Who are school Governors?

The governors are drawn from different parts of the school community which ensures a sufficient diversity of views and experience is represented:

• Parent governors are selected by election (or appointment if insufficient people stand for election) and drawn from parents and carers of girls at the school.
• Staff governors – selected by election from teaching and support staff paid to work at the school
• Community governors – appointed by the governing body to represent community interests
• Local Authority governors – appointed by the LA and may be Local Councillors
• Associate members – appointed by the governing body with particular skills or experience

What do your school Governors do?

Governors have a range of duties and powers and a general responsibility for the conduct of the school with a view to promoting high standards of educational achievement. This includes setting targets for girls achievement, managing the school’s finances, making sure the curriculum is balanced and broadly based, the learning environment is safe, appointing staff and reviewing staff performance and pay and many more.

There are three sub-committees of the governing body which facilitate its work and they are:

The Curriculum Committee

The Curriculum Committee comprises the Head, Chair of Governors and a selection of members of the governing body including parent governors and teaching staff. This ensures that a wide range of experience and viewpoints are taken into consideration when we meet to discuss the following aspects that impact on teaching and learning and the opportunities that are available to students at Connaught. We discuss:

• The range of subjects on offer at Connaught and how provision can be developed, (GCSE, BTEC and NVQ qualifications)
• The educational facilities on site including ICT
• Monitoring of teaching and learning, tracking and reporting
• Achievement across the curriculum at Key Stages 3 & 4
• Regular updates on recent developments and government initiatives within ‘Education’ (the new criteria for OFSTED and SSF)
• Report at least once a year to the governing body on the discharge of the above duties

The Finance & Premises Committee

The Finance & Premises Committee comprises at least 3 governors and the Headteacher.  The committee provides guidance to the governing body and Headteacher on all matters relating to finance as outlined in the School’s Financial Regulations & Standing Orders.  These will include:

• Receiving regular financial reports from the Headteacher
• Preparing financial reports for presentation to the full governing body and external organisations
• Drawing up the annual budget and submitting it for full governing body approval
• Managing and monitoring the annual budget in accordance with the school’s financial regulations
• Working with other committees to implement the financial aspects of the school’s plans and policies
• Ensuring that good practice, as laid down in the School’s Financial Regulations & Standing Orders, is followed in the management and administration of the school’s finances.
• Adhering to all financial measures required by the DFE Funding Agreement with the school and ensuring that audited accounts are agreed by the full governing body and submitted to the DFE, Companies House and the Charities Commission
• To provide support and guidance for the Headteacher on all matters relating to the school premises and grounds, security and health and safety
• To inspect the premises and grounds and prepare a statement of priorities for maintenance and development for the approval of the governing body
• To approve the costs and arrangements for maintenance, repairs and redecoration within the budget allocation
• To oversee the preparation and implementation of contracts
• To ensure that the school complies with health and safety regulations
• To prepare a lettings and charges policy for the approval of the governing body
• Report at least once a year to the governing body on the discharge of the above duties

The Personnel Committee

What does the Personnel Committee do? Its terms of reference are:

• To draft and keep under review the staffing structure in consultation with the Headteacher and the Finance Committee
• To oversee the appointment procedure for all staff
• To establish and review a Performance Management policy for all staff
• To keep under review staff work/life balance, working conditions and well-being, including the monitoring of absence
• To make recommendations on personnel-related expenditure to the Finance Committee
• To consider any appeal against a decision on pay grading or pay awards
• To be responsible for producing, approving and monitoring the application of policies on personnel-related matters
• In addition to committee responsibilities governors link with staff in the school who are concerned with specific aspects of school life
• Report at least once a year to the governing body on the discharge of the above duties

Contacting the Governing Body

If you wish to contact the Governing Body of Connaught School for Girls with a query, complaint or request for information (eg minutes of GB meetings) then please use our Contact the Chair of Governors Form.

For further information, such as our governor meetings attendance or pecuniary interests, please see the documents below:

Meetings

Declarations

Members

Articles of Association

Code of Conduct

Funding Agreement