West Coker CofE VC Primary School
'All Life's Strands Entwined'
Governors
WANTED - A VOLUNTEER TO JOIN THE GOVERNING COMMUNITY
Governor Vacancies
As volunteers, school governors carry out one of the most important and satisfying jobs in the education sector.
School governors are drawn from all walks of life, with each bringing his or her unique skills and experience to the role of school leadership.
We don’t expect you to be an expert in education and welcome governors from all walks of life to bring different perspectives and views. You just need to be interested in supporting our school community and the educational outcomes of our pupils. However, we are particularly interested in hearing from anyone with an interest, skills, experience, or an understanding in any of the following areas:
- Managerial Experience
- Strategic Planning
- Managing Change
- Human Resources
- Premises Management
- Education
- Legislation
You will need to be:
- Enthusiastic
- Willing to learn
- Willing to make a difference
- Committed to supporting children and young people
- 18 years or over
Together with your fellow governors you will:
- Decide what the school needs to achieve
- Act together on both short- and long-term decisions for the future of the school whilst allowing the head teacher to conduct its day to day running.
- Hold the school accountable for providing the best education possible
What commitment will I have to give?
- Attend full governors’ meetings 6 times a year and participate in committee meetings giving between 8-12 hours per term.
- Read the papers you receive to prepare for meetings
- Visit the school occasionally to see it at work
What can I expect in return?
- Excellent training and support from Governor Services
- True satisfaction of being a member of a team within the school, working together to make a difference to the lives of young people in your area
If this interests you and you would like to know more, please contact the school office on telephone 01935 862568 or email the clerk at Charlotte.Murphy@westcoker.somerset.sch.uk.
Welcome to our Governors’ section.
Please find below details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.
The Governing Body
Phil Hyland – Headteacher
Jo Williams – Chair of Governors/Safeguarding Link
Phil Reddish – LA/Finance Link
Helen James – Vice Chair/Curriculum/H&S Link
Rebecca Sibthorpe – Staff Governor/SEND Link
Lottie Boersma – Foundation Governor
Charlotte Murphy – Clerk to Governors
The purpose of the Governing Body
The purpose of the Governing Body is to help the school provide the best possible education for the pupils. It is accountable to those who established and currently fund the school and also the parents.
The Governing Body is a corporate entity and acts at all times in accordance with the requirements laid down by Acts of Parliament, statutory regulations and the school's instrument and articles of government.
All Governors are either elected or appointed. Nine Governors serve on the Governing Body of the school:
2 Ex-officio Governors (Headteacher; Minister of the Parish)
1 Parent Governors (Elected by parents of registered pupils at the school)
1 Staff Governor (Elected by staff at the school)
1 LEA Governors (Elected by the Local Authority)
1 Foundation Governor (Elected by St Martin of Tours Church and the Diocese of Bath and Wells)
3 Community Governors (Co-opted by Governing Body)
With the exception of Ex-officio Governors, all Governors serve a four-year term of office.
The Governing Body has a Clerk to Governors who provides administrative and organisational support.
Associate Governors: Governing bodies can benefit from the expertise and experience of people outside their formal governor membership by appointing associate members to serve on one or more committees or to attend meetings of the full governor body.
The duties of the Governing Body are extensive, these primarily include:
- to help establish the aims and policies of the school
- to decide the conduct of the school
- to help draw up (with the Headteacher and staff) the School Improvement Plan
- to help decide how the school's budget is spent and monitor expenditure
- to ensure that the National Curriculum and religious education are taught
- to investigate formal complaints
- to approve the School Prospectus
- to select the Headteacher
- to appoint, promote, support and discipline other staff
- to act as a link between the local community and the school
- to draw up an Action Plan following an OFSTED inspection and monitor how the plan is being put into practice.