Our Governing Body

Governors work closely with headteachers, school staff and representatives from the local authority (LA).

Federation Governor Committee Structure

Name	Representing	Term of Office	Committees	Monitoring Link Governor
Mrs Judith Tarn	Co-opted	01/01/2021- 31/12/2024	Curriculum, School Performance & Welfare
Cllr. Edward Henderson	Co-opted	01/01/2021- 31/12/2024	Finance, Staffing & Resources First/Pay Review Pupil Discipline
Mrs Natalie Dalton (Chair)	Co-opted	01/01/2021- 31/12/2024	Appeals HT Performance Management	SEND LAC
Mr Sean Hayes	Co-opted	01/01/2021- 31/12/2024	Finance, Staffing & Resources First/Pay Review Pupil Discipline	Safeguarding Pupil Premium Sports Premium Catch Up Premium
Mrs Ludmila Weaver	Co-opted	01/01/2021- 31/12/2024	Curriculum, School Performance & Welfare Appeals
Mrs Andrea Hogarth	Co-opted	01/01/2021- 31/12/2024	Appeals
Miss Laura Woods	Co-opted	01/01/2021- 31/12/2024	Curriculum, School Performance & Welfare
Mrs Kathleen Greaves	Co-opted	01/01/2021- 31/12/2024	Curriculum, School Performance & Welfare Appeals HT Performance Management
Ms Rachael Greaves (Vice Chair)	Co-opted	01/01/2021- 31/12/2024	Finance, Staffing & Resources First/Pay Review
Mrs Carey Turnbull	Co-opted	01/01/2021- 31/12/2024	Curriculum, School Performance & Welfare
Mrs Ruth Nattrass	Parent	01/01/2021- 31/12/2024	Finance, Staffing & Resources First/Pay Review HT Performance Management	Health & Safety
Mrs Kealey Dalton	Parent	01/01/2021- 31/12/2024	Curriculum, School Performance & Welfare Appeals Pupil Discipline
Mrs Sarah Hodgkinson (Executive Headteacher)	Staff	01/01/2021- ongoing	Curriculum, School Performance & Welfare Finance, Staffing & Resources
Vacancy	Staff	-

How To Become A School Governor

If you require further information on the roles and responsibilities of School Governors or you are interested in becoming one, visit the Durham County Council website School Governor section.

Statutory Guidance for Governing Bodies

St John’s Chapel Primary School adhere to the statutory guidance from the Department of Education. This means that governing bodies must have regard to it when carrying out duties relating to the constitution of governing bodies in maintained schools. For further information please view or download the documents below.

The Constitution of Governing Bodies of Maintained Schools (2017)

Federation Governor Attendance

Schools are required to display a record of Governor attendance at meetings for each school academic year.

KEY
Yes – Attended meeting
A/A – Apologies sent and accepted by meeting
N – Did not attend
X – Not a member of the committee

Record of Attendance 2020-2021

Name	Special Meeting 05/01/2021
Mrs Judith Tarn	✓
Cllr. Edward Henderson	✓
Mrs Natalie Dalton (Chair)	✓
Mr Sean Hayes	✓
Mrs Ludmila Weaver	✓
Mrs Andrea Hogarth	✓
Miss Laura Woods	✓
Mrs Kathleen Greaves	✓
Ms Rachael Greaves (Vice Chair)	✓
Mrs Carey Turnbull	✓
Mrs Ruth Nattrass	✓
Mrs Kealey Dalton	✓
Mrs Sarah Hodgkinson (Executive Headteacher)	✓

Committee Terms of Reference

Curriculum, School Performance & Welfare

Terms of Reference:

Curriculum Planning and Delivery:

To review, monitor and evaluate the curriculum offer.
Contribute to the development and monitoring of the:
Self Evaluation form
Federation Improvement Plan
Targets for school improvement
To develop and review policies identified within the Federation policy’s review programme and in accordance with its delegated powers.
To ensure that the requirements of children with special needs are met, as laid out in the Code of Practice, and receive termly reports from the SENCO and an annual report from the SEN Governor.

Assessment and Improvement:

To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of leadership and management.
To monitor and evaluate the impact and quality of teaching on rates of pupil progress and standards of achievement.
To monitor and evaluate the rates of progress and standard of achievement of pupils, including any underachieving groups.
To monitor and evaluate the impact of continuing professional development on improving staff performance.
To set priorities for improvement and monitor and evaluate the impact of improvement plans which relate to the committee’s area of operation.
To monitor and evaluate provision for all vulnerable groups (e.g. Looked After Children) and ensure all their needs have been identified and addressed, and to evaluate their progress and achievement.
To regularly review and develop the Assessment Policy and to ensure that the policy is operating effectively.
To consider recommendations from external reviews of the schools (e.g. OFSTED or Local Authority Advisors), agree actions as a result of reviews and evaluate regularly the implementation of the plan.
To ensure all children have equal opportunities.

Welfare:

To ensure the schools are fulfilling responsibilities regarding child protection and the requirements of “Keep Children Safe in Education”.
To ensure the schools are meeting the requirements of SEND and relevant disability legislation.
To ensure the schools work effectively with other agencies to support vulnerable children and their families.
Reports on oversight of health and well-being, British Values and PREVENT strategy.

Engagement:

To monitor the Federation’s publicity, public presentation and relationships with the wider community.
To identify and celebrate pupil achievements.
To oversee arrangements for education visits, including the appointment of a named co-ordinator.
To ensure all statutory requirements for reporting and publishing information are met and the schools’ website content is fully compliant and presented in an accessible way.

MEETINGS: at least termly
QUORUM: 3
DISQUALIFICATIONS: None

Finance, Staffing & Resources

Terms of Reference:

Finance

In conjunction with the Executive Headteacher to draft and propose the first formal budget plans of the financial year for approval by the full Governing Body.
Establish and maintain an up-to-date three year financial plans, taking into account priorities in the Federation Improvement Plan, roll projection and signals from central government and the LA regarding future years’ budget.
Ensure that priorities detailed within the Federation Improvement Plan are appropriately costed and are reflected in the annual budgets.
Monitor the budget position statements to identify and address any anomalies from the anticipated position and report termly to the full Governing Body.
Review and monitor outstanding debts and action taken.
Review the year end outturn reports.
Monitor and approve virements and expenditure over the Executive Headteacher’s delegated limit.
Appraise and approve spending decisions where competitive quotations or tenders are required.
Ensure the schools operate within the financial regulations of the Local Authority and the requirements of the DfE Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS).
Approve annually the Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS) submission prior to the 31 March deadline and monitor the implementation of any identified actions.
Monitor expenditure of all voluntary funds held on behalf of the Governing Body by review of an audited annual statement of income and expenditure.
Annually review the outcomes of the asset register stock check and approve the disposal of obsolete items.
Ensure appropriate use of the Early Years Premium, Pupil Premium and Sports Premium.
Review and monitor all financial policies including lettings, charging and remissions and expenses policies.
Consider and promote income generation.
Monitor and review Wrap Around Care provision including review of annual income and expenditure statements where applicable.
Ensure all appropriate insurances are in place.
Annually review and approve the Federation’s Financial Procedures Manual.
Monitor service level agreements annually and make decisions in respect of service level agreements ensuring value for money.
Ensure as far as is practical that health and safety issues are appropriately funded in accordance with agreed priorities.
Annually review financial benchmarking data.
Monitor the implementation of actions arising from the Internal Audit reports or of a financial nature from other inspection regime reports

Premises:

Establish, review and monitor the Health and Safety Policy ensuring that the schools meet health and safety requirements.
Ensure actions are taken in respect of relevant health and safety legislation.
Ensure that premises and the learning environment are maintained and are fit for purpose.
Oversee the use of premises by outside users.
Establish and keep under review Accessibility Plans and Asset Management/Building Development Plans.
Monitor data on accidents and incidents.

Staffing

Carry out an annual review of the staffing structure in consultation with the Executive Headteacher.
Ensure the school is sufficiently staffed to fulfil the effective operation of the school and the Federation Improvement Plan.
Keep under review work/life balance, working conditions and well-being including monitoring attendance management.
Review the Single Central Record to ensure compliance with current statutory guidance.

Executive Headteacher’s Delegated Responsibilities

Appointments – The Governing Body delegated the Executive Headteacher to appoint outside the Leadership Group to:

Permanent teaching staff posts
Permanent support staff posts
Temporary staff

Dismissals – Governing Body delegates to the Executive Headteacher responsibility up to and including first written warning

All dismissals remain with the Committee structure

Virement Limits:

Up to £5,000 without prior approval for emergency cases;
Above £5,000 with appropriate Governing Body or Finance and Resources Committee approval.

Expenditure Limits:

Any item of expenditure up to £5,000;
Above this limit, if item was previously notified to the Governing Body;
Prior Governing Body approval to be sought outside this limit;

A log of these actions will be maintained and details reported to the next Finance and Premises Committee meeting.

NB Any goods/services purchased and works to be carried out are subject to Durham County Council Contract Procedures Rules (January 2014) for quotations i.e. quotations or tenders to be invited from capable contractors based on the likely value of the procurement over its lifetime:

Between £500 and £5000 at least one quotation

Between £5001 and £50,000 at least three quotations
Over £50,000 full tender exercise

MEETINGS: at least termly
QUORUM: 3
DISQUALIFICATIONS: when there may be a conflict of interest; a fair hearing; or a pecuniary interest.

First/Pay Review

Terms of Reference:

Annually agree the Teachers’ Pay Policy.

Act in accordance with the Teachers’ Pay Policy when carrying out the annual review of teachers’ salaries.
Report to the Finance and Premises Committee on pay review related expenditure.
Consider any requests made in accordance with personnel policies e.g. flexible working, leave of absence etc. (after delegation to the Executive Headteacher).
Make any decisions under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body e.g. disciplinary, grievance, ill-health, capability etc. (after delegated to the Executive Headteacher).
Deal with matters relating to staffing reductions.

MEETINGS: at least annually
QUORUM: 3
DISQUALIFICATIONS: Executive Headteacher; Chair of Governors (if have prior knowledge); where there may be a conflict of interest; any Governor whose spouse/partner is involved; staff (annual pay review and matters relating to staffing reductions)

Appeals

Terms of Reference:

Consider any appeal against a decision made under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body.
Consider any appeal against a decision made by the First/Pay Review Committee during the annual review of teachers’ salaries.
Consider any appeal against selection for redundancy through a staffing reduction process.
Consider complaints against the school in accordance with the agreed school Complaints Procedure.

MEETINGS: as and when required.
QUORUM: Must have at least the same number of Governors as were present at the original hearing.
DISQUALIFICATIONS: Executive Headteacher; Chair of Governors (if have prior knowledge); any Governor involved in the original hearing; where there may be a conflict of interest; any Governor whose spouse/partner is involved; staff (appeals in relation to salary or staffing reduction decisions)

Pupil Discipline

Terms of Reference:

To act as the Pupil Discipline Committee for permanent and fixed term exclusions.

HT Performance Management

Terms of Reference:

To arrange to meet with the School Settings Leadership Adviser (SSLA) to discuss the Executive Headteacher’s performance management targets.
To decide with support from the SSLA whether the targets have been met and to set new targets annually.
To monitor throughout the year the performance management of the Executive Headteacher against the targets.
To make recommendations to the appropriate committee in respect of awards for the successful meeting of set targets

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