Welcome to our Governing Body

Here at the Westcliffe Primary School, we are very proud to work with and to be a part of such creative and outward looking school. As members of the Governing Body, we see the effort and hard work that goes into making our school so successful, and it is our role to support and challenge the school to do even better.

 We can be contacted by email via either school’s admin email address or writing to us at the school address.

What do we do?

The Governing Body, together with the Headteacher, staff and Local Authority, is responsible for the school.

We provide the strategic direction and support and challenge to the Headteacher. We hold the school to account for the standards they achieve and ensure that all the resources (including the school's budget and staff) are properly used to meet the needs of all the children in our school and provide value for money.

The Governing Body appoints the Headteacher and delegates to the Headteacher the responsibility of the day to day running of the school. Individual governors have no power as such, and we cannot speak or act on behalf of the Governing Board – any decisions are made by the Board as a whole.

At the Westcliffe Primary School, we have three formal meetings of the full governing body every year, one each term. Governors work together in smaller groups throughout the year, dealing with particular responsibilities through committees and sub-committees on behalf of the full governing body. The committees usually meet once or twice a term, depending on the areas they cover. 

Who are we?

The Governing Body is made up of four groups who represent the 'stakeholders' of the schools – the staff, the parents, the community and the Local Authority. At Westcliffe Primary School, we have a diverse and challenging board of governors. We come from a wide range of backgrounds, who bring a wide range of skills, experience and perspectives to the governing body. 

Statutory Information

We are required to summarise various details relating to the governors for the last academic year. See below for details of committees and the Governors' register of interest.

Our Governing Body 

 In this section list all the Governors and their areas of responsibility

Also include membership of committees

Register of interest needs to be attached, and details of attendance at committees

The Different Types of Governors

Chair & Vice Chair of Governors
The Governing Body is led by the Chair, who is elected by the Governing Body. The Chair must not work at the school.  The Chair is supported in their role by the Vice Chair(s) who may be delegated certain tasks and responsibilities.

Elected Parent Governors
A parent governor believes that parents should have a say in matters affecting their children’s education. A parent governor holds a unique position of having a parental viewpoint. Through the children they will have first hand experience of the curriculum and how the school is perceived from the consumers’ point of view. They will be able to bring this perspective to the strategic management of the school. A parent governor is a representative and not a delegate of parents. A parent governor does not have to vote in a particular way because they have been pressed to do so by parents. Objectivity, however, is essential. They are not there to promote the interests of their own children but all children. Parent governors are elected by other parents and it is important to establish a rapport with the parental body that elected them, whilst continuing to maintain a strategic approach to school governance.

Elected Staff Governors
A staff governor represents and is elected by the staff in the school; they have equal status in the responsibility they share with all members of the governing body (with some exceptions). They are representative of staff and, therefore, have a responsibility to communicate their views to the governing body as far as they are able and to keep staff informed as far as possible. They are not, however, a delegate obliged to seek voting instructions on every item on the agenda and to vote in accordance with the views of some or all of the staff team.

Local Authority Governors
Local Authority Governors are nominated by the local authority but appointed by the governing body.  A Local Authority Governor should be someone who is able and willing to work as members of the full governing body team to secure the best possible education for children at the school and in the community.

Co-opted Governors
Co-opted Governors are appointed by the governing body. They are people who in the opinion of the governing body have the skills required to contribute to the effectiveness governance and success of the school.

Associate Members
Associate members are appointed by the governing body to serve on one or more governing body committee.  They may also attend full governing body meetings.  They are not governors and do not therefore have a vote in governing body decisions, but may be given a vote on decisions made by committees to which they are appointed.

Associate members are appointed because of the specific expertise and experience they can contribute to the effective governance and success of the school which can help the governing body to respond to any particular challenges they may be facing.

Jackie Rae

Chair of Governors