Longridge High School

Rationale:

As a community high school, the role of the Governing Board is focussed on establishing the vision for what we believe students should have achieved during their time at our school and to describe how they will be prepared for the next stage of their education, employment or training. Governors are expected to promote the very highest standards of educational achievement for all pupils, encapsulated in ‘Excellence and Ambition from All, for All.’ The Governing Body contributes to strategic development and raising standards of achievement for all. They are also responsible for the conduct of all within the school.

Governors are volunteers who meet at least once per term as a full board. In addition, each Governor sits on at least one committee, of which there are two which meet regularly: The Quality of Education and Finance/ Health and Safety.

Through meetings and regular visits in to school Governors have strategic oversight of safeguarding, curriculum, finance, premises management and staff appointments. Governors consider their most important role to be the education, safety and welfare of our pupils. Any decisions impacting on the school community must be legal and in line with DfE/LA advice, guidance and statutes. Governors challenge and support the school in a proportionate, fair manner on behalf of all children and families.

All school governors are members of a ‘corporate body’ with delegated powers and functions to be exercised in a lawful way. School governors are all volunteers and are drawn from different parts of the community; parents, staff, LA, community and other groups.

Most Governors are able to visit the school regularly and this helps staff, pupils and parents to know who they are and for Governors to see how the policies, which governors have approved, are put into practice every day.

Senior leaders support Governors to measure the impact of teaching and the appropriateness of the curriculum. They make sure that Governors receive the information they need in a format that enables them to offer professional challenge and support.

Guidelines:

1. The constitution of the Governing Body must be in line with the School Governance (Constitution) Regulations 2021.
2. The Governing Body shall consist of: parent governors (at least two), one authority governor, one staff governor, one Headteacher and co-opted governors.
3. The Governing Body at Longridge High School delegates certain responsibilities to two committees: The Quality of Education and Finance /Health and Safety.
4. Each of these committees has a separate Chair and Vice Chair.
5. Each committee presents a report on its work in the termly Full Governors’ report.
6. There are four Full Governors’ meetings per year. The ‘September meeting’ is an opportunity for governors to be briefed on GCSE results.
7. The main role of the governors at Longridge High School is in terms of:
   • Managing the school’s finance
   • Ensuring the curriculum is relevant, balanced and broad
   • Appointing staff
   • Reviewing staff performance and pay
   • Supporting and challenging the Headteacher
   • Ensuring academic standards are as high as possible
8. A Chair and Vice Chair of Governor is appointed at the September meeting. For 2021-2022 the Chair is Mrs Clare Compton and the Vice Chairs are Mr Rob Felton and Mr David Gilmore.
9. The Chair of the Finance committee will be appointed in the Spring Term meeting.
10. The Chair of the Quality of Education committee is Mrs Lynne Horner, and the Vice Chair is Ms Claire Eccles.
11. The staff governor represents staff views and reports back to colleagues as/when appropriate. The staff governor is Mr Jack Wright.
12. The clerk to the governors is Mrs Val Morris from Lancashire County Council Governor Services Team.
13. All new policies are approved by the relevant committee.
14. The headteacher has regular, routine meetings with the Chair of Governors. The Chair should never receive any ‘surprise’ information without first having been informed by the Headteacher.

Written correspondence to Mrs Clare Compton, Chair of Governors, should be sent c/o Longridge High School, Preston Road, Longridge, PR3 3AR. Email should be sent to govccompton@lhs.lancs.sch.uk