governors@gcussuff.rmplc.co.uk

On behalf of the governing body of Great Cornard Upper School, I would like to welcome you all to our pages on the school web site. This page has come to fruition after discussions within the governing body itself, and between the school, its ICT department and the members of the governing body. This page is one of a number of projects that we as governors are undertaking as a body. In an effort to: -

 

• Improve our communications with the local and wider community.

 

• To inform all interested parties of the role of the governing body within the school.

 

• To promote the school, locally, nationally and internationally.

 

• To invite inquiries and comments about the school (and its web site) from the community at large.

We hope that you find the school site interesting and enjoyable, much hard work has been put into the site by staff and students alike. You will find the e-mail address for both the school and the governing body on the home page.

For those of you who are visiting our site from overseas and for those of you who are visiting us from within the UK, but who do not know much about the workings of governing bodies of schools, we have included details on these pages of the different types of governors who sit on the governing body, eligibility to be a member and the basic role and powers of such bodies.

Glyn Wilson

Vice-Chair of Governors

1999- 2000

The governing body of Great Cornard Upper School is made up of 21 members. 5 County appointed members (by the Local Education Authority), 5 Co-opted members, 6 Parent members, 2 Teachers, 1 Non-Teaching Staff member, the Headteacher and in the case of GCUS 1 Sponsor. The Headteacher of GCUS does not have to be a governor but has chosen to undertake this responsibility. The number and type of governors increased in September 1999 due to a change in legislation.

County (LEA) Appointed Members

County appointed members can be re-appointed. The LEA in certain circumstances can also remove them.

Parent governors are elected by the parents of pupils at the school, and must be parents of children on the school roll at the time of the election. They do not have to stand down if their child leaves the school during the period they serve; though they may do so if they wish. Parent governors may stand for re-election at the end of their period of office, if they still qualify. If not enough parents stand for election, the governing body may appoint parent governors.

Teacher governors are elected by, and from among, the teachers at the school. They can stand for re-election, if they leave the school, they must stand down from the governing body.

Non-Teaching Staff

A member of the non-teaching staff is elected from within that school body, they may stand for re-election, if they leave the school, they must stand down, as with Teacher Governors.

The Head Teacher

The Head Teacher is a member of the governing body unless he or she chooses not to be. In either case, the head has the right to attend all meetings of the governing body.

Co-opted Governors

Co-opted governors are chosen by at least two thirds of other governors who have not been co-opted themselves. When deciding who to Co-opt, governors try to reflect the wider interests of the local community, including local business. They can be re-appointed, but those who appointed them can not remove them.

Sponsor Governors

Great Cornard Upper School was successful in it’s bid to become a Technology College, a bid that was financed in part by local businesses, to all of whom we are very grateful. In order to recognise this wider local interest in the school, a governor has been appointed by the governing body from within the businesses who sponsored the school for the Technology College bid.

Who is Eligible?

Governors must be over 18 when they are elected or appointed. Students may be a governor at their own school (Note: some governing bodies allow a student member of the school council to sit in during parts of governors meetings), however few will qualify. A person may not be a governor of more that two LEA maintained schools unless he or she is: -

 

• A governor appointed to a failing school that needs special measures.

 

• An ex-officio governor.

Governors who always miss meetings without the permission of their fellow members may be disqualified from the governing body if they do not go to a full governing body meeting for six months from the date of the first meeting they miss. Since September 1999 governors who miss governors meetings, but who present apologies must have these apologies accepted during the meeting they have missed, by the full governing body. The acceptance of any apologies tendered must then be minuted.

People who are bankrupt may not serve as governors. Nor may people who have been sentenced to a term of three months or more in prison (suspended or not), without the option of a fine, in the previous five years. Teacher and staff governors must stand down if they stop being employed by the school.

If a governor resigns or is removed the clerk to the governors must be informed in writing.

Parent, teacher and co-opted governors cannot be removed during their term of office, except in the circumstances described above. LEA appointed governors may be removed by the body that appointed them. However, this power to remove governors must be used reasonably and lawfully.

The powers and responsibilities of a governing body may broadly be described as: -

 

• Deciding with the Headteacher and LEA (if appropriate) the aims and policies of the school, and how the standards of education within the school can be improved;

 

• Deciding the conduct of the school. That is to say – how in general terms it should be run;

 

• Helping to draw up, with the assistance of the head and staff, the school development plan;

 

• Deciding how to spend the school budget. Taking into account any delegated powers;

 

• Making sure that the national curriculum is met, that religious education is taught and that national curriculum assessments and exam results are reported on;

 

• Selecting the head and deputy head;

 

• Appointing, promoting, supporting and disciplining other staff in consultation with the head;

 

• Acting as a link between the school and the local community;

 

• Drawing up an action plan after an inspection and monitoring how the plan is put into practice.

 

• NOTE - Articles of government may give other powers and duties to the governing body;

 

• AND - The governing body is a group. Individual governors have no power except where the whole governing body has delegated that power to that individual.

The members of the governing body of GCUS are linked to departments within the school and usually serve on one or more of the governors committees or working groups that carry out delegated functions on behalf of the whole governing body. The full governing body meets twice per term and the other committees and working parties usually meet at least once per term. These committees and working parties are: -

 

• Finance Committee

 

• Personnel Committee

 

• Curriculum Committee

 

• Hearings *

 

• Appeals *

 

• Buildings working group

 

• Hadleigh partnership

 

• Development plan group #

 

• Sports centre

* These committees only meet when necessary.

# Chairs of Finance, Curriculum and Personnel Committees plus the Chair of Governors.

* Chair of committee

Governors are linked to various areas within the school (as shown in the above list); these may be curriculum, subject or special areas. These links are put in place as a method of involving governors with the daily life of the school. By taking part in, and visiting lessons within link areas, attending area meetings with staff and perhaps by becoming involved with area visits and exchanges to other schools or places of educational interest with both staff and students.

These link visits and meetings also allow governors to see first hand what is going on in, and around the school, allow governors to learn more about the school and its students, staff, needs, aspirations and achievements. Reports on these visits by link governors to the full governing body are now regularly featured on meeting agenda.

The link system is also important in staff-governor team building, ensures that every area within the school has a voice within the full governing body and has a very useful role to play in the wider whole school support system for individual staff and departments.