Have you ever thought about becoming a Parent Governor at Dairy Meadow?

We have vacancies on the Governing Board for two Parent Governors and it is a great way to become more involved and help the school!

There are great benefits to being a governor, for example:

· Developing your professional skills and experience such as strategic planning

· Chairing, financial planning, and team working, all of which are valued by employers and can assist your own career development

· Building relationships and networks in the local area

· Supporting children and young people in the community.

What does a Governor do?

The Governing Board, with the Head teacher, has overall responsibility for the running of the school. The Governors have three main functions: Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction. Holding the Head teacher to account for the educational performance of the School and its pupils.

Overseeing the financial performance of the School and making sure its money is well spent. No special qualifications are needed and the most important thing is to have a keen interest in Dairy Meadow School and be prepared to play an active part in the Governors’ work.

Governors attend regular evening meetings (usually 6 a year). Where possible they may also visit the school for a pre-planned visit during the school day two or three times a year.

Parent governors bring a parental perspective to issues being discussed; however, they are not expected to represent the parent body or act as a spokesperson.

What help and support will I get?

Training is available for all Governors and the Board has an expectation that those new to being a Governor attend free induction training.

Who can apply?

Nominations must be for parents, or individuals exercising parental responsibility, of a child at Dairy Meadow Primary School.

How do I find out more?

If you would like to talk to a current parent governor please let the office know and they will put you in touch.

How do I apply?

If you are interested in standing for election, please either collect a nomination form from the school office, request that one is emailed to you or click here, to download a copy and return it to the school no later than Monday 20th October.

You may also include a short personal statement to support your nomination, which should be no longer than 250 words. You may nominate yourself, but if you are nominating another parent, please get their agreement beforehand.

If there are more nominations than vacancies the election will be by secret ballot. If that is necessary, voting papers will be sent to all parents together with details of the ballot procedure.

Please contact the school office if you have any questions.

Best wishes

Mrs A Reed, Head teacher

Please read the information below and then if you wish to apply, click the link and download and complete the form and return it to office@dairy-meadow.ealing.sch.uk.

Parent Governor application

Governor role description

Governors work together to carry out their core functions:

1. ensuring there is clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction

2. holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils and the performance management of staff

3. overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent

The National Governance Association recognises the following as the fourth core function of governance:

4. ensuring the voices of stakeholders are heard

Governors must also ensure that the governing body complies with all legal and statutory requirements. Governors should seek the advice of the clerk to the governing board and other professional advice as appropriate.

Governing body strategic responsibilities

Governing bodies work closely with headteachers and senior leaders. Headteachers are responsible for day-to-day management whereas the role of the governing body is strategic. As such, governors are responsible for:

determining the mission, values and long-term ambitious vision for the school
deciding the principles that guide school policies and approving key policies
working with senior leaders to develop a strategy for achieving the vision
ensuring that parents, pupils, staff and the wider community are involved, consulted and informed as appropriate
ensuring that all pupils have access to a broad and balanced curriculum such that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education and adult life
setting the school’s budget and ensuring it is managed effectively together with premises and other resources
agreeing the school’s staffing structure and keeping it under review to ensure it supports delivery of the strategy
ensuring robust risk management procedures are in place and that risk control measures are appropriate and effective

Monitoring and evaluating school performance

Governors must monitor the priorities that have been set to ensure progress is being made by:

measuring the school’s impact and progress towards its strategic objectives
ensuring the required policies and procedures are in place and the school is operating effectively in line with these policies
evaluating relevant data and feedback provided by school leaders and external reporting on all aspects of school performance
asking challenging questions of school leaders in order to hold them to account
holding the headteacher to account for standards, financial probity and compliance with agreed policies
visiting the school to monitor implementation of the strategy and reporting back to the board (this could be in a link governor capacity)
ensuring that there are policies and procedures in place to deal with complaints effectively

Panels and committees

When required, governors are expected to serve on panels or committees in order to:

appoint the headteacher and other senior leaders
appraise the headteacher and make pay recommendations
hear staff grievances and disciplinary matters
review decisions to exclude pupils
deal with formal complaints

Contribution to the governing body

Governors should ensure that they are making a positive and meaningful contribution to the governing body by:

attending meetings (around 6 per year), reading papers and preparing questions for senior leaders in advance
establishing and maintaining professional relationships with senior leaders and colleagues on the board
getting to know the school, including visiting the school occasionally during school hours
undertaking induction training and developing knowledge and skills on an ongoing basis

Expenses

Governors should receive out of pocket expenses incurred as a result of fulfilling their role as governor and NGA recommends that a governing board should have such an expenses policy.

Payments can cover incidental expenses, such as travel and dependency care, but not loss of earnings.

Governor qualification and disqualification criteria

The following summarises the qualification and disqualification regulations which can be seen in full in the constitution of governing boards of maintained schools August 2017 (Constitution of governing bodies of maintained schools - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

A governor must be aged 18 or over at the time of their election or appointment.

A registered pupil of the school cannot be a governor.

A person is disqualified from holding or continuing to hold office as a governor of a school if, in summary, that person:

Failed to attend the meetings of the governing board of that school for a continuous period of six months, beginning with the date of the first meeting they failed to attend, without the consent of the governing board. This does not apply to the headteacher or to foundation governors appointed by virtue of their office.
A foundation, local authority, co-opted or partnership governor at the school who is disqualified for failing to attend meetings is only disqualified from being a governor of any category at the school during the twelve-month period starting on the date on which they were disqualified
is the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order; an interim bankruptcy restrictions order; debt relief restrictions order; an interim debt relief restrictions order; or their estate has been sequestrated and the sequestration has not been discharged, annulled or reduced
is subject to a disqualification order or disqualification undertaking under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986; a disqualification order under the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 2002; a disqualification undertaking accepted under the Company Directors Disqualification (Northern Ireland) Order 2002; or an order made under section 429(2)(b) of the Insolvency Act 1986 (failure to pay under county court administration order)
has been removed from the office of trustee for a charity by an order made by the Charity Commission or Commissioners or High Court on grounds of any misconduct or mismanagement in the administration of the charity, or under section 34 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 from being concerned in the management or control of any board
has been removed from office as an elected governor within the last five years.
is included in the list of people considered by the Secretary of State as unsuitable to work with children or young people
is barred from any regulated activity relating to children
is subject to a direction of the Secretary of State under section 142 of the Education Act 2002 or section 128 of the Education and Skills Act 2008
is disqualified from working with children or from registering for child-minding or providing day care
is disqualified from being an independent school proprietor, teacher or employee by the Secretary of State
subject to certain exceptions for overseas offences that do not correlate with a UK offence, has been sentenced to three months or more in prison (without the option of a fine) in the five years ending with the date preceding the date of appointment/election as a governor or since becoming a governor
subject to certain exceptions for overseas offences that do not correlate with a UK offence, has received a prison sentence of two and a half years or more in the 20 years ending with the date preceding the date of appointment/election as a governor
subject to certain exceptions for overseas offences that do not correlate with a UK offence, has at any time received a prison sentence of five years or more
has been convicted and fined for causing a nuisance or disturbance on school or educational premises during the five years ending with the date immediately preceding appointment/election or since appointment or election as a governor
refuses a request by the clerk to make an application to the Disclosure and Barring Service for a criminal records certificate.

Anyone proposed or serving as a governor who is disqualified for one of these reasons must notify the Clerk to the Governors.