Governors

Who are school governors?

School governors are there to ensure that schools are well run. They are volunteers who help decide on the direction, focus and ethos of schools. Each school has between 9 and 20 governors who together form the ‘governing body’. Ours has 14 (3 LA, 5 parent, 3 community and 3 staff).

Governors represent people from many walks of life: school staff, parents, the local community and even organisations connected to the school. This means that school decisions are made by people with a wide range of experience and views.

What do school governors do?

School governors lead schools, they don’t manage them. They are there to give a long-term strategic direction to how the school is run; to be critical friends to the school; and to ensure the school is accountable for its actions.

Governors discuss and have input on:

• School policies, such as discipline, dress, sport, bullying and homework
• Long term plans and the future of the school
• How the school budget will be spent
• How the school will try to reach performance targets
• Drafting the annual report to parents (now replaced by the school profile)
• Appointment and dismissal of staff
• Complaints from pupils, staff and parents
• Repair and maintenance of school buildings
• Use of school premises outside school hours
• The management of the nursery

The governing body often appoints sub-committees of governors to look at specific issues such as the school’s finance, staffing, curriculum and premises.

How much time do governors give?

Normally governors serve for four years, but as volunteers they can leave at any time. Previous governors can normally apply to be re-appointed or re-elected if they wish to return.

A governor’s main task is to attend meetings of the school governing body. These normally take place once a term in the evening. Each sub-committee (on issues such as finance and personnel, curriculum, nursery and premises) normally meets once a term.

Access to Meetings and Information

The Full Governing Body meets three times each year. Parents are welcome to attend these and sub-committee meetings or can view agendas and minutes by visiting the school. There are certain records which you may not be able to see because they contain personal data, but wherever possible we aim to make information available as readily as possible in compliance with the Freedom of Information Act.

The dates of meetings may be obtained by emailing or calling the school.

As a Governing Body, we hope to make more information available to parents through this web site in due course, but in the meantime, further information about governors and their responsibilities is available from the West Sussex Grid for Learning web site, http://wsgfl.westsussex.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/governors/

Governors produce a school profile every year and the current profile can be viewed at http://schoolsfinder.direct.gov.uk/9382240/school-profile

Vacancies

We currently have two community governor vacancies.

Are you interested in becoming a Community Governor? Do you run a local business, work or live in the community and would be willing to give your time to enhance your local school? If so, please contact our Chair of Governors via the School or email governors@maidenbowerinfantschool.org.uk

All Governors and the Clerk to the Governing Body can be contacted via the school using the addresses, telephone number and e-mail address displayed on this site.