Governors

OUR GOVERNORS

 

The Role of the Governing Body:

The Governing Body provides strategic direction and acts as a ‘critical friend’, supporting and also challenging the school to continuously improve.  It monitors and evaluates pupil progress, has overall responsibility for the school budget and contributes to school development plans. As St Joseph’s is a voluntary aided school with a religious character, the governing body is the employer and has a legal responsibility to ensure that the school is conducted according to Christian values and the teachings of the Catholic Church.

 

Meetings and Committees:

The business of the governing body is conducted at formal meetings.  The full governing body and the smaller committees meet at least once a term.  A wide range of school issues is discussed including the curriculum, academic performance, budgets, staff needs, health and safety and the school buildings.

Minutes of Governing Body meetings can be obtained on request either from the school office or via email: 

school.info@st-josephs-wrightington.lancs.sch.uk

                         

Composition of the Governing Body:

Governors are all volunteers and at St. Joseph’s there are four different categories of governor.  The Instrument of Government sets out the composition of the governing body as follows:

Foundation Governors - appointed by Liverpool Archdiocese. They are responsible for preserving and developing the school’s religious character.

Staff Governors - elected by the school staff.  The Head teacher is a member of the Governing Body by virtue of her office and counts as a member of the staff category.

Parent Governors - elected by parents of children at the school.

Local Authority Governor - appointed by the Local Authority.

There are 12 governors in total, including 7 foundation governors, the head teacher, a member of staff, 2 parent governors and a local authority governor. Governors are initially appointed for 4 years, but this may be renewed.  The chair and vice chair of the full governing body and each committee are appointed annually at the first meeting of the academic year.

 

 

 

‘Governors have a good understanding of standards of attainment and progress in the school.’

(Ofsted Inspection 2017)

 

‘The Governing Body is highly ambitious for the Catholic Life of the school and leads by example in the way it consistently emphasises Catholic Life as a school priority.  Governors make a significant contribution to the Catholic Life of the school.   The governors are passionate about the school’s mission, are actively involved in its evaluation and are ready to challenge as well as support where necessary. ‘

(Religious Inspection February 2018)

 

Register of Interests:

Governing Bodies are under a duty to publish their register of interests. This sets out the relevant business interests of governors and details of any other educational establishments that they govern. It also sets out any relationships between members of the governing body and school staff such as spouses or relatives.