St Paul's C of E Primary School & Nursery

Governance at St Paul’s

The Role of the Governing Body

The Government requires that each school has a Governing Body; its main functions are to:

• Provide a Strategic View

• Act as a Critical Friend

• Ensure Accountability

The Board of Governors at St Paul’s are responsible for the overall management of the school, in much the same way that a board of directors is responsible for the overall management of a company. The Governors do not run the school on a day-to-day basis — that is the responsibility of the Headteacher and Leadership Team — but work in partnership with staff, parents, the Local Authority, and the Church to raise standards and achievement in a safe and nurturing environment.

Governors set and support the school’s strategic direction and monitor performance against it, making decisions and taking action to improve the standards of teaching and pupils’ learning. They ensure policies and procedures are in place so that the school is well run. While not necessarily education experts, our Governors are committed volunteers who give their time and expertise freely to support the flourishing of our pupils and staff.

Governors and Our Christian Vision

As a Church of England school, our Governing Body has an additional responsibility: to ensure that our Christian vision “Learning in God’s Love” shapes every aspect of school life. Our Foundation Governors, appointed by the Church, play a key role in safeguarding the school’s Christian distinctiveness and holding us accountable for living out our values of Courage, Compassion, and Community.

Governors at St Paul’s:

• Ensure that our vision underpins strategic decisions and policies.

• Monitor the impact of Collective Worship and Religious Education, ensuring they are central to our school identity.

• Oversee safeguarding and inclusion, rooted in dignity, respect, and the belief that every child is made in the image of God.

• Build strong partnerships with St Paul’s Church, families, and the wider community.

• Meet to reflect on and review the Christian character of the school, evaluating how our vision shapes learning, relationships, and community life.

Structure

The Governing Body at St Paul’s consists of 11 Governors. Full Governing Body (FGB) meetings are held at least twice a term, with additional meetings arranged as necessary. St Paul’s does not have a separate Pay/Finance Committee but has a dedicated Finance Governor. FGB meetings cover all business relating to the running of the school, including Finance, Health and Safety, Curriculum, Safeguarding, Staffing, and Ethos.

Open Meetings

The Governing Body has agreed that Full Governing Body meetings will be “open”. Minutes are available on request, once they have been agreed by the Full Governing Body.

Open meetings are meetings of the FGB to which members of the public, including staff and parents, can request to attend as observers. Requests must be made in writing to the Clerk to the Governing Body at least 14 days before the meeting. If space permits, an invitation and agenda will be shared seven days prior to the meeting. Visitors attend as observers only and must follow the code of conduct (available on request).

Minutes are available, if you wish to see them. If you have any queries, you can address these by contacting the Clerk to governors by emailing:

sgover@stpaulstongham.com

Parental complaints/concerns should be addressed through the complaint procedure.

Further information on the Governing Body can be found here.

https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Establishments/Establishment/Details/125148#school-governance