Governors

School governors are people who want to make a positive contribution to children’s education.

Governors are one of the largest volunteer forces in the country and have an important part to play in raising school standards.

The role of the governing board is absolutely key to the effectiveness of a school. 

What do governors do?

School governors provide strategic leadership and accountability in schools. Governors appoint the head teacher and deputy headteacher. It is governors who hold the main responsibility for finance in schools, and it is governors who work with the headteacher to make the tough decisions about balancing resources. 

Each individual governor is a member of a governing board, which is established in law as a corporate body. Individual governors may not act independently of the rest of the governing board; decisions are the joint responsibility of the governing board.  

The role of the governing board is a strategic one, its key functions are to:

• set the aims and objectives for the school
• set the policies for achieving those aims and objectives
• set the targets for achieving those aims and objectives
• monitor and evaluate the progress the school is making towards achievement of its aims and objectives
• be a source of challenge and support to the headteacher (a critical friend)

The Full Governing Body meets at least six times a year but Governors also attend subsidiary committee meetings focussed on Learning and Resources.

The Learning Committee hold the school to account for the educational standards achieved and the quality of education provided. It sets targets for pupils' education and measures the school against those targets.

The Resources Committee is responsible for financial matters . It engages in the setting of the annual school budget and reviews it on a regular basis. Staff appointments, appraisal and pay, and the maintenance of all aspects of the school premises also fall within the remit of this group.

Meet The Governors of Chawton Primary School

Mrs S Addison (Chair)

Local Authority Governor (Appointed by GB 2019)

Term of office: 4 years

Committee membership:  FGB (Chair), Resources

Responsibilities:  Safeguarding

Howard Bayliss (Vice-Chair)

Foundation Governor (Appointed by diocese 2018)

Term of office:  4 years

Committee membership:  FGB (Vice-Chair), Resources (Chair), HT Pay review

Sarah Goldsworthy (Headteacher)

Headteacher Governor

Term of office:  01/09/2019

Kirsty Blandford 

Staff Governor

Term of office:  4 years (21/01/2023)

Committee membership:  Standards

Briony Cavell

Clerk to Governors

Emma Gosden

Parent Governor (Appointed by parents)

Term of office:  4 years (30/04/2022)

Committee membership:  Resources

Denise Janaway

Co-opted Governor (Appointed by GB 2019)

Term of office:  4 years

Committee membership:  Standards (Chair), HT pay review (Chair)

Jane Owen

Foundation Governor (Appointed by Diocese)

Term of office:  4 years (27/01/2022)

Committee membership:  Standards, HY pay review

Responsibilities:  DTG

Tony Pears

Foundation Governor (Appointed by Diocese)

Committee membership:  Resources, Pay

Responsibilities:  H&S

Jenny Perring

Parent Governor (Appointed by parents)

Term of office:  4 years (20/09/2021)

Committee membership:  Resources (Vice-Chair), Pay