Governors
Being a Governor
All the Governors are committed to offer time and support to the school. We do so by working together and with the Head Teacher to ensure the children get the very best from their time at Firfield.
As Governors we are expected to attend full Governing Body Meetings and various sub –committee meetings.
These meetings happen during the school terms, and are also attended by the Head Teacher and other nominated members of staff. The meetings are arranged around times (normally out of school hours) to suit Governors. The sub-committees consist of two groups, Resource Management and Curriculum, Teaching & Learning. Governors can decide which group(s) they wish to participate in.
We also have named governors in the following areas;
- Safeguarding (Children) - Simon Bentley
- Safeguarding (Staff) - Ashley Oates
- Health & Safety - Roger Farr
- Literacy - James Stafford
- Numeracy - Kate Richardson
- PSHE & RSE - Sam Johnson
- Curriculum / Attendance - Lucy Noonan
- Behaviour - Graham Robertson
- Anti-Bullying - James Tolson
- Communications - George Crombie
- SEND - Olivia Dale
- Pupil / Sports Premiums - Rosie Pountney
Within these two committees named governors are tasked with specific school and curriculum associated responsibilities. In this way information can be fed back for the benefit of the governing body as a whole, providing an invaluable insight into the working of the school.
Governors are provided with an Agenda in advance of each meeting so that we are fully aware of the issues to be discussed. In order to prepare for a meeting, we are also required to read through any relevant supporting documents. During the meeting(s) Governors are encouraged to put forward their views on the issues under discussion. The topics can relate to any number of different areas for example; school policies, Ofsted inspection, development and curriculum plans, staffing and financial matters, to name but a few. It all depends on the nature and content of the meeting.
Every April the Governing Body is responsible for agreeing the school's annual budget.
The Governing Body are a friendly and structured group, passionate about the school and supporting all those connected with it. With over 400 pupils, Firfield is one of the largest Primary Schools in Derbyshire.
The governing body has recently re-constituted and its new Instrument of Government has recently been approved by the Local Authority. This is listed below:-
1. The name of the school is Firfield Primary School.
2. The school is a Community school.
3. The name of the governing body is "The governing body of Firfield Primary School".
4. The governing body shall consist of:
- Four parent governors
- One LA governor
- One staff governor
- One headteacher
- Eight co-opted governors
5. The number of governors: 15
6. The term of office of all categories of governor listed above is 4 years.
7. This instrument of government comes into effect on the day of making, replacing the Instrument of Government made on 14th February 2006.
8. This instrument was made by order of Derbyshire Local Authority on 16th June 2015.
9. A copy of the Instrument of Government must be supplied to every member of the governing body (and the Headteacher is not a governor).
Details of the Code of Practice and Performance Standards can be found in the 'Code of Practice & Standards' section.
With a total Pupil Admission Number (PAN) of 420 Firfield is one of the largest primary schools in Derbyshire, hence the above average requirement of 15 governors in total. The current Governing Body as at September 2017 is detailed below:-
Name | Type of Governor | Role | Start Date | End Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Graham Robertson | Co-opted | Chair of Governors | 16 June 2015 | 15 June 2019 |
Mr Roger Farr** | Co-opted | Vice Chair of Governors | 16 June 2015 | 15 June 2019 |
Mr James Yellop | Staff | Headteacher | 1 January2019 | |
Mrs Jan Donoghue | Staff (Non-teaching) | 6 May 2016 | 5 May 2020 | |
Mr James Stafford | Local Authority | 3 July 2019 | 2 July2023 | |
Vacancy | Parent | |||
Dr Jas Atwal | Co-opted | 3 July 2019 | 2 July 2023 | |
Mr George Crombie | Parent | December 2017 | December 2021 | |
Mrs Heather Wrigglesworth | Co-opted | 8 May 2019 | 7 May 2023 | |
Miss Rachel Tittershill | Co-opted | 7 September 2015 | 6 September 2019 | |
Mr James Tolson | Co-opted | 12 December 2018 | 11 December 2022 | |
Mr Simon Bentley | Co-opted | December 2017 | December 2021 | |
Mrs Ashley Oates | Co-opted | 16 June 2015 | 15 June 2019 | |
Mrs Kate Richardson | Parent | 25 November 2016 | 24 November 2020 | |
Dr Sam Johnson | Parent | 16 December 2016 | 15 December 2020 |
**Roger Farr is also the Vice Chair of Governors at Harrington Junior School, Long Eaton.
No governors declared any percuniary or relevant business interests as recorded on the register of interests for the period 2017-18. This will be reviewed at the first full governor's meeting in the academic year 2018-2019.
Governors who have resigned during the last academic year
Name | Type of Governor | Role | Start Date | End Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Kevin Miller | Local Authority | March 2014 | March 2018 | |
Mrs Hazel Marlow | Co-opted | May 2016 | September 2018 | |
Mrs Lizzi Geeson | Co-opted | September 2015 | September 2018 | |
Mrs Dionne Barton | Co-opted | May 2016 | July 2019 | |
Mrs Kate Cross | Parent | December 2017 | September 2019 |
Should you wish to become a governor or if you have any questions about the governing body, please address any correspondence to:-
Mrs D Hill: Clerk to Governors
Firfield Primary School
Firfield Avenue
Breaston
Derbyshire
DE72 3EG
Tel: 01332 872216
Fax: 01332 872403
Email: enquiries@firfield.derbyshire.sch.uk