Chipping Hill Primary School

What does the Governing Body do?

School governing bodies are responsible for working with the school to ensure that it delivers a high quality education. Together with the Headteacher, who is responsible for day-to-day management, they set the school's aims and policies.

Governors have three main roles:

• To provide strategic direction for the school.

• To act as a “critical friend” and sounding board to the Headteacher.

• To ensure accountability.

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They also carry out a number of other important duties, which include:

• Determining how the school's budget is spent.

• The appointing and dismissing of staff.

• Hearing appeals and grievances.

• Forming policy on the school's curriculum and collective worship.

• Setting standards for pupils' behaviour and discipline.

• Making sure school buildings are welcoming and safe.

• Setting and monitoring the school's aims and policies.

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The Full Governing Body meeting is held once a term and is the main meeting where a wide range of general matters are discussed.  There are also several committees that also meet once a term each to cover all of the areas that the school needs oversight on, such as finance & premises, pupils & curriculum, pay & personnel, and health & safety.  As each governor sits on at least one committee with many holding the position of either Chair or Vice-Chair, they are all kept involved in the school throughout the year.  In addition to this, each governor also commits to spending 1 full day at the school during term time to experience life at the school.

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Further information on the role of Governors can be found on the Essex County Council Governor website:

https://www.essex.gov.uk/school-governors

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Governors statement of Behaviour principles

The Governors of Chipping Hill Primary School strongly believe that high standards of behaviour lie at the heart of a successful school that enables:

• all its pupils to make the best possible progress in all aspects of their school life and work;

• all staff to be able to teach and promote good learning without undue interruption or harassment.

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Therefore, at Chipping Hill the expected standards of behaviour are founded on:

• The right to mutual respect;

• The right to work without interruption, harassment or discrimination;

• The right to feel safe.

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Reference to how the school promotes positive behaviour and deals with inappropriate  behaviour can be found under school policies titled: The management of Behaviour and Discipline.

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Who are the Governors?

The governors themselves are volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, who formally represent the interests of the parents, the local community and the local authority.  Each of us commit to a minimum term of 4 years and must have a particular set of skills or experience that the governors require, such as experience of the building industry or health & safety qualifications for the Premises Governor; financial background or qualification for the Finance Governor etc.  In the case of Parent Governors, who represent the interests of the parents at the school, they need to be a parent or guardian of a child who will be a pupil at the school for at least 3 years at the start of their first term of office.