Governance

What do we do?
 

A governing body works with the headteacher and the staff at the school to make sure the school provides a good quality education for all its pupils.

Governors do not need specialist skills, just an ability to listen, think through new ideas and decide what is best for the school strategically as part of a team. Governors are not expected to make day to day decisions about how the school is run, this is the job of the headteacher.

The key roles of a governing body are to:
 

• Provide strategic leadership for the school, setting the vision, ethos and strategy

• Holding the executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupil and the effective and efficient performance management of staff.

• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure that its money is well spent

The aim of the governing body is to help Coton C of E (VC) Primary School to provide the best possible education for its pupils and working environment for its staff. The governing body of Coton C of E (VC) Primary School is composed of:

• The Headteacher,

• 3 Parent Governors (elected by the parents) on a 3 years term,

• 2 Foundation Governors (appointed by Ely Diocese) on a 4 years term,

• 1 Local Education Authority Governor (appointed by the LEA) on a 4 years term,

• 1 Staff Governor (elected by the school staff) on a 3 years term, and,

• 5 Co-opted Governors appointed due to their specialised skills and expertise on a 3 years term. 

The organisation of your Governing Body

The Governing Board was restructured in September 2021 from a traditional committee based approach to one where Governors oversee clearly defined areas of responsibility in the following areas:

• Quality of Education

• Behaviours and Attitudes

• Personal Development

• Leadership and Management

• Stakeholder Engagement

• Finance

• Link Governor

The Full Governing Board (FGB) meets twice a term to discuss all areas of governance and is comprised of all members of the Governing Board.

Additional panels are established when needed. These panels include :

• Headteacher’s Performance Management – meet at least twice a year

• Staff Appeals (meets when needed)

• Pupil Disciplinary (meets when needed)

• Staff Disciplinary (meets when needed)

• Pay Review – meets at least once a year

Working Parties

When a specific (usually time limited, or time critical) project is identified a working party can be formed.  These will consist of governors and representatives of other relevant stakeholders.  

Governor Activities

Governors also organise specific monitoring activities linked to the School Improvement Plan and will visit the school throughout each term to look at progress in these areas. These visits include a variety of activities, according to the area being monitored. They could include; talking to pupils or staff, looking at pupils work and displays or meeting with subject leaders.

Every Governor is part of the Full Governing Body, and is actively involved in monitoring activities every term and may be part of any working parties or panels as needed. The Governing Body work hard to ensure that through their meetings and visits to school they know the school very well.

Formal records of all Governing Body meetings and committee meetings are taken and filed electronically by the Clerk. Once agreed, minutes are then available to view upon request, to the Clerk. Should you wish to read any of the Governors' minutes please make a request via clerk@coton.cambs.sch.uk.

Cambridgeshire County Council provides training for new governors as well as specific refresher courses and in house training at Governing Body meetings.

Further information on becoming a School Governor can be found on the department for education website.

Please direct any additional questions related to School Governance to our Clerk to Governors, Helen Andrews at clerk@coton.cambs.sch.uk