Governors
The Breakspear School governing body plays a vital role in the strategic direction and oversight of the school. As a maintained community school, we operate within the framework of the local authority.
The Governors key responsibilities:
1. Setting Strategic Direction:
- Vision, Ethos, and Values: The governing body is responsible for defining and communicating the school's long-term vision, core values and overall ethos.
- Objectives and Targets: They establish strategic objectives and set targets for the school's improvement and development.
- Policies and Plans: The governing body approves key policies and the school development plan, which outlines how the school will achieve its aims.
2. Ensuring Accountability:
- Monitoring Performance: Governors monitor the school's performance, including the educational progress and outcomes of students, and hold the headteacher and senior leaders to account.
- Headteacher Performance Management: They are involved in the appointment and performance management of the headteacher.
- Financial Oversight: The governing body oversees the school's financial performance, ensuring that resources are used effectively and that the budget is managed appropriately.
- Safeguarding: They ensure that robust safeguarding policies and procedures are in place and followed to protect students' well-being.
3. Acting as a Critical Friend:
- Supporting and Challenging: Governors provide support and encouragement to the headteacher and staff while also challenging their decisions and asking pertinent questions to ensure the best outcomes for students.
- Bringing External Perspectives: They bring a range of skills and experiences from outside the school, offering a fresh perspective on issues.
- Engaging with Stakeholders: The governing body listens to and communicates with parents, students, staff, and the wider community.
4. Specific Responsibilities:
- Curriculum: Governors ensure that the curriculum is balanced, broadly based, and meets statutory requirements.
- Staffing: They are involved in key staffing decisions, including appointments and disciplinary matters.
- Premises: The governing body has a responsibility for the maintenance and development of the school premises.
- Admissions: They may have a role in setting and overseeing the school's admissions policy.
- Structure of a Community School Governing Body: The governors of the school are people drawn from parents, staff, local community, and others interested in supporting its aims.
The composition of The Breakspear School Governing Body is made up of:
- 2 elected parent governors
- 1 council nominee
- 1 elected member of staff
- 8 co-opted governors (where the Governing Body seeks to maintain the following profile: two places for parents, two for staff, and four for those without a direct link with the school)
Minutes from our Full Governors meetings are available on request from the school office.
