Welcome to the Governors’ section of the St Swithun’s School website.
This section deals with Governing Body matters and I hope it will convey a broad outline of the role of Governors, tell you the kinds of people we are and show you how we go about our task of supporting the Headteacher and her staff in building on the considerable strengths of the school and in so doing ensuring all aspects of the school (quality of teaching, leadership and management, behaviour, safety and achievement of pupils) continue to improve.
Helen Forey – Chair of Governors
Copies of the minutes of all governor meetings are available to read in the school office
This section deals with Governing Body matters and I hope it will convey a broad outline of the role of Governors, tell you the kinds of people we are and show you how we go about our task of supporting the Headteacher and her staff in building on the considerable strengths of the school and in so doing ensuring all aspects of the school (quality of teaching, leadership and management, behaviour, safety and achievement of pupils) continue to improve.
Helen Forey – Chair of Governors
Copies of the minutes of all governor meetings are available to read in the school office
Governor Category |
Allocation |
Actual |
Election |
Headteacher |
1 |
1 |
Automatically Appointed |
Staff Governor |
1 |
1 |
Elected by, and from among the school's teaching and non-teaching staff |
Parent Governor |
4 |
4 |
Elected by, and from among the parents |
Co-opted Governor |
2 |
2 |
Appointed by members of the governing body. Currently includes 1 member of staff |
Foundation Governor |
3 |
2 |
Appointed by the Diocese |
Local Authority Governor |
1 |
1 |
Appointed by the Local Authority |
| Register of Business Interests |
| FGB Annual Statement July 2017.pdf |
| St Swithun's Governor Attendance 2016/17 |
What is our role?
Good governance at a school is of huge importance and can have a considerable impact on the success of a school.
At St Swithun’s, governors play an active role in school life, champion ambition and high educational standards and work in strategic partnership with the Headteacher and staff to ensure our school continues to improve. Governors, as a corporate body, have a legal responsibility for the school.
The role of the governing body is a strategic one and its key functions are to:-
- set the aims and objectives for our school
- set the policies for achieving those aims and objectives
- set the targets for achieving those aims and objectives
- monitor and evaluate the progress the school is making towards achievement of its aims and objectives
- be a source of challenge and support to the Headteacher (a critical friend)
The Headteacher is responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of the school and the implementation of the strategic framework established by the governing body.
Governors have statutory responsibilities such as safeguarding, health and safety compliance, effective curriculum planning and delivery, equality, inclusion, admissions and attendance . Specific strategic responsibilities include Headteacher recruitment, the school staff structure, performance management and pay, the school budget and ultimately raising standards in the interest of continuous school improvement and becoming an outstanding school for all pupils, their parents and carers and the wider community.
Composition of the Governing BodyThe governing body has representatives from parents, the Local Authority, teaching staff, the community and the Diocese. The St Swithun’s School Instrument of Government, a legal document that was made effective in 2005 and updated in 2015 following reconstitution of the Governing Body, records the Body's composition:-
Position |
Name |
Chairperson (HT Performance, Safeguarding and e-safety Link) |
Helen Forey |
Vice Chairperson (Chair of Data Committee) |
Claire Gilbert |
Headteacher |
Helen Atkinson |
Parent Governor (Inclusion, SEND and Pupil Premium) |
Claire Gilbert |
Parent Governor (Sports Funding) |
Tim Warner |
Parent Governor (Data Group and Assessment) |
Alan Young |
Co-opted Governor (Maths Link) |
David Williams |
Parent Governor |
Gordon Buxton |
Co-Opted Governor (Staff) |
Andrea Kenny |
Staff Governor |
Kevin Dando |
Local Authority Governor |
Helen Forey |
Foundation Governor |
Revd. Alison Mathews |
Foundation Governor (Data Group, Chair of S&R Committee and Pay Committees, Grammar Punctuation and Spelling Link) |
Hugh Fleming |
Clerk to the Governors |
Lucy Tyrrell |
Foundation Governor |
Jessica Goves |
Contact Us01865 415105 Grundy Crescent Kennington Oxford OX1 5PS Please contact reception. © 2017 St Swithuns CE Primary School. |
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