Governors work closely with headteachers, school staff and representatives from the local authority (LA).
Governors are responsible for:
- raising standards of academic achievement
- recruitment of staff
- representing the views of the local community
- managing school budgets
- promoting the values and ethos of our school.
Governors ask questions, gather information, act as critical friends and help to make decisions about our school.
Our Governors
Please follow the link to find further details about each Governor.
| Name | Category | Appointing Body | Term of Office Starts | Term of Office Ends | Committees | Responsibilities | Declaration of Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reverend Michael Peers | Foundation | Ex Officio | 26/10/2006 | No end date | Appeals Finance & Premises HT’s Performance & Pay Review | Vice Chair Worship Team | Married to Mrs Wendy Peers who runs Tea Club in school. |
| Mr Gareth Ayre | Foundation | Diocese | 12/04/2016 | 30/03/2020 | Finance & Premises First; HT’s Performance & Pay Review | Chair Pupil Premium Maths | Parent of a child in school |
| Dr Steven Bradley | Foundation | Diocese | 04/10/2016 | 01/10/2020 | Finance & Premises First | ||
| Mrs J Farrey | Foundation | Diocese | 26/04/2017 | 25/04/2021 | Appeals; Finance & Premises; HT’s Performance & Pay Review | Safeguarding English | Parent of child in school |
| Mrs Jo Coxon | Foundation | Diocese | 10/06/2019 | 09/06/2023 | Personnel & Curriculum | Health and Safety P.E. | |
| Mr Andrew Park | Headteacher | Staff | 01/09/2019 | ongoing | Personnel & Curriculum; Finance & Premises; First | Headteacher | |
| Mrs Alison Hiles | LA Representative | Local Authority | 24/04/2019 | 23/04/2023 | Appeals; HT’s Performance & Pay Review; Personnel & Curriculum | Science | Grandparent of children in school. |
| Mrs Claire Cowie | Parent | Parents | Parent of child in school | ||||
| Heather Watkins | Parent | Parents | 15/01/2018 | 25/01/2022 | First; Personnel & Curriculum; | Parent of child in school | |
| Mrs Alison James | Staff | Staff | 15/01/2018 | 27/01/2022 |
How To Become A School Governor
If you require further information on the roles and responsibilities of School Governors or you are interested in becoming one, visit the Durham County Council website School Governor section.
Statutory Guidance for Governing Bodies
Esh CofE Primary School adhere to the statutory guidance from the Department of Education. This means that governing bodies must have regard to it when carrying out duties relating to the constitution of governing bodies in maintained schools. For further information please view or download the full document below.
The Constitution of Governing Bodies of Maintained Schools (2017)
Governor Attendance
Schools are required to display a record of Governor attendance at meetings for each school academic year.
KEY
✓ – Attended meeting
A/A – Apologies sent and accepted by meeting
N – Did not attend
X – Not a member of the committee
Record of Attendance 2020-2021
| Name | Meeting [add date] | Meeting [add date] | Meeting [add date] |
|---|
| Mrs K Seed | |||
| Reverend M Peers | |||
| Dr S Bradley | |||
| Mrs J Farrey | |||
| Ms N Coia | |||
| Mrs J Coxon | |||
| Mr Chris Noon | |||
| Mr George M Sewell | |||
| Mr A Park | |||
| Mrs A Hiles | |||
| Miss R Hiles | |||
| Mr G Ayre | |||
| Mrs H Watkins | |||
| Mrs Alison James |
Archived Attendance
You can also view previous years attendance on our website.
Committee Terms of Reference
ESH CHURCH OF ENGLAND (AIDED) PRIMARY SCHOOL – No. 3406 COMMITTEES
Quorum for meetings to be 3 (except for Headteacher’s Performance Management & Pay Review, which is 2)
To be reviewed annually
Finance & Premises Committee
Chair: Rev M Peers
Terms of Reference/Areas of Responsibility
- Consider all matters received from the LA relating to financial aspects
- Receive actual share and agree a budget plan
- Monitor and determine spending patterns and consider spending proposals from other committees
- Consider and promote Income generation
- Receive and consider budget proposals (from other committees)
- Supplies Budget (delegate to Headteacher for report to Governors as appropriate)
- Check the annual accounts of all voluntary funds held by the school (Friends of the School/Private School Fund etc.)
- Ensure that buildings and the learning environment are maintained and fit for purpose
- Oversee the use of the premises by outside users
- Establish and keep under review an asset management/building development plan
- Establish and keep under review an Accessibility Plan
- Review of the School’s Website.
Meetings: 3 times a year plus other meetings to be held as and when necessary.
Personnel & Curriculum Committee
Chair: Miss R Hiles
Terms of Reference/Areas of Responsibility
Personnel
- (Headteacher/Deputy Headteacher appointments will be subject to consideration by the full Governing Body and if the appointment is delegated to the Committee will need to be endorsed by the full Governing Body)
- Supply cover and temporary posts#
- When teaching and non teaching appointments are made by this committee, shortlisting for those appointments will also be by this committee #
- To check that arrangements for staff appraisal are in place and are being developed
- Consider staff Leave of Absence (only if necessary after delegation to Headteacher)
- Staffing Structure (Budgetary implications submitted to Finance and/or Pay Review)
- Staff disciplinary grievance and ill health matters in accordance with the procedure adopted by the Governing Body
- Staff reductions (as the ‘first’ committee in accordance with the agreed procedure)
- Parental Complaints
- To make recommendations to the Governing Body and review the school’s curriculum statement and policies as required in the light of the LA curriculum statement and statutory obligations regarding the National Curriculum
- In collaboration with the staff to provide information about how the curriculum is taught, evaluated and resourced
- To review the policy and provision for sex education and to make recommendations where necessary
- To review the policy and provision for collective worship and RE and to make recommendations where necessary
- To monitor and review information about school performance and reporting to parents accordingly to statutory requirements
- To contribute to the School Development Plan
- Curriculum/performance review including target setting and monitoring mechanisms
- Pupil Exclusions.
Meetings: 3 times a year
# delegated to Headteacher
Committees established in accordance with procedures relating to
“The Diocese of Durham, Board of Education, procedures accepted”
a) Staff Discipline and Grievance Matters (Diocesan procedures adopted 29.9.94 – Minute 4(b))
b) Whole School Pay Policy
c) Reducing the Staffing
d) Pupil Discipline Matters
Headteacher’s Performance Management & Pay Review Committee
(Quorum of 2)
CHAIR: Mr G Ayre
Terms of Reference:
- To act in accordance with the Teachers’ Pay Policy adopted by the Governing Body to include matters relating to: teaching and learning responsibility payments, SEN (Special Educational Needs) allowances, recruitment and retention payments, points for previous experience and bursaries.
- To report to the Finance Committee on Pay Review-related expenditure.
- To arrange to meet with the External Adviser (EA) or Education Development Partner (EDP) to discuss the Headteacher’s performance targets.
- To decide with support from the EA or EDP whether the targets have been met and to set new targets annually.
- To monitor throughout the year the performance of the Headteacher against the targets.
- To make recommendations to the appropriate committee in respect of awards for the successful meeting of set targets.
Meetings: Twice a year.
Disqualifications: the Headteacher and staff.
First Committee
Chair: Dr S Bradley
Terms of Reference:
- To act in accordance with the Teachers’ Pay Policy adopted by the Governing Body.
- To report to the Finance Committee on Pay Review-related expenditure.
- To make any decision under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body, e.g. disciplinary, grievance, ill health, capability etc where the Headteacher is the subject of the action.
- To make any decisions relating to a member of staff (other than the Headteacher) under the Personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body (unless delegated to the Headteacher).
- Staffing Reductions.
Meetings: to be held as and when required.
Appeals Committee
Chair: Mrs A Hiles
Terms of Reference:
- To consider any appeal against a decision to dismiss a member of staff made by the First/Pay Review Committee (or Headteacher if delegated).
- To consider any appeal against a decision under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body (e.g. disciplinary, pay review, capability for teachers etc.)
- To consider any appeal against selection for redundancy.
Meetings: to be held as and when required.
Virement & Expenditure Limits
| Virement Limits | Expenditure Limits | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Limit set for Headteacher without prior written approval of Chair or Governing Body | £3,000 | Any items of expenditure up to | £5,000 |
| Limit set for Headteacher with approval from Chair of Governors | £10,000 | Above this limit if item was previously notified to the Governing Body. Prior Finance Committee or Chair of Governors approval (whichever is the soonest) to be sought outside of this limit and reported at the earliest opportunity. | |
| Prior Finance Committee or Chair of Governors approval (whichever is the soonest) to be sought outside of this limit and reported at the earliest opportunity |
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Link to school’s financial benchmarking service
https://schools-financial-benchmarking.service.gov.uk/school/detail?urn=114251