The Governing Body

The governing body is a group of individuals, made up of parents, staff and members of the local community. We work on a voluntary basis to support the strategic leadership of the school. Governors typically serve for terms of four years, and will have a variety of responsibilities during this time.

You can see who they are here.

What do we do?

Whilst the governing body carry many legal responsibilities for the school, this only represents part of the overall story. These activities include:

  • Oversight of the effective delivery of the curriculum
  • Monitoring the progress of children throughout their school life
  • Helping to develop and monitor the annual budget and finances
  • Long-term planning for the future development of the school
  • Ensure effective policies covering areas such as child welfare, recruitment, health & safety etc.
  • Prioritising repairs and improvements to the school buildings and grounds

At Holly Park we have a clear expectation about the role of Governors. Please see the attached booklets with our Handbook and our Governor Code of Practice. It would be important to read these documents if you are considering being a governor at this school.

Holly Park Governors come into school and do learning walks and open mornings regularly. In these sessions they look in books, speak with key staff, observe parts of lessons, talk to children, attend assembly and go out in the playgrounds to observe the children.

These visits into school are planned out for the whole year as part of the school calendar of events. The visits are linked to the School Improvement Plan so that governors can focus on specific issues that will feed into the plan. These visits give them opportunity to see the work of the school in action and to ask questions and make suggestions about what they see.

These are the issues relating to the School Improvement Plan that governors MONITORED in 2022-23:

  • September-  The year ahead and the SIP
  • November-  SEND
  • December- Writing
  • January –    History
  • February – Equality & Diversity
  • March –     maths
  • April – Phonics
  • May –  Behaviour
  • June – Poetry

Governor monitoring of the School Improvement Plan through Learning Walks in 2002-23

  • September: The SIP and the year ahead
  • November:  SEND
  • December:  Writing
  • January: History Curriculum
  • February: Equality & Diversity in the curriculum
  • March: Maths
  • April: Phonics
  • May: Behaviour
  • June: Poetry

These are the issues relating to the School Improvement Plan that governors MONITORED in 2021-22:

  • September  – The SIP
  • October – Reading
  • November – The Learning Council
  • December – Safeguarding
  • January – Parental Engagement & Parent Champions
  • February – Rights Respecting Schools
  • March – ELSA
  • April – SEND
  • May – RE
  • June – Computing

Governor Impact 2022/23

 Finance & Premises

  • Governors decided not to increase nursery extended fees from September 2023
  • Governors decided to increase fees for breakfast club to £4.25 from Sept 2023.
  • Governors were involved in the Schools Financial Value Statement before it was submitted
  • Governors were involved in the procurement of a new catering company from April 2023
  • Governors were involved in setting the new school budget
  • Governors have looked at benchmarking tools
  • Governors were involved in the HT Appraisal and agreeing pay rises for staff
  • A Governor intervened and supported the need for Barnet to help with the main entrance gate
  • Governors have monitored and discussed the impact on finances and staffing of low numbers of children in EYFS
  • Governors have monitored the sports grant, PP and school led tutoring funding across the year
  • Governors discussed ideas for improving lettings and generating more income

Teaching and learning

  • Governors have considered the LA feedback from the various Deep Dives across the year
  • Governors have made contact with their subject leader links in school
  • Governors have monitored the SIP through monthly learning walks
  • Governors have given feedback about their subject at full governing body meetings
  • Governors supported the Y6 national tests by being independent witnesses
  • Governors are aware of subject Knowledge Organisers
  • Governors have discussed diversity throughout the curriculum

Staff and Pupil Welfare

  • The Safeguarding governor had input on the Safeguarding annual audit
  • Governors attended shows, concerts, PTA events over the year
  • Chair counter-signed letters regarding requests for school places for SEND pupils
  • Governor overview of staff wellbeing throughout the year
  • Governors have had overview of the staff wellbeing questionnaire 2023
  • Governors participated in a premises tour of the site in order to complete the annual safeguarding premises audit which was returned to Barnet
  • A governor was involved in our SEND review
  • A governor was involved in our safeguarding review
  • Governors have considered feedback from a SEND review
  • Governors have considered feedback from a safeguarding review

Training, Policies, Communication

  • Governors attended various Barnet training courses across the year
  • Governors have had in house training on: Governors and Ofsted, SEND, Healthy snacks and the Holly Park curriculum
  • Regular meetings between HT and Chair.
  • Governors had oversight of important letters and information for parents
  • Governors reviewed their own roles and responsibilities
  • Governors reviewed and refreshed the committee terms of reference
  • Governors have reviewed all policies on a rota across the year
  • Governors had a review of governance and implemented an action plan
  • Governors decided to create a new committee – Chairs committee
  • Governors decided to join Governor Hub
  • Governors decided to slightly restructure the full governing body meetings to be more time efficient
  • Governors are now more involved in choosing the theme of the learning walks each term
  • Governors have undertaken a skills audit
  • Governors oversee and discuss the critical incident plan
  • Governor overview of pupil, staff and parent annual surveys/questionnaires 2023

Other

  • A governor supported the Y6 staff with musical arrangements and singing for the Y6 show
  • Governors went on school trips
  • Governors supported applications for the Gold Rights Respecting Award by meeting with the assessor
  • Governors supported the Y6 careers day as part of the PHSE World of Work unit – and spoke about their jobs and careers
  • Governors contributed to the annual school Travel Plan
  • A governor is working with the local community, the school and Barnet Council on the proposal for a School Street outside of the school to make it safer for pupils at the start and end of the school day