Our Governors

Bede Primary School, like all state schools, has a governing body, which works with the head teacher and the local authority in the overall management of the school. The governing body is a legal requirement and governors have a number of legal duties to perform, but overall their focus is on getting the best for the children in the school.

The main roles of the governing body are:

To plan ahead to make sure the school has the right strategies and resources to get the best outcomes for the children; this includes overseeing the delivery of the curriculum.
To monitor and evaluate the school’s effectiveness.
To oversee the school’s budget so that it is used in the best way; the governing body is responsible for the proper and efficient management of the school’s funds and cannot plan for a deficit.
To make sure that children and adults are safe at school.
To act as a ‘critical friend’ to the Head Teacher, who reports to the governing body on the school’s performance and how plans are going.

The Head Teacher is responsible for the day to day management of the school.

Who are our Governors?

School governors are unpaid volunteers (except school staff) and come from all walks of life. Some are appointed by the local authority, some have been asked to represent the local community, some are elected parent governors, and some are members of the school staff. The Head Teacher and the School Business Manager are governors. The whole governing body meets each term, with governor committees meeting more often.

Register of Interests

Disclosures by members of Bede Community Primary School’s governing body with financial decision-making responsibility of pecuniary interests in contracts, proposed contracts or other matters.

Name of Governor	Date of disclosure	Nature of interest / business relationship with company or personal (including membership of other GB and relationship with staff	Signed in person or electronically
Nick Anderson	December 2023	None	Nick Anderson
Margaret Mackay	December 2023	None	Margaret Mackay
Tracy Anderson	December 2023	None	Tracy Anderson
Joanne Nicholson	December 2023	Works for BWCET	Joanne Nicholson
Ray Foster	December 2023	None	Ray Foster
Gillian McTeer	December 2023	Chair of governors Dunston Hill CPS Undefined Group	Gillian McTeer
Jacqui Ridley	December 2023	Work for BWCET	Jacqui Ridley
Sue Hingley	December 2023	None	Sue Hingley

Victoria Pepper	December 2023	None	Victoria Pepper
Sarah Tate	December 2023	None	Sarah Tate

Membership & Vacancies

2024 25 membership and vacancies bede community primary school.pdf

Membership & Vacancies 24-25 Membership & Vacancies 23-24

Governors are appointed/elected as follows:

Co-opted – appointed by the governing body
Foundation – appointed by the Diocese
Local Authority – appointed by the governing body, following approval of the nomination from cabinet
Parent/Staff – elected by parents/staff respectively

Governing bodies must have at least seven governors, including the Headteacher; one and only one Local Authority governor; one and only one Staff governor; at least two Parent governors; and for Voluntary Aided schools, there must be exactly two more Foundation governors than all other categories combined.

The total number of Co-opted governors who are also eligible to be elected as Staff governors, when counted with the Staff governor and the Headteacher, must not exceed one third of the total membership of the governing body.

The term of office for any governor shall be four years (unless otherwise stated in the Instrument of Government), save that this time limit shall not apply to any post which is held ex officio. Associate Members can be appointed for between one and four years. Parent governors may serve out their term of office when their child leaves the school, but Staff
governors must resign when they leave the school.

Associate Members and governors who are members of staff cannot be Chair or Vice-Chair. Associate Members also do not count towards a quorum and do not have voting rights for governing body meetings (but can be appointed with voting rights on committees).

The governing body must hold at least three meetings in every school year, and the quorum for a meeting of the governing body and for any vote on any matter at such a meeting, is one half (rounded up to a whole number) of the membership of the governing body, i.e. the number of governors in post at the date of the meeting.

Every question to be decided at a meeting of the governing body is to be determined by a majority of the votes of the governors present and voting on the question, and where there is an equal division of votes the Chair, or as the case may be, the person who is acting as Chair for the purposes of the meeting (provided that such person is a governor),
will have a second or casting vote (the governing body may approve alternative arrangements for governors to participate or vote at meetings of the governing body including but not limited to by telephone or video conference).

Meeting Attendance

2023 24 governing body meeting attendance bede community primary school.pdf

Governing Body Meeting Attendance 23-24

Governing body regulations (maintained schools)

A governor, without the consent of the governing body, has failed to attend governing body meetings for a continuous period of sixth months beginning with the date of the first such meeting the governor fails to attend, is disqualified from continuing to hold office as a governor of that school.

NA – No apologies

AA – Apologies Accepted

A – Attended

Committee Membership

2024 25 committee membership bede community primary school.pdf

Committee Membership 24-25

Committee Membership 23-24

Committee Meeting Attendance

2023 24 committee meeting attendance bede community primary school.pdf

Committee Meeting Attendance 23-24

Terms of Reference: Full Governing Body 2022-23

Terms of Reference:

To determine the strategic direction of the school;
To monitor and evaluate the performance of the school by receiving reports from the head teacher;
To agree constitutional matters, including procedures (Standing Orders) where the governing body has discretion;
To consider whether to exercise delegation of functions to individuals or committees;
To agree committees’ terms of reference and membership;
To receive reports and ratify recommendations from committees/individual governors;
To consider business provided by the LA and other sources;
To investigate financial irregularities (head suspected);
To agree selection panel for head teacher and deputy head appointments and ratify the appointment;
To suspend or end suspension of head teacher;
To draw up the instrument of government and amendments thereafter;
To elect or remove the chair and vice chair;
To appoint/dismiss the clerk;
To hold at least 3 governing body meetings a year;
To set up a register of governors’ business interests and complete an annual return;
To recruit/appoint new governors;
To appoint the chair of any committee (if not delegated to the committee itself);
To suspend a governor;
To manage the budget and consider proposed revisions;
To approve the school development plan;
To decide whether to delegate power to spend the delegated budget to the head teacher and, if so, establish financial limits of delegated authority;
To approve the first formal budget plan of the financial year;
To approve the Statement of Internal Control;
To ensure all statutory policies are in place and there is an effective policy review cycle;
To review and agree the Governor Code of Conduct; and,
To appoint and dismiss staff/Headteacher.

Terms of reference agreed by the governing body: 3^rd November 2020

Review of terms of reference:

The terms of reference will be reviewed annually by the committee with any recommendations sent to the next available Governing Body meeting for ratification.

Full Governing Body Meeting:

Chair: Margaret MacKay

The Governing Body will select one of the FBG members as chair and as vice chair at the clerked FGB meeting in the autumn term of the academic year. In the Chair’s absence, vice-chair will act as Chair for the meeting

Quorum:

The quorum will be 4 Governors who are members of the committee.

Meetings:

The committee will meet once every term. It can agree to meet more frequently if necessary.

Responsibilities:

The governing body of Bede Community Primary School determines the strategic direction of the school and has responsibility for monitoring and evaluating the performance of the school as well as responsibility for financial matters.

Governor Training:

It is the responsibility of governors to attend training relevant to their role on the committee and report back to colleagues as appropriate. Forthcoming LA events will be shared at meetings.

Reporting:

Minutes will be taken of any full governing body meeting and circulated to members.

Terms of Reference: Resources Committee

Terms of Reference:

Finance

To manage and decide how to spend the delegated budget/income;
To consider at least three budget monitoring reports each year;
To draft the first formal budget plan of the financial year;
To establish and maintain a three-year financial plan;
To consider relevant Service Level Agreements (SLA’s);
To manage tendering processes and the awarding of contracts;
To implement pay policies;
To consider early retirement requests (with the exception of the head and deputy);
To consider requests for disposal of obsolete stock;
To establish and review ordering and payments systems;
To monitor the impact of Pupil Premium, EY Pupil Premium & PE Sports funding;
To consider termly budget position statements including approving virements and to report anomalies to the full governing body;
To ensure provision of free school meals to those pupils meeting criteria;
To respond to audit reports and monitor progress of any actions;
To ensure the school meets Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS):
To annually consider whether to spend a proportion of the delegated budget on the provision of community facilities;
To ensure that the school operates within the Financial Regulations of Gateshead Council;
To monitor expenditure of all voluntary funds (School Fund) kept on behalf of the governing body and appoint auditors;
To make decisions on expenditure following recommendations from other committees;
To investigate irregularities (other than the head suspected);
To consider future pupil rolls and income levels;
To approve the budget management policy;
To annually review benchmarking data;
To regularly complete governor competencies audit;
To review the Freedom of Information Act Publication Scheme;
To review staffing structures;
To review salary for deputy head teacher;
To review Charging and Lettings Policy;
To determine lettings charges for other users of the school buildings and grounds;
To review the Pay Policy;
To annually review staff salaries;
To establish and review a Governor;
Allowance Policy;
To attend training were appropriate; and,
Additional items which individual governing bodies may wish to include.

Staffing

To determine staff complement;
To ensure safeguarding procedures are in place and adhered to and one governor has completed appropriate safer recruitment training;
To draft head and deputy head teacher job descriptions;
To consider pay discretion’s (the head teacher should not advise on their own pay);
To conduct agreed arrangements for selection and recruitment;
To appoint teaching and non-teaching staff (unless delegated to a separate committee or head teacher);
To conduct dismissal procedures (dismissal of staff delegated to head + one or more governors)
To end suspension of staff;
To consider, adopt or adapt LA advice on procedures and practice;
To consider requests made in line with staffing polices (eg secondment, flexible working, leave of absence);
To receive reports and monitor status of any staffing issues including staff absence;
To select staff for removal from the staffing structure and to oversee the process leading to staff reductions;
To regularly review the Single Central Record;
To determine how budget reductions are to be achieved from staffing;
To consult with the Finance Committee, teacher associations and trade unions as appropriate;
To consider work/life balance, working conditions and well-being;
To approve an Allegations of Abuse Against Staff Policy;
To approve an Absence Management Policy;
To approve the Rarely Cover Policy;
To approve a staff code of conduct;
To agree and review annually the Appraisal Policy ensuring all staff have been consulted;
To agree and conduct procedures for capability, discipline, grievance, whistle blowing and staff welfare issues;
To attend training as appropriate; and,
Additional items which individual governing bodies may wish to include

Health and Safety

To comply with the Health and Safety Policy, including the monitoring and review of procedures;
To ensure that adequate resources are available to fulfil the aims and objectives of the above policy;
To ensure that actions are taken in respect of relevant health and safety legislation;
To advise the governing body on priorities, including health and safety and maintenance and development of the premises;
To oversee arrangements for repairs and maintenance of the premises;
To develop a school buildings strategy;
To procure appropriate buildings and other insurance;
To monitor H&S arrangements
To monitor accident book and agree appropriate actions:
To oversee arrangements, including health and safety, for the use of premises by outside users;
To monitor the effectiveness of services provided through relevant SLA’s and contracts;
To receive health and safety reports;
To ensure an annual health and safety tour is conducted, and recommended actions are addressed;
To receive reports on the condition of buildings and school environment;
To examine the accident report book for staff and pupils;
To receive termly reports on the fire evacuation procedures;
To consider tenders for work in consultation with the finance committee;
To establish and review a Critical Incidents/Business Continuity Plan;
To approve a Health & Safety Policy;
To establish and review an Asset Management Plan;
To establish and review an Accessibility Plan;
To approve high risk educational visits;
To attend training as appropriate; and,
Any items which individual governing bodies may wish to include

Terms of reference agreed by the governing body: Last reviewed –3^rd November 2020

Review of terms of reference:

The terms of reference will be reviewed annually by the committee with any recommendations sent to the next available Governing Body meeting for ratification.

Membership and Disqualifications:

Nick Anderson

Gillian McTeer

Vacancy

Margaret MacKay

Jacqui Ridley

Victoria Pepper

This committee will comprise 7 Governors, including the Headteacher. All members are entitled to vote. The Governing Body agrees the members of the committee. There are no disqualifications.

Resources Meeting:

Chair: Jacqui Ridley

The Governing Body will select one of the FGB members as chair and as vice chair at the clerked FGB meeting in the autumn term of the academic year. In the Chair’s absence, vice-chair will act as Chair for the meeting

Quorum:

The quorum will be 3 Governors who are members of the committee.

Meetings:

The committee will meet once every term. It can agree to meet more frequently if necessary.

Responsibilities:

The Resources Committee is responsible for ensuring that Bede Community Primary School is compliant with local authority and statutory obligations.

Governor Training:

It is the responsibility of governors to attend training relevant to their role on the committee and report back to colleagues as appropriate. Forthcoming LA events will be shared at meetings.

Reporting:

The Resources Committee reports to the Bede Community Primary School Governing Body. Minutes will be taken by someone nominated for the purpose from the committee and circulated to all governors with each Full Governing Body Agenda. The committee chair will report back to the Full Governing Body at meetings as required.

Programme of work for the resources Committee

	Committee Business
Autumn	Declaration of Interests Notification of educational visits Examination of fire evacuation report Examination of accident report book Receive health and safety report Conduct Health & Safety Tour Fire Safety / Ladder Training – update Review Fire Risk Assessment (school review annually, H&S review 3-yearly) Review Health & Safety Policy • Check Health & Safety Records/Logs Declaration of Interests Staffing Update Review Individual School Range HT Performance Management Appraisal Annual Pay Review for HT & DH Teaching Staff Performance Management Notification/Salary Assessment Budget Monitoring Update (inc monitoring SLA’s) Receive and consider any Quotations in excess of £2,500 Pupil Premium – consider use and impact of last years’ funding Sports Premium – consider use and impact of last years’ funding School Self-Assessment Internal Audit Questionnaire (3-yearly) Policy Reviews – Pay Policy, Staff Handbook Approve Disposal of Equipment (if necessary)
Spring	Declaration of Interests Notification of educational visits Examination of fire evacuation report Examination of accident report book Receive health and safety report Conduct Health & Safety Tour Check Health & Safety Records/Logs Review Health & Safety Action Plan Health & Safety School Self-Audit Organise Annual Health & Safety visit Review Fire Risk Assessment Report and Action Plan Staffing Update Annual Pay Award Review appraisal arrangements for staff Budget Monitoring Update (inc monitoring SLA’s) Consider and Approve Projected Budget Plan/Multi-Year Budget Plan Consider SLA’s Receive and consider any Quotations in excess of £2,500 Policy Reviews – Governor Allowances, Business Continuity Plan Consider and agree Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS) Review/monitor Best Value practice Consider/agree Teacher Absence Insurance Review staff and governor development against SIP Review pupil number forecast Approve Disposal of Equipment (if necessary)
Summer	Declaration of Interests. Notification of educational visits Examination of fire evacuation report Examination of accident report book Receive health and safety report Check Health & Safety Records/Logs Conduct Health & Safety Tour Staffing Update Staffing Plan for next academic year Budget Year-End Outturn Update (including expected use of c/fwd) School Fund Audit Budget Monitoring Update (including monitoring SLA’s) Benchmarking Governor competencies audit Review delegated spending limits Receive and consider any Quotations in excess of £2,500 Policy Reviews – Budget Management, Statement of Internal Control, Assessment Management Plan, Whistle Blowing, Appraisal Approve Disposal of Equipment (if necessary)

Terms of Reference: Curriculum and Pupils Committee

Terms of Reference:

Curriculum, Planning and Delivery

To review, monitor and evaluate the curriculum offer, ensuring:
- the National Curriculum is taught to all pupils and to consider any disapplication’s;
- provision of RE and SMSC;
- all children have equal opportunities; and,
- the F&S Committee is advised on the funding priorities necessary to deliver the curriculum.
To monitor, review and recommend for approval to the full governing body:
- SEF, SIP, School Targets.
To consider changes in safeguarding or curriculum personnel
To review policies including: Behaviour, Exclusion and Discipline; Assessment; Homework; Equalities; RE; Collective Worship; SEND; Gifted and Talented Pupils; Sex and Relationships Education; Early Years Foundation Stage Policy; Use of Social Media and E Safety.
To ensure that the requirements of pupils with special needs are met, as laid out in the Code of Practice.

Safeguarding:

To review Child Protection Policy.
To ensure safeguarding policies and procedures are adhered to.
To undertake an annual review of Safeguarding.
To ensure policies for Children Looked After (CLA) are in line with guidance.
To consider curriculum complaints.
To have oversight of pupils in receipt of a CAF or involved in a Team Around the Family.
To ensure safeguarding policies and procedures are adhered to.
To review child protection policy.
To undertake an annual review of safeguarding.
To monitor and review safeguarding practice within the school.
To monitor and review the impact of any changes in safeguarding personnel.
To consider changes in safeguarding personnel.
To monitor the single central register.
To ensure policies for Looked After Children (LAC) are in line with guidance.
To review safer recruitment.
To attend training as required (annually) in line with Keeping children Safe in Education Guidance.
To keep up to date with changing legislation in the areas of safeguarding and child protection.

Assessment and Improvement

To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of leadership and management.
To review impact and effectiveness of teaching, learning and assessment practices on progress, standards and achievement.
To monitor and review pupil and school performance, attendance and exclusion.
To consider penalty notices.
To monitor and review the impact of CPD on improving staff performance.
To review Pupil Premium/EY Pupil Premium/PE Sport Grant spending and impact (in consultation with F&S Committee).
To consider recommendations from external reviews of the school, agree actions as a result of reviews and evaluate regularly the implementation of the plan.
To consider and approve admission arrangements.
To consider Nursery admissions.
To ensure provision of free school meals to those pupils meeting criteria.
To consider relevant SLA’s and contracts.
To undertake the governing body self-review

Engagement

To monitor and review the school’s publicity, public presentation and relationships with the wider community, including:
- ensuring statutory requirements for reporting and publishing information are met;
- the school website being fully compliant and presented in an accessible way;
- considering arrangements to communicate with parents/carers;
- the review of extended school provision in terms of pupil learning; and,
- resources and premises – review of home school agreements/parental contracts.
To identify and celebrate pupil achievements.
To consider arrangements for educational visits, including a named coordinator.
To plan strategies to collect and consider pupil voice.
To respond to the school council as appropriate.
To attend training as appropriate.

Terms of Reference agreed by governing body: 3^rd November 2020

Review of terms of reference:

The terms of reference will be reviewed annually by the committee with any recommendations sent to the next available Governing Body meeting for ratification.

Curriculum and Pupils Meeting:

Chair: Margaret MacKay

Quorum:

The quorum will be 3 Governors who are members of the committee.

Meetings:

The committee will meet once every term. It can agree to meet more frequently if necessary.

Responsibilities:

The Curriculum and Pupils Committee is responsible for ensuring that Bede Community Primary School follows the national curriculum; that academic and discipline standards are met and improved; monitoring and evaluation takes place; that policies delegated to the committee by the Governing Body and school are developed and reviewed and that the individual needs of children are met.

They are also responsible for:

Bede Community Primary School is compliant with safeguarding legislation including Keeping Children Safe in Education 2019 and Working together 2018; that monitoring and evaluation takes place; that policies delegated to the committee by the Governing Body and school are developed and reviewed and that the individual needs of children are met.

Governor Training:

It is the responsibility of governors to attend training relevant to their role on the committee and report back to colleagues as appropriate. Forthcoming LA events will be shared at meetings.

Reporting:

The Curriculum and Pupils Committee reports to the Bede Community Primary School Governing Body. Minutes will be taken by someone nominated for the purpose from the committee and circulated to all governors with each Full Governing Body Agenda. The committee chair will report back to the Full Governing Body at meetings as required.

Programme of work for the resources Committee

	Committee Business
Autumn	SEF: – Review of SEF – School performance review – Impact of Pupil Premium, Sports Premium and Early Years ASSESSMENT: – Teaching, learning and assessment update inc SATs – Parental involvement update Policy review cycle agreement New government legislation to be implemented Safeguarding resources Safeguarding Audit
Spring	Appraisal update ARMS / ABC reports Policy reviews Update on teaching, learning and assessment Safeguarding audit
Summer	EY provision review PSC and KS1 results Literacy and numeracy review Subject focused update from staff Educational visits impact Safeguarding annual report
Termly	Declaration of interests Link governor reports SIP/SEF update Governor Training Safeguarding update and review, including numbers of Looked After children, TAF/CAF and any relevant issues to be noted for governors SCR check review and feedback
Ongoing	Policy Reviews Complaints