The Structure and remit of the governing body and committees 

The Full Governing Body - FGB:

The governing body is accountable to the public and to parents for the way in which the school is managed. The staff of the school, including the Head-Teacher, are accountable to the governing body for the delivery of the curriculum, the use of resources, and the quality and effectiveness of the teaching and learning that takes place.

The role of the governing body is a strategic one. Its key functions are to:

• Set the aims and objectives of the school
• Set the policies and the targets for achieving those aims and objectives
• Monitor and evaluate the progress of the school towards meeting these
• Be a source of challenge and support to the Headteacher (as a critical friend)

To accomplish the above, each term we have two full governing body (FGB) meetings, and two each of the Chairs’ Committee, the Curriculum Committee and the Staffing and Budget Committee.

At each FGB meeting, we will receive the following:

• Headteacher’s report
• Curriculum Committee report
• Staffing and Budget Committee report

Ongoing key tasks for the governing body:

• Monitor school improvement plan (SIP)
• Organise induction, support and training for governors
• Receive Curriculum Committee reports on curriculum areas: we have a planned rolling programme of curriculum area reviews
• Receive Staffing and Budget Committee reports on staff changes, budget monitoring and spending proposals
• Manage the school budget, consider the annual budget plan, approve the budget, consider and approve any proposed revisions to the budget plan
• Ensure that Teachers’ pay and performance is reviewed
• Responsible for the performance management of the headteacher
• Write new policies/review existing policies
• Prepare for OFSTED inspection – we were last inspected in summer 2013

In the academic year, 2016-17 Ms Monika Neall is Chair of Alma Park’s Governors.

The Chairs’ Committee

This is made up of the Chair of Governors, the Vice-Chair, the Headteacher and the Chair of each of the Committees. This Committee has a strategic and coordinating role. It organises the Governing Body’s programme of work.

In the academic year, 2016-17 Mr Parfitt is Chair of this Committee.

The Staffing & Budget Committee:

This develops the school budget, relating it to the school’s development plan priorities. It monitors spending through the year and keeps an updated 3-year financial plan.

It keeps under review the staffing structure and oversees the appointments procedure for all staff. Members of this committee are also eligible to be members of the Pay Committee which ensure's that Teachers’ pay and performance is reviewed and is responsible for the performance management of the Headteacher.

In the academic year, 2016-17 Mr Cooke is the Chair of this Committee.

The Curriculum Committee:

The role of the Curriculum Committee is to monitor the curriculum provision at Alma Park and to understand the attainment and progress of pupils. 

The committee scrutinises the provision made for particular groups such as SEN, Gifted and Talented, vulnerable groups, gender, EAL etc.

It is the role of the Curriculum Committee to interrogate the school assessment data and to understand and evaluate any barriers to learning that are identified.

Pupil progress within the school is discussed and areas of strength and weakness are identified. The Curriculum Committee often meets with subject coordinators to understand the changing curriculum and how Alma Park is delivering learning and to discuss the impact of changing requirements on staff and staff morale.

Areas which are in need of further improvement become part of the annual School Development Plan, with the Curriculum Committee monitoring the progress of the actions throughout the year.

In the academic year, 2016-17 Ms Neall is the Chair of this Committee.

Who are our governors?

The FGB is made up of 13 people at Alma Park (click here for the Instrument of Governance). Each governor attends the FGB meetings twice a term and attends either the Staffing & Budget committee meetings or the Curriculum meetings. All governors have voting rights at FGB and committee meetings. Non-staff governors are also link governors for at least one curriculum or aspect of provision for the school.

More about our Governors 2016-17 and their attendance in Academic Year 2015-16

Name and type of Governor

Dates of appointment and term of office

Committee membership

Link Governor responsibility

Attendance at full

FGB

meetings

(6, 2015-16)

Business & Pecuniary interests (2015-16)

Mr Parfitt – Headteacher Governor. Mr Parfitt can be found most days at the beginning and the end of school at the school gate and is always happy to talk to parents and carers. 

Permanent since 1.9.12

Staffing & Budget, Curriculum

None

01.10.15

26.11.15

28.01.16

10.03.16

12.05.16

30.06.16

None

Ms Houghton – Co-opted Governor. Ms Houghton is Deputy Headteacher at Alma Park and SENCO. She is always happy to meet with families. 

1.1.14-13.12.17

Staffing & Budget

26.11.15

28.01.16

10.03.16

12.05.16

30.06.16

None

Ms Murray – Co-opted Governor. Ms Murray is the Assistant Head for KS2 and a year 5 class teacher. As a member of Alma Park's Senior Leadership Team (SLT), she is always happy to meet with families.

1.1.14-13.12.17

Curriculum

26.11.15

28.01.16

30.06.16

None

Mrs Burgess – Staff Governor is a member of the support staff at Alma Park. She is a Teaching Assistant and has responsibilities for looking after the school site and breakfast club.

20.11.13-19.11.17

Staffing & Budget

Health & Safety

01.10.15

26.11.15

28.01.16

10.03.16

12.05.16

30.06.16

None

Ms Neall – Parent Governor. She works as an impact consultant and a writer. 

29.11.13-28.11.17

Chair of the full governing body and chair of the Curriculum Committee

SEN,

Looked after children, Safeguarding, Arts

01.10.15

26.11.15

28.01.16

10.03.16

12.05.16

30.06.16

None

Mr Lee – Co-opted Governor. He is an experienced IT consultant who specialises in delivering projects and solutions that support business change, transformation, mergers and acquisitions. 

1.1.14-31.12.17

Vice Chair of Staffing & Budget

Science

01.10.15

28.01.16

10.03.16

12.05.16

30.06.16

None

Ms Henry – Co-opted Governor. Ms Henry has been a governor at Alma Park for over 10 years and has held various roles within the governing body including parent governor, Chair and is currently a governor with community experience. She works in Children Services and is the Central District Early Years Senior Quality Assurance Officer. 

1.1.14-13.12.17

Staffing & Budget

Appraisal

10.03.16

30.06.16

None

Mr Cooke – Co-opted Governor, Vice-Chair of Governing Body. He is a governor with local authority experience. He is now retired but taught in Zambia, Botswana and Manchester has been an advisory teacher with Manchester and coordinator of an educational charity. He teaches at the College for International Citizenship, and at local schools as a volunteer for Intergen. He is on the board of Southern Voices Manchester), Just Psychology, India Share and Freedom from Torture (local group). 

29.10.13-28.10.17

Chair of Staffing & Budget

Maths, Humanities (History, Geography and RE)

01.10.15

26.11.15

28.01.16

10.03.16

12.05.16

30.06.16

None

Mrs Shazia Saleem Ullah – Parent Governor

I am training towards an EYFS qualification and soon will be working towards my TA level 2. I previously have ran my own catering business including business lunches for GPs and nurses. 

5.12.16-4.12.20

12.05.16

Professor Holmes – Co-opted Governor

She is has been a teacher for 19 years, working across the fields of early years, Key Stage 1, further and more latterly higher education. She currently works in the Educational and Social Research Institute at Manchester Metropolitan University as a Professor within the Centre for Children, Young People and Community.None

13.10.16-12.10.20

NA

None

Mrs  Hickman – Parent Governor

Mrs Hickman currently works for an IT business in the area of data analysis and reporting and has previous experience of technical and management roles in aerospace and motorsport.  

23.1.17-22.1.21

Staffing & Budget, Curriclium

PE, Health and Saftey, Modern Languages. 

NA

None

Ms Williams – Co-opted Governor

Ms Williams currently works at The University of Manchester as a Peer Support Graduate Intern where she helps students to coordinate and manage peer-led activity.

8.2.17-7.2.21

Curriclium 

Computing

NA

None

Mr Rehman  - Parent Governor

Mr Rehman, works for a property management company. He has chosen to become a Parent Governor. It is very satisfying for him to know that the decisions he makes within the governing body can have a positive impact on our children and school. It is also a great honour to be able to help a very focused and inspirational team who run our wonderful school.

25.5.17-25.5.21

N/A

None

Former Governors

Name and type of Governor

Dates of appointment and term of office

Committee membership

Link Governor responsibility

Attendance at full

FGB

meetings

(6, 2015-16)

Business & Pecuniary interests (2015-16)

Ms Masood – Parent Governor.  Ms Masood works in primary eye care as an optometrist.

Resigned February 2017 

Curriculum

Equality

01.10.15

26.11.15

28.01.16

10.03.16

12.05.16

Ms Chisambo – Co-opted Governor, Chair of Governing Body. Ms Chisambo is a governor with local authority experience.

Resigned December 2016

1.10.15

26.11.15

28.01.16

10.03.16

12.05.16

30.06.16

Ms Talmi – Co-opted Governor. Ms Talmi is a senior lecturer at the University of Manchester, where she carries out research and teaches Psychology.  

Resigned July 2016

Vice-Chair of the Curriculum Committee

26.11.15

28.01.16

10.03.16

12.05.16

None

Ms Rifat – Parent Governor.

16.11.12-15.11.16

Curriculum

Literacy

01.10.15

26.11.15

10.03.16

12.05.16

30.06.16