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.
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.
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.
Further information on the role of Governors can be found on the Essex County Council Governor website:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Contact the Governors
The Chipping Hill Primary School Governors can be contacted either in writing via the school office or by email to chair.governors@chippinghill.essex.sch.uk.