“The governing body of Heathfield Primary and Nursery School provides strong and passionate leadership, ensuring that the school’s values and ethos are upheld.  Governors are very committed to the school and have great pride in all that the school achieves.  They understand the barriers to learning which affect the progress of some children and are determined to ensure that the school continues to imaginatively overcome them.  The governing body is a strength of the school.”

External Review of Governance outcomes

What is the role of a Governor?

The role of the Governing Body is to provide strategic leadership and accountability in school. We are responsible for the appointment of the Co-Headteachers and one of us will be present at interviews of other prospective staff and internal promotions.

It is governors who hold the main responsibility for finance in the school and we will work with the Co-Headteachers to make decisions about balancing current use of resources and securing future development of the school. Decisions are the joint responsibility of the governing body.

The role of the governing body is a strategic one, its key functions are to:

• set the aims and objectives for the school
• set the policies for achieving those aims and objectives
• set the targets for achieving those aims and objectives
• monitor and evaluate the progress the school is making towards achievement of its aims and objectives
• be a source of challenge and support to the Co-Headteachers (a critical friend)

What is the impact of our governing body?

As Governors, fully committed to Heathfield Primary and Nursery School, we are proud of the many successes combining good academic outcomes in a positive, warm and welcoming ethos providing a curriculum rich and diverse with a wide range of opportunities and experiences both in and out of school.

Each Governor meeting we take the opportunity to reflect on our contribution to and impact on Heathfield’s development:

• Governors have played a key role in the successful expansion of Heathfield across two campuses.
• Through strong commitment and excellence attendance, quality and timely decisions are made
• Following investment, Governors monitored the implementation of the new Maths scheme which has positively affected pupil progress
• Following a very detailed and rigorous research process, Governors decision making has improved school dinner provision to ensure good quality nutritious meals for pupils
• Strong strategic financial leadership has enabled the recent changes to the leadership structure to meet the needs of the school over two campuses
• Effective challenge enables governors to promote, support and ensure a focus on school priorities
• Staff are held to account to ensure the best outcomes for pupils
• Evidence is received from a wide range of sources which supports governors to have a secure knowledge and understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses
• Middle leadership development is enhanced through accountability to the governing body
• Governors supported the school in achieving a Good Ofsted outcome
• Feedback from monitoring visits has informed change and school improvement priorities
• The governing body celebrates excellence in school
• Relationships with staff have improved through the system of visits and monitoring
• Diminishing the difference between disadvantaged pupils and others is a focus for the challenge of the governing body for this academic year
• Through recognition of the importance of staff wellbeing Governors have contributed to maintaining the high level of staff retention
• Governors are passionate with their support for a broad and balanced curriculum meeting the needs of our pupils and this is reflected in the allocation of funds to heavily subsidise opportunities and experiences
• Collaboration with other local schools in the Nottingham Schools Trust continues to have an impact on the quality CPD opportunities presented to teachers, Teaching Assistants, Governors and experiences for children.  Governors have committed to fund the partnership agreement with the Royal Shakespeare Company as a Lead Associate school.

DfE Statutory Guidance: Constitution of governing bodies of maintained schools – Statutory guidance setting out the arrangements for the constitution of governing bodies of all local-authority-maintained schools. For more information please visit: http://bit.ly/2dyotuQ

Click here to see Heathfield’s structure and remit: