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 2021 is detailed below along with the committees and roles they participate in:

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 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.

Declarations of Interest for the year 2021-22:

James Stafford - Trustee of Long Eaton and District Scout Council; Trustee of Umbrella, Derbyshire

Jan Donoghue - School Business Manager at Firfield Primary School

Lucy Noonan - Partner/Sole proprietor of estate agency

Ashley Oates - Partner/Sole proprietor of Chilled Beans Yoga and Massage

Mrs Dee Hill - Vice Chair of Governors at Cotmanhay Junior School, Governor at Asbourne Hilltop Primary and Clerk to Governors at Millford Primary, Ladycross Infant and Nursery and Ripley Nursery School

Governors who have resigned or terms of office have finished during the last academic year: