Governors

Governing Body – Innsworth Schools’ Partnership

The majority of children from Innsworth Infant School transfer to Innsworth Junior School to complete their primary phase education. Each school had its own Governing Body. While the two schools had always worked together, in 2013 it was agreed that even closer cooperation could be achieved, resulting in a better educational ‘offering’ to pupils, by federating the two governing bodies into one. This occurred on September 1, 2014 and the Innsworth Schools’ Partnership came into being. The ties between the schools were further strengthened by the appointment of Mrs Lisa Jones as Executive Headteacher on September 1, 2015, with responsibility for both schools.

The overall role of Governors is to support the Headteacher and the staff – the phrase often used to describe this role is ‘a critical friend’. Governors help the Headteacher and Staff to set and reach targets and to strive for excellence across the whole spectrum of school life. The two key documents used for this are the Partnership Development Plan (PDP) and the Self Evaluation Form (SEF). The PDP sets out a strategic plan for the school, with targets that everyone works towards and the SEF sets out how well the school is doing and where we aim to make improvements.

Statutory duties of the Governing Body include:-

• setting strategic direction, policies and objectives
• approving the school budget
• reviewing progress against the school's budget and objectives
• appointing, challenging and supporting the Headteacher

The Governing Body meets at least once every term (6 meetings per academic year). Committees look at particular areas of school life under the headings, Learning, Resourcing and Staffing. All governors are informed about what happens at these meetings.

Learning Committee - looks at pupil progress and attainment, and the quality and consistency of teaching.
Resourcing and Staffing Committee – looks at how the school budgets are being spent, within the classroom, and on buildings and facilities. Looks at all aspects of school life affecting and affected by staff.

There are several categories of governor, representing different groups that have an interest in the schools. These are the Headteacher, Parent Governors (elected by parents) and a Staff Governor (elected by staff from both schools). This group of Governors convened the first meeting of the FGB and then co-opted further governors to complete the FGB. One of those co-opted governors is nominated by the local authority, Gloucestershire County Council. Co-opted governors are appointed because of their specific expertise or the experience which they can bring to the FGB.

The children at both schools are at the heart of everything the Headteacher, Staff and Governors do. We are committed to providing an environment, where all aspects, physical, emotional, academic and playful, can be enjoyed by all of our children so that by the end of the primary stage of their education, they have all had the opportunity to ‘enjoy, achieve, aspire’. This is the inspiration behind the establishment of the Innsworth Schools’ Partnership.  

No member (Governor) of the Governing Body listed above is/was a member of any other school Governing Body, nor does/did any member have any business or pecuniary interest which conflicts/conflicted with their membership of this Governing Body.
No member (Governor) of the Governing Body has been paid any remuneration or expenses in connection with their duties since the formation of Innsworth Schools’ Partnership on 1 September 2014.