Governors

Governors

A Letter from the Chair of Governors

Dear all

I believe the education of the young people in our village is important, and I shall do my upmost to make sure each has an education to be proud of. This will be something I will dedicate as much time as possible to. Being a parent governor since 2019, I have experienced the way Kirton Primary School is excellently steered by Mrs Donley and the vast amount of passion and pride all school personnel demonstrate whilst educating our children.

We are justifiably very proud of our students and would like to thank the parents who encourage and support their children so admirably. In a good school, such as ours, parents take a great interest in their child’s learning and development. During the early years of primary education, academic, personal, social and creative skills are nurtured and developed.

The Governing Body is involved with our school at every level. This includes finance, safeguarding, premises management and staff appointments. As Governors, we consider our most important role to be the safety, welfare and education of our pupils. Before I became a parent governor, the role of the governing body was a mystery to me. I’m sure it may well be to you too, so I wanted to highlight just few of the activities we are engaged in on a regular as well as ad-hoc basis.

Governors are appointed to ensure that objectives are met, and that future planning is both visionary and realistic. We provide strategic direction for the improvement of the school; monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the school; and hold the school to account for the standards achieved and the quality of education. We are here to support and encourage our Headteacher, Senior Leadership Team and all staff to ensure that every one of our children has access to an enriched education and to all the opportunities that they deserve.

I hope that gives you a flavour of the breadth and depth of the governing body’s involvement behind the scenes. Fundamentally, the role of the governing body is a strategic one linked to helping the school to deliver on its vision and promise to grow our children into happy and respectful, lifelong learners.

My overriding sentiment is one of pride in the whole school community and particularly the staff and children in how well they are learning and developing. I am proud to be part of the Governing Body, and proud of the staff we have who continue to put the education of your children first.

I look forward to serving your children, supporting you as parent and our staff in any way I possibly can.

Yours faithfully

Adam Brackenbury

Chair, Kirton Primary School

Publication of Governor Details and Register of Interests

This section details how Kirton Primary School is governed. It shows who our Governors are and what their role is, as well as the meetings they have attended during the last academic year.

There are five Governors, who work with the Executive Headteacher, on a voluntary basis, to govern Kirton Primary School.

  • Mrs Nicky Donley - Executive Headteacher – ex officio
  • Mr Adam Brackenbury (Chairman) - Parent Governor
  • Mr Dave Simmonds (Vice-Chairman) - LA Governor
  • Mr Marc Neall - Staff Governor
  • Mrs Amy Tyte - Parent Governor
  • Mrs Ashley Cooper - Co-opted Governor
  • Rev Val Ogden - Co-opted Governor
  • Ms Jacqueline Wood - Co-opted Governor

In addition, there are Associate Members, appointed by the Governing body to serve on Committees because of specific expertise and experience they can contribute to the effective governance of the school.

  • Mrs Sharon Clarke - Associate Member
  • Mrs Jackie Harker - Associate Member

Governance Arrangements

The Governing Body has established the following two Committees:

    - Resources Committee – to consider finance, personnel, premises and health and safety issues

    - Standards Committee – to consider curriculum and performance standards.

Other committees, such as Disciplinary Committee, are established by the Chairman as required.

The terms of reference for each committee are shown below.

The Governing Body of Kirton Primary School

The Governing Body needs to take a strategic role, act as a critical friend to the School and be accountable for its decisions. It should set aims and objectives and agree, monitor and review policies, targets and priorities. It does not have a management role, and will not get involved with the day to day running of the School.

Terms of reference:

- To agree constitutional matters

- To appoint new governors where appropriate

- To hold at least three Governing Body meetings a year

- To appoint or remove the Chairman and Vice Chairman

- To establish the committees of the Governing Body and their terms of reference

- To suspend a governor

- To decide which functions of the Governing Body will be delegated to committees, groups and individuals

- To receive reports from any individual or committee to whom a decision has been delegated and to consider whether any further action by the Governing Body is necessary

- To approve the first formal budget plan of the financial year

- To review the delegation arrangements annually

The Resources Committee of Kirton Primary School

Members: Mrs N Donley, Mr M Neal, Mr D Simmonds, Mrs A Cooper, Mrs A Tyte and Mrs J Harker 

Terms of reference:

- To consult with the Headteacher to draft the first formal budget plans of the financial year

- To establish and maintain an up to date 5 year financial plan

- To consider a budget position statements including virement decisions at least three times a year, and to report significant anomalies from the anticipated position to the Governing Body

- To ensure that the schools operate within the Financial Regulations of the County Council

- To monitor expenditure of all voluntary funds kept on behalf of the Governing Body

- To annually review charges and remissions policies and expenses policies

- To make decisions in respect of service agreements

- To make decisions on expenditure following recommendations from other committees

- To achieve the aims of the schools' pay policy in a fair and equal manner;

- To apply the criteria set by the schools' pay policy in determining the pay of each member of staff at the annual review

- To observe all statutory and contractual obligations

- To minute clearly the reasons for all decisions and report the fact of these decisions to the next meeting of the full Governing Body

- To recommend to the Governing Body the annual budget needed for pay, bearing in mind the need to ensure the availability of monies to support any exercise of pay discretion

- To keep abreast of relevant developments and to advise the Governing Body when the schools' pay policy needs to be revised

- To work with the Headteacher in ensuring that the Governing Body complies with the latest Appraisal Regulations

- To advise the Governing Body on priorities, including Health and Safety, for the maintenance and development of the schools’ premises

- To oversee arrangements for repairs and maintenance

- To make recommendations on premises-related expenditure

- In consultation with the Headteacher to oversee premises-related funding bids

- To oversee arrangements, including Health and Safety, for the use of schools' premises by outside users, subject to Governing Body policy

- To establish and keep under review Accessibility plans

- To keep the Health and Safety Policies up to date

Any Associate Governors (as appointed by the Full Governing Body) to be allowed voting rights; and to make up numbers in relation to quorum (providing the number of Governors outweigh the number of Associate Governors)

The Standards Committee of Kirton Primary School

Members: Mrs N Donley, Mr M Neall, Mr A Brackenbury, Ms J Wood and Mrs S Clarke.

Terms of reference:

- To consider and advise the governing body on standards and other matters relating to the schools’ curricula, including statutory requirements and the Schools’ Curriculum Policies

- To consider curricular issues which have implications for Finance and Personnel decisions and to make recommendations to the relevant committees or the Governing Body

- To oversee arrangements for individual governors to take a leading role in specific areas of provision where necessary, eg SEN. To receive regular reports from them and advise the Governing Body.

- To oversee arrangements for educational visits, including the appointment of a named co-ordinator

Any Associate Governors (as appointed by the Full Governing Body) to be allowed voting rights; and to make up numbers in relation to quorum (providing the number of Governors outweigh the number of Associate Governors).

 

Kirton Primary School - Details of Governors and Register of Interests

Name

Date of Appointment

Appointed by

Term of Office

Relevant Business & Finacial Interests

Mrs N Donley

01.01.2024

Ex officio

While in post

None advised

Mr A Brackenbury

01.01.2024

Elected by Parents

4 years

None advised

Mrs A Tyte

01.01.2024

Elected by Parents

4 years

None advised

Mr M Neall

01.01.2024

Elected by Staff

4 years

None advised 

Mrs S.Clarke

01.01.2024

Full Governing Body

4 years

None advised 

Mrs A Cooper

01.01.2024

Full Governing Body

4 years

None advised 

Mrs J Harker

01.01.2024

Full Governing Body

4 years

None advised 

Rev Dr Val Ogden

01.01.2024

Full Governing Body

4 years

None advised 

Mr D Simmonds

01.01.2024

Full Governing Body

4 years

None advised 

Ms J Wood

01.01.2024

Full Governing Body

4 years

None advised 

Kirton Primary School - Governor Attendance 2022/23

For attendance please click here