Governors
The Role of Governing Body
We are blessed to have a range of Governors here at St. Jude’s who work hard to ensure that the school is challenged to be the very best that it can be.
Pupil Leaders meeting with School Governors to share their experiences and make suggestions
Key roles of Governors:
- To ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
- To hold the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff.
- To oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure its money is well spent.
The Governors also carry out a number of other important duties, which include:
- Ensuring effective safeguarding policies and procedures and their management.
- Ensuring the safety and welfare of staff and pupils.
- Scrutinising filtering and monitoring arrangements at the school so that pupils are protected from potentially harmful or illegal online content.
- Determining how the school’s budget is spent.
- The appointing and dismissing of staff.
- Hearing appeals and grievances.
- Forming policy on the school’s curriculum and collective worship.
- Setting standards for pupils’ behaviour and discipline.
- Making sure the school building is welcoming and safe.
- Setting and monitoring the school’s aims and policies.
How do we work?
The Governing Body meets at least termly to discuss what is happening at school and plan strategically for the future. Meetings are covered in two sections – 1) financial management 2) strategic management. Other meetings covering safeguarding and curriculum standards in greater depth are also held as needed.
Governors also have links to specific areas (such as Catholic life, special needs and inclusion and the curriculum) and visit the school to help ensure that provision in these areas are well established and continually developing.
Governing Body Members
| Name | Type of Governor | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| D Thompson | Chair of Governors, Foundation Governor | Curriculum Standards, Staff Care, Pupil Premium |
| Deacon D Fairbotham | Vice-Chair of Governors, Foundation Governor | Academisation, Finance |
| S Casey | Foundation Governor | Data Protection Officer, Inclusion and SEND, Staff Care |
| Fr T Duckworth | Foundation Governor | Catholic Life, Liturgy, RE, Academisation, Staff Care |
| M Laugharne | Foundation Governor | Curriculum Standards |
| (vacancy) | Foundation Governor | - |
| (vacancy) | LA Governor | - |
| N Cole | Parent Governor | Pupil Voice, Pupil Wellbeing |
| M Keeling | Parent Governor | Safeguarding |
| B Smith | Head Teacher | Link Governor, Mental Health, Academisation |
| D McGarrigle | Staff Governor | Filtering and Monitoring Standards, Cyber Security |
Also see:
- Governor Committees and Interests – 2024/25
- Governor Meeting Attendance – 2023/24
- Annual Governance Statement – 2024/25