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.
- Here is a Governance Handbook
- And here is the HPS Governor Code of Practice
- Every governing body has an instrument of government. The instrument of government sets out how the governing body is made up. Here is Holly Park’s Instrument of Governance
- We also have a job description for the chair and vice chair which you can read here: Chair & Vice Chair Job description
- Every September the Governors at Holly Park fill in a form to declare any financial or business interests. Please find a blank register of interest form
- The individual signed business interest forms for each governor are held in the school office along with the Declared Register of Interest. Here is the General Register: 2023-24
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 2023-24:
- September- The year ahead and the SIP
- October – Phonics
- November- Working walls
- December- Consent
- January – Reading for pleasure
- February – Safeguarding
- April – Working scientifically
- May – Resilience
- June – campaigning for change
Governor Impact 2023/24
Finance & Premises
- A Governor was involved in the procurement and contract of new telephones
- Governors were involved in the HT Appraisal and agreeing pay rises for staff
- The safeguarding governor and the chair of premises completed a premises safeguarding tour with the DSL and site manager in order to support the premises safeguarding audit
- Governors have made input into the school budget setting
- Governors have made budgetary decisions about pricing for extended hours and lettings
- Governors have led on income realisation with regard to fund raising for a new library. The governors were part of a committee with staff members and the PTA to raise money. This was the Big Holly Park Appeal 2024. The appeal was very successful and raised approx. £28,000. The library space will be created in the summer holidays 2024.
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 and reported back to all governors (Reading, Phonics, Writing, Maths)
- Governors have monitored the SIP through monthly learning walks
- Governors have given feedback about their subject at full governing body meetings (Core subjects)
Staff and Pupil Welfare
- The Safeguarding governor had input on the Safeguarding annual audits
- The safeguarding governor has made termly visits
- Chair counter-signed letters regarding requests for school places for SEND pupils
- The safeguarding governor has checked the SCR and staff files
- The safeguarding governor gave a report on safeguarding to all governors
- The safeguarding governor helped update the SCR
Training, Policies, Communication
- Governors have had in house training on: Assessment of the curriculum
- Regular meetings between HT and Chair.
- Governors reviewed and refreshed the committee terms of reference in Autumn
- Governors have reviewed policies on a rota across the year
- Governors are involved in choosing the theme of the learning walks each term
- Governors have undertaken a skills audit
Other
- Ofsted –a group of governors were involved in preparations and meetings ahead of an upcoming Ofsted Inspection – looking closely at the Ofsted handbook
- Ofsted – a large group of governors were involved in the Ofsted inspection and met with the Ofsted inspector to discuss the school
- A governor worked 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. The School Street project is completed and operational.
- The chair of governors shared good practice on succession planning at a Barnet chairs meeting
- Governors have visited school and met with subject leaders and have made reports back to the full governing body. There have been reports on wider curriculum, SEND, foundation curriculum, Health & Safety, the core curriculum, online safety & data protection.
- Governors have been involved with school staff and the PTA on a big fundraising committee for a new library
- Governors have attended school trips and concerts.
- Governors were independent observers during the Y6 national test week to ensure that correct procedures were followed.