'Governors ensure that leaders use extra funding to meet the needs of disadvantaged pupils effectively.'

'Governors are knowledgeable about the impact of this extra funding because they visit school frequently to check the effectiveness of leaders’ actions.' Ofsted 2018

"Governors work closely with other leaders. They provide good levels of support and challenge for the school." -

Ofsted December 2014

Central government, quite rightly, has high expectations of all governing bodies and expects them to work to a competency framework.  Governors are the strategic leaders of schools and have a vital role to play in making sure every child gets the best possible education and funds are wisely spent. This is underpinned by law.

There are three core 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 performance management of staff; and overseeing the financial performance of the school, making sure its money is well spent.

To ensure governors carry out these functions successfully, there is a framework of 16 competencies under six headings: strategic leadership, accountability, people, structures, compliance and evaluation.

From time to time all members of the governing body (GB) are expected to take part in a skills audit and there may be external reviews of governance commissioned. This allows us to constitute the GB in line with the School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations and in line with the needs of this school.  Governors have access at any time to professional training to ensure their skills are kept up to date and they are expected to take advantage of training courses open to them. 

Should you wish to contact the governors, you may write to them c/o the school or use the email address: governors@ashford-park.surrey.sch.uk

The full governing body comprises 12 governors:  two elected parent governors, an elected staff governor, a local authority governor, the headteacher and seven co-opted governors appointed by the governing body.  Where vacancies arise from time to time, new governors are identified and appointed (in the case of co-opted and local authority Governors) or elected (in the case of parent and staff governors).  Nominations are actively sought to find candidates and an elections are held in line with protocols.

The governing body has two committees, children & learning (now named curriculum and learning) and resources, and governors regularly liaise with staff outside for all meetings.  They may come into school in the day to spend time in classrooms to meet with and hear from staff and children. Meetings are followed through with written or verbal reports to a governing body meeting. Governors spend time in school on various tasks and projects, liaising with staff, fact-finding, and feeding back to the other Governors through the minutes. 

Resources committee deals with finance, spending, budget, property, and health and safety matters.  It meets three times a year with the school business manager, with regular financial monitoring reports. 

Governors with the appropriate training sit on appeals and discipline panels as and when necessary.  There is a pay and staffing committee and a headteacher appraisal panel, with trained Governors.  Governors also like to visit in school more informally whenever they can to attend events and get to know parents, staff and pupils.

Details for our Governors are as follows (in alphabetical order), with attendance figures for the academic year September 2022 - July 2023, and any declared interests.  There are normally four FGB meetings in an academic year and three for each of the two committees. Where governors are not able to attend, they must send apologies, which are minuted, and give reasons for their absence for approval at the meeting. 

There were five full governing body meetings in the academic year September 2022 - July 2023, with an additional extraordinary meeting relating to the appointment of a new headteacher.

Margaret Bird, co-opted governor and chair of governors, term of office November 2021 - November 2025.  Governor leading on inclusion and special education needs.  Attended five FGB meetings.  No interests declared.

Lisa Devine, co-opted governor, 26 Apr 2023 to 25 Apr 2027, attended five FGB meetings;  Governor responsible for inclusion, diversity and special education needs;  Lisa also works with the School Council.  No interests declared.

Liz Down, co-opted governor and vice-chair of the governing body; term of office 5 Oct 2022 to 4 Oct 2026; attended three FGB meetings;  declared an interest as chair of Sing Spelthorne Community Choir; Governor responsible for liaison with the LA in the event of a child protection allegation against the Headteacher.

Paul Goulden, co-opted governor, term of office 5 Oct 2022 to 4 Oct 2026; attended five FGB meetings.  Chair of resources committee;  Governor responsible for safeguarding and looked after children;  declared an interest as a governor at the Marjory Kinnon School, Bedfont, Middx.

Johnny Kyriacou, co-opted Governor, term of office 22 Jul 2021 to 21 Jul 2025; attended three meetings.  Chair of the children and learning committee;  declared an interest relating to his professional role in education for another local authority;  attended three FGB meetings.

Mr Kieran Nagi, parent governor, term of office 28 Apr 2023 to 27 Apr 2027; attended one FGB meeting (new governor); deputy safeguarding governor;  attends both committees; member of the pay committee. No interests declared.

Amit Rattan, Elected Parent Governor, term of office November 2019 to November 2023. Lead on computing and -safety; no declared conflict of interests. Attended five meetings

Laura Serrano, co-opted governor, term of office 26 Apr 2023 to 25 April 27;  attends resources committee;  attended two FGB meetings (new governor). No interests declared.

Mrs Zanariah Webster, parent governor, term of office 28 Apr 2023 to 27 Apr 2027; attends both committees;  attended two FGB meetings (new governor).  No interests declared.

Mel Wootton assistant headteacher, co-opted governor, attended five FGB meetings; term of office 14 Dec 2022 to 13 Dec 2026;  no interests declared.

There is a vacancy for an elected staff governor, with elections scheduled autumn 2023.

In attendance at Full Governing Body and Children and Learning Committee meetings whenever required:  Lucy Allen, Deputy Headteacher;   Other members of staff are invited from time to time to present information to Governors for discussion.

In attendance at resources committee:  Mrs Amanda Woods, School Business Manager, to present the budget and keep Governors informed about all financial matters throughout the school year.

In attendance at most formal meetings: deputy headteacher, Lucy Allen;  clerk to the Governing Body, Ms Jill Sanders, who draws up agendas and takes minutes;  declared an interest as a clerk to other school governing bodies (Surrey and Hounslow).

Governors who were on the Governing Body until recently:

Sayed Qadri, Co-opted Governor, term of office October 2019, stepped down at the end of January 2022 due to pressures of work.  He had attended six FGB meetings during the year.

Nicola A'Bear, Staff Governor, elected on 11 November 2020, stood down in February 2022 on leaving the school.  She had attended all FGB meetings.

Dan Beedell, parent governor, stepped down in December 2022 for reasons of work;  attended all FGB meetings

Lynsey Makepeace, staff governor, stepped down in December 2022 for reasons of work;  attended all FGB meetings

Joseph Casey, staff governor, stepped down in May 2023 as he left the school

 

Professional negligence statement:

Advice given by governors at this school is incidental to their professional expertise and is not being given in their professional capacity.

 

Confidentiality Statement:

Governors respect the confidential nature of discussions and do not disclose governor business or decisions. When minutes of governing body meetings, Part 1, are approved they are made available to any member of the public who requests sight of them.

 

Governing Body Code of Conduct - please see attachment.

Open Meeting Protocol - Governors agreed on the principle of open meetings for the Full Governing Body. Copies of FGB minutes may be requested.

Email for the Governing Body:  governors@ashford-park.surrey.sch.uk