Governance at St. George's

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

The role of the Governing Board of St George’s CE Primary School is a strategic one, and its key functions are to:

• set the aims and objectives for the school;
• set the policies for achieving those aims and objectives;
• set the targets for achieving those aims and objectives;
• monitor and evaluate the progress the school is making towards achievement of its aims and objectives;
• be a source of support and challenge to the Senior Leadership Team (a critical friend);
• be ultimately accountable for welfare, well-being, safeguarding and education of all the children at St George’s, and for the health and safety of our whole school community.

Each individual governor is a member of the Governing Board. Individual governors may not act independently of the rest of the Governing Board; decisions are the joint responsibility of the Governing Board. 

The Headteacher (Mrs Katy Astle) is responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of St George’s School and the implementation of the strategic framework established by the Governing Board.  She is also a member of the Governing Board. 

GOVERNING BODY 2023-24

Chair:  Mr Richard Purchase

Vice Chair:  Reverend James Mercer

Clerk:  Mrs Hazel Serkis

Staff Governor:  Mrs Claire Hollard

Foundation Governors:  Mrs Gail Mercer, Mrs Kathryn Hollidge, Reverend James Mercer

LA Governor: Mr Richard Purchase

Parent Governors:  Mrs Zoey Ingarfield, Ms Poppy Maltby

Ex Officio Governors: Mrs Katy Astle (Headteacher) 

The Governing Body have established 2 sub-committees to support the role of the Full Governing Body (FGB).  Any Governor is able to attend any Committee meeting, but the core membership of each group is shown below: 

COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP

Full Governing Body: all governors (see list above)

Finance & Environment Committee:  Mr Richard Purchase (Chairman), Rev James Mercer, Mrs Katy Astle (Headteacher), Mrs Kathryn Hollidge.

Strategic Planning & Policy Committee:  James Mercer, Mrs Katy Astle (Headteacher), Mrs Kathryn Hollidge, Mr Richard Purchase.

The detailed Terms of Reference of each committee can be found by accessing the link below, or by clicking on the 'Committees and Terms of Reference' page on the adjoining menu sidebar:

Structure of Governance and Terms of Reference 

GOVERNOR RESPONSIBILTIES

In addition to participation in the various Committees listed above, individual Governors also take a lead responsibility for specific aspects of the school.  Some of these roles are statutory - for example safeguarding, SEND and H&S - whilst others have been determined by the Full Governing Body (FGB) to deliver an effective and appropriate structure to achieve the high standards of governance at St George's School that we aspire to - click below to see details.

Please click here to see our Governor Roles Responsibilities.

Declaration of Business & Personal Interests

This is a statutory document for the Governing Body to ensure that governors not only act impartially, but are also seen to act impartially.  The Governing Body has a responsibility to avoid any conflict between their business and personal interests/affairs and those of the school.  There is a legal duty on all governors to declare an interest likely to lead to questions of bias when considering any item of business at a meeting and for the governor concerned to withdraw, if necessary, whilst the matter is considered.  

Governors are required to complete a 'Declaration of Business Interests' on appointment and this declaration is reviewed annually.  These are maintained as a Register of Business / Pecuniary Interests.  Additionally, as an item on the agenda of every Governing Body and committee meeting, Governors are required to state whether they have any such interests.  

The register enables governors to demonstrate that in spending public money they do not benefit personally from decisions which they make.

Please use the links in the sidebar to further web pages to access information about Governors Interests, and their attendance record at Full Governing Body meetings.

Below you can access our most recent Governors' Newsletters to parents and our local community

Academic Year 2021/2022

• Governors Newsletter Sept 2021 download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineGovernors Newsletter Sept 2021

Academic Year 2018/2019

• Governors Newsletter March 2019 download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineGovernors Newsletter March 2019