The Governing Body of Orleans Park School is made up of a dedicated, hard-working group of professionals, working in close collaboration with the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team. It gives strategic direction and ensures focus on high standards of educational achievement across all aspects of school life. The Governing Body, which includes the Headteacher, is responsible for the school's strategy, aims and objectives.
Orleans Park Governor Profiles
| Orleans Park Governing Board |
|---|
| Sir David Tanner CBE | Chair of Governors / Chair of Pay & Personnel Committee |
| Eleanor Stewart | Vice Chair of Governors / Pay & Personnel Committee |
| Adam Dunlop | Co-opted Governor |
| John Riglin | Co-opted Governor / Finance & Resources Committee |
| Will Edwards | Co-opted Governor / Chair of Finance & Resources Committee |
| Kathy Pacey | Headteacher |
| Alex Axiom | Parent Governor / Student, Curriculum and Community Committee |
| Karen Townsend | Parent Governor |
| Karen Miller | Parent Governor / Student, Curriculum and Community Committee / Audit & Risk Committee |
| Ralph Blunden | Parent Governor |
| Stephen McGuckin | Community Governor / Pay & Personnel Committee |
| Huw O'Connor | Community Governor / Chair of Audit & Risk Committee |
| Laurence Mann | Community Governor / Vice Chair of Finance & Resources Committee |
| Mary Nkune | Local Authority Governor / Student, Curriculum and Community Committee |
| Katie Minet | Staff Governor / Finance & Resources Committee |
| Laura Mosley | Staff Governor / Student, Curriculum and Community Committee |
| Seugnet Grobler | Staff Governor / Finance & Resources Committee |
The Governing Body acts as a 'critical friend' to the Headteacher and to the school, supporting the Headteacher’s performance, and providing advice, feedback and constructive criticism. It does not manage the day to day running of the school. The Headteacher is responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of the school, as well as relationships with parents/carers, the community and other stakeholders. The structure of the Governing Body is set out in clause 46 of the Articles of Association. This sets out the required composition of the Governing Body of a school with academy status: Between 3 and 5 Parent Governors, Headteacher, 3 Staff Governors, up to 6 Community Governors, 1 Local Authority Governor and up to 3 Co-opted Governors.
As a registered charity the Academy Trust has Members in addition to Governors. Members have a limited and distinct role, which essentially is to hold the Board accountable to upholding the charitable purpose of the trust. The current Members of Orleans Park Academy Trust are Sir David Tanner (Chair of Governors), Eleanor Stewart (Vice-chair of Governors), Will Edwards (Chair of Finance & Resources Committee), Laura Howarth (former Deputy Headteacher), Elaine Lewis (former Headteacher), Laurence Mann and Sarah Mackenzie.
The full Governing Body meets twice each term. In addition, the Governing Body has established a number of committees for specific aspects of its work. These committees hold separate meetings and they are usually held twice each term.
Governors do not need to have any specific qualifications or educational experience. However, each governor completes a skills audit enabling the Governing Body to understand whether training is required, in order for governors to fulfill their statutory responsibilities.
Governors receive an induction pack and there is specialised training for new governors. There are a number of specific training sessions provided by Governor Support to ensure individual governors have the skills they need. They include safer recruitment, looked after children, a governor’s role in school improvement, and understanding school finance.
Usually four years.
The Headteacher and Governing Body work in close partnership for the good of the school, respecting each other’s roles and responsibilities. The Governing Body acts as a "critical friend" to the Headteacher and the school, by supporting the Headteacher in the performance of her functions and by providing advice, feedback and constructive criticism.
We meet both as a Full Governing Body (twice a term) and also in specialist Committees. The committees do a lot of the work of the Governing Body and report back. Governors will be expected to belong to a minimum of two committees.
All committees have input from the Headteacher or at least one member of the Senior Leadership Team. All Governors, with the exception of staff governors, are linked with an individual department within the school.
Governing Body meetings are in the evenings, usually starting at 7pm, and committees meet either early in the morning (08.00am) or early to mid-evening (5/5.30pm).
We are committed to equal opportunities, and have adopted a Governors’ Expenses scheme to help with the additional costs and needs of governors with disabilities, or with child care or elderly care commitments.
Education is always changing, and there has never been a time when the school has not been faced with a challenge or opportunity which has involved Governors in making strategic decisions for the school’s future. It is, therefore, sometimes necessary to set up a group of Governors to deal with specific issues.
The Committees play an important role in ensuring that the monitoring and validating role of the Governing body is fulfilled. Committees allow their members to understand the workings of the school and to add to the collective overview that the Governing Body must have.
The Committees also have delegated to them aspects of the Governing Body’s responsibilities, such as, monitoring of finances, the drafting of policies, or agreeing the terms of long-term commitments.
Governors agree to have an attachment with a department of the school. This gives them an opportunity to know and understand an area of the school in greater detail, by following departmental developments and also through a series of formal and informal Governor visits. Governors also participate as observers in the cyclical reviews of their attached department.
Parent or Staff Governor: You may stand for election when there is a vacancy, which happens whenever a term of office expires or (for whatever reason) a parent or staff Governor stands down.
Community Governor: The local council maintains a list of people who have expressed an interest in becoming Governors that can be drawn on by schools when Community Governor vacancies arise. Alternatively, you can contact the Clerk to the Governors to be considered in such an eventuality.
Co-opted Governors: If you have a specific expertise you feel may be useful to the Governing Body, you might like to offer to serve as a co-opted Governor.
If you would like to contact the Governing Body for any reason, then please email:
Governors have a legal duty to report on how many employees gross annual salary and benefits is over £100,000, these figures must be published on the website in £10,000 increments.
In the academic year 2022-2023 there was one member of staff with gross pay and employers pension contribution between £130,000 - £140,000.
Yes, the Governing Body of a school with academy status has:
Yes, we are required to be DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) checked.