GOVERNING BODY PARENT ELECTIONS

Wednesday 14^th June 2023

Dear Parents/Carers

The constitution of our Governing Body means it is made up of 8 different members:

2x staff, including me as Headteacher, 1 Staff member, 3 Parent members, 1 Local Authority member and 2 Co-opted community members (1 vacancy).   

Due to one of the current parent governors changing category there is a vacancy for a parent governor.  We always want the governing body to be fully representative of our diverse community, currently we have 1 male and 6 females, one representative from our French community and 6 from the British communities; it would be wonderful to have more males and representatives of our other nationalities.

Parents are invited to submit nominations using the enclosed nomination forms.  Each person must be proposed and seconded by another parent.  If you wish to stand as a candidate for this position, please complete and return the following by email or in person, in a sealed envelope to the school office (marked “Parent Governor Nomination Form”) to arrive no later than noon on Friday 5^th October 2018. No nomination will be accepted after that date/time.

This should include:

1. A completed Nomination Form (collect from the office)

2. A small photograph of yourself;

3. A short statement about yourself, not more than 100 words (including reasons why you wish to become a school governor and how you can contribute to the work of the governing body).

If we received one nomination the person will be appointed without a ballot.  If the number of nominations exceeds the number of vacancies, parents/carers will be informed that a secret ballot will be held.

The timetable for the election is set out below.

Wednesday 14^th June 2023                    Parent letter with nomination forms sent out.

Wednesday 28^th June 2023                    Last day/time for returning nominations

In the event of the number of nominations exceeding the number of vacancies:

Thursday 29^th June 2023                       Ballot paper sent to parents

Thursday 13^th July 2023                        Return and count of ballot papers.

Nominations must be submitted to Mrs Curtis by 12 noon Wednesday 28^th June 2023.  There isfurther information about the role and responsibilities and the support provided in the role below. If you require any further details please contact the office or book an appointment with me,

It is important that you understand the responsibilities of a governing body; each member is a part of it but does not act alone.   The governing body is the strategic leader of the school and has a vital role to play in making sure every child receives the best possible education, with three core strategic functions:

• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
• Holding the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff;
• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.

These functions are reflected in regulations that came into force in September 2013 and in the criteria Ofsted inspectors use to judge the effectiveness of governance in schools.

Some of the key activities of the governing body are to:

 · Understand the school – pupil attainment and progress; pupil behaviour, attendance and safety and teaching quality and staff development

· Set the school’s strategic direction – the vision, ethos and values; set priorities for school improvement and consider governance structure

· Commission action – agree improvement targets and strategies; agree allocation of resources and agree how to monitor and review progress

· Performance manage school leaders – appoint Headteacher and support their leadership; hold school leaders to account for progress and ensure financial probity and efficiency

· Ensure governing body is fit for purpose – clarify role and purpose; review constitution and ways of working and ensure members have the necessary skills

Any parent/carer considering standing should be a parent, or carer, of a registered pupil at the school at the time of election and will agree to DBS checks as required and you will have:

· an interest in all the children’s futures

· a desire to make a difference

· a willingness to accept responsibility

· an ability to work in a team, ask questions, listen and learn

As a parent governor you hold the unique position of having a parental viewpoint. Through the children you will have first hand experience of the curriculum and how the school is perceived. You will be able to bring this perspective to the strategic management of the school. As a parent governor you do not have to vote in a particular way because you have been pressed to do so by parents. Objectivity, however, is essential. You are not there to promote the interests of your own children but all children. Parent governors are elected by other parents and it is important to establish a rapport with the parental body that elected you, whilst continuing to maintain a strategic approach to school governance.

You are disqualified from being elected or appointed as a parent governor if you are an elected member of the local authority or are paid to work at the school for more than 500 hours in any twelve consecutive months.

As an effective parent governor you:

· help to decide the priorities for improving the school

· make yourself available to parents and listen to other parents’ opinions and take account of them as you contribute to governors’ decisions

· work in partnership with the Headteacher, senior leadership team and cooperatively with other governors to raise standards and improve outcomes for all children

· prepare for meetings by reading papers beforehand

· take responsibility for your own learning and development as a governor including attending training

· attend full governing body and relevant committee meetings promptly, regularly, and for the full time

· read briefings and newsletters for governors; present a balanced view of issues representing different sections of the community

· promote the interests of the school in the wider community

· be loyal to the decisions made by the governing body

· respect the confidentiality of governing body affairs

· never promise to ‘solve a problem’ on your own

· never press your own child’s case at the expense of others

· declare an interest and withdraw from any meeting where you, a partner or close relative or associate stands to gain, or where you are so close to a matter discussed it is difficult to be impartial

· have regard to the broader responsibilities as a governor of a public institution in regard to promoting accountability for the actions and performance of the governing body

All governors receive support and training from the Local Authority and in the school.

Nominations must be submitted to Mrs Curtis by 12 noon Wednesday 28^th June 2023. 

Yours sincerely

Mrs M Curtis