Role of the Governing Body

The governing board is responsible for the conduct of the school and must promote high standards of educational achievement at the school. In all types of schools, governing bodies should have a strong focus on three core strategic functions:

• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;

• Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and

• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.

• In order to do this, governors need to gain knowledge of how their school operates through attending meetings, reading school documentation, analysing data and engaging in regular visits to the school.

  The role of the governing board is one of oversight and it is not involved in the day-to-day management of the school. It is the headteacher role that includes the educational performance of the school and operational responsibility lies with them.

  Phoenix Community Primary School is also a member of the CARE Foundation Trust of schools. The CARE Foundation Trust is a family of 10 primary schools located mainly in the Ashford area. (see the CARE Foundation Trust page.)

  Governors are volunteers from all walks of life.  An effective governing board will have people from different backgrounds with mixed skills. Governors are not education experts - they are there to bring a fresh perspective.

  The Governing Board are required to:

• Act with integrity, objectivity and honesty and in the best interests of the school

• Be open about the decisions they make and the actions they take and be prepared to explain their decisions and actions to interested parties

• Governors are required to declare any potential business interests that may lead to a conflict of interest. 

  Governors attend the school regularly to see and understand how the school operates. They undertake governor visits for a particular purpose and produce reports for their governor colleagues. Governors will be expected to receive and understand reports from the headteacher and senior leaders so that they can question, challenge and support, thereby improving the quality of the whole educational provision.

  The governing board operates a code of conduct which sets an ethos of professionalism and high expectations of governors.  

  Lastly, a governing board operates as a corporate entity with corporate responsibility.

  Full Governing Body

• Alan Dean - Co-Chair, Co-opted Governor

• Christine Woolgar - Co-Chair, Foundation Governor

• Shaun King - Staff Governor

• Sarah Jevons - Parent Governor

• Jim Lockett – Parent Governor

• Darren Clark – Foundation Governor

• Grahame Ward – Co-opted

• (Attending) Sarah Jansen – Acting Headteacher

•  The clerk to the Governing Board is Jane Phillips.

If you wish to make contact with the Chair of Governors, then you may do so through the school office.