Annual Statement

Shiremoor Primary School Governing Body Annual Statement

2022/23

The Governing Body works continually behind the scenes to support and challenge the work of the Senior Leadership Team to ensure:

• A safe and secure learning environment
• High academic standards
• A broad and balanced curriculum

In accordance with the Government’s requirement for all governing bodies, our three strategic functions are:

1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
2. Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils
3. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure the money is well spent

Our Governing Body reconstituted in September 2015 to meet statutory requirements and to ensure we have the best structure and combination of skills and competencies to meet the needs of the school.

Our constitution is as follows:

• 2 Parent Governors
• 1 Local Authority Governor
• 1 Staff Governor
• 7 Co-opted Governors
• Head teacher
• 12 Governors in total

Governors are well informed, undergo induction and ongoing training and have clear areas of responsibility:

• Strategic leadership that sets and champions, ethos and strategy.
• Accountability that drives up educational standards and financial performance.
• People with the right skills, experience, qualities and capacity.
• Structures that reinforce clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
• Compliance with statutory and contractual requirements.
• Evaluation to monitor and improve the quality and impact of governance.

A record of attendance is kept by the clerk to the Governing Body.

The Full Governing Body has met on 3 occasions.                                            Attendance 80%

Finance and Premises Committee has met on 4 occasions.                              Attendance 88%          

Pay Committee has met on 2 occasions.                                                           Attendance 63%

Personnel Committee has met on 1 occasions.                                                 Attendance 66%

Meetings need to be quorate to ensure that decisions can be made.  Where decisions have to be made quickly, governors have agreed to be contacted by email.

Approved minutes can be obtained by contacting the clerk to the Governors via the school office.

Key Issues during 22/23

• Governors supported updating and the purchase of IT equipment.
• Governors recognised the challenges faced by the school in managing learning and behaviour after Covid and supported by additional staffing to try and make this easier for other staff in school.
• Governors supported installing an extra classroom for specialist support.
• Governors visited school to monitor core subjects by speaking to children and staff and looking at work. They used this information to select school priorities for the Action Plan.

Impact on School Improvement:

Moving forward into 23/24:

• Governors will support in school visits to monitor aspects of our curriculum
• Governors will ensure that all safety procedures are reviewed.
• Governors are mindful that the school is supporting an increasing number of vulnerable and SEN children with fewer financial resources and will be working with the Head to ensure that we allocate spend appropriately for pupils whilst also retaining the capacity to bring some money in.

How to contact the Governing Body

Clerk to Governors – Mrs K Quinn via the school office or:

Telephone 0191 252 4188 

Email office@shiremoor-primary.co.uk