Dagnall VA Church of England School
Our Governing Board
Our Governing Board is made up of:
- 6 Foundation Governors, some appointed by the Parochial Church Council and some appointed by St Albans Diocesan Board of Education
- 2 Parent Governors, elected by other parents
- 1 staff governor, elected by the staff
- 1 Local Authority Governor, appointed by Buckinghamshire Council
- The vicar and headteacher are ex officio members
What is the Governing Board responsible for?
The Governing Board has responsibility for raising school standards and concerns itself with three strategic functions:
a. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
b. Holding the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils; and
c. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
What is the Headteacher responsible for?
The Headteacher has day-to-day management of the school. The role of the Governing Board is to provide strategic management, and to act as a "critical friend", supporting the work of the Headteacher and other staff.
How does the Governing Body work?
We have three meetings per term. We consider all strategic aspects of teaching and learning as well as finance, resources, premises and health and safety. In particular, we review progress in those areas which we have highlighted in our School Improvement Plan.
Our professional clerk keeps us up to date on changes in legislation and government advice to schools, to make sure the school fulfils its statutory duties and provides the best possible education for our pupils.
What is expected of an individual governor?
People can be reticent to apply to be a school governor, being unsure of the commitment.
These are the most important things a governor will be asked to do:
- To attend an induction training session when first appointed
- To attend relevant training sessions and development events (many of these are conducted online)
- To attend meetings and to read all the papers before the meeting; governors are usually a member of only one sub-committee
- To participate in meetings by asking questions, especially those that challenge the impact on standards of the Headteacher’s and staff’s actions
- To behave in a professional manner, as set down in the governing body’s Code of Conduct, including maintaining strict confidentiality
- To take on an interest in one or more areas of the curriculum and to get to know how that subject or subjects are taught by visiting from time to time during school hours
Chair of Governors: Mrs Catherine Hayden chayden@dagnall.bucks.sch.uk
Finance Governor: Mr Frank Monnington