HUNTER'S BAR INFANT SCHOOL
GOVERNING BODY
WHY DO WE HAVE A GOVERNING BODY?
The governing body has an important role to play in seeing that Hunters Bar Infants School is run effectively and provides the best possible education for all our pupils. Governors themselves have a variety of views, skills and experience to contribute to the effectiveness of the school and are committed to constantly learning more and developing this contribution.
The Full Board meets termly, supported by two committees ‘Resources’ and ‘Community, Learning and Achievement – CLA’. Terms of reference for the committees and lists of their members can be downloaded at the bottom of this page, along with details of members’ attendance.
Governors help to determine the vision and strategic direction of the school, ensuring pupils and staff are safe while both challenging and supporting the school in tackling weaknesses and bringing about necessary improvements. This is done within the framework set by national legislation and the policies of Sheffield City Council. Governors don’t take detailed operational decisions about the day-to-day management of the school – that is the job of the Head and Senior Leadership Team, who discus all the main aspects of school life with the governing body.
The Governing Body focuses on:
1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
2. Holding the Headteacher or Principal to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils and the performance management of staff
3. Overseeing the financial performance of the school, making sure money is well spent.
For further information about the work of school governors:
https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/schoolgovernors
https://www.gov.uk/topic/schools-colleges-childrens-services/running-school-college
WHO SITS ON THE GOVERNING BODY?
School governors are drawn from different parts of the community and can be parents and staff or from the local authority, the community and other groups. This helps ensure the governing body has sufficient diversity of views and experience but does not mean governors of a particular category represent that group on the governing body. For example, parent governors do not represent the interests or views of parents at the school and do not report back to them.
Parent Governors
Parents, including carers, of pupils are eligible to stand for election as parent governors and are elected by other parents and carers of children at the school.
Staff Governors
The head teacher is a staff governor by virtue of his or her job. Other paid staff, both teaching and support, may become governors. Staff governors are elected through a ballot by the school’s teaching and support staff.
Local Authority Governors
Local authorities are encouraged to appoint governors nominated by the main political parties, Trade unions, voluntary organisations and community groups. They may include council representatives. Local authorities will also consider other people who put their name forward.
Co-opted Governors
Are appointed by the governing body and have the skills required to contribute to the effective governance and success of the school. They could be drawn from staff, parents or individuals who live or work in the community served by the school.
Associate Members
Are appointed by the governing body to attend committee meetings and/or full governing body meetings due to their particular skills or experience. Associates are not governors and do not have a vote in governing body decisions.
HOW TO BECOME A SCHOOL GOVERNOR
You can become a school governor by:
- Parent Governor: being elected by parents as a parent governor, if your child attends the school
- Staff Governer: being elected by the teaching or non-teaching staff, if you are a member of the teaching or non-teaching staff
- being appointed by the Local Authority
- Co-opted Governor: being appointed by the other governors
To become a governor, you will need to ensure those who have a vote, or who appoint people, know about your interests and skills. Our school organises elections when positions become vacant and tells parents and staff about them, but you can always ask whether there are vacancies now that need to be filled. You can approach a current governor to see whether they might co-opt you if you feel that you can offer a particular skill.
WHAT DO THE GOVERNORS AT OUR SCHOOL DO?
As part of the governing body team, a governor is expected to:
1. Contribute to the strategic discussions at governing body meetings which determine:
- the vision and ethos of the school;
- clear and ambitious strategic priorities and targets for the school;
- that all children, including those with special educational needs, have access to a broad and balanced curriculum;
- the school’s budget, including the expenditure of the pupil premium allocation;
- the school’s staffing structure and key staffing policies;
- the principles to be used by school leaders to set other school policies.
2. Hold the senior leaders to account by monitoring the school’s performance; this includes:
- agreeing the outcomes from the school’s self-evaluation and ensuring they are used to inform the priorities in the school development plan;
- considering all relevant data and feedback provided on request by school leaders and external sources on all aspects of school performance;
- asking challenging questions of school leaders;
- ensuring senior leaders have arranged for the required audits to be carried out and receiving the results of those audits;
- ensuring senior leaders have developed the required policies and procedures and the school is operating effectively according to those policies;
- acting as a link governor on a specific issue, and reporting to the governing body on the progress on the relevant school priority;
- listening to and reporting to the school’s stakeholders : pupils, parents, staff, and the wider community, including local employers.
3. Ensure the school staff have the resources and support they require to do their jobs well, including the necessary expertise on business management, external advice where required.
HOW DO I GET IN CONTACT WITH THE GOVERNORS?
If you would like to contact our governors, you can do this by:
- leaving a message and your contact details at the school office who will then pass these on to a governor
- making direct contact with governors when they are in school. Governors’ photos are outside the school office to make them easier to spot!
WHO ARE THE GOVERNORS AT OUR SCHOOL?
Steering Committee: Agenda setting
Community, Learning and Achievement Committee (CLA): Safeguarding
Resources Committee: Finance; Staffing; Premises; Health and Safety; Safeguarding
Head teacher
Michael Barnes
Head teacher
Committees: Steering, CLA, Resources
Term of office
1 Sep 2022 to present
1 Sep 2020 to 31 August 2022
Associate
Kate Wileman
Deputy Head Teacher
Committees: CLA, Resources
Term of office
1 Sep 2022 to present
Co-opted Governor
Debbie Squire
Chair of Governors; Chair of Resources Committee
Committees: Steering , Resources, CLA
Governor Development
Leadership
Training Coordinator
Finance
Subject Link: Art & Design, Music
17 May 22 to 16 May 2026
17 May 2018 to 16 May 2022
Co-opted Governor
Jake Phillips
Vice Chair of Governors
Committees: Steering, Resources, Pay Matters & Finance
Subject Link: Maths
17 May 2022 to 16 May 2026
17 May 2018 to 16 May 2022
Local Authority Governor
Gill Pollard
Chair of Community, Learning and Achievement
Committees: CLA
Curriculum and Assessment
Subject Link: History, Geography
Term of office
15 Nov 2017 to 14 Nov 2021
Co-opted Governor
Sarah Braine
Committees: Resources
Pupil Premium
Subject Link: Early Years
Term of office
2 Feb 2021
Co-opted Governor
Louise Cunliffe
Subject Link: PE
Term of office
1 Jul 2015 to 30 Jun 2023
Associate Governor
Annie Rose Allen
Committees: CLA, Resources
Term of office
12 Oct 2017 to 11 Oct 2023
Staff Governor
Leona Wilson-Okrasa
Committees: CLA
Child Protection
Subject Link: RE
Term of office
30 Jun 2015 to 30 Jun 2023
Co-opted Governor
Rowan Hall
Committees: Resources
Communications Lead
Sustainability
Website Monitoring
Subject Link: Computing
Term of office
15 Dec 2016 to 13 Dec 2024
Parent Governor
Natalie Day
Committees: Resources
Mental Health
Wellbeing
Safeguarding
Subject Link: RSHE
2 Feb 2021 to 1 Feb 2025
Parent Governor
Sarah Compai
Committees: CLA
SEND
Subject Link: Reading and Phonics
Term of office
Parent Governor
James Clark
Committees: CLA
Performance Management
Subject Link: Writing
Term of office
Parent Governor
Jo Hill
Committees: Resources
EAL
Finance
Subject Link: Science
Term of office
Clerk
Brian Wood
Committees: CLA, Resources
Term of office
Governor Meetings: 2022- 2023
Full Governing Body
Governor Meetings: 2021 - 2022
Full Governing Body
9 Nov 2021
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1 Mar 2022
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28 Jun 2022
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Community, Learning and Achievement
Resources
1 Feb 2022
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24 May 2021
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12 Oct 2021
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18 Jan 2022
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10 May 2021
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Governor Meetings: 2020 - 2021
Due to the pandemic, Governors met each half term as a Full Governing Body, incorporating Resources and CLA.
6 Oct 2020
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8 Dec 2020
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2 Feb 2021
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23 Mar 2021
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10 May 2021
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29 Jun 2021
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6 Jul 2021
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