The Role of the Governors

The school has a board of governors appointed by a number of representative community groups made up as follows:

• 7 Foundation governors (appointed by Salisbury Diocesan Board)
• 1 governor appointed by the Local Authority
• 2 parent governors (elected by the parents of the school)
• 2 staff governors (appointed by the staff and including the head teacher)

The governors are responsible, together with the head teacher for the long-term strategic direction of the school. The role of the Governing Body is to act collectively in the best interest of the children, ensuring the good conduct of the school and promoting high standards of educational achievement. In practice this means ensuring the school has a clear vision, ethos and strategic direction, holding the school leaders to account for educational performance and overseeing the school’s financial performance. Governors act as a “critical friend”, providing a balanced view across the whole community, hence the broad representation. The governors are assisted by a Clerk to the Governors who undertakes all the administrative tasks.

Derry Hill School has adopted the circle model of governance. This means that the Governing Body works collaboratively as a ‘whole team’, meeting 5 times per year, without any separate committees. Agendas for these meetings will include all the tasks which the governing body as a whole are required to consider. The governing body will ‘commission’ assignments or activities arising from the business of the meeting, which will be recorded in the minutes.

In addition, the governing body may delegate monitoring activities to ‘monitoring pairs’ or ‘individuals’. This may apply to statutory functions, and/or the priorities of the School Plan. In each case where a function has been delegated, there is a statutory duty to report any action or decision to the governing body at the next meeting.

As our school is Church Aided, the Christian ethos is therefore central to all our decision making and planning. This is demonstrated through our vision, values and goals. Our links with the LA and the Diocese is strong and supportive. We must at all times liaise with these partners in delivering our School Development Plan.  All governors act in a voluntary capacity.

The school has a board of governors appointed by a number of representative community groups made up as follows:

Governors