Governors

The Governing Body

Who Are We?

The Governing Body is made up of 15 people, who have a collective responsibility for the way Coppetts Wood Primary School and Children's Centre is run.

School governors provide a voluntary service to the school, and attend at least 3 meetings per term, as well as training sessions on aspects relevant to their roles. We visit classrooms during the school day, and perform school walkabouts looking at specific objectives. We also arrange group meetings with staff, help out at event days and are present to answer questions during school inspections.

You can email the Chair and Vice Chair of Governors at governors@coppettswood.barnet.sch.uk.

The Governing Body is made up of:

5 Parent Governors - elected by the Parents

1 Local Authority Governor - appointed by Barnet

7 Co-opted Governors - chosen by other members of the Governing Body for their special skills

2 Staff Governors - the Head Teacher and one other elected member of staff

Members of the Governing Body

Bruce McGill, Chair of Governors (Co-opted Governor)

Helen Kellett, Vice Chair of Governors (Co-opted Governor)

Cllr Arjun Mittra, Barnet LA Governor

Alan Bevan, Chair of Learning and Community (Co-opted Governor)

Michael Walker, Lead Safeguarding Governor (Parent Governor)

Tanya McGaw, Parent Governor

Daniella Mardell, Co-opted Governor

Anna Lippa, Headteacher

Faramade Alawaye, Deputy Head - Non Voting Observer

TBC

Co-opted Governor

Claudia Valencia Garcia, Staff Governor

Patricia Beckett, Parent Governor

Jennifer- Rocio Roberts, Parent Governor

Gemma Bryant, Parent Governor

Vacancies from September 2023

1 Co-opted Governor

Where will you find Governors?

You will find Governors at most school events

Open evenings
Parent/Teacher consultations
PTA Fundraising events
Class Assemblies

If you don’t know who we are - do ask a member of staff.

Governors love to chat! Come and introduce yourself.

Any good ideas? We always welcome new ideas. Don’t just talk about a good idea to your friends - tell us!

You can contact us directly, leave a note for us in the school office.

What does the Governing Body do?

Together with the Head Teacher and staff, we support the fundamental ethos at Coppetts Wood - to nurture and increase the potential of each child. We work with the staff to continually raise standards.

The Governing Body:

is accountable to parents, carers, children, staff and to the wider community for the performance of the school
works with the school to plan the future direction and it’s continual improvement
appoints the Head Teacher and assists with the appointment of senior staff
ensures that the school adheres to the National Curriculum
helps decide how the school can encourage the pupils’ spiritual, moral, physical and cultural development
ensures that the school provides for all its children, including those with special needs, gifted and talented pupils and pupils from ethnic minorities as well as those new to the English Language
interprets directives from The Government

How do we keep you informed?

By sending out a termly newsletter

By letter or information in the school newsletter

By information posted on the Governor Board (at school reception)

On the Governor noticeboard you will find:

1) Minutes of the most recent meeting

2) General Information

3) Details of the Governors

4) Photos of the Governors

Minutes of past meetings are in a folder in the school reception.

Governing Body Committees

The Full Governing Body meets four times a year. The committees meet in between each of the main meetings and Chairs of these committees report back to the Full Governing Body at each meeting.

Learning and Community Committee

To contribute towards the school improvement plan (SIP) with a view to raising standards.
To monitor the implementation of the SIP with the assistance of curriculum subject co-ordinators.
To monitor the Target Setting process.
To review all statutory and curriculum subject policies and make recommendations.
To monitor the work of the Children's Centre.
To oversee all aspects of safeguarding, welfare and inclusion.
To monitor attendance.
To review all relevant policies regularly.

Staff, Finance and Premises Committee

To consider the proposed budget as drawn up by the Head Teacher and to adopt it with any agreed amendments.
To present the annual budget to the Governing Body for approval.
To monitor expenditure against budget and evaluate outcomes.
To monitor expenditure in light of the school improvement plan and evaluate outcomes.
To receive regular reports on the state of the school premises and recommendations on work to be done.
To achieve the aims of the school’s policies relating to staff in a fair and equal manner.
To agree with the head teacher a staffing structure for the school that meets the aims of the school improvement plan.
To contribute and monitor the school improvement plan in the area of staffing.
To review regularly policies relating to staffing.
To observe all statutory and contractual obligations, to minute clearly the reasons for all decisions and report these decisions to a full meeting of the governing body.
To recommend to the Governing Body the budget for pay.
To apply the criteria set by the whole school pay policy in determining the pay of each member of staff at the Annual Pay Review.
To ensure that awards are made without discrimination to monitor the overall distribution of awards and the impact of the policy.
To appoint governors to determine the pay of the Head Teacher and to appoint and work with the external school improvement partner to carry out the appraisal of the Head Teacher.