Our Governing Body

Governors work closely with headteachers, school staff and representatives from the local authority (LA).

Governor Committee Structure

Name	Representing	Committee	Term of Office	Responsibilities	Register of Interests	Relationship to Staff
Mrs Pamela Monaghan - Chair	Co-opted	Curriculum & Standards, Finance & Premises, First/Pay Review, headteacher's Performance, Personnel & Staffing	12/12/2020 - 11/12/2024	Chair of Governors, English, Science, Pupil Premium & Catch-up, Wellbeing	Governance role Bishop Ian Ramsey CE Primary School	None
Ms Faye Richardson - Vice Chair	Co-opted	Appeals, Curriculum & Standards, Finance & Premises, Headteacher's Performance	29/06/2023 - 28/06/2027	Vice Chair pf Governors, Maths, Pupil Premium & Catch-up, Wellbeing, SEND	None	None
Mrs Shelley Gill	Co-opted	Curriculum & Standards, First/Pay Review	05/09/2016 - 06/09/2024	Wellbeing, LAC, Safeguarding & Attendance	None	None
Mrs Laura McClelland	Co-opted	Curriculum & Standards, Finance & Premises	13/11/2023 - 12/11/2027	SEND	None	None
Mrs Alison Jamieson	Co-opted	Appeals, Curriculum & Standards, Personnel & Staffing	29/06/2021 - 29/06/2025	Humanities	Deputy Head Teacher at Durham Federation	None
Mrs Helen Grainger	Headteacher	Curriculum & Standards, Finance & Premises, Personnel & Staffing	01/09/2023 - ongoing	All	Headteacher	None
Mrs Laura Richardson	Parent	Curriculum & Standards, First/Pay Review	13/11/2023 - 12/11/2027	English, EYFS		None
Miss Jemma Gallagher	Parent	Appeals, Curriculum & Standards, Finance & Premises, Headteacher's Performance	20/11/2023 - 19/11/2027	SEND		None
Mrs Julia Brown	Staff	Finance & Premises, Personnel & Staffing	23/11/2023 - 22/11/2027	IT, Governor training & development	Admin Officer/SBM at Silver Tree Primary School	None

How To Become A School Governor

If you require further information on the roles and responsibilities of School Governors or you are interested in becoming one, visit the Durham County Council website School Governor section.

Statutory Guidance for Governing Bodies

Silver Tree Primary School adhere to the statutory guidance from the Department for Education. This means that governing bodies must have regard to it when carrying out duties relating to the constitution of governing bodies in maintained schools. For further information please view or download the full document below.

The Constitution of Governing Bodies of Maintained Schools (2017)

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Governor Attendance

Schools are required to display a record of Governor attendance at meetings for each school academic year.

KEY   – Attended meeting A/A   – Apologies sent and accepted by meeting N   – Did not attend n/a  – Not a member of the committee

Record of Attendance 2023-2024

Name	Standards and Curriculum 13.10.23	Finance 6.11.2023	Full Governing Body 10.1.2024 (postponed from Autumn term due to due to Ofsted inspection)	Finance 13.3.2024
Pamela Monaghan
Faye Richardson
Shelley Gill		n/a		n/a
Laura McClelland	AA	AA
Marion Wilson		AA		n/a
Alison Jamieson				n/a
Cheryl Johnson	AA	n/a	n/a	n/a
Helen Grainger
Laura Richardson	n/a	n/a		n/a
Jemma Gallagher	n/a	n/a
Julia Brown	n/a	n/a

Archived Attendance You can also view previous years attendance on our website.

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Committee Terms of Reference

The Finance Committee

CHAIR: Terms of Reference:

• In conjunction with the Headteacher to draft the first formal budget plan of the financial year, for approval by the full Governing Body.
• To establish and maintain an up to date 3 year financial plan.
• To monitor income and expenditure, including virement decisions, significant anomalies from the anticipated position and report termly to the Governing Body.
• To ensure the school operates within the financial regulations of the County Council and the requirements of the DfE School Financial Value Standard.
• To monitor expenditure of all voluntary funds kept on behalf of the Governing Body.
• To annually review charges and remissions policies and expenses policies.
• To make decisions in respect of service level agreements.
• To make decisions on expenditure following recommendations from other committees.
• To prepare financial statements for inclusion in any reports to parents.
• To ensure as far as is practical that any Health and Safety (H&S) issues are appropriately funded in accordance with priorities.
• To ensure that Pay Review Committee and Pay Appeal Committee decisions are appropriately funded.

Meetings: termly, or each half term, planned to coincide with Oracle. Disqualifications: when there may be a conflict of interest; a fair hearing is required; or a pecuniary interest. Associate members may not vote.

Personnel & Staffing Committee

CHAIR: Terms of Reference:

• To carry out an annual review of the staffing structure in consultation with the Headteacher and the Finance Committee.
• To oversee the appointment procedure for all staff (except Leadership appointments or delegated).
• To establish and review a performance management policy for all staff.
• To keep under review work/life balance, working conditions and well-being, including the monitoring of absence.
• To make recommendations to the Finance Committee on Personnel-related expenditure.

Meetings: as required Pecuniary interest.

First/Pay Review Committee

CHAIR: Terms of Reference:

• To make any decisions under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body, e.g. disciplinary, grievance, capability, ill health etc. where the Headteacher is the subject of the action.
• To make any decisions relating to a member of staff (other than the Headteacher) under the Personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body (unless delegated to the Headteacher).
• Reducing the staffing.
• To act in accordance with the Teachers’ Pay Policy adopted by the Governing Body.
• To report to the Finance Committee on Pay Review-related expenditure.
• To arrange to meet with the External Adviser (EA) or Education Development Partner (EDP) to discuss the Headteacher’s performance targets.
• To decide with support from the EA or EDP whether the targets have been met and to set new targets annually.
• To monitor throughout the year the performance of the Headteacher against the targets.
• To make recommendations to the appropriate committee in respect of awards for the successful meeting of set targets.

Meetings: as and when necessary.

Disqualifications: The Headteacher; the Chair of Governors (if he/she has prior knowledge or involvement), School staff in relation to pay related matters, Pecuniary interest, Spouse/partner.

Delegation to the Headteacher School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009.

Appointment: The Governing Body can delegate the power to appoint outside the leadership group to:

• The Headteacher
• One or more Governors with the right of the Headteacher to advise
• One or more Governors and the Headteacher.

Delegate to the Headteacher, as above, for

Appointment:

• Non-teaching staff
• All Supply Cover
• The Headteacher together with one or more Governors are delegated powers to appoint temporary staff.

Dismissal:

All staff other than Headteacher, unless exceptional circumstances exist.

Headteacher to a committee of the Governing Body

Appeals Committee

CHAIR: Terms of Reference: 

• To consider any appeal against a decision to dismiss a member of staff made by the Hearing/First Committee (or Headteacher if delegated).
• To consider any appeal against a decision under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body. (eg. disciplinary, grievance, ill-health, pay review, capability etc.).
• To consider any appeal against selection for redundancy.

Meetings: as and when required. Must have no fewer members than the Hearing.

Disqualifications: Headteacher. Any governor who was involved in the hearing. Spouse/partner, members of staff in relation to pay related matters

Virement & Expenditure Limits

Virement Limits		Expenditure Limits
Limit set for Headteacher without prior approval of Chair of Governing Body or Chair of Finance Committee	£5,000	Any items of expenditure up to	£5,000
Limit set for Headteacher with approval from Chair of Governors or Chair of Finance Committee	£5,000 to £10,000	Above this limit if item was previously notified to the Governing Body or Finance Committee. Prior Governing Body or Finance Committee approval to be sought outside of this limit.
Prior Governing Body or Finance Committee approval to be sought outside of this limit.

NB

Any goods/services purchased and works to be carried out are subject to Durham County Council Contract Procedure Rules (January 2014) for quotations

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