Governing Body
Could you be our Foundation Governor?
Foundation governors are appointed to the governing boards of voluntary controlled and voluntary aided schools to preserve the religious character of the school. There are foundation governors in every Church of England school and also in Roman Catholic schools.
More information is available on The Diocese of Bath and Wells website.
Governance
Many people work hard to ensure Ash Primary School and Nursery is a place where your child enjoys learning and achieves their full potential.
We are a group of local people who want to make a positive contribution to your child’s education here at Ash.
What do the governors do?
School governing bodies play an essential part in raising school standards. Ofsted (the monitoring body for schools) notes that the most effective schools demonstrate excellent leadership and management - and that includes the governing body.
As governors at Ash, we have three important roles to play:
Setting strategic direction - setting aims and objectives for the school and the policies and procedures needed to achieve them. We help the school set high standards and targets for school improvement.
Ensuring accountability - we monitor and evaluate the progress the school is making against its objectives. We help the school respond to the needs of parents and the community. We also monitor the budget.
Acting as a critical friend - we provide support and challenge to the head teacher and teaching staff.
How do we do it?
Regular meetings
We hold ten full governors’ meetings per year (two per term), which every governor attends.
Governors’ meetings include a variety of the following:
Progress updates from the head teacher and other members of staff responsible for particular areas of the school curriculum; the opportunity to challenge and ask questions about the running of the school; the chance to thank staff and congratulate them on successes; discussion of particular problems or issues arising in school and how they can be solved efficiently and effectively; debate about how best to spend particular parts of the budget; approval of school policies and procedures.
Governor visits to school
We all enjoy visiting the school and finding out from the children what they are learning, what they are finding difficult and the progress they feel they are making. All visits are recorded and any questions are addressed by the head teacher and staff at children at the next governors meeting.
Other support
We provide a whole range of support to the school in other ways too:
regular progress meetings with the head teacher and other teaching staff; attending visits by external consultants and Ofsted inspectors; help with staff recruitment interviews; safeguarding; supporting school events, productions and trips; improving the buildings and premises.
Did you know...?
Governors come from every walk of life and many different parts of the community.
Members of the Governing Body 2023-2024
Co-Chair Mrs Georgina Griffiths & Mrs Jane Billington
Headteacher (Ex Officio) Mrs Rebecca Bennett
Mr Tim Jones (Staff Governor)
Mr Chris Worledge (Elected Parent)
Mr Sam Dampier (Parent Governor)
Foundation governor (Vacant)