Meet the Governing Body

All schools in England have a Governing Body which is responsible for overseeing many of the strategic decisions of the school. A key role is to act as a ‘critical friend’ to support, to challenge, to ask questions, ultimately to represent the school community.

The Governing Body works in close partnership with the headteacher, staff and the local authority. Whilst the headteacher is, of course, responsible for the day to day running of the school, the governors are involved with such things as staffing, curriculum, school buildings, and finance. It ensures the school functions well and maintains the proper range of academic and social objectives.

A full review, in the form of an impact statement, will be produced by the Governing Body at the end of the academic year to review the school’s progress towards the identified school improvement priorities.

General information about the work of a school governing body, a guide to the laws affecting schools and governors and advice on how to become a school governor may be found by using the link below.

 http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/governance  www.governornet.co.uk

 Information for the Derbyshire  Local Offer can be found on the link below.

 http://www.derbyshiresendlocaloffer.org

Financial Information

Click here for the webpage dedicated to Ambergate Primary School on the schools benchmarking service.

Ambergate Governing Body.

Curriculum Committee 

• Phil Mulchinock 
• Carly Howell 
• Jimmy Allen
• Alasdair Ford
• Gemma McGarrigle
• Sarah Bailey

Resource Committee

• Phil Mulchinock (Chair)
• Liane Marsh
• Steve Dashfield
• Chris Balls
• Carly Howell

Performance Management and Pay Committee

• Phil Mulchinock (Chair)
• Alasdair Ford

School Improvement Priorities 2023-2024

The governing body and headteacher have highlighted the following key priorities for the school to work towards this year:

1) To improve progress and attainment in writing.

2) To strengthen children's attitude to learning and behaviour.

3) To continue to develop our broad and balanced curriculum.

4) To strengthen SEND provision across school.

Board of Governors Procedures 2022-23

Election of Chair and Vice-Chair

When a vacancy occurs through resignation (or will occur, following the end of a term of office) the Clerk will write to all governors seeking nominations. Nominations will close at least seven days before the next meeting of the Board of Governors. Candidates will be named on the agenda for the meeting, along with the name of the governor proposing them. Only if no nominations have been received by the deadline will nominations be sought at the meeting. In the event of a contested election, voting will be by a show of hands for which candidates will leave the meeting.

The term of Office of the Chair and Vice-Chair

The Chair and Vice Chair will be elected until the beginning of the first meeting that takes place after the expiry of one year from their election. However, if a governor is elected Chair or Vice-Chair and their term of office as a governor is shorter than this, their term of office as Chair or Vice Chair will expire at the end of their term of office as a governor.

Appointment of the Clerk to the Board of Governors

Recruitment and selection of a Clerk will be undertaken in the same manner as other staff of the school, however, as with Headteacher appointments, the Board of Governors will meet to approve the proposed appointment, in advance of an offer of employment being made.

Associate Members

The Board of Governors can appoint associate members. The term of office for an associate member of the Board of Governors will be one year from the date of their appointment.

Associate members may not vote at meetings of the Board of Governors; or at any committee on any decision concerning admissions, pupil discipline, election or appointment of governors, or the budget and financial commitments of the Board of Governors.

Right to attend Meetings of the Board of Governors

Governors, associate members of the Board of Governors (and the Headteacher, should they choose not to take the place reserved for them on the Board of Governors) have a right to attend meetings of the Board of Governors. Invitations to others to attend meetings of the Board of Governors will be agreed by the Board of Governors itself or by the Chair if a need arises between meetings.

Board of Governors Meetings

The Board of Governors will usually meet on Mondays or Tuesdays at 18.15. During the Summer Term of each school year, the Board of Governors will agree on the main meeting schedule for the coming year. This will consist of one meeting each term. Finance, Premises & Personnel and Pupils and Curriculum Committees will meet the week before, or two weeks before, Board of Governors meetings.

Other meeting dates will be agreed by the Board of Governors or by the Chair if a need arises between meetings.

Quorum

The quorum for meetings of the Board of Governors is 50% (rounded up) of the current membership.

Declaration of Interests

Each governor must declare, at the start of any meeting, if they have a pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest in any item shown on the agenda. They must also declare if any such interest exists in any item raised within the meeting.

Minutes and Papers

As a matter of routine, all discussions that identify individual pupils, staff, job applicants or parents will be recorded confidentially and not be available for inspection. The Board of Governors may determine that any other item of business will be confidential if this is in the best interests of the school.

Committees of the Board of Governors

The Board of Governors has established the following committees:

Finance, Premises & Personnel

Pupils and Curriculum (covering all matters relating to curriculum including ICT, school policies & SEN)

The Finance, Premises & Personnel Committee acts as the formal Safety Committee of the school.

The Finance, Premises & Personnel Committee will appoint three members, when required, to act as the First Committee in respect of all staffing, admissions and discipline matters.

The Finance, Premises & Personnel Committee also appoints three of its members to act as the performance management governors for the Headteacher.

Membership of each committee will be determined by the Board of Governors (but only members and associate members of the Board of Governors will serve on Committees). The quorum for meetings of Board of Governors Committees shall be three governors.

Each committee will elect a Chair and must appoint a Clerk. Committees may determine who may attend their meetings, but not change committee membership. The Headteacher has a right to attend all committee meetings.

Delegated Powers of Committees

The Board of Governors has delegated powers to the following committees.

Where the Finance, Premises & Personnel Committee deals with matters relating to pay etc. of individuals those members who are members of the school staff will withdraw from the meeting.

Governor Attendance