WHAT ARE THEIR Roles and responsibilities?

The Governing Board has a strategic responsibility for the school, acting within the framework set by national legislation and the policies of Wakefield Council and the school.

Governors work as a team. They are responsible for making sure the school provides a good quality education for all pupils. Raising educational standards in school is a key priority. This has the best chance of happening when there are high expectations of what pupils can achieve.
Governors promote effective ways of teaching and learning when setting the school aims and policies. They do this together with the head teacher, who is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school.
Head teachers are recruited and selected by governors - and most head teachers choose to be governors themselves.

Governing boards are accountable to parents, the local community and the Local Authority. Appointments are usually for four years. The governing board's main role is to help raise pupils' standards of achievement.

The Governing Board:

is accountable for the performance of the school to parents and the wider community
plans the school's future direction
selects the head teacher
makes decisions on the school's budget and staffing including the performance management policy
makes sure the agreed Curriculum is well taught
decides how the school can encourage pupils' spiritual, moral and cultural development
makes sure the school provides for all pupils including those with special needs.

WHAT DO THEY DO?

Governors are at the heart of how a school operates. It's important they get things right. How they do their job effects the interests of pupils, staff and the reputation of the school in the community. Governors support and challenge head teachers by gathering views, asking questions and discussing what's best for the school. They are not there to rubber stamp decisions. They have to be prepared to give and take advice and must be loyal to decisions taken by the governing board as a whole.

Governors:

Ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
Hold the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils
Oversee the financial performance of the school making sure its money is well spent

They do this by reporting on the objectives through meeting as; a Resource and Finance Committee, Standards and Pupils Committee and a Headteacher's Performance Review Panel. The Full Governing Board meet together 4 times per year.

Over the year governors will undertake a number of activities in order to monitor progress, these include:

Visiting the school to see the work that is being undertaken to achieve the objectives outlined in the School Development Plan
Conducting surveys of pupils, parents and staff
Inviting members of the SLT to meetings to report on and discuss key areas

The governors and school are supported by external advisors who provide an outside view of the performance and report on the school's strengths and areas for improvement. Actions plans are part of development for everyone. Governors undertake a wide range of training to help them carry out their roles effectively.