The Governing Body of Sacred Heart and St Mary’s RC Primary Schools Battersea
The School Governors
The Governors Statement
The government has high expectations of governing bodies. They are the strategic leaders of our schools and have a vital role to play in making sure every child gets the best possible education. For schools such as ours this is reflected in the law, which states that the purpose of governing bodies is: ‘To conduct the school with a view to promoting high standards of educational achievement at the school’.
In all types of schools, Governing Bodies should have a strong focus on 3 core strategic functions:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
- Holding the Head Teacher 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.
The Governors bring a wide variety of experience and expertise to the school, and this helps ensure that the school is moving forward and standards are constantly raised in a way that is in line with the overarching ethos and vision of the school, along with the statutory directives from the Department of Education and The Archdiocese of Southwark.
This impact statement summarizes our role in the development of our school and its pupils over the past year, and provides an opportunity to be transparent about what we do.
Governors Impact Statement and Report 2022
Constitution
The Governing Body was re-constituted in July 2015.
The Governing Body now consists of:
- The Executive Headteacher
- Two Parent Governors
- One Staff Governor
- One Local Authority Governor
- Eleven Foundation Governors appointed by the Archdiocese of Southwark
- Four Co-opted Governors (currently includes the 2 Associate Head Teachers from each school, 1 member of staff and 1 Governor)
The standard term of office for a Governor is four years. Parent and Staff Governors serve a two year term. The Chair and Vice-Chair are elected annually at the first meeting of the academic year.
In addition to the Full Governing Body meetings, we also have the following Committees:
- Resources committee
- Curriculum and Standards committee
- Admissions and Discipline committee
Committees to review pupil exclusion, hearings and appeals are convened on an ad hoc basis as the need arises.
Governor Visits
Governors visit each school as part of their monitoring of the SIP (School Improvement Plan) and of specific issues such as attendance and behaviour.
Governors participate in monitoring visits and produce a visit report. Governors with specific responsibilities also spend time visiting each school each term to look at learning/teaching and to meet with children and staff. In this way, Governors’ understanding of the school is greatly strengthened.
Feedback on all visits is given to the Full Governing Body meetings and this allows all Governors to be kept informed about progress, and also to be aware of any concerns that need to be addressed.
Governor Training
All members of the Governing Body receive training through Wandsworth Council Governors Service and attend events run by external bodies such as the Archdiocese. This allows us to keep up-to-date with our responsibilities with regards to the latest requirements and expectations, as well as local and national Best Practice.
Policies
Governors review all relevant policies throughout the academic year to ensure that all guidance is current and up to date.
Financial Management
Governors with significant expertise in financial management meet regularly with the Headteacher and School Business Manager. The chair and members of the resources committee drives the financial management of the school and ensures that the school is fully compliant with financial expectations.
The impact of the Governors’ role in the school ensures that the budget is managed effectively and improvements are effective and continuous and contribute strongly to positive pupil outcomes.
Examples of the Impact of Governor Expertise on School Improvement include:
- Notable improvements to the learning environments, buildings and the school grounds.
- Highly effective staff recruitment and deployment as well as outstanding professional development.
- Development of curriculum including new Relationships and Sex Education policy.
How you can Contact the Governing Body?
We always welcome suggestions, feedback and ideas from parents and other stakeholders. Below, you can see the full list of Governors, their attendance at meetings, and more information about what Governors’ do. You may contact the Governors via the school office.
Governors Details – Committees and Register of Interests 2023 – 2024
Overview of Governor Responsibilities 2023 – 2024
Please click here to know more about Our Governors.
Further information about School Governors and information about how to become a School Governors can be found on the London Borough of Wandsworth’s website: Please click here for more information.