The School’s Vision is to provide opportunities for all our pupils to achieve success, through a personalised curriculum that is creative, challenging and enjoyable, in a secure Christian environment where everyone is valued and respected.

What is the role of the Governing Body?

Governing bodies are responsible and accountable for all major decisions about the school and its future. The Governing Body has, enshrined in the Education Act 2002, a legal responsibility to, ‘conduct the school with a view to promoting high standards of educational achievement at the school’.

It has specific statutory responsibilities and its main tasks are to:

• Offer a strategic view of the work of the school
• Support and challenge the Headteacher
• Hold the school to account for the standard and quality of education it achieves
• Deliver effectively by working as a team to plan, monitor and evaluate
• Appoint the Headteacher

In broad terms, the Governing Body is concerned with:

• Standards of educational achievement
• Setting appropriate targets
• Ensuring breadth and balance to the Curriculum
• Reporting results on assessments and examination results
• Deciding policies, in broad strategic terms, as to how the school should be run and monitoring the impact of the policies
• Determining how to spend the budget allocated
• Overall responsibility for staff appointments and dismissals
• Deciding the number of staff, pay policy and decisions on staff pay
• Ensuring Ofsted inspection outcomes are followed-up in the School Improvement Plan
   

Additionally, in Church of England schools the Foundation Governors have the special legal responsibility to ensure that the distinctive character of the school as a Church of England school is "preserved and developed" - that the school is recognisably Christian.  It is their particular responsibility to see that the school's Church of England basis has a relevant and meaningful role in the daily running of the school.

The governors do not get involved in the day to day running of the School; this is the responsibility of the Headteacher and the Staff.  Should you have any issues or concerns about your child’s education, his/her Classteacher is always the first point of contact.

Who can be a Governor?

There are two types of governors, whose terms of office are initially for four years:
 

• Elected Governors - are representative of certain stakeholder groups, and can be parents or members of teaching and non-teaching staff (in addition to the Headteacher who is automatically a Governor). Parents are notified when parent governor vacancies arise, and are elected by the parents.
   
• Appointed Governors - include the Headteacher and, the LA Governor (appointed by the Local Education Authority) and Foundation Governors (appointed by the Diocese following recommendation from the Parochial Church Council of the Parish church, in our case Smannell with Enham Alamein)

    Most governors are volunteers who want to make a positive contribution to the school and children's        education.  Each brings with them a wide range of skills and experience.

How does the Governing Body operate?

The Governing Body is fully committed to embracing the ‘Choices and Good Practice for Governing Bodies’ document issued by Hampshire Governor Services.

The Governors carry out their duties in a variety of ways. There is one Full Governing Body meeting each month at which School Improvement and Development, School Self-Evaluation, Finance, Personnel, Premises and Health & Safety issues are discussed and decisions taken. Much of the work, however, is carried out by members of the Governing Body between these meetings.

Governors look at their aspect of the School’s business, reporting back their actions and recommendations to the Governing Body. 

Additionally, members of the Governing Body will, as necessary, support Admissions Appeals and form Review Panels (which forms part of the School’s complaints procedure).

To conduct this rewarding work in an informed way, Governors make regular visits to the School.

How can I find out more about what the Governors’ discuss?

If you wish to know more about the issues the Governing Body is considering, all parents and staff are entitled to look at the approved minutes of the Full Governing Body and Committees, which are held on file in the School Office.

Whilst Governing Bodies are no longer obliged to publish an annual report, nor hold an annual meeting for parents, we at Smannell & Enham are committed to ensuring that parents and other stakeholders are consulted on key issues.

How can I find out more about Governing Bodies in general?

If you want to know more about governing bodies in general and how they function, please look at the Hampshire County Council website www.hants.gov.uk/education/governors or talk to one of the Governors.

Ultimately, your Governors work to enable the delivery of Smannell & Enham Church of England (Aided) Primary School’s vision.