Governance Structure
At Radcliffe on Trent Infant and Nursery School our Governing Body has established 3 main sub-committees. These allow us to focus on the priorities agreed by the Full Governing Board. The committees are:
Leadership
Education and Development
Resources
Each Committee meets once a term and is responsible for discharging some of the statutory duties of the Governing Board. There is also a Pay Committee which meets annually, usually in the Autumn Term. Committee meetings provide an opportunity for members to develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter and to hold the Headteacher and her leadership team to account. Each committee reports back to the Full Governing Board (FGB) to ensure all governors are kept informed and are able to scrutinise actions and decisions. The committees are operating under authority delegated by the FGB. A brief summary of the areas that are monitored and evaluated by each committee is provided below. If you would like to know more, the relevant chair would be happy to speak to you – please contact them via the school office.
Leadership: Chair – Kirsty Hird
This Committee has oversight of the Governors’ strategic responsibilities and is tasked with improving the effectiveness of meetings and the Governing Body as a whole. It is responsible for supporting and challenging the Head Teacher and Senior Leadership Team in the Ofsted evaluation areas of Leadership & Management and Behaviour & Attitudes.
Items regularly considered by the Committee include: Committee Structure & Link Roles; Approval of scheme of delegation; Instrument of Government & Membership; Governor Training & Recruitment; Governor Visits; School Improvement Plan; Appraisal process and HT Appraisal; Staffing and pay scales; Complaints and parent feedback; Mission and Vision; Policy Overview; Communication including school website; Safeguarding; Equality; Behaviour & Attitudes; Rules & Values; Punctuality & Attendance; Discipline.
Education and Development: Chair – Jackie Simpson
The role of this committee is to support and challenge the Head and her senior team in the Ofsted evaluation areas of Quality of Education and Personal Development. This includes the quality of the Curriculum, its implementation, the quality of teaching and the outcome from this, the impact on pupil progress for all pupils.
Items regularly considered by the Committee include: Curriculum; Quality of teaching and learning; Staffing structure and deployment; Staff workload & well-being; Assessment; Attainment & Progress Pupil premium use and monitoring; Looked After Children; Pupil progress and outcomes (including closing the gap); Progress of Disadvantaged Pupils; Provision and Support for SEND Pupils; Inclusion, equality and diversity (in teaching, materials & monitoring); School Improvement Plan; Community involvement and citizenship; School environment; PE and Sport Premium use and monitoring; Character Development; Life in Modern Britain; Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development; Relationships & sex education.
Resources: Chair - Sally Taylor
This committee manages the school budget and oversees the financial probity and transparency of the school. It is responsible for the resource implications of all action and policy.
Items regularly considered by the Committee include: Budget - monitoring, forecasting and approval of expenditure; School Financial Value Standard; approval of services for schools; Premises and Health & Safety; School infrastructure costs and utilities; Best Value Statement; Asset disposal; Emergency plan and business continuity planning; School funds; Liaison with RAINS; Approving and monitoring the implementation of the Finance Policy; Information Governance.
Pay: Chair - Cate Wade
The remit of this Committee is to consider and approve the pay proposals for all staff, including the Head Teacher. The Pay Committee meets only once a year except in exceptional circumstances; the annual meeting will usually be linked to the Autumn meeting of the Leadership Committee.
Items regularly considered by the Committee include: Review and monitoring of impact of Pay Policy; Pay progression decisions, including performance pay; Support staff salaries annual review; Openness, transparency and fairness in all pay policy decisions; Pay Policy Equality Impact Assessments; Recruitment and retention payments; Allowances, additional and temporary payments.
In summary, the membership of the sub-committees of our Governing Board is:
Resources | Education & Development | Leadership | Pay | |
Hazel Ebling | - | ✔ | - | - |
Kate Geary | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | - |
Kirsty Hird | - | - | ✔ (Chair) | ✔ |
Helen Marshall | ✔ | ✔ | - | - |
Sarah Mayfield | - | ✔ | - | - |
Mike Powell | ✔ | - | - | - |
Faye Sibley | - | ✔ | - | - |
Jackie Simpson | - | ✔ (Chair) | ✔ | - |
Jane Smith | - | - | - | - |
Stephanie Spencer | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | - |
Sally Taylor | ✔ (Chair) | - | ✔ | ✔ |
Cate Wade | ✔ | - | ✔ | ✔ (Chair) |
Governor Link Roles
In addition to serving on at least one of our committees, Governors are also allocated a link role. This involves acting as the link or liaison between the governing body and a specific subject, curriculum area or aspect of the work of the school. Link governors help the governing body to understand, oversee, monitor and develop their particular area of responsibility by acting as a source of support and as a critical friend. They should enrich the whole governing body’s understanding of their particular area, contribute to informed decision-making and champion issues in meetings. The link roles in our school change from time to time as priorities for improvement within the school alter. Our current link governors are:
Appraisal | Jackie Simpson & Mike Powell |
Appraisal QA | Hazel Ebling |
Child Protection & Safeguarding | Stephanie Spencer |
Communication | Kirsty Hird |
Complaints | Stephanie Spencer & Jackie Simpson |
Equality | Sarah Mayfield |
Finance | Sally Taylor |
Governor Training & Induction | Cate Wade |
Information Governance | Helen Marshall |
Looked After Children | Hazel Ebling |
Premises & Health and Safety | Helen Marshall |
Pupil Premium | Hazel Ebling |
Safer Recruitment | Kate Geary Stephanie Spencer Mike Powell |
SEN & Disabled Children | Hazel Ebling |
SIP Focus Area 1: Everyone a Leader | Kirsty Hird |
SIP Focus Area 2: Quality of Education | Hazel Ebling |
SIP Focus Area 3: Reading | Hazel Ebling |
SIP Focus Area 4: Behaviour & Attitudes | Helen Marshall |
SIP Focus Area 5: Fit for Learning | Faye Sibley |
SIP Focus Area 6: EYFS | Sarah Mayfield |
Useful Documents: