Mount Pleasant Primary School

Governors

Governing Body

Name Type of Governor Governor Roles and Responsibilities
Mr Jack Richards

Co-opted Governor

Chair of Governors

Child Protection

Safeguarding

CLA

 

Mr Stewart Jarvis

Co-opted Governor

Health and Safety

 

Mrs Helen Robinson Headteacher
Mrs Claire Grinsell Acting Headteacher
Mrs Louise Stokes Staff Governor
Mr David Hayes Parent Governor

Training

DAGB

Mrs Katharine Garratt Parent Governor

SEND

Pupil Premium

Mrs Jane Geddes LA Governor

 

Miss Hayley Walton Associate Governor

 

Chair of Governors

Mr Jack Richards

Governing Body Structure and Remit 

All schools have a Governing Body which is responsible for overseeing many of the strategic decisions of the school. A key role is to act as a ‘critical friend’ which offers support, constructive advice, a sounding board for ideas, a second opinion on proposals and help where needed. However, a ‘critical friend’ also challenges, asks questions, seeks information, improves proposals and helps to arrive at the best solution for the pupils, staff and whole school community.

The Governing Body works in close partnership with the Headteacher, Senior Leadership Team, staff and the Local Authority. Whilst the Headteacher is responsible for the day to day running of the school, the governors are responsible and accountable for the school. It ensures the school functions well and maintains the proper range of academic and social objectives. The Governing Body works as a team with shared responsibilities.

Governors never make decisions on their own, nor do they act as individuals. The Full Governing Body meets six times per year for full governing board meetings and a further three times per year to work with staff on different curriculum areas.

Circle Model

The governors at Mount Pleasant Primary School have adopted a circle model of governance. This means that the Governing Body works as a ‘whole team’, meeting nine times per year, generally three times in each term. As Chair, I chair all committee meetings and this passes to the Vice Chair in my absence.

An agenda for each meeting will include all the tasks which the governing body is required to consider, and the governing body may ‘commission’ assignments or activities arising from the business of the meeting, which will be recorded in the minutes.

The key focus of meetings will change from one meeting to the next, spending 40 minutes on one key area, and then 20 minutes on another.

For example:

  • Meeting 1 key focus: School improvement data, quality of education, safeguarding and special educational needs (SEND) 
  • Meeting 2 key focus: Finances, premises, resources, health and safety
  • Meeting 3 key focus:  Curriculum 

In addition to ‘commissioning’ activities or actions on their behalf, the governing body may wish to delegate monitoring activities to ‘monitoring pairs’ or ‘individuals’. This could apply to statutory functions, and/or the priorities of the School Improvement 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.

Statutory committees only meet when they are needed, and these are:

  • Headteacher Performance Management
  • Pay Review
  • Complaints
  • Staff Discipline
  • Pupil Discipline 

Governing Body Constitution

A school governing body must publish a list of members annually with the date they were appointed and when their term of office expires.

2023-24 Governors Constitution Mount Pleasant Primary.pdf

Declarations of Business Interests

A school governing body must publish an up-to-date declaration of business interests.  This is updated annually or when there is a change. 

Governor Register of Business Interests 22-23.pdf

 Instrument of Government

Instrument_of_Government.pdf

Governor Attendance
Governor Meeting Attendance 2022-2023

Governor Allowances

Although it is not compulsory, a governing body can choose to pay allowances to governors for specified expense.  The governing body does not currently pay allowances. 

Should that change then a policy and those expenses will be published here.