The role of the governing board is essential to the effectiveness of a school.  Time and time again the Office for standards in education (Ofsted) has noted that the most effective schools demonstrate effective leadership and management, which includes that of the governing board. 
School governors provide strategic leadership and accountability in schools.  The role of the governing board supports the headteacher and staff by positively promoting the work of the school, celebrating its achievements and working to ensure the best outcomes for pupils.

In the Governance Handbook (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/governance-handbook) it states that all boards, no matter what type of schools or how many schools they govern, have three core functions:

• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;

• Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and

• Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.
   

Each individual governor and any associate member(s) form the governing board, which is established in law as a corporate board.  This means that individual governors and associate members do not act independently of the rest of the governing board. All decisions are the joint responsibility of the governing board. As long as LA maintained school governors and associate members act within the law, governors are protected 
 
Our school Governing Board has 3 committees: Curriculum, Community and Engagement; Staffing & Finance; Premises, Health & Safety. 

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Curriculum, Community and Engagement Committee – overall purpose is to:

• Monitor the standards pupils achieve, making sure they make at least expected progress and that the school is at least in line Nationally.

• Monitor the school's success in promoting inclusion

• Ensure that the school development plan is focused on appropriate priorities for raising standards at the school

• Ensure that policies are reviewed on a regular basis to promote improved standards

• Advise the Governing Board of the school's curriculum policies and oversee the National Curriculum statutory obligations are met.

• Contribute to monitoring and evaluating parts of the self-evaluation summary, the school development plan and policies relating to resources issues, reporting or making recommendations to the full Governing Board

• Encourage and develop links with the local community and further afield 

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Staffing & Finance Committee – overall purpose is to:

• Formally prepare and recommend the annual school budget for FGB approval at the start of each financial year.

• Monitor purchasing and authorise purchases above a set amount.

• Monitor income and expenditure at regular intervals.

• Act as personnel and authorise staff pay rises in-line with the school's pay policy.

• Audit accounts and act on the school’s audit action plan.

• Agree the staffing structure with the Head Teacher

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Headteacher Performance Management Group – overall purpose is to:

Carry out the Governing Board's statutory responsibilities for the Performance Management of the Headteacher.

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Premises, Health & Safety Committee – overall purpose is to:

• Adopt the H&S policy appropriate to the needs of the whole school.

• Provide support and guidance for the Head Teacher and Caretaker on all matters relating to the school premises and grounds, security and H&S.

• Inspect the premises and grounds with the Headteacher and Caretaker regularly and prepare a statement for the committee.

• Ensure the school complies with H&S regulations, seeking external advice if necessary.

• Complete the Accessibility plan for the school in consultation with the Head Teacher.
   

Other working groups may be set up when needed to address or discuss particular issues or research a particular area and report back to the full governing board.