The Norwood School | Governors Information and Duties

About our Governors

The Governors at The Norwood School are parents, staff and members of the local community who have been elected or appointed onto the governing body to lead the school at a strategic level.

We are from a wide variety of backgrounds which include local government, education, healthcare, higher education, business and law. The role is voluntary and not paid.

Our Roles and Responsibilities

As a Governing Body we have three core functions:

• Ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;

• Hold the headteacher to account for the performance of the school, students and staff; and

• Oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure its budget is well spent (including annual approval of the school’s budget).

In addition, all governors have link roles which means that they focus on certain priorities and oversee the work of one or more Heads of Faculty or Year groups. Governors also participate in short-term or working task groups alongside staff and other stakeholders to initiate key developments in response to identified needs or actions.

Governors support the school in a variety of ways which include acting as members of panels for staff recruitment, pay decisions and other human resources issues, and complaints, exclusions, and appeals. Governors also visit the school regularly to undertake learning walks, meet staff, students and parents and attend a wide variety of performances and exhibitions that The Norwood School produces.

Membership of Our Governing Body

The Norwood School is fortunate to have an active and supportive Governing Body, which comprises:

• The School’s Co-Headteachers

• Parent Governors, elected by the parents, carers and guardians of students at the school

• Co-opted Governors, who are appointed by the Governing Body in view of their skills and expertise

• A Staff Governor elected by the school’s staff

A Local Authority Governor can also be appointed by the Local Authority (Lambeth) and who is confirmed by the Governing Body.

We can also appoint associate members. They are not Governors, but may sit on our Committees or the Full Governing Body, usually because they have specific knowledge and experience. Details of any associate members appointed from time to time are included on our List of Governors and Terms of Office document.

List of governors and terms of office document (also attached below)

 

Parent Governors

Parent Governors are elected by fellow parents and carers to represent them on the Governing Body. They are full members of the Governing Body, and bring their experience and knowledge to contribute to the successful running of the school. They represent the parent community as a whole.

As with all other governors, being a parent governor is a “hands off” role. This means that governors oversee how the school is run and challenge the senior leadership team where necessary, but they do not get involved in the day-to-day running of the school.

Parent governors may also serve on interview panels and governor hearing panels.

Elections will take place as vacancies arise. The school will communicate to parents, carers and guardians when these will take place. 

 

Our Meetings and Committees

Our Full Governing Body meets 4 times per year to carry out our duties, monitor progress and challenge the Co-Headteachers and other senior leaders. We meet at the start of the school year, and then towards the end of the autumn, spring and summer terms.

Meetings of the Full Governing Body are in person in the school at 5:30pm.

We also have 3 Governor Committees:

• Achievement, which monitors Teaching and Learning, Achievement and Student Progress
• Resources, which monitors the school’s financial position, the budget and staffing
• Wellbeing, which monitors how the school ensures and promotes the physical and mental wellbeing for students and staff

Our Committees meet 3 times a year, towards the end of each term.

Committee meetings are normally held virtually and start at 5:00pm.

 

Meeting Attendance Record

Governors are expected to attend all meetings. Where exceptionally they are unable to attend, Governors are expected to inform the Chair of Governors or Committee Chair in advance, and to review any materials circulated ahead of the meeting and provide their comments to the relevant meeting Chair ahead of the meeting. 

Where a Governor is unable to regularly attend meetings to fulfil their role effectively they will meet with the Chair of Governors to discuss and support that they need to meet their responsibilities as a Governor, and if necessary their ongoing membership of the Full Governing Body.

Meeting attendance record for 2021/22 (also attached below)

Financial or Business Interests

Governors must on their appointment declare all financial or business interests that could influence how they perform their role at our school. In the interests of transparency, we urge our Governors to adopt a wide view of this to capture potential interests of which the Full Governing Body and the School should be aware.

Governors are reminded to update this information at every meeting of the Full Governing Body and its Committees.

Our register is updated and published annually after the first meeting of the school year in September. Any changes during the year are recorded in the minutes of the meeting at which they are declared.

Contacting Governors

If you have a question or a concern you should first talk to your child’s class teacher, the office staff or the Co-Headteachers.

If you would like to raise a concern with governors, you must follow the school’s complaints process. Matters can be referred to governors, but only after there has been a good faith attempt to resolve the issue with school staff.

You can contact the governing body via the Chair of Governors, Russell Hunter. You should either email the school office (post@thenorwoodschool.org) or hand in a letter to the school’s reception