Governors work closely with headteachers, school staff and representatives from the local authority (LA).
The Governing Body of Whinfield Primary School has a crucial role in helping to ensure that all of our children have the best learning and development opportunities possible in order to maximize their potential. They are encouraged to be the best that they can be.
Our three core responsibilities are:
- To hold the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils.
- To ensure clarity of the school’s vision, ethos and strategic direction.
- To oversee the financial performance of the school and ensure its money is well spent.
An additional key priority for us is Safeguarding and Child Protection which we oversee in line with the Department for Education’s guidance – “Keeping Children Safe in Education”.
The role of the Governing Body is, by definition, a strategic one for the ongoing development and improvement of the school. The day to day management and operational functions are delegated to the Senior Leadership Team. It should be noted therefore that the Headteacher is responsible for the day to day running of the school.
Our Governing Body has 5 committees who are responsible for the following areas of school business.
- Curriculum (Termly meetings)
- Finance, Premises & Personnel (Termly meetings)
- Pay Review (Annual meeting)
- Head Teacher Performance Management (Annual meeting)
- Appeals (Meet as required)
The Committees report back to the Full Governing Body twice each term.
Full details of delegated duties of committees can be found below.
Meet Our Governors
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Chair of Governors
Claire Thorns
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Headteacher
Shirley Welsh
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Vice Chair of Governors
Charlotte Harker
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Co-Opted Governor
Judith Vinton
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Co-opted Governor
Helen Stewart
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- Parent Governor Tiffany Forster
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Co-opted Governor
Councillor Andy Keir
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- Miss Watkins (Year 6 & Staff Governor)
Click on any name below to view our Governor Pen Portraits
| Name | Representing | Date of Appointment | Term of Office | Committee | Responsibilities | Register of Interests | Relationship to Staff |
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| Claire Thorns | Chair of Governors | 06/05/2020 | 06/05/2020 - 05/05/2024 | Finance & Personnel | None | None | |
| Shirley Welsh | Headteacher | 01/09/2012 | ex. officio | Finance & Personnel Curriculum Pay Review | Director of Education Village Academy Trust (EVAT) (Registered no: 7748248) | Headteacher | |
| Charlotte Harker | Vice Chair | 12/05/2021 | 12/05/2021 - 11/5/2025 | Finance & Personnel Pay Review | |||
| Judith Vinton | Co-Opted | 12/05/2021 | 12/05/2021 - 11/5/2025 | Curriculum | |||
| Helen Stewart | Co-opted | 01/06/2020 | 01/06/2020 - 31/05/2024 | Curriculum | None | None | |
| Jane Wilkinson | Co-opted | 29/04/2022 | 29/04/2022 - 29/04/2026 | Finance | |||
| Tiffany Forster | Parent | 03/11/2016 | 03/11/2020 - 02/11/2024 | Curriculum | None | None | |
| Councillor Andy Keir | Co-opted | 27/01/2021 | 27/01/2021 - 26/01/2025 | Finance & Personnel Pay Review | Councillor DBC | None | |
| Amanda McEwan | Local Authority Governor | 04/03/2022 | 04/03/2022 - 04/03/2026 | Curriculum | |||
| Leighanne Watkins | Staff | 23/11/2022 | 23/11/2022 - 22/11/2026 | Curriculum | None | Staff Member | |
| Vacancy | Parent | - | |||||
| Vacancy | Co-Opted |
Recent Resignations
- Andrea Graham (Resigned 22/11/22)
- Christopher Johnson (Resigned 25/04/2022)
- Suzanne Goldfinch (Resigned 1/2/2022)
- Jason Malherbe-Smith (Resigned 10/7/2021)
- Paula Horsford (Resigned 26/6/2021)
- Philip Sinfield (Resigned 27/1/2021)
- Stuart Collings (Resigned 19/06/2020)
- Leanne Waite – (Resigned 6/05/ 2020)
How To Become A School Governor
If you require further information on the roles and responsibilities of School Governors or you are interested in becoming one, visit the Darlington Borough Council website School Governor section. Our Governor vacancies are also advertised on the school newsletter.
Statutory Guidance for Governing Bodies
Governors have access to National Governors Association support, The Governors Handbook and a dedicated school email and online resource portal. Whinfield Primary School adhere to the statutory guidance from the Department for Education. This means that governing bodies must have regard to it when carrying out duties relating to the constitution of governing bodies in maintained schools. For further information please view or download the documents below:
Governor Attendance
Schools are required to display a record of Governor attendance at meetings for each school academic year.
KEY
✓ – Attended meeting
A/A – Apologies sent and accepted by meeting
N – Did not attend
n/a – Not a member of the committee
| Name | Full Governing Body Meeting 28/09/2022 | Full Governing Body Meeting 23/11/2022 | Full Governing Body Meeting 25/01/2023 | Full Governing Body Meeting 15/03/2023 | Full Governing Body Meeting 10/05/2023 | Full Governing Body Meeting 28/06/2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiffany Forster | ||||||
| Leanne Watkins | ||||||
| Shirley Welsh | ||||||
| Claire Thorns | ||||||
| Helen Stewart | ||||||
| Andy Keir | ||||||
| Charlotte Harker | ||||||
| Judith Vinton | ||||||
| Emma Calvert | ||||||
| Jane Wilkinson | ||||||
| Amanda McEwan | ||||||
| Trisha Bittlestone (Associate Governor) | ||||||
| Julia Murphy (Associate Governor) |
Archived Attendance
You can also view previous years attendance here.
Governor Committee Structure & Terms of Reference
Governor are responsible for the strategic vision of the school . They manage these functions through delegated committees detailed below:
Finance, Premises & Personnel Committee
Membership: The Committee will consist of a minimum of 4 governors.
2021-22 Membership:
- Claire Thorns (Chair of Committee)
- Charlotte Harker
- Andy Keir
- Jane Wilkinson
- Shirley Welsh
- Meeting: Termly
Finance functions
- To provide guidance and assistance to the Head Teacher, Senior Management Team and governing body in all matters relating to budget setting and finance
- To oversee the sound financial management of the school and ensure that the school’s funds are properly and prudently managed
- To consider the budget plan, taking account of priorities in the School Development Plan, and recommend the first formal plan of the year to the full Governing Body for their approval
- To receive regular reports on the school’s income and expenditure, ensure that expenditure is authorised in accordance with the school’s financial procedures and monitor performance against budget
- To receive regular accounts for voluntary funds held by the school and monitor the performance of these funds
- To examine any contracts and either approve or refer to the full governing body as appropriate
- To ensure that audit recommendations are actioned
- To establish a charging and remissions policy (N.B. the Head Teacher has delegated power to approve the charging and remissions policy for curriculum activities)
- To approve and annually review the Pay Policy and ensure consultation is carried out with staff
- To set up and approve a Governors’ Expenses Scheme
Premises functions
- To ensure the school’s premises are maintained to a high standard
- To receive regular reports on the state of the school’s property and buildings and approve any recommendations for work
- To approve and review a maintenance plan
- To contribute to and approve any capital bids for work that is outside the school’s annual revenue
- To ensure that buildings insurance and personal liability insurance is in place, after seeking advice from the Local Authority
Miscellaneous
- To appeal against LA directions to admit pupils
Personnel functions
- To agree the staffing structure, following liaison with the Curriculum Committee
- To approve and regularly review all procedures relating to the recruitment, selection and appointment of staff
- To approve and regularly review all policies and procedures relating to human resources management (including, but not limited to, Equal Opportunities, Conditions of Service, Grievance Procedures, Capability Procedures, Disciplinary Procedures, Flexible Working Procedures, Leave of Absence, Human Rights, Health & Safety)
- To approve the performance management policy and annually review the implementation of performance management arrangements
- To receive reports from the Head Teacher on the dismissal or suspension of staff
- To agree to end a suspension of any member of staff other than the Head Teacher
- To approve dismissal / early retirement payments
- To agree to staff leave of absence beyond Head Teacher’s delegated power
Curriculum Committee
Membership: The Committee will consist of a minimum of 4 governors.
2021-22 Membership:
- Tiffany Forster (Chair of Committee)
- Judith Vinton
- Andrea Graham
- Shirley Welsh
- Helen Stewart
- Amanda McEwan
Meeting: Termly
Terms of Reference:
- To agree or reject and regularly monitor the school’s curriculum policy
- To receive regular reports on curriculum issues within the school
- To ensure that the school is fulfilling its statutory responsibilities for delivery of the national curriculum and teaching hours
- To approve the School Development Plan and regularly review progress against the identified priorities
- To approve and regularly review all school policy statements relating to curriculum issues
- To approve and review home-school agreements
- To ensure that a ‘responsible person’ is appointed to discharge duties in respect of pupils with special needs
- To receive reports from the Head Teacher on the delivery of extended services activities and ensure the school is fulfilling statutory requirements in relation to extended schools
- To consider all permanent exclusions and fixed term exclusions totalling more than 15 days in a term and decide whether to uphold the exclusion or reinstate the pupil
- To consider other fixed term exclusions in accordance with DCSF regulations
- To monitor, review and make representation to the governing body on the school’s Behaviour and Pupil Discipline policies
Pay Review Committee
Membership: The Committee will consist of a minimum of 3 governors, including the Head Teacher but excluding staff governors
2021-22 Membership:
- Claire Thorns
- Charlotte Harker
- Andy Keir
- Jane Wilkinson
- Shirley Welsh
Meeting: Annually
Terms of Reference:
- To annually review all staff salaries and, following consideration of the Head Teacher’s recommendations, approve any changes to teachers’ pay
- To take discretionary pay decisions, including, but not limited to:
a. regrading
b. award of recruitment and retention points
- To ensure all decisions are taken in accordance with relevant legislation, including the Race Relations, Sex Discrimination, Equal Pay, Disability Discrimination and Employment Regulations Acts, the Part-Time Workers Regulations and the Fixed Term Employees’ Regulations
- To ensure that every qualified teacher is provided with a formal statement of their salary by no later than 31 October each year
Head Teacher Pay Review Committee
Membership: The Committee will consist of a minimum of 2 governors (staff governors, including the Head Teacher, cannot be appointed to:
2021-22 Membership:
- Charlotte Harker
- Claire Thorns
Meeting: Annually
Terms of Reference:
- In conjunction with the School Improvement Partner, to annually review the Head Teacher’s performance against targets set the previous year
- To approve any increase to the Head Teacher’s pay, based on the performance review
- In conjunction with the School Improvement Partner, to set targets for the Head Teacher’s performance for the forthcoming year
- To meet regularly with the Head Teacher to review progress against the targets
Committee A & B
Committee A (As Required)
Membership: The Committee will consist of 5 governors (the Head Teacher and staff governors cannot be appointed to this committee)
Any three governors (Chair to be appointed)
Meetings: As required
Terms of Reference:
- To take decisions under the disciplinary, capability, redundancy, grievance and other related procedures where the Head Teacher is unable to do so because of prior involvement.
- To act as the first stage of appeal to the Governing Body, in accordance with the school’s policies or where the Head Teacher is unable to hear appeals because of prior involvement.
- To act as the Complaints Committee and hear parental complaints that have not been resolved at an earlier stage of the Complaints Procedure
Committee B (As required)
Membership: The Committee will consist of all members of the Governing Body not appointed to Committee A (excluding the Head Teacher and staff governors) To be appointed from the remainder of the governing body not involved in the original decision.
Meetings: As required
Terms of Reference:
- To hear second stage appeals in accordance with the school’s policies. This includes, but is not limited to, appeals under the disciplinary, capability, redundancy, grievance and pay procedures
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