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.
In accordance with the Government’s requirement for all governing bodies, the three core strategic functions of Firfield Primary School Governing Board are:
- ensuring clarity of vision, ethos, and strategic direction;
- holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils; and
- overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
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 (RMC) and Curriculum, Teaching & Learning (CTL). Governors can decide which group(s) they wish to participate in.
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 current Governing Body as at September 2024 is detailed below along with the committees and roles they participate in:
Name | Type of Governor | Link | Committee | Start Date | End Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr James Yellop Headteacher |
Staff | Both | 01 Jan 2019 | ||
Mr James Tolson | Staff | Policies | Curriculum | 10 Feb 2023 | 10 Feb 2027 |
Miss Rachel Tittershill | Co-opted (Staff) | Resource Management | 03 July 2019 | 02 July 2027 | |
Mrs Victoria Beardmore Chair of Governors |
Parent | Literacy | Both | 18 Jan 2022 | 17 Jan 2026 |
Mr Haydn Wheeler | Co-opted | Numeracy | Curriculum | 09 Dec 2021 | 08 Dec 2025 |
Mrs Dee Hill Sub Chair |
Co-opted | GDPR & Health & Safety | Resource Management | 03 March 2022 | 02 March 2026 |
Mrs Rosie Pountney Vice-Chair of Governors |
Parent |
Safeguarding & Anti-Bullying |
Curriculum Chair of CTL |
10 May 2024 | 09 May 2028 |
Mrs Fiona Kielthy
|
Parent | Finance | Resource Management | 10 May 2024 | 09 May 2028 |
Mr Joe Fish
|
Co-opted | Finance | Resource Management | 3 July 2024 | 3 July 2028 |
Mrs Sam Johnson | Co-opted | SEND | Curriculum | 3 July 2024 | 3 July 2028 |
VACANCIES Two Governor Positions |
Co-opted | ||||
VACANCY Local Authority Governor Position |
The governing body has re-constituted and its new Instrument of Government has 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 Local Authority Maintained school.
3. The name of the governing body is "The governing body of Firfield Primary
School”.
4. The governing body shall consist of:
a. Three parent governors
b. One LA governor
c. One Staff governor
d. One Headteacher
e. Seven co-opted governors
5. Total number of governors is thirteen.
6. The term of office for each governor is four years.
7. This instrument of government comes into effect on 1 January 2024.
8. This instrument was made by order of Derbyshire County Council Local
Authority on 14 December 2022.
9. A copy of the instrument must be supplied to every member of the governor
body (and the Headteacher if not a governor), any trustees and to the
appropriate religious body.
Details of the Code of Practice and Performance Standards can be found in the 'Code of Practice & Standards' section.
Declarations of Interest for the year 2023-24:
Barbara James Exam Invigilator, Friesland School
Corinne Poland Clinical Psychologist, Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Dee Hill Vice Chair of Governors at Cotmanhay Junior School and Chair of Governors at Ashbourne Hilltop Primary & Nursery School
Haydn Wheeler Co-opted governor at Aston-on-Trent Primary School
James Tolson Richard Tolson and Tina Tolson (Parents), Airwise Compressor Services
Married to Jess Tolson, Teacher at Firfield
Rachel Tittershill Brother - Artificial Grass Company
Victoria Beardmore Head of Retail Procurement for N Brown Group
Governors who have resigned or terms of office have finished during the last academic year:
Name | Type of Governor | Role | Start Date | End Date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mrs Olivia Dale | Co-opted | SEND | 24 Sept 2020 | 13 Sept 2023 | |
Mr James Stafford Chair of Governors |
Local Authority | Curriculum | 03 July 2019 | 02 July 2023 | |
Mrs Corinne Poland | Co-opted | SEND | 18 January 2022 | 3 July 2024 | |
Mrs Barbara James | Co-opted | Finance | 3 March 2022 | 3 July 2024 |
Should you wish to become a governor or if you have any questions about the governing body, please address any correspondence to:-
Clerk to Governors / Chair of Governors
Firfield Primary School
Firfield Avenue
Breaston
Derbyshire
DE72 3EG
Tel: 01332 872216
Email: enquiries@firfield.derbyshire.sch.uk