Please find below details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.
The governing body strives to provide effective governance for the school through:
Strategic leadership that sets and champions vision, ethos and strategy.
Accountability that drives up educational standards and financial performance.
People with the right skills, experience, qualities and capacity.
Structures that reinforce clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
Compliance with statutory and contractual requirements.
Evaluation to monitor and improve the quality and impact of governance.
At Skelton School we achieve this through termly meetings of the full Governing Body and its three sub-committees which deal in detail with the main aspects of the governing body’s work. From time to time, working groups with a specific focus are established, such as understanding data, or other school development priorities.
Skelton School – Governance Details
Effective 17th April 2023
The structure and membership of the Governing Body is as follows –
Headteacher | Mr Sam King |
1 Staff governor | Mrs Helen Newton |
3 parent governors | Mrs Helen Evans (Safeguarding Governor), Mrs Hayley Riggs, Mrs Rachel Woolley |
1 LA governor | Mr Michael Holme (Vice-Chair) |
4 Co-opted governors | Mr Athole McKillop, Mr Robert Provoncha, Mr Daniel Griffiths (Chair of Governors), Mrs Margaret Towers |
Should you wish to contact Daniel Griffiths directly, please email at daniel@skelton.cumbria.sch.uk
The details of the committees of the Governing Body are as follows –
Committee | FINANCE AND STAFFING |
Chair | D. Griffiths |
Membership | S King, A McKillop, M Holme |
Clerk | J. Holme |
Committee Task | To take responsibility for delegated and non-delegated activities regarding all aspects of school finance, performance management, staff and pay. |
Delegated Powers | Monitor the income and expenditure within the school and report termly to the Governing Body. Plan priorities for expenditure for the year including premises and resources. Ensure that the principles of best value are followed in all decision making processes. Write and review the policy for Financial Delegation. Nominate a performance appraisal team who, under the guidance of an external advisor, will set, agree and review Head’s objectives. Annually review and approve the pay of the Headteacher. Approve the pay of all other staff within the school following Staff Appraisal. Review and amend policies as per the Policy Review Schedule Completion of the SFVS. Draft the school budget annually. Approve the mid year budget update. Monitor staffing structure and appointments. |
Non Delegated Powers | Approval of the school budget Approval of the structure of staffing levels Approval of the SFVS |
Committee | PREMISES AND HEALTH & SAFETY |
Chair | A McKillop |
Membership | S King, H Evans, D Griffiths, R Provoncha |
Clerk | J. Holme |
Committee Task | To take responsibility for delegated and non-delegated activities regarding school buildings, school grounds and the health, safety and welfare of pupils, staff and visitors. |
Delegated Powers | Ensure appropriate risk assessments are completed and annually review current risk assessments. Monitor general buildings and grounds maintenance work. Monitor expenditure on premises and renewal of contracts. Seek and apply for funding for premises projects. Monitor and review School Access Plan. Decide longer term priorities for premises work to link into the School Improvement Plan. Monitor compliance with all H&S requirements. Annually inspect the school premises and grounds and agree priorities for maintenance work and monitor termly. Delegate responsibility for the approval of Level 1 and 2 visits to the Headteacher. Monitor and review the Health and Safety Policy. |
Non Delegated Powers | Approve the Health and Safety Policy Approve expenditure on premises over £5,000 |
Committee | LEARNING and COMMUNITY |
Chair | H Evans |
Membership | S King, M Towers, D Griffiths, H Riggs, H Newton |
Clerk | J. Holme |
Committee Task | To take responsibility for delegated and non-delegated activities regarding curriculum learning and community links |
Delegated Powers | Monitor governor visits to school and ensure a minimum of a half day annual visit by each governor. Monitor and review the teaching and learning policy, subject policies and other policies in conjunction with teaching staff. Allocate areas of specific responsibility for governors, ie. SEND, Safeguarding, Link or curriculum areas. Ensure that the curriculum is accessible to and inclusive of all pupils. Agree a focus for governor visits to the school and linking with teachers. Review, maintain and encourage community links. Monitor and review attendance. |
Non Delegated Powers | Review pupil progress and agree whole school objectives.
|
Details of individual governors are as follows –
Name | Category | Position held | Date of appointment | Term of office | Appointed by | Business interests | Attendance at relevant meetings in 2021 |
Helen Evans | Parent | Safeguarding | Mar 2022
| 3 years | Parents | Branch Out Education, Swing Dance Cumbria, Swing Fit, Richard Evans music teacher | 6/8 |
Michael Holme | LA | Vice Chair | Nov 2019 | 4 years | Local Authority | None | 5/6 |
Athole McKillop | Co-opted |
| Nov 2022 | 3 years | Governing body | None | 4/8 |
Rachel Woolley | Parent |
| Apr 2023 | 3 years | Parents | None | NA |
Margaret Towers | Co-opted |
| Oct 2022 | 3 years | Governing body | Branch Out Education | 4/6 |
Daniel Griffiths | Co-opted | Chair | Nov 2020 | 3 years | Parents | Red Barn holiday lets | 5/6 |
Robert Provoncha | Co-opted |
| Mar 2021 | 3 years | Governing Body | Trustee of Skelton Village Hall | 3/3 |
Hayley Riggs | Parent |
| Mar 2022 | 3 years | Parents | None | 1/1 |
Sam King | Head | Head | NA | NA | NA | None | NA |
Helen Newton | Staff |
| Sept 2022 | 3 years | Staff | None | NA |
Former governors
Name | Category | Position held | Date of appt | Date left | Appointed by | Attendance at relevant meetings in last full year of office |
Jean Bloomfield | Co-opted | Vice Chair | Jun 2015 | Oct 2016 | Govs | 6/6 |
Robert Fawcett | Co-opted |
| Nov 2017 | Feb 2018 | Parents | 1/2 |
Sarah Bisson | Parent |
| Sep 2017 | Feb 2018 | Parents | 1/2 |
Joy Reekie | Co-opted |
| Mar 2016 | Jun 2017 | Govs | 4/6
|
Mark Quinn | Parent |
| Nov 2016 | 3 years | Parents | 5/7 |
Helen Parry | Co-opted | Chair | Mar 2017 | Nov 2019 | Govs | 9/12 |
Irving Pearson | Co-opted |
| Mar 2019 | Feb 2021 | Governing Body | 8/8 |
Kenneth Williams | Parent |
| Nov 2018 | Nov 2020 | Parents | 5/5 |
Elaine Mawson | Parent | Chair and Safeguarding | Nov 2016 | 3 years | Parents | 8/12 |
Gary Newman | Head | Head | NA | NA | NA | 8/8 |
Fiona Rudd | Head | Head | NA | NA | NA | 9/9 |
| Victoria Smith | Co-opted | Chair | Nov 2020 | Mar 2023 | Govs | 9/12 |