Every school has a governing body made up of a team of volunteers which represent the various stakeholders in a school; the local community, the Local Authority, parents and school staff. The governing body supports the school and the Head Teacher and is responsible for setting the overall aims and objectives of the school as well as monitoring and evaluating school performance.
At South Park Primary School, we work with the school and the senior leadership team to improve pupils' standards of achievement. Through effective teaching and learning we aim to give every pupil a love of learning that will allow them to achieve to the best of their ability.
Our Governing Body meet formally on a termly basis to meet these responsibilities. We receive a report from the head teacher detailing everything from staffing to fire drills, and also receive reports and recommendations from our smaller sub committees and working parties that focus on specific areas within the school. Through monitoring and evaluation we ensure the effective running and progression of the school.
Our sub-committees are:
Curriculum and Standards
This committee, amongst other things, monitors and reviews attendance, oversees staff training, ensures that the national curriculum is taught and monitors our extended schools provision.
Building and Finance
This committee to reviews the school finance policy, prepares draft budgets and reviews audit reports. The committee covers Health and Safety, building contracts and oversees repair and maintenance reports from the Head teacher.
Staffing and Personnel
This committee consults on and reviews the staffing structure and monitors statutory policies, including school pay, performance management and staff leave.
We currently have two other working parties, formed to address specific issues.
The Knox Field working party was formed in 2009 to look at the regeneration, improvement and sharing of Knox Field with the new Isaac Newton Academy, to allow both schools to deliver the curriculum and work together through a common shared vision.
The Management Plan working party will meet in the spring term of 2012 to look at how the whole governing body works, with a view to improve the effectiveness of the governing body.
In addition to the committees every governor also focuses on an individual area within the school, for example, literacy, numeracy or community. In this capacity, governors visit the school, teachers and pupils and report back to the full Governing Body on successes, progress and issues. As Chair of Governors I regularly meet with the Headteacher to discuss ongoing issues and provide chairs actions for anything that requires an immediate response before the next formal governing body meeting.
For further information on governors, their roles and responsibilities please see the Redbridge-i website at: