Governor Information

The Local Governing Body of Longwick CE Combined Academy School

ODBST (Oxford Diocese Bucks Schools Trust) is governed by a Board of Trustees who is responsible for overseeing the management and administration of ODBST and all the academies run by it including Longwick. The Trustees are accountable to external government agencies including the Charity Commission and the Department for Education for the quality of education they provide. They are required to have systems in place through which they can assure themselves of quality, safety and good practice. As Longwick is a Church of England school the Trustees are also accountable for ensuring that the academy provides an education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice. In order to discharge these responsibilities the Trustees appoint people who are locally based to serve on a local governing body which has been established to ensure the good governance of the school.

The strategic functions of the governing body are ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction: holding the Head Teacher to account for the educational performance of the school, its pupils and the performance management of the staff: overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.

The governing body is made up of 12 members: the Head Teacher; the Rector of St Mary’s Princes Risborough (ex officio); 2 Foundation governors appointed by the Diocese; 4 trust governors drawn from the local area, selected because of their skills and interests; 1 staff governor elected by staff members and 3 elected parent governors. With the exception of the Head Teacher governors all hold office for a period of four years.

On conversion to an academy within the ODBST on 1^st July 2018 all governors’ terms of office came to an end. All were reappointed as members of the Local governing body at that time and it was agreed that the expiry date of the original term of office would be observed to facilitate orderly succession planning.

Governor appointments and terms of office

Mrs Diane Kerwood	Foundation Governor Appointed 17 Jun 2020	Expires 16 Jun 2024
Mrs Deborah Cadwallader	Trust Governor Appointed 16 Jun 2019	Expires 15 Jun 2023
Mrs Claire Randall	Trust Governor Appointed 14 Mar 2017	Expires 12 Mar 2021
Miss Clare Smith	Trust Governor Appointed 17 May 2020	Expires 16 May 2024
Mrs Valerie Stattersfield	Foundation Governor Appointed 04 Nov 2017	Expires 3 Nov 2021
Mrs Sophie Marshall	Trust Governor Appointed 30 Nov 2017	Expires 29 Nov 2021
Mrs Lucy Hendley	Parent Governor Appointed 17 Jan 2019	Expires 16 Jan 2023
Ms Magdalena Sztechman	Parent Governor Appointed 29 April 2020	Expires 28 April 2024
Miss Sophie Elkins	Staff Governor Appointed 5 Nov 2019	Expires 4 Nov 2023
Rev David Williams	Ex Officio Appointed 1 Jul 2018	Expires 30 Jun 2022
Mr Chris Birley	Parent Governor Appointed 17 Jul 2020	Expires 16 Jul 2024
Mrs Jan Martin	Executive Headteacher Appointed 1 Sept 2020	Expires 31 Aug 2021
Mrs Amanda Andrews	Parent Governor Appointed 17 Jan 2019	Resigned 11 June 2020

Governors play a valuable and important role in the support of our school. They meet regularly together and work closely with the Head Teacher and the school staff. The responsibility for the actions and decisions of the governing body lies with the whole governing body not with individual members. All governors are required to undertake regular training provided to enable them to exercise their duties effectively. This is a vital part of being a governor enabling us to keep up to date with changes across all areas of education provision.

Governor Roles and Responsibilities

Mrs Claire Randall	Chair of Governing Body; Education Committee; Performance Management Committee; School Development Plan
Mrs Deborah Cadwallader	Vice Chair of Governing Body; Education Committee; Performance Management Committee; Development Governor; School Development Plan
Miss Clare Smith	Chair of Finance and General Purposes Committee
Mrs Sophie Marshall	Chair of Education Committee; Safeguarding; School Development Plan
Mrs Diane Kerwood	Finance & General Purpose Committee; School Development Plan; SEN
Mrs Valerie Stattersfield	Education Committee; Performance Management Committee; School Development Plan
Miss Sophie Elkins	Education Committee; School Development Plan
Mrs Lucy Hendley	Finance and General Purpose Committee
Mrs Magdalena Sztechman	Finance and General Purpose Committee
Mr Chris Birley
Mrs Carole Green	Clerk to Full Governing Body
Mr Jim Cadwallader	Clerk to Finance and General Purposes Committee Clerk to Education Committee

The governing body meets twice each term and occasionally more frequently if there is urgent business that needs attention. The work is divided between 2 main committees: the Education committee oversees the curriculum and pupil welfare and also reviews most of the school’s management policies: the Finance and General Purposes committee has responsibility for the school’s finances, setting the school budget and reviewing the school’s financial performance. In addition the committee monitors staff performance management as well as having responsibility for pay and other HR matters, Health & Safety and premises. The agendas and minutes of all governing body meetings are available to read in school. Dates of forthcoming meetings are listed on the calendar:

Calendar

Contacting the governors

Governors welcome suggestions, feedback and ideas from parents. Please contact the Chair of Governors, Diane Kerwood through the school office or by email to governors@longwick.bucks.sch.uk