The Governing Body, consisting of a team of volunteers, works hard to act as a 'critical friend' for the senior management of the school. It is our role to hold the school to account in its efforts to continue to improve and strategically develop the school. We ensure that the education of our pupils remains its core focus.

To this end, the Governing Body meets seven times a year to discuss key strategic issues and ensure it  meets its statutory obligations.

All minutes of Governing Body  are available for parents to view and we also welcome any parents who wish to attend and observe a full Governing Body Meeting (dates are available from the school office).

Governors generally serve for four years and are provided with lots of opportunities for  training, mainly through Surrey County Council, in areas such as safeguarding, school finance, health and safety and the curriculum.

We attend school events and also carry out monitoring visits during the school day to the school to observe areas of the curriculum being taught, use of school resources and the general operation and running of the school.

The Governing Body Constitution requires that the Governing Body of the school be made up as follows:

• x 3 Parent Governors (elected from the school parental population)
• x 2 Staff Governors (includes the Headteacher)
• x 6 Co-opted Governors
• x 1 Local Authority (Surrey County Council appointed) Governor
• Plus Associate Members which the governing body can appoint if they have a specific skill required and can support the governing body in this way.

 
The new core functions are:
 
1. Ensuring that the vision, ethos and strategic direction of the school are clearly defined.
 
2. Ensuring that the head teacher performs their responsibilities for the educational performance of the school.
 
3. Ensuring the sound, proper and effective use of the school’s financial resources.
 
In line with this, Ofsted have expanded the criteria used by inspectors, which now includes:
 
How well Governors;
 
· Contribute to the school’s self-evaluation and understand its strengths and weaknesses, as well as ensuring they reflect on their own impact on school improvement.
 
·Support and strengthen school leadership, including their own development, by attending relevant training and development opportunities.
 
· Provide challenge and hold the school to account for improving the quality of teaching, pupils’ achievement and pupils’ behaviour and safety.
 
In practical terms this means we, as Governors, must ensure we understand the vision of the school and ask questions and comment at meetings so that our role in leadership can be evidenced within governing body minutes.  We also attend training courses and use the skills learnt in practical ways to benefit the school.

Governor details and meeting attendance 2020-2021

Dormansland Primary School Governing Body

Register of Interests as declared from Academic Year 2020-2021