GOVERNORS’ INFORMATION
Who are we?
Our school Governing body is made up of Governors from all walks of life; they bring their different backgrounds, experiences, and skills and, as volunteers, they work together for the benefit of the School helping to be part of the link between the School and the Community it serves.
Meet the Governors
Adam Smart
Parent & Vice Chair of Governors
I have been a parent governor since 2017 and was appointed Vice-Chair in September 2019. I have 2 children currently in school with 2 more who will start at the school in the coming years. I wanted to become a parent governor to ensure that my children and all children at our school receive the educational experience they deserve. Outside school I am a Chartered Water and Environmental Manager working for an engineering consultancy in Leeds predominantly investigating and solving river water quality issues.
What does it take to become a Governor?
Governors are volunteers that have:
- An interest in the performance of the School
- A desire to positively contribute to and represent the community
- An open and enquiring mind
- The ability to look at issues objectively
- The confidence to ask questions and join in debates
- A willingness to listen and use the information they are given to make informed decisions
- The ability to work with the Headteacher, staff and other Governors
- Time to spare to attend all governor meetings and to spend time in school when necessary
- An ability to maintain confidentiality in all circumstances.
- An ability to think strategically
What are the different types of Governors on the register?
The governing body is made up of 4 – 5 different appointments. There is the Headteacher, a staff governor, parent governors, foundation governors and sometimes there is a governor from the LA (Local Authority). They all have equal say and equal voting rights. Each governor represents a different part of the School community and their role is to represent the thoughts of that part of the community.
What is the Governing Body’s role?
The Governing body of our school plays a key role in:
- Setting targets for raising standards in educational achievement.
- Monitoring the progress towards meeting these targets.
- Supporting, and when appropriate, challenging the Headteacher and senior leaders
- Deciding on policies and future development plans.
- Monitoring how the budget is spent
- Monitoring the impact of actions taken by the school to improve learning for pupils.
As well as attending all Governor meetings, Governors are also asked to look at specific areas of the school’s work in more detail. To help support governors in understanding their role, everyone has access to further training to help build their knowledge and understanding.
What are the different meetings the Governors attend?
Governors typically spend between 5 – 8 hours a term on Governor meetings. There are 4 Full Governing Body (FGB) meetings a year that all Governors attend to vote on specific needs of the school, update policies and make strategic decisions. There are 3 meetings for each of the committees over the year. The committee roles are described below:
CATHOLIC LIFE AND MISSION COMMITTEE
To ensure that the Diocesan vision for Catholic education is articulated through the school’s mission statement; and is clearly and effectively reflected in it’s policies, development plans and practices.
STANDARDS AND EFFECTIVENESS COMMITTEE
To provide support and challenge to the leadership of the School and to hold them to account in relation to the quality of educational provision including: the quality of teaching and learning; pupil progress and outcomes for pupils; the quality of the curriculum provision and delivery; behaviour and safety of pupils.
RESOURCES and risk management COMMITTEE
To provide support and challenge to the leadership of the School and to hold them to account in relation to the use of resources to support the priorities of the school including: the leadership of teaching and learning; the School budget; the employment and development of staff; the premises.
How can I become a Governor?
Parent Governor – to become a parent governor you need to have children in the school. Parent Governors are always voted in by other parents through a whole school vote organised by the School. There are a maximum of 2 parent governors on the Governing body at any one time and, when there is a vacancy, the school will advertise it to all parents.
Foundation Governor – to become a foundation governor you need to be a practicing Catholic and Fr Jonathan, or another priest, will need to recommend you. Foundation Governors are appointed by Leeds Diocese. If you are interested in becoming a foundation Governor, the school holds the application forms you will need to complete to send to the Diocese.
Staff Governor – volunteers come forward and the staff Governor appointed is voted in by the staff of St Paulinus.
Associate Governors – these are governors that join the governing body due to their role in school. The Governors decide if they can attend meetings and what voting rights they have.
We currently have a couple of Governor vacancies, if you think you may be interested in becoming a Foundation Governor of St Paulinus, please click the links at the side of the page or come into school for more information.
How long is a Governor term?
Once appointed, a Governors term lasts for 4 years unless they resign at an earlier stage. After 4 years a Governor will need to be voted in for a second term if they wish to continue in the role.
