the school.

Our aim is to improve the quality of the education  provided by our school for the benefit of all pupils and the community at large.  We write plans for our school which are designed to achieve the government's as well as the school's goals but primarily with the children's standard of education as our focus.

As well as attending at least two formal meetings each term, Governors are asked to sit on various Sub Committees and to undertake training courses to develop their expertise in their role. We visit the school regularly and take part in meetings,training sessions and school activities.  An important aspect of our work is to act as the link between the school and parents and the community.

Click here to access PDET's governance arrangements.

Our Board of Governors

Please feel free to speak to any of us regarding any questions or queries you have about any aspect of school life. Email a.williamson@guilsborough-pri.northants.sch.uk and your email will be forwarded immediately.

All governors are responsible for Curriculum and Standards, Finance, Personnel and Premises/Health and Safety.

 

Simon Caldwell - Co-opted Chair of Governors

(Term of office ends 16.09.2022)

Pupil premium Focus

Sports premium Focus

 

Sarah Armstrong-Hallam - Vice Chair & Foundation Governor

(Term of office ends 29.1.2020)

Safeguarding focus

Church School Committee

 

Katie Shilliam - Headteacher

Designated Safeguarding Lead

Church School Committee

 

Graham Leah - Parent Governor

(Term of office ends 29.11.2021)

 

Vicky Palmer - Parent Governor

(Term of office ends 29.11.2021)

 

Julia Mills - Staff Governor

(Term of office ends 27.6.2019)

 Church School Committee

 

Reverend Alison Twigg - Foundation Governor

(Term of office ends tbc)

Chair Church School Committee

 

Enter text...

This section gives an overview of a governors' responsibilities. If you are interested in becoming a school governor then contact the school or the Chair of Governors. For more information about how governors are appointed, read on ...


What we hope you will get out of being a governor:

  • the knowledge that you are helping schools and pupils.
  • the satisfaction of giving something back to the community
  • a sense of purpose and achievement
  • new skills which may be useful elsewhere
  • broader horizons
  • new friends and workmates
  • training and support in order to help you fulfil your duties and responsibilities

What we hope you will be able to offer:

  • time (research shows that most governors give about 20 hours per term to meetings, reading documents, visiting the school and attending training)
  • commitment
  • a willingness to learn
  • a listening ear
  • the ability to assimilate information, make judgements and take decisions
  • flexibility
  • tact
  • ability to work as part of a team

Responsibilities

Governors are appointed to provide:

  • strong links between the school and the community it serves
  • a wide experience of the outside world
  • an independent view
  • a visible form of accountability for the headteacher and staff of the school
  • a team focusing on long term development and improvement
  • accountability to the community for the use of resources and the standards of teaching and learning in the school
  • support for the headteacher and staff.

 School Governors are expected to:

  • attend the regular and special meetings of the Governing Body - there must be at least one meeting each term
  • work as a member of the Governing Body (not as an individual) in the best interests of the school
  • show an interest in school activities
  • become well-informed about education in general and about their school in particular
  • become familiar with the rules of school governance
  • attend necessary training courses.

In addition, individual governors will usually be involved in some of the following activities often through groups or committees which report back to the main body:

  • staff appointments
  • the financial management of the school
  • pupil discipline
  • the curriculum
  • the training of governors
  • liaising with parents and other stakeholders on behalf of the governing body
  • community links

 

Governing Bodies are the strategic planners of schools

In order to do this, a Governing Body:

  • employs others to carry out the work
  • has an operational manager (the headteacher) who is responsible for the day to day management of the school
  • agrees policies and practice which allows the headteacher the necessary tools to carry out his/her responsibilities
  • agrees principles and targets for improvement
  • acts as the critical friend of the school and headteacher
  • receives and discusses reports on the resulting practice and conduct of the school
  • reviews its own working practices
  • should ensure that the school profile is updated annually to keep parents informed of the school's progress

Decisions of the governing body are made in formal meetings, either with the full governing body, or in committees if their terms of reference allow.

All Governing Bodies have committees which:

  • carry out tasks specifically given to them by the Governing Body
  • aid the work of the Governing Body
  • report back to the Governing Body

The number of committees depends on the Governing Body and its needs.

All governors, once appointed, share the responsibilities and work as a team:

  • Individuals are part of the corporate Governing Body
  • Duties are carried out as part of the team
  • Governors are not legally liable as individuals.

Principles of Working as a Governor and as a Governing Body

Governors, once appointed, are holders of public office, and should be prepared to work to the same principles as any paid public official. This is true both as an individual and as a whole governing body.

Selflessness - Holders of public office should take decisions solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family or their friends.

Integrity - Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligations to outside individuals or organisations that might influence them in the performance of their official duties.

Objectivity - In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.

Accountability - Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.

Openness - Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take, They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands this.

Honesty - Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interest relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.

Leadership - Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

(The Seven Principles of Public Life from the Second Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life - The Nolan Committee CM3270 - 1 May 1996 )

 

Supporting Our Governors

All schools receive support from the Local Authority. They are regular visitors to the school and may also attend Governing Body meetings when specific information is required. The headteacher's termly report and the annual tests, assessments and examinations, assist the governing body in knowing how the school is performing against specific targets and helps the governing body to set further targets for improvement. 


Advice and support for schools and governing bodies is also available to cover financial, personnel, pupils' welfare and specific needs. Training is centred on the strategic role of governors and is free to governors themselves (schools have a budget to purchase the necessary governor training).

 

 

Making an application for governorship

Vacancies for elected governors are dealt with by the school when a vacancy occurs. (Elected governors are parent governors and staff governors).  Foundation Governor vacancies have to be approved by the Peterborough Diocese, although individuals can apply to the school in the first instance.

For community and LA governorships, the county council welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Following receipt of an application form prospective governors are invited to discuss their applications. This may be with the Local Governor Services Co-ordinators, existing governors and headteachers and/or elected members of the county council. The names of suitable people are held in a 'pool' by Governor Services until suitable vacancies occur. 

When suitable vacancies (community and local education authority governorships) arise in schools across the county people from the pool are contacted and asked if they wish to be considered. This does not stop individuals contacting their local schools if they are eligible to stand for election in any other category. 

What you should do next

Contact the school or the Chair of Governors to see if there are any vacancies at this school and to see how you can apply.

And Finally..........

  • No one governor is expected to know it all.
  • The strength of the Governing Body lies in its ability to attract and rely upon members from a wide variety of backgrounds, share out the duties amongst its members, and be able to take decisions as a group.
  • No one governor is responsible for the Governing Body, not even the chairperson.
  • All governors share the responsibility of making the Governing Body effective and efficient by setting the remit of the body and its committees, being well-informed and attending the meetings.

"The role of the school governor is to

  • support the school, but not uncritically
  • explain its policies to parents and the community, but not blindly
  • watch its standards, but with care, humility and an open mind
  • help settle its disputes fairly and conscientiously
  • oversee its policies and its use of the resources, but not in tiresome detail.

But you should do these things as a governing body, not as an individual governor, and in all such matters you should act with knowledge and understanding of the school."