Governance
Welcome
The Governors of Chapelford Village are in place to ensure that the school is well run. We are volunteers who help to decide on the direction, focus and ethos of the school along with the Headteacher and staff.
The Local Governing Body represents school staff, parents, and the local community. This means that school decisions are made by people with a wide range of experience and views.
The Local Governing Body conducts its business through formal meetings. We meet once a term for full governing body meetings. In addition, committees or working groups of governors also meet, usually once a term or as necessary.
Should you wish to find out more about becoming a Governor please feel free to make contact via the school office.
Overview
The Local Governing Body is seen as a committee of the main Academy Trust board. Their main responsibility is to determine the aims and overall conduct of the school with a view to promoting high standards of educational achievement.
The Role of the Governors: The specific duties of governing bodies include;
- to support the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team in setting long term plans for the school;
- to support and challenge the school in its efforts to provide the best possible education for your children;
- to hold the school to account for the decisions that it makes;
- to monitor health and safety and the management of the premises;
- The local governing body at Chapelford Village Primary fulfils its responsibilities through the Local Governing Body meetings. We also have specific responsibilities and links with classes and teaching staff in the school.
Achievements of the Governing Body:
Learning Achievements
- Restructure of the School Governing Body to ensure a wider skill base and focus in sustained improvement.
- Restructure of the school staffing, including a new Headteacher and revised Senior Leadership Team, to ensure a closer focus on teaching and learning and long term financial stability.
- Implementation of a whole school marking and feedback policy to improve standards in pupil dialogue and response.
- Improved provision for all our pupils by: - investing in additional resources to support the education of individuals and groups of pupils -reviewing and extending the range of strategies and interventions used to meet the needs of all pupils, including our most able pupils-invested in EYFS provision to support the transition and enhanced provision for children in Nursery and Reception-invested in iPads and laptops throughout the school to enhance learning
- Further raised standards in maths by:- implementing a basic skills focus- implementing a structured and focused whole school
- Further improved the safety and wellbeing of our pupils by: - forming a Safeguarding Team including staff from a range of roles in school who meet regularly to ensure effective support for vulnerable pupils
- Reviewed and improved assessment tracking systems and moderation
Governor visits
We have an open door policy for governors and governors frequently visit the school informally in addition to our annual schedule of governor visits. These give governors the opportunity to observe lessons, look at student work, discuss progress with classes and staff and see the school in action.
Some visits to school include:
- Termly link governor meetings and visits to the school to meet with subject lead and learning walk
- Termly governing walk
- Weekly visits from the Chair with the HT
- Regular drop in visits from all governors to view and be part of the day to day running of the school
In addition to these structure visits, governors also regularly attend events such as prize evening, school productions, and the dance show and music performances.
Please refer to Protocols and Procedures for Governor Visits
Protocols and Procedures
Chapelford Village Primary School is led by a board of governors, a Headteacher and a senior leadership team. Each individual has been chosen on the basis of their experience and expertise, as well as their commitment to achieving the very best results for Chapelford Village Primary School. Together, members of the board of governors develop policies and strategies for implementation by the Headteacher and senior leadership team.
Meet the Board
Ms Heather Da Luz
Chair Of Governors, Co-Opted Governor
Responsibilities: Responsible for ensuring the robust review and challenge of the financial information provided to the board and of the curriculum and school improvement information. Appointment to the board: Joined the governing body as a Parent Governor in 2010. Current directorships/business interests: Parent Governor at Chapelford Village Primary School. Career experience: heather has previously worked as a Project Manager on large European Funded projects most recently at the University of Manchester and currently works on a self employed basis as the Finance Officer for a Laser Engineering company specialising in research and exports to China as well as running her own craft supply business. Skills and experience: Heather has been a Parent Governor at Chapelford Village Primary School since 2010 and has supported the school in a number of roles in this time including Pupil Voice Governor, Community Cohesion Governor and is currently the Maths Governor. Heather was nominated as Chair of Governors in September 2021
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Mrs Jayne Power
Co-Opted Governor
Mr Paul Duffy
Parent Governor
Paul has worked in the public sector for over 20 years and moved to live in Warrington at the start of his career to work as a psychologist in the prison service. He moved into social care about 15 years ago, and now works in Warrington as the lead responsible officer for the safeguarding adults board, the safeguarding children partnership, the domestic abuse partnership and the council’s customer services department. Much of his role involves working with police, health agencies, the council, schools and academies, charities and third sector organisations to help improve how the most vulnerable people in Warrington are supported to stay safe and live well. Paul says that he is lucky to have been afforded many opportunities in his life to gain valuable experiences and he would like to be able to give back to the community and help in any way that he can. He has worked with schools for many years in different capacities, but only in the last couple of years has he seen first-hand and has been inspired as a dad about how hard school staff all work. The efforts that he sees them make every day in support of the children was the spur for him to apply to join as a governor.
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Mr Daniel Gibbons
Parent Governor
Dan is a dad of two, his daughter attends Chapleford Village Primary School, and his younger son attends Chapelford Nursery. For the past 10 years Dan’s career has been in education, the first eight years within an alternative provision school and to current day within a mainstream secondary school in the role of Head of Inclusion & Behaviour. Dan’s passion is to help and to support young people and their families to succeed in their education and become prepared for their working career no matter what obstacles they may face. Seeing the successful outcomes which can be achieved is Dan’s driver to continue within this role, and one of a number of reasons that he put himself forward as parent governor. Dan hopes to bring his views, skills and experience to this important role and contribute as much as he can as a professional but also a fellow parent who wants the best for all children. In Dan’s words he is very much looking forward to working with everyone in the Omega Trust to help achieve an outstanding provision.
Mr Matthew Gough
Co-Opted Governor
Matt Gough is an HR Operations Manager at Webuyanycar and as of July 2023 a governor at the wonderful Chapelford Village Primary School. Matt is 28 years old, he loves to cycle, watch sports, and spend time with his young family. Matt wanted to become a governor as he felt his extensive HR experience, and MSc in Organisational Psychology could provide some valuable insight to support the school’s objectives. Furthermore, having a young family has inspired him to want to help the next generation in any way he can. His experience has also taught him relevant skills including how to hold senior leadership to account and help deliver on key initiatives which he believes can be of importance to the school. Matt looks forward to using his transferable skills to aid in the delivery of the strategic goals of the school, all with the aim to further support the achievements of the children.
The Omega Multi- Academy Trust Master Funding Agreement provides the framework within which the Trust operates.
Each school within the Trust has a separate Supplemental Funding Agreement.
Click here to view the Trust Master Funding Agreement
Click here to view our Supplemental Funding Agreement
Associated Documentation
Click here to view the Trust Articles of Association
Click here to view the Local Governing Body Code of Conduct
Click here to view the Local Governing Body Terms of Reference
Click here to view the Trust Scheme of Delegation
Click here to view the Trusts' Audited Financial Statement
Becoming a Governor
Could you be a school governor at Chapelford Village Primary School?
- Do you want all our children to get the best from school?
- Do you have the time and commitment to get to know a school, go to meetings and read papers?
- Do you want to put something back into your local community?
- Are you interested in people?
- Are you prepared to work as part of a team?
- Are you comfortable asking challenging questions?
- Are you open to new ideas and ready to learn?
Making a difference
Governors are people like you. You don't need specific qualifications, just the desire to make a difference, approximately 2-6 hours spare time a month including some time to visit the school occasionally during the school day. All governors must be 18 or over.
New governors are often surprised at how their experiences can be used to help solve problems at their school. You don't have to be a specialist; just think about the skills you use in everyday life. Being a school governor is a big responsibility, but can be one of the most rewarding ways of contributing to your local community. As a school governor, you have real opportunities to:
- Raise educational standards in your local school
- Help children achieve their full potential
- Identify and develop the school's management team
- Identify where the school can improve and help make it happen
- Improve the school's financial efficiency and effectiveness
- Engage parents, pupils and the local community to benefit the school
- Develop an environment which promotes learning
- Work as part of a team, towards a common goal
- Acquire new skills, new friends and a real sense of achievement
- Share in and celebrate the success of children, staff, teachers and the school as a whole
How much time will it take?
Being a governor means making yourself available for some evenings each term and occasionally during the day.
Governing bodies meet once or twice a term usually in the evening and on average meetings last about 2- 2 ½ hours. Most governors are expected to become a member of a committee responsible for a specific aspect such as Finance, Personnel, Pupil Progress and School Improvement or Premises and Health and Safety.
You will also need some time to read papers, prepare for meetings and to attend training. The amount of time varies widely, depending on how involved you become and what needs doing, but schools do need governors who are fully committed.
You have a legal right to ask your employer for “reasonable” unpaid leave or flexible working, and some employers offer limited paid leave for this as it constitutes a public duty. What is considered reasonable will vary according to the nature of your job and your employer.
Are governors paid?
All governors are volunteers and there is no payment for carrying out the role. The school has a policy in place that can cover some expenses to reimburse governors for necessary expenses such as care for children or dependent relatives or travel.
Restrictions
Almost anyone over 18 can serve as a governor but there are some understandable restrictions. No one can serve if they:
- Are barred from working with children or vulnerable adults
- Are subject of a bankruptcy restriction order or similar
- Have certain criminal convictions, depending on the nature of the offence and sentence and how long ago it was
How can I become a governor?
- You can become a school governor by:
- Being appointed by the other governors as a co-opted governor.
- Being elected by parents as a parent governor, if your child attends the school.
- Being elected by the staff, if you are a member of the teaching or non-teaching staff.
