Welcome to our Governors' section. (see link below for Governor profiles)

Our Governing Body

The Governing Body, which meets twice each term, is made up of 14 individuals representing the whole school community. They bring a wide variety of skills to support the School including finance capabilities, management experience, teaching experience and pastoral care. All undertake their duties with dedication and passion in a voluntary and unpaid capacity. As we are a voluntary aided school we are also advised by both the Chelmsford Diocese and Essex County Council.

Currently, there are:

• 7 Church Governors including the Rector – appointed by the Diocese Board of Education and the Parochial Church Council
• 2 Parent Governors – appointed by the school’s parents/carers
• 1 Local Authority Link Governor – appointed by the Local Authority
• 2 Staff Governors (including the Headteacher) – appointed by the Headteacher
• 2 Associate Members – non-voting members appointed by the Governing Body for their expertise

The Governing Body has three core functions. These are to ensure that:

• the vision and values, ethos and strategic (long term) direction of the school are clearly defined
• the Headteacher performs their responsibilities and is held to account for the educational performance of the school
• the school’s financial resources are used in a sound, proper and effective way.

This is achieved by:

• assisting the Headteacher with strategic planning and overseeing the annual budget and three year financial forecasts
• monitoring and evaluating the progress made towards the School’s targets laid out in the School Development Plan
• working closely with the Headteacher and all staff to gain a strong knowledge of the workings of the school to allow them to make decisions and help drive improvement

All the Governors have responsibilities for specific areas of the School and each governor sits on one of two Committees:  Finance & Premises and People and Pay Committee (FPP) and the Curriculum, Safeguarding and Inclusion Committee (CSI). There are two further smaller groups: Admissions which promotes the school and oversees the admissions process and the Headteacher’s Performance Review Panel which sets the Headteacher’s annual objectives and conducts their performance reviews.

The Governing Body has several statutory duties including appointing the Headteacher as well as agreeing some of the school policies and procedures. It is accountable for its decisions and has to be prepared to give an explanation for the School’s overall performance and explain the decisions and actions taken to those with a legitimate interest such as Ofsted inspectors.

All Governors initially complete basic training before participating in more specific workshops related to the committees on which they sit. Continuous updates and training are provided by Essex County Council and the Diocese to ensure that Governors get the information they need to perform their duties to the best of their capabilities. 

It is essential that the Governing Body maintains high standards at all times and so it adheres strictly to a Code of Conduct. This includes a commitment to ensure that confidentiality is observed at all times as the Governors are privy to sometimes sensitive information relating to the school and its community. However, the Governing Body is not involved with the day-to-day running of the school so any operational comments of this nature will be directed back to the class teachers and the Headteacher in accordance with the School’s policies and procedures.

If you would like further information about becoming a school governor, please visit http://www.essex.gov.uk/Business-Partners/Partners/Schools/school-governors/Pages/School-governors.aspx or if you would like to contact our Chair of Governors you can email chairofgovernors@st-maryscofe.essex.sch.uk

Alternatively, you could leave your name and telephone number with the School Office and the Chair of Governors will contact you. 

Governing Body Meeting Minutes

If you wish to read any of the minutes from our Governing Body meetings, please contact the school office on info@st-maryscofe.essex.sch.uk and we can provide you with a printed copy.