The governing body sets out the aims and overall objectives of the school, looking at how it should best develop. This is achieved through the agreement of the annual school development plan, which sets out the school’s priorities for the year alongside various targets. These are monitored and reviewed on a regular basis against the stated aims and objectives.

The governing body works with the Headteacher, so that a clear understanding of the challenges faced in managing the school is used in setting the schools aims and objectives. The governing body sensitively questions and challenges in a positive manner, and it is the governing body’s intent that these challenges will be accepted as a positive input into school management. The governing body sets out to achieve a trusting and mutually respectful relationship between the governing body, the Headteacher and the staff. 

The school has many stakeholders – the primary ones being the pupils. The governing body shall adopt a professional attitude and ensure that its’ competence and efforts are used collectively to deliver benefit to the school’s pupils and other stakeholders. The governing body is accountable and answerable to the pupils’ parents/carers, the Local Authority, the Diocese of Oxford and the wider community, for the way the school is run.

The governing body has numerous statutory responsibilities including being responsible for the conduct of the school. There are various school policies and processes that support the specific responsibilities of the governing body within Speen School. The governing body sets the school’s policies and targets, and regularly monitors and evaluates how the school meets its objectives and targets within the School development plan.

To enable the governing body to fulfil its responsibilities, a number of committees have been established that cover all aspects of school governance. The committee structure ensures that the Full Governing Body (FGB) is made aware of the main issues from each area of the school and is informed in order to make key decisions and policy revisions as a whole when required. The principal committees and the members for 2022/23 are:

General Purposes Committee

Comprising all governors, we meet termly to discuss anything that we feel is of current importance and requires the input of all governors.

Curriculum Committee

Lisa Davies, Helen Davies, Louise Fox, , DeborahCharlotte Harrison, Debbie Hayman

The Curriculum Committee monitors the impact of each subject area including RE as a church school, looking at the data available on the progress of pupils and raising challenges as appropriate. The committee ensures that the needs of all pupils and different inclusion groups are being addressed. The utilisation of the school’s pupil premium allocation is reviewed by the Curriculum Committee to ensure that it supports any pupil or groups of pupils that are considered to have the most need. The committee considers the breadth and depth of the curriculum, completed and planned staff CPD, and the use of ICT and other resources. A main focus of the committee is the planned actions during the next term and beyond and to ensure that visits to the school are made to inform their discussions. On an annual basis, the committee also reviews and updates where necessary, any of the school policies which are of a curriculum nature.

Admissions Committee

Lisa Davies, Helen Davies, Eamonn Barrett

TheAdmissionsCommitteesetstheschool’sadmissionpolicyforeachacademicyearandensuresthatitisadheredto. Members of the admissions committee address any admission decisions, ensuring that applicants are responded to in line with the national Admissions Code.

Finance Committee

Eamonn Barrett, Lisa Davies, Alistair Blundell
One of the statutory responsibilities of Governors is to approve and review on an ongoing basis, the school’s annual budget. Every finance committee meeting therefore includes a review and challenge of the actual spends to date compared to the planned budget, to ensure that the school is being financially responsible. Any non-routine expenditure items are also discussed. On an annual basis, the committee also reviews and updates, where necessary, any of the school policies which are of a finance nature.

Lisa Davies, Caroline Tuck, Paul Oborn, Rev. Anthony Bundock

This committee is primarily responsible for staff and pupil welfare and handles recruitment, monitors performance reviews, attendance and updates various policies linked to human resources (HR), Safeguarding and Equality. Collective worship is monitored by the Pastoral committee, to ensure it impacts the lives of all within the school community.

Alastair Blundell, Paul Oborn, Susan Seward, Lisa Davies

The Governing body set up the Premises and Health & Safety committee to proactively manage the ongoing provision of a safe, healthy and supportive environment for the education of the children and the welfare of staff and visitors. As well as assisting the Headteacher with risk assessments the Governors are also trained in safeguarding issues so able to provide additional support and perspective ensuring the security of both children and data. The knowledge and skills that the Governors bring from involvement within commercial life, ensures that the school benefits from appreciation of the latest technologies and the ability to critically assess proposals by the Local Authority's approved suppliers. The school is constrained by the budget provided and the Premises and Health & Safety Committee supports the Headteacher with prioritisation of the tasks. They review all policies which are linked to health and safety. 

Lisa Davies, Charlotte Harrison, Helen Davies

Principally works to promote Speen Church of England School within the local community and to ensure that the Headteacher is fully supported in the task of achieving a full pupil roll. We draft promotional material, which reflects the ethos of the school. We explore opportunities to promote Speen CE School and consider opportunities to raise the profile in the local media and promote links with the village community. We are also responsible for maintaining an up-to-date and DfE compliant website for the school and conducting parent, staff and pupil surveys.

Governor Visits

The purpose of governor visits is to foster good relationships with the staff and pupils and to fulfill the governing body obligation to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the school and its’ curriculum. During these visits, which include lunches with the children, we do not, however, make judgments about the quality of teaching or the progress of individual children. Governors have a target to individually visit school each term to inform their knowledge and triangulate statements from the Headteacher’s reports. Formal written reports are presented to a committee or the full governing body to provide feedback to the rest of the governing body.

Governor Training

All governors are required to undertake regular training (ideally each term) to enable them to exercise their duties effectively. This is a vital part of being a school governor and by doing this we keep up to date with continual developments happening across all areas of education provision. Additionally, a whole governor training session is organised annually on different topics related to governance.