School Governors

Who are our school governors?

All Saints Laxfield Primary School is an academy that is a founding member of the All Saints Schools Trust. You can see information about how the Trust is governed on the Trust Website. At All Saints Laxfield Primary School we have a strong and supportive Local Governing Body. The same governing body is also responsible for Stradbroke CofE Primary School.

The Local Governing Body are unpaid volunteers, who are all motivated to make a positive contribution to the education of Laxfield and Stradbroke children. Our Governors are drawn from a wide variety of backgrounds. Some are parents of children in the school, some live in the neighbourhood, others work in the local business community or are appointed by the Trust. There is always one staff governor.

The Local Governing Body are:

Mrs Anna Fielding-O'Farell (Chair of Governors - Local Governor)
Mr Ben Hemmings (Vice Chair - Parent Governor)
Revd John McCracken (Foundation Governor)
Mrs Sarah Nunn (Foundation Governor)
Mrs Jackie Turton (Foundation Governor)
Mrs Liane Sommers (Trust Governor)
Mrs Stephanie Feeney (elected Parent Governor)
Mr Daryl Jones (Executive Headteacher)
Mrs Katharing Minns (All Saints Laxfield Primary Head of School - non-voting member)
Mrs Hannah Hunt (Stradborke CofE Prmary Head of School - non voting - on maternity leave)
Miss Hannah Cragoe (Stradbroke CofE Acting Head of School - non voting)

What is the role of school governors?

The governors provide the school with strategic leadership and accountability. They regularly challenge school decisions and by doing so help us to become as effective as possible. The main role is to support the school leadership and the staff – the phrase often used to describe this role is ‘a critical friend’. Governors help the school to set and reach targets and to strive for excellence, so as to provide the best teaching and learning experience for the children at Laxfield and Stradbroke Primary Schools.

Governors bring important skills and qualities to the team, including senior management experience, teaching experience, SEN expertise, parent support experience, village representation and spiritual perspectives.

Their legal duties include:

setting strategic direction, policies and objectives
approving the school budget
reviewing progress against the school's budget and objectives
appointing, challenging and supporting the Executive Headteacher and the Head of School

Our Local Governing Body meets twice every term, where we focus on areas such as finance, the curriculum, personnel, safeguarding, SEND, etc. The governors also carry out school monitoring visits in between the Local Governing Body Meetings.

What do the governors do?

Our Governing body carry out a number of important roles including:

agreeing the aims and objectives for the school
agreeing performance targets for achieving those aims and objectives
monitoring and evaluating the progress the school is making towards achieving those aims and objectives
carry out monitoring visits linked to the School Development & Improvement Plan, and curriculum areas
approving school policies
ensuring all children have access to a broad and balanced curriculum
monitoir the finances and recommend expenditure
appointing the headteacher, accessing his/her performance, assisting in the appointment of members of the teaching staff and agreeing their pay recommendations
hearing appeals on pupil exclusion
dealing with staff grievances and disciplinary action
ensuring compliance with statutory safeguarding requirements
hearing the second stage of parental complaints

School governance documents:

Governing Body Declaration of Interests (2023-24)

Governing Body committee membership & terms of office (2023-24)

ASST Scheme of Delegation

Local Governing Body - Terms of Reference

The following ASST governance documents can be found on the ASST website: Memorandum of Association, Articles of Association, school Funding Agreements, Trust accounts.

What don't the governors do?

The governors do not manage the school on a day-to-day basis. This is the role of the Head of School, supported by the Executive Headteacher. Whilst Governors do visit the school regularly as part of their strategic role, they do not assess the quality of teaching. They monitor this by analysing data provided by the school and external sources (e.g. Ofsted).

They do not monitor individual children’s performance or behaviour. They identify themes and trends by monitoring the progress of groups of children.

Governors do receive feedback from stakeholders, including parents, but only deal with complaints that have not been resolvable directly with the school. All parents are encouraged to approach the Head of School in the first instance.

Governors do not fundraise for the school (although many choose to do so).

How often do the governors meet?

Governors meet as a Local Governing Body (LGB) twice a term in the autumn and then once in the spring and summer terms.

In between the full meetings of the LGB, governors carry out school monitoring visits, review documents, attend update training sessions and respond to emails and telephone calls as needs demand. The Chair of Governors meets more regularly with the school leaders to keep up to date with school developments. On average the role of a governors demands around 10 days commitment per year.

How do I contact the Governors?

Many of the governors have full time jobs and are not always available during the school day, however governors are happy to be approached in person in the playground (if available) or by email and phone. More formal approaches can be made by writing to the Chair of Governors, Anna Fielding-O'Farrell. Letters for her can be left with the school office. Alternatively, governors can be contacted at the following email address: office@laxfieldprimary.org.uk

How do I become a school governor?

If you are not a parent of a child at either Laxfield Primary or Stradbroke Primary and you are interested in becoming a co-opted Local Governor, please approach the school as vacancies do arise. Governors are appointed for a four year term of office but can step down at any point if they need to.

There are two elected parent governors and if there becomes a vacancy, the school will inform the parent body of both schools and ask for nominations.

Whilst many governors sit for more than one term, there are regular vacancies as governors move, change their home or working patterns, which may prevent them from being able to commit enough time needed to fulfil the role. If you are interested in becoming a school governor for Laxfield and Stradbroke primary schools, please contact the school office, who will pass your details to the governors.

Anybody over 18 years of age can apply to become a Governor. No special qualifications are required, however it is preferable to have a set of skills required by the governing body. All school governors are required to be DBS and Section 128 checked. All necessary training and support is provided.

The Governors are committed and work hard for the school. However, they also know how to have fun!