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 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:
The Full Governing Body meets at least six times a year but Governors also attend subsidiary committee meetings focussed on Resources.
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 Sarah Addison (Chair)
Appointed by: HCC
Date of Appointment: 2020
Term of office: 4 years
Type of Governor: Local Authority Governor
Roles and Responsibilities: Chair; Safeguarding
Committee membership: Resources
Howard Bayliss (Vice-Chair)
Appointed by: Diocese
Date of appointment: 2018
Term of office: 4 years
Type of Governor: Foundation Governor
Roles and Responsibilities: Resources Chair, FGB Vice Chair
Committee membership: Resources (Chair), Headteacher Performance review (Chair)
Sarah Goldsworthy (Headteacher)
Date of Appointment: 2019
Type of Governor: Headteacher
Committee membership: Resources Committee
Kimberley Hayes
Appointed by: Parents
Date of appointment: 2021
Term of office: 4 years
Type of Governor: Parent
Role and Responsibility: Pay Committee
Joanne Ryan
Appointed by: GB
Date of appointment: 2021
Term of office: 4 years
Type of Governor: Co-opted Governor
Committee membership: Resources, Pay Committee
Role and Responsibilities: SEN
Reverend Lesley Leon
Appointed by: Diocese
Date of appointment: 01/09/2021
Term of office ends: 31/08/2025
Type of Governor:
Committee membership: Headteacher Performance Review
Responsibilities:
Nicholas King
Appointed by: Parents
Date of appointment: 05/11/2021
Term of office ends: 05/11/2025
Type of Governor: Parent
Committee membership: Resources
Responsibilities:
Rachel Godwin
Appointed by: Parents
Date of appointment: /092022
Term of office ends: /9/2026
Type of Governor: Parent
Committee membership: Pay Committee
Responsibilities:
Victoria Peterkin
Appointed by: Parents
Date of appointment: 16 Sep 2023
Term of office ends: 15/09/2027
Type of Governor: Parent
Committee membership: Resources
Responsibilities:
John Richardson
Appointed by: Parents
Date of appointment: 15 Mar 2023
Term of office ends: 14/03/2027
Type of Governor: Parent
Committee membership: Resources and Pay
Responsibilities:
Briony Cavell
Clerk to Governors