Governance
The Governing Body
The Governing Body of The Robert Arkenstall Primary School is made up of Governors who are unpaid volunteers from various walks of life and are appointed to work with the school's senior leadership team to help manage the school.
The Governing body works within an accountable structure defined in the ’Instrument of Governance,’ which details the different categories of Governor and the term of office.
The Governing Body of Robert Arkenstall Primary School consists of:
- a. 2 elected parent governors
- b. 1 LA governor
- c. 1 Headteacher
- d. 1 elected staff governor
- e. 6 co-opted governors (of which up to 1 could be a member of staff).
The total number of co-opted governors who are also eligible to be elected as staff governors, so when counted with the elected staff governor and headteacher, must not exceed one third of the total membership of the governing body.
The total number of governors on our Governing Body therefore is 11. Our Governing body is skills audited to ensure we have a good representation of relevant skills to offer support and challenge as critical friends of the senior leadership team. Currently the Governing Body has a full complement of 11 governors.
The term of office for all governors at our school (except the Head) is four years. When a term of office is complete the relevant appointing body: LA, parents, staff or Governing Body invite people to express an interest, and a vote may be required. Existing governors may stand for a further term according to the appointing process, e.g. may stand either unopposed or in a vote.
The work of the Governing Body
Governors statutory guidance requires The ‘board of governors’ to operate at a strategic level, leaving the Headteacher and senior school leaders responsible and accountable to it for the operational day-to-day running of the school.
To do this governors visit school frequently, examine reports, review policies and compare data and best practice with other schools. We ask questions and challenge practices to support school improvement:
Our work focuses strongly on three core functions:
- setting the vision and strategic direction of school;
- holding the Headteacher to account for its educational performance; and
- ensuring financial resources are well spent
The school's short and medium term priorities and targets are defined in the School Development Plan and governors continually evaluate progress on these priorities. Governors take on a specific focus area for the committee they sit on and provide support and challenge for the staff with whom they deal e.g. Assessment or Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
They take part in performance management, recruitment, HR issues and are frequently found supporting the school with advice and practical skills. Focussed training ensures governors are equipped with the skills and information required to carry out their duties. The governors are an important line of communication with parents and themselves are accountable in inspections for the performance and improvement of the school.
Find out more about our current governors, our meeting schedule and activities on the following pages.
To contact the Governors with ideas, offers of support or questions please email:
And it is always helpful for parents to complete the Parentview survey