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Seal C of E Primary School is celebrating National Governors' Awareness Day

Recognising the hard work of volunteers

We are delighted to celebrate National School Governors' Awareness Day on Thursday 13th February to recognise governors' tremendous work and positive impact on schools across the UK.

Our Inspire Academy Movement schools, acknowledge the invaluable role of volunteers in supporting our schools and appreciate everything our trustees and local governors do in supporting exciting and engaging learning opportunities for our pupils and staff. The critical role they play and the strategies that have been made have also allowed us to enjoy consistent growth in all of our schools.

If you are passionate about children receiving the best education and helping a school thrive, please consider becoming a trustee or a school governor.

What Do Trustees and School Governors Do?

Trustees, referred to as Directors in our trust, hold a strategic role at the top level of governance.  Key responsibilities of trustees include:

• Setting the strategic direction and long-term goals of the whole trust.
• Ensuring financial stability and compliance with statutory requirements.
• Overseeing the performance of the executive leadership team.
• Ensuring that the trust's values and vision are upheld across all schools.

Local Governors, on the other hand, focus on the governance of individual schools within the trust. They work closely with the headteachers and school leadership teams to ensure that the school's policies and practices align with the trust's overall strategy and values. Local governors play a crucial role in monitoring the school's performance, supporting the headteacher, and acting as a link between the school and the wider community.

The key responsibilities of local governing bodies are:

• Safeguarding (and H&S): Monitoring the trust’s safeguarding policy to ensure the safety and wellbeing of pupils and staff.
• Standards: Monitoring school performance and improvement, ensuring strategies align with trust objectives.
• SEND: Ensuring pupils with Special Educational Needs are supported and included in all aspects of school life.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Considering stakeholder needs in decision-making and supporting school-community engagement.
• Curriculum and Staff Cover Budget: Reviewing spending for value and alignment with standards, understanding school budgets within the trust's finances.
• SIAMS (for church schools): Ensuring church schools connect with the local church and Diocese to support a Christian vision to enable all to flourish.

Both directors and local governors bring unique perspectives and skills to the governance of our schools. Trustees provide strategic oversight and ensure that the trust operates effectively and sustainably, while local governors bring a deep understanding of the specific needs and challenges of individual schools. Together, they create a robust governance structure that supports continuous improvement and excellence in education.

The Importance of Strong Governance

Our headteachers, with their extensive experience in teaching primary school children, are experts in their field. However, they may not have expertise in areas such as finance, human resources, marketing, disciplinary panels, estate management, and community engagement. A strong team of governors, often with diverse professional backgrounds, provides essential challenge and support to the headteacher to ensure that the school provides the best possible environment for everyone.

How it works?

We have one Trust Board with two committees:

• Finance, Resources, Audit & Risk
• Curriculum & Standards

There are three local governing bodies (LGB) within the trust:

1. Seal CE Primary School and Four Elms Primary School LGB
2. Rusthall CE Primary School LGB
3. Maypole Primary School LGB

Commitment and Meeting Frequency

Governors are required to commit a certain number of hours per year. At Inspire, local governors meet six times annually (term time), with meetings held at the school and available for in-person or virtual attendance. In addition, there are three monitoring day per year which are usually held on the same day as the LGB meeting.

Engaging Parents in School Life

We encourage parents to become an integral part of each school community. By involving parents and carers in school activities, they invest in their child’s education, leading to the best possible outcomes. Many of our governors are former parents, local business owners, current parents, and community members who are passionate about seeing their local schools thrive

Join Us

Jude Johnson, Governance Professional at Inspire Academy Movement said, "Becoming a school governor is a rewarding role and will allow you the opportunity to use your skills and knowledge to have a positive impact on the education of the children across the Trust.  You will be able to develop and learn new skills, take on different challenges and work as part of team.   Full training and support will be given so please don't worry if you are new to governance.

If you are passionate about education and want to contribute to your local community, consider joining us as a governor and help make a difference in the lives of children."

The Inspire Academy Movement is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, Governors and volunteers to share in this commitment. All post holders in regulated activity are subject to appropriate vetting procedures and a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

“I became a school governor because I truly wanted to make a positive difference on our local community when it comes to education.”

 

Grant, Governor at Seal C of E Primary School and Four Elms Primary School