All About the Governing Body at SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School
Message from the Chair of Governors
Dear Parents and Carers,
I should like to introduce myself as the Chair of Governors at SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School. My name is Paul Foster and I have been part of the governing body since February 2015 when I was appointed as a Foundation Governor by the Archdiocese. I am now in my third year as Chair of Governors.
My previous background includes working for almost thirty years for HM Government in a variety of roles, from writing speeches for Government Ministers, designing education packs for schools, developing environmental and transport policy and, for many years, dealing with European procurement rules and the Single Market.
I have a young son who attended the School from Reception through to Y6 and has now started Secondary School, and three older children who are all young adults.
I am a Roman Catholic and as foundation Governor I have a special duty to sustain and develop
the Catholic ethos and distinctive Catholic nature of our school. I try to play an active part in the life of our local Church SS John and Martin.
What do Governors do
The Governing Body has three specific roles these are:
To be strategic
To hold to account the Headteacher in the development of the school
To ensure that the school finances are properly managed.
At the heart of all three roles is the welfare and protection of the children at the school.
How we Work
The governing body has established a number of committees and statutory panels. We meet as a Full Governing Body every term. The Governing Bodies committees also meet every term to review and discuss the details of the school life. These committees cover:
Catholic Life, Curriculum and Standards
Finance, Staffing and Buildings
The statutory panels only meet when they are needed and these are:
Headteacher Performance Management
Pay Review
Complaints
Admissions
As Governors we also share a common objective with the wider school community – working in partnership with you as parents and carers and staff to ensure that every child can succeed and reach their full potential.
I and my fellow Governors feel extremely privileged to be part of the life of our successful and vibrant school. We work closely with our Headteacher, Mrs Elliott, to ensure that the school builds on the current high standards so that each child will be afforded every opportunity to learn and grow.
With best wishes
Paul Foster
Chair of Governors