Where we come from

Governors are required to act in the best interest of the school as a whole, not to represent any particular interest group.

 We are elected or appointed as follows:

¨    Parents.  Elected by parents; must have at least one child at the school at the time of election. Are representative parents, not representatives of parents.

¨    Staff.  Elected by staff, must work at the school

¨    Community.  Asked by Governors to bring special expertise to the Governing Body

¨    Sponsor. Invited representative of another body which provides substantial support, e.g. PTA

¨    Surrey County Council.

¨    Head Teacher.  The head teacher is usually a governor - We think this is vital, and we also invite the Deputy Head to attend every meeting of the Governing Body. 

The next Parent Governor elections are due to be in September.  

Also Surrey County Council always have governor vacancies at other schools and would welcome any applications.

What we do

Governors seek to maintain and improve standards of education. They: provide a Strategic View, act as a Critical Friend and ensure Accountability. Laws and regulations impose duties on governors, such as to:

¨    Write and monitor the aims of the school

¨    Monitor and evaluate the policies to be applied by the Head Teacher and staff

¨    Ensure a School Development Plan is drawn up

¨    Ensure effective use of the school’s budget

¨    Verify the National Curriculum is taught

¨    Appoint, promote, support and discipline staff

¨    Act as a link between the local community and the school

¨    Draw up an action plan following a school inspection

¨    Safeguard and promote the welfare of the children

All these have to be developed within the constraints imposed by National and Surrey County Council policies, and the funding received. Most importantly, it is the Head Teacher and staff who run the school – not the governors.

Training

All Governors are encouraged to take full advantage of the training programmes and workshops provided by the Local Education Authority, and to participate in local courses, usually in liaison with other local schools.

All new governors attend two induction courses. Other courses cover specialist responsibilities and committee involvement.

To facilitate this, the school has bought into the Surrey Governor Training Package and the Link Governor oversees this programme.

Meetings

The Governing Body meets twice a term.  In addition, each governor sits on at least one committee that focuses on the key areas of: Finance & Building, Staffing, and Curriculum & Communications and Head Teacher Performance. Committees meet at least termly. Governors monitor the on-going progress of individual classes, and specific subjects (e.g. Literacy, ICT, etc.).

Governors receive no remuneration or expenses for their duties and responsibilities as BIS school governors.