St Margaret'sC of E Primary School

School Community  »  Governors

Annual Governance Statement for the Governing Body of St Margaret’s C of E Primary Horsforth 
The governing body of St Margaret’s Primary School conducts its business to take account of the three roles of the governing bodies as outlined in the Governance Handbook:
1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
2. Holding the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils;
3. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
The day to day management of the school is the responsibility of the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team.
The governing body also ensures that the school complies fully with statutory safeguarding procedures. All staff have signed a record to confirm they have read Part 1 of the DfE statutory guidance “Keeping Children Safe in Education”. The governing body has familiarised itself with the document and are working with the Designated Safeguarding Lead (Mrs Spencer) in school to complete the annual safeguarding audit.
 

St Margaret’s C of E Primary School

Written Statement of Behaviour Principles

Approved March 2024, to be reviewed November 2024
 

The statement of behaviour principles is informed by our school vision:

 

With God’s help we:

Flourish in all we do,

Achieve whatever we set our minds to,

Believe we are all unique and valued.

 

Governing bodies of maintained schools are required to provide headteachers with a statement of principles on which a school’s behaviour policy is based.

Our vision is underpinned by the following scripture reminding us to ‘shine like the stars’:

“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” Daniel 12:3

Our Christian values and PROUD statements underpin our learning and behavioural attitudes. We aim for our learners to be able to demonstrate these values in everything they do, both in and out of school providing a moral foundation for 21st century citizenship.

St Margaret’s School’s behaviour policy is based on Christian values and the belief that everyone is created in the image of God and is of infinite worth. Reconciliation and forgiveness are a key aspect of behaviour management in the school.

 

Reflecting our Christian vision, the following principles have been agreed:

 

The Governing Body believes that:

  • every pupil has the right to feel safe, valued and respected, and to be able to learn, free from the disruption of others.
  • all pupils, staff and visitors should be free from any form of discrimination.
  • pupils learn by example. It is therefore expected that all adults in the school will be models of good behaviour.
  • the school should praise, support and reward good behaviour and improvements in behaviour, as appropriate, and provide a range of opportunities in which pupils can excel and be rewarded.
  • challenging behaviour is not acceptable. Sanctions will be known and understood by staff and pupils and applied consistently, fairly, proportionally, and reasonably to provide boundaries and to make expectations clear.
  • the use of sanctions and rewards must reflect the individual situation and the needs of each pupil.
  • the behaviour policy should be understood by staff, and communicated effectively to pupils, parents and carers.
  • pupils should be helped to take responsibility for their actions.
  • families must be involved in behaviour incidents to foster good relationships between the school and home.

The Governing Body supports the school’s authority to consider exclusions, particularly those that are permanent, as the very last resort. It expects pupils, parents and carers to cooperate in order to maintain an orderly climate for learning.

The Governing Body emphasises that violence or threatening behaviour will not be tolerated in any circumstances.

This written statement of behaviour principles is reviewed every year and approved by the full Governing body.

 

 

 
The composition of the governing body
 
The governing body re-constituted in September 2014 and comprises 12 governors in total. Every governor appointed to the governing body is appointed on the basis of the skills required to contribute to the effective governance and success of the school. The number of governors in each category is determined through the Instrument of Government and is currently:
1 Head teacher
1 elected staff governor
3 elected parent governors
1 local authority governor
3 Foundation governors
3 co-opted governors

Please see the following table for the names and areas of responsibility of the governors.

Name

Governor Role

Responsibilities

(including Year Group Link)

Business / Financial Interests / Governance Role in other Schools

Revd Nigel Sinclair

Appointed by: DBE

Start: 15/06/17

End: 17/06/25

Foundation Governor

 


Teaching, Learning and Pupil Support
 

SIAMS and Christian Ethos

 

Trustee of Elevate Multi Academy Trust

Amanda Bradley
Co Chair of Governors 

Appointed by: DBE

Start: 27/02/18

End: 27/02/26

Foundation Governor

 


Teaching, Learning and Pupil Support

Resources

STEM
EYFS
Early Reading and Phonics
Maths

None recorded

Ingunn Vallumroed

Co Chair of Governors 

Appointed by: Parental Body

Start:03/12/2019

End: 28/11/2026

Parent Governor


Resources

English
Training
Complaints

 

 

None recorded

Rebecca Maiden

Headteacher

Appointed by Governing Body

Start: 01.01.2024

End: 31.12.2026
 
Headteacher

Resources
 

Teaching, Learning and Pupil Support

None recorded
Paul Mitchell

Appointed by: Parental Body

Start:09/03/21

End: 09/03/25


 
Parent Governor  
 Resources

 SEND
 Government grant   funding(SEND)
 Equalities


 
None recorded
Mary Pike

Appointed by: Co-opted

Start: 08.03.2022

End: 07.03.2026

 
Co-opted Governor  Chair of Resources

 Government grant funding   (Pupil Premium & PE/Sport   funding)

 Health and Safety
None recorded
Victoria McWalker
Vice Chair of Governors 

Appointed by: Parental Body

Start: 08/11/2021

End 07/11/2025
Parent governor  Teaching, Learning and Pupil     Support

 Safeguarding and child   protection, CLA
 Attendance
None recorded
Joanna Bailey

Appointed by: DBE
Start: 06/12/2021

End: 05/12/2025

 
Foundation governor  Teaching, Learning and Pupil     Support

 Wellbeing - pupil and staff
 Collective Worship and RE
 SIAMS and Christian Ethos
None recorded
Alex Ford

Appointed by: Co-opted
Start: 08.03.2022

End:08.03.2026

 
Co-opted  Chair of Teaching, Learning and Pupil Support
 
 Curriculum 
 PE and Sports Premium
None recorded
Andrew Lorimer

Appointed by Governing Body

Start: 28.11.2023
End: 27.11.2026


 
Co-opted Teaching, Learning and Pupil   Support

Shares held in a company providing after school provision.

Julie Skeet

Appointed by Governing Body

Start: 28.11.2023
End: 28.11.2026
 
Associate Member Teaching, Learning and Pupil   Support None recorded
Gemma Croft

Appointed by Staff

Start: 28.11.2023
End: 28.11.2026
Staff Governor Teaching, Learning and Pupil   Support None recorded
Vacancy 

Local Authority Governor

 
     
Historic Governors      
Matt Leech

Appointed by: Parental Body
Start: 06/12/2016
End:01/04/2021
Parent Governor  Teaching, Learning and Pupil   Support
 SEND
None recorded

Claire Horsfield
Appointed by: PCC
Start: 16/07/19
End: 20/07/21



 
Foundation governor

Teaching, Learning and Pupil Support
Safeguarding and Child Protection
Pupil Premium

Assistant Head Teacher -  High School
  Tom Sharp

Appointed by: Governing Body

Start:03/03/20

End:30/11/2021

Co-opted Governor  Resources
 PE and Sports Premium
None recorded

Jonathon Taylor

Appointed by: Governing Body

Start: 22/05/2018

End: 08.03.2022

Local authority Governor

Resources
Health and Safety

 

Leeds City Councillor representing Horsforth Ward

Matt Eastwood

Chair of Governors

Appointed by: Co-opted

Start: 03/12/19

End: 20/07/2022

 Co-opted Governor

Resources

Teaching, Learning and Pupil Support
Pay and Performance Management

Complaints

Wife employed in school as a Teaching Assistant

Joel Cameron-Smith

Appointed by: Governing Body

Start: 17/09/19

End: 16/09/23

Co-opted Governor

Teaching, Learning and Pupil Support
Equalities

None recorded

Sarah Harridge

Appointed by: Governing Body

Start: 01/09/14

End: - 31/08/2023

Head Teacher

Resources

Teaching, Learning and Pupil Support

None recorded

Sally Rathbone

Appointed by: Staff

Start:03/12/2019

End: 03/12/2023

Staff Governor Teaching, Learning and Pupil Support None recorded

Jill Spencer

Appointed by: Governing Body

Start: 01/09/2023

End: -

Acting Head Teacher

Resources

Teaching, Learning and Pupil Support

None recorded

Meetings of the governing body
The full governing body meets five times a year. There are also two governing body committees which which have delegated authority. The committees are:
  • Resources - this committee meets three times a year
  • Teaching, Learning and Pupil Support - this committee meets three times a year

Approved minutes of Governing body meetings are available on request from info@stmargarets.leeds.sch.uk

Attendance at meetings
Governors have good attendance at meetings overall. Apologies for non-attendance are considered on an individual basis; governors are aware through the code of conduct that non-attendance, which includes apologies not being accepted, will result in the removal of a governor six months from the date of first non-attendance.


 
You can find information about the role of Governors and how to become a Governor by clicking the following link:
http://www.gov.uk/become-school-college-governor