An Introduction to the Governors

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All schools funded by the Local Authority (in our case Kent County Council) are required by law to have a Governing Body.  The constitution of Hythe Bay School sets out that we can have fifteen governors, plus a number of Associates, with fixed periods of office, though re-appointments are possible.  Governors are chosen for the skills they have that together match what is needed for the school to be effective.  Three are Foundation Governors appointed by the Church of England, reflecting the history of our school, some are elected by parents or by staff, and some are co-opted for their special skills.

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Some of the duties of the Governing Body are set by law, such as overall responsibility for keeping children safe and for the school’s finances.  All governors, and in particular the Foundation ones, ensure that Christian values, such as care for others, permeate every aspect of school life.  A major practical role is to act as a critical friend of the school’s professional managers (the Headteacher and senior staff) to ensure that an excellent education is provided for all the pupils.  Furthermore, the governors keep a close eye on how quickly the school is improving, which covers not only academic performance but other aspects of successful schools such as good behaviour and high levels of attendance.  The governors are required to hold the Headteacher to account for what goes on in the school.  They are also required to be in good communications with parents of pupils of the school.

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The Full Governing Body meets three or four times each year and, among other things, receives reports from the Headteacher on progress in school improvement.  Much of the detailed work is given to committees made of about six governors that also meet three times annually.  The Learning and Achievement Committee deals with pupil attainment and progress and the quality of teaching.  The Resources Committee deals with finance, staffing and the buildings.  The Children's Centre Charitable Incorporated Organisation Trustees Committee looks after the nursery and out-of-school club.  There are other committees that deal with, for example, appeals by parents or staff against decisions taken by the school management.

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As part of their work for the Committee to which they belong, individual governors regularly visit the school to discuss issues with staff and to observe what is going on.  For example, if writing to a high standard is known to be a problem in a particular year group, a governor may ask the lead teacher to explain what is being done to tackle this weakness and observe how the special extra actions are being implemented at class level.  Children are now quite used to seeing governors in their classroom and in the corridors.

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It is not the job of governors to get involved with the teaching and learning process or the details of school management.  Rather, they operate at a strategic level to ensure that the systems in place are effective and efficient in delivering the high quality education that all at Hythe Bay can expect. 

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The Chairman of the Governing Body (Mr Luke Haisell) is always happy to be contacted by parents and others about the workings of the governors.