Governance

Information for Prospective Governors

The Role of the Governing Body

The purpose of governance is to provide confident, strategic leadership and to create robust accountability, oversight and assurance for educational and financial performance. The governing body has three core functions:

• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;

• Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; 

• Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.

Effective governance is based on six key features:

• Strategic leadership that sets and champions vision, ethos and strategy.

• Accountability that drives up educational standards and financial performance.

• People with the right skills, experience, qualities and capacity.

• Structures that reinforce clearly defined roles and responsibilities.

• Compliance with statutory and contractual requirements.

• Evaluation to monitor and improve the quality and impact of governance.

Composition of the Governing Body

The governing body at Polesden Lacey Infant School is made up of twelve governors who are a mix of elected and appointed governors as follows:

• 6 Co-opted governors appointed by the governing body

• 1 Local Authority governor appointed by the governing body

• 3 Parent governors elected by the parent community

• 1 Staff governor elected by the staff

• Headteacher

In addition, the governing body is supported by Associate Members who provide specific skills and support plus a professional clerk who provides administrative support to the governing body and advice on statutory matters.

What Will be Expected of you

Being a governor requires the commitment of time and involvement in school life and to your own individual professional development. Governors will be expected to make the following commitments:

• The term of office for a governor is four years, although it is possible to resign should your circumstances change.

• Attend all Full Governing Body meetings and where unable to attend, submit apologies and explanation, at least 24 hours in advance, to the clerk to the governing body. Meetings are held twice a term on Tuesday evenings 7:30-9:30pm. Governors are also required to attend two development workshops.

• Get actively involved in the work of the governing body, including taking a lead in a focus area, serving on committees/working groups and making regular visits to the school as required.

• Get to know the school well and respond to opportunities to visit and get involved in school activities.

• Regularly reflect on individual skills and experiences, relevant to governance and how these impact on individual and collective training and development needs of the governing body, accessing appropriate training and development activities that will contribute to effective governance at the school.

• Comply with the statutory requirement to supply information regarding members of the governing body required for the school website.

• Adhere to the governor and school code of conduct.

• Comply with The School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2012 on Qualifications and Disqualifications.

How do I contact the Governing Body?

You can contact us by emailing the Clerk: clerk@polesdenlaceyinfant.surrey.sch.uk

Or by telephone to the School Office 01372 456533 

Further Information

If you would like to find out more about being a governor please do not hesitate to contact the clerk to the governing body via the school office.

List of Current Governors:

The Governing Body includes representatives from the church, the community, local education authority (LEA), parents and staff. Most serve for a 4 year term. Parent governors are elected by a ballot of parents.

The current membership of the Governing Body is listed below:

Governor Name

Governor Category

Appointed by

Positions of Responsibility 2023 - 2024

Membership of Committees 2023-24

Previous Roles 2022-23

Term of Office

Attendance at FGB Meetings 2022-23

Register of Interests

Date first appointed

Ms Rebecca Mole

Headteacher

Ex-officio

Pay Committee

01/09/19 -

6 out of 6

None

September 2019

Mr Mark Rogers

Parent Governor

Full Governing Body

Chair of Full Governing Body Governor Responsible for Children in Care, Child Protection, Liaison with local authority in the event of allegation (child protection) against headteacher

Head Teacher Performance Management and Pay Committee

Chair of Full Governing Body Governor Responsible for Children in Care, Child Protection, Liaison with local authority in the event of allegation (child protection) against headteacher

25/04/23 – 24/04/27

5 out of 6

None

October 2019

Mr Oliver Schuster

Co-Opted Governor

Full Governing Body

Vice Chair of Governors and Governor responisble for reporting on Special Educational Needs and Pupil Premium and Looked After Children

Head Teacher Performance Management

Vice Chair of Governors and Governor responisble for reporting on Special Educational Needs and Pupil Premium and Looked After Children

07/07/21 - 06/07/25

6 out of 6

None

September 2021

Dr Roland Appel

Co-opted Governor

Co-opted Governor Full Governing Body

Governor responsible for reporting on Health and Safety

Governor responsible for providing support on Attainment Data

07/03/23 – 06/03/27

5 out of 6

None

March 2012

Mr Alexis Hippolyte

Co-opted Governor

Full Governing Body

Governor responsible for reporting on Finance

Pay Committees

Governor responsible for reporting on Finance

03/09/21 to 02/09/25

4 out of 6

None

June 2016

Mr Ross Butler

Local Authority Governor

Local Auth

Governor responsible for reporting on curriculum, attainment and progress

Governor responsible for reporting on curriculum, attainment and progress, Head Teacher Performance Management

15/07/20 - 14/07/24

5 out of 6

None

December 2016

Mrs Sam Legg

Co-opted Governor

Full Governing Body

Governor responsible for reporting Curriculum, Attainment and Progress

Governor responsible for reporting Curriculum, Attainment and Progress

27/09/20 to 26/09/24

3 out of 6

None

May 2016

Mr Chintan Gandhi

Parent Governor

Parent

Governor responsible for reporting on Finance

Pay Committee

Governor responsible for reporting on Finance

23/10/2020-22/10/2024

5 out of 6

None

November 2020

Mrs Emily Binding

Staff Governor

Staff

18/09/2020 - 17/09/2024

6 out of 6

None

September 2017

Mrs Brenda France

Clerk to Governor

Full Governing Body

01/02/24-

None

N/A

Mr Manas Datta

Parent Governor

Full Governing Body

Governor responsible for Marketing and Communications

Governor responsible for Marketing and Communications

07/03/23 -06/03/2027

3 out of 3

None

March 2023

Mrs Emma Hippolyte

Co-opted Governor

Full Governing Body

24/01/24 -23/01/28

February 24

Mrs Julia Ramsay

Parent Governor

Full Governing Body

24/01/24 - 23/01/28

February 24

Can I see a record of meeting minutes?

Yes! If you wish to discuss anything, have a hard copy or obtain further information please just ask. Please note that papers referred to in the minutes are available on request.

Name Governor type Term ends