Governors
The Governing Body is the group of parents, staff and people from the local community who guide the management of Ashlands, supporting and challenging the school management team to make sure that Ashlands is as effective a school as it can be. The role of Governors is often described as a “critical friend” - someone who will ask difficult questions, but in a constructive way to drive continuous improvement. The Governors are, ultimately, legally responsible for the quality of education at Ashlands, and the welfare and safety of pupils and staff. At Ashlands, our Governing Body has 12 members, made up of: parent governors, who have children at school, and are elected by the parents; staff governors, who represent the teaching and non-teaching staff and are chosen by the staff; LEA governors, who are appointed by the education authority, and nominated by local politicians; and Community Governors, who are invited to join the Governing Body, often to bring needed skills and expertise.
The Governing Body manages the school through two main committees – the pastoral and academic committee, which is responsible for the welfare of the whole school community and the education of the pupils; and the finance and buildings committee, which is responsible for managing the school budget (roughly £1m a year) and the upkeep of the school’s premises. As well as the two committees, there are two groups which advise the whole Governing Body – BPAG, which looks at long-term investment in the school’s buildings and grounds, focused on improving the “learning environment”, and the Strategic Advisory Group, which looks at the overall long term development plan for the school.
People have many reasons for becoming Governors, and we’re certainly not all governors for the same reasons. What we all share, though, is a passion for making Ashlands the best place it can be for children to learn, for staff to work, and above all for everyone to enjoy coming here.
Copies of minutes are available from the school office.
GOVERNORS COMMITTEES
Committee |
Members |
Committee |
Members |
Finance |
Colin Williams |
Academic & Pastoral |
Andrew Soutar |
Andrew Soutar |
Charlotte Smithson |
||
Pam Dennis |
Pam Dennis |
||
Richie Williamson |
Nicky Wilce |
||
Nicola Wharmby |
Vani Midgley |
||
Dan Smith |
Gaynor Riley |
||
|
Dawn Morgan |
||
|
David Stephens |
||
In attendance |
Kathy Raine - Deputy Head Joy Cobbold – Office Manager |
|
|
|
|
In attendance |
Kathy Raine – Deputy Head |
Buildings & Premises |
Colin Williams |
Performance Management |
Dan Smith |
Andrew Soutar |
Nicky Wilce |
||
Nicola Wharmby |
Vani Midgley |
||
David Stephens |
Colin Williams |
||
Charlotte Smithson |
Nicola Wharmby |
||
In attendance |
Bryan Hellen Joy Cobbold |
|
|
Appeals |
Nicola Wharmby |
Complaints |
Ritchie Williamson |
Colin Williams |
Nicky Wilce |
||
|
Dan Smith |
||
Staff Discipline |
Nicola Wharmby |
Pupil Behaviour |
Dan Smith |
Vani Midgley |
Vani Midgley |
||
Dawn Morgan |
Nicola Wharmby |
||
Safeguarding Governor |
Gaynor Riley |
Oversight of Safeguarding Govenor |
Nicola Wharmby |
Looked after Children Governor |
David Stephens |
SEN Governor |
Charlotte Smithson |
Health & Safety Governor |
Charlotte Smithson |
Governors Forum Representative |
Richie Williamson |
Eco Governor |
Colin Williams |
Friends Governor |
Nicola Wharmby |
Year Group Governors.
Nursery |
Colin Williams |
Reception |
Dawn Morgan / David Stephens |
Year 1 |
Nicola Wharmby |
Year 2 |
Nicky Wilce |
Year 3 |
Ritchie Williamson |
Year 4 |
Vani Midgley |
Year 5 |
Dan Smith |
Year 6 |
Gaynor Riley |
Register of Interests.
Register of Interests of Current Governors serving, and those who have served at any point in the last 12 months, on the Board of Governors at Ashlands Primary School 2018/19
Full Name |
Type of Governor
(including Associate members)
Appointed by |
Date of Appointment / Term of Office |
End date (if applicable) |
Committee membership, voting rights of Associate members and any special roles or chairing responsibilities |
Other educational institutions at which a governor |
Business interests and date notified |
Any material interests arising from relationships between governors or relationships between governors and staff (including spouses, partners and close relatives) |
Meetings attended over previous academic year out of a total number of applicable meetings |
Jane Crossley |
Parent Left 9th October 2017 |
29.09.13 |
22.09.17 |
Appeals Staff Discipline Buildings and Premises |
None |
None |
None |
1/7 |
Pam Dennis |
Staff |
25.09.14 |
24.09.18 |
Finance Academic and Pastoral |
None |
None |
None |
1/7 |
Neil Fraser |
LA & Chair – LEFT March 2017 |
15.09.14 |
31.03.17
|
Chair 2016 - present Finance Performance Management Complaints Staff Discipline Pupil Behaviour |
None |
None |
None |
|
Vani Midgley |
Parent & Chair
|
10/10/16 |
10/10/20 |
Chair 2017 – present Academic and Pastoral Performance Management Staff Discipline Pupil Behaviour |
None |
None |
None |
2/7 |
Dawn Morgan |
Parent Governor |
9/10/17 |
9/10/21 |
Academic and Pastoral Staff Discipline |
None |
None |
Spouse (Teaching Assistant at Ashlands) |
1/7 |
Gaynor Riley |
Co-opted community |
01.10.14 |
30.09.18 |
Academic and Pastoral |
None |
None |
None |
1/7 |
Dan Smith |
Co-opted community |
13.09.16 |
13.09.20 |
Academic and Pastoral Performance Management Complaints Pupil Behaviour |
None |
None |
None |
2/7 |
Charlotte Smithson |
Co-opted staff |
01.01.15 |
31.1.19 |
Academic and Pastoral Building and Premises SEN Governor |
None |
None |
None |
2/7 |
Andrew Soutar |
Headteacher |
04.13 |
|
Finance Academic and Pastoral Buildings and Premises |
None |
None |
None |
2/7
|
David Stephens
|
Parent Governor |
9/10/17 |
9/10/21
|
Academic and Pastoral Buildings and Premises Looked after Children |
None |
Employed by Bradford Council within Children’s Social Care |
None |
1/7 |
|
|
|
||||||
Karen Vaughan |
Parent LEFT JULY 2017 |
27.03.14 |
26.03.18 |
Academic and Pastoral Appeals Pupil Behaviour |
None |
None |
None |
0/7 |
Nicola Wharmby |
Parent |
26.09.14 |
26.09.18 |
Finance Buildings and Premises Performance Management Appeals Staff Discipline Pupil Behaviour Oversight of Safeguarding Governor Friends Governor |
None |
None |
None |
2/7 |
Nicky Wilce |
Co-opted Community |
14/1/15 |
31/1/19 |
Academic and Pastoral Performance Management Complaints |
None |
None |
None |
1/7 |
Colin Williams |
Co-opted Community |
14/1/15 |
31/1/19 |
Finance Buildings and Premises Appeals Eco Governor |
None |
None |
None |
2/7
|
Richie Williamson |
LA and Vice Chair |
17.07.17 |
16.07.21 |
Finance Governors Forum Representative |
None |
None |
None |
2/7 |
Clerk to the Governors - Mrs Sally Weir
The clerk to the governors supports the governing body in terms of arranging meetings, recording and distributing minutes and documentation and advises the governing body on constitutional and procedural matters, duties and powers.
For more information about Governors and their role follow the links below:
GovernorNet - UK Government site offering up-to-date information on all aspects of school governance. | |
Directgov - Becoming a school governor | |