The Governing Body

Welcome to the Parkside Governors’ page. Here you will find key information about who we are and what we do.

What do Governors do ?

Governors are involved in every aspect of school life and usually take on specific roles according to their experience and interests. We play a strategic role, concentrating on the underlying principles of how the school is run. Day-to-day management issues remain the responsibility of the head teacher and her staff.

Overall, governors have 3 key roles:

1. We take general responsibility for the school. We appoint the head teacher and together set the strategic direction of the school. We uphold and promote the vision and the values that underpin all we do. We ensure that every child is safe at Parkside.

2. We agree the school development plan and monitor progress against the targets set, holding the head teacher and senior leaders to account and acting as a ‘critical friend.’

3. We set the school budget each year, approve spending and monitor progress against the budget.

How do Governors work ?

We meet as a full governing body 5 times a year. We have two committees – education, and finance and operations – which also meet 5 or 6 times a year to deal with matters of specific interest. Those committees report back to the full governing body. We also have a pay committee that meets when necessary. Anyone can attend the non-confidential part of a governors’ meeting.

In between the meetings governors undertake work according to their responsibilities and any other work they have agreed to do. They visit school regularly to meet with key staff and see how the children are doing. They also attend regular training on a wide range of subjects, from safeguarding to data analysis to help them carry out their roles to the highest standards.

How are Governors appointed ?

We are required to have a designated number of governors from a number of categories. We can also adopt additional governors, known as associate governors, who can advise but not vote. These governors usually have a particular area of expertise.

Our current body consists of :

• 2 parent governors
• 1 Local Authority governor
• 1 staff governor
• 2 partnership governors
• 6 co-opted governors
• The head teacher

The standard term of office for a governor is four years. The Chair and Vice Chair are elected annually at the first meeting of the academic year. The Chair of Governors is Miranda Barnett who can be contacted via the school office.

If you feel you have skills and commitment to become a governor at Parkside, or are interested in finding out more, please contact the Chair.

The Governing Body 2018 – 2019