Governance

School governors play a crucial role in the leadership and management of the school.

Here are some of our main responsibilities:

1. Setting the Strategic Direction: We work with the Head Teacher to set the school’s aims and objectives, formulate plans, and agree on targets to help the school achieve these objectives. We regularly review the strategic framework in light of the school’s progress.
2. Creating Robust Accountability: We support and challenge the school’s senior leadership team, playing a crucial role in holding the Head Teacher and his senior leadership team accountable for securing the best possible outcomes for pupils. We scrutinise the school’s performance data to ensure high standards in education.
3. Ensuring Financial Performance: We have a strategic role in the financial management of the school. Key responsibilities include setting financial priorities through the school development plan, 3-year financial plan, and the annual budget. We decide on how the school’s delegated budget should be spent in accordance with the school improvement plan and statutory curriculum requirements.
4. Overseeing Management: We oversee the management side of a school, focusing on the effectiveness of the school’s strategy, policies, budgeting, and staffing to ensure that the school gets best value for money from its resources allowing teachers to provide the best possible education to the children.
5. Community Involvement: We are involved in the school community, acting as critical friends to the headteacher and senior leaders.

Types of Governors:

You may hear of their being different types of governors. All Governors have equal status but what differentiates them is the process by which they are appointed.

• Parent governors (2): Elected by parents/carers of students attending the school.
• Staff governor (1): Elected by teaching and non-teaching staff.
• Local Authority governor (1): Appointed by the London Borough of Sutton
• Co-opted governors (5): Appointed by the Board based on their skills and expertise.
• Foundation governors (2): Sherwood Park is a member of the Sutton Education Trust (SET), a co-operative of local schools who collaborate to get the best outcomes for all our children; Foundation governors are appointed by the SET.
• Headteacher (1): The Headteacher is automatically a governor.

Skills and Expertise:

• Governors come from diverse backgrounds, bringing skills such as finance, education, law, management, and community engagement.
• Their collective expertise contributes to effective decision-making and governance.

Impact:

• A strong governing board ensures robust debate, leading to better educational outcomes for children.
• By volunteering as governors, individuals can make a positive impact on education in their local communities.

Governors are not involved in the operational (day to day) running of the school; this is solely for the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team to manage. A governor’s role is to act as a ‘critical friend’ to them, challenging and supporting in equal measure to ensure the very best outcomes. We are accountable to the Local Authority for the overall performance of the school.

The Board at Sherwood Park has a minimum of four full Board meetings a year, one in September and one towards the end of each term. We have three main committees, Finance which meets once every half term and Premises, Health & Safety and Curriculum & Staffing both of which each meet once per term. Governors also visit the school on a regular basis to keep in touch so they can set their work in context.

If you want to know more – or if you are interested in joining the Board – please don’t hesitate to make contact with our Governance Professional Rosemary Viggiani by email – rviggiani2@suttonmail.org.