Welcome to our Governors’ section.

Please find below details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.

Our Lady of Hartley Catholic Primary School

Governing Body Structure and Committee Membership at 22nd February 2021

Foundation          Parent Governors   Headteacher Governor     Co-Opted 

Anna O'Donohoe       Leonard Williams    Patrina Begley              Steve Watkins   

Emily Okoli                                                 Jim Baker

Ken MacEwan

Barry Mullan

Robert Littlefield 

Chair of Governors:  Barry Mullan

Vice-Chair of Governors : Anna O'Donohoe

Named Governor for Behaviour, Personal Development and Welfare (including safeguarding): Anna O'Donohoe

Named Governor for Teaching, Learning and Assessment : Emily Okoli

Responsibility for Outcomes (Attainment and progress): Emily Okoli

Repsonsibility for Early Years: Ken MacEwan

Responsibility for RE & RSE- Ken MacEwan

Responsibility for SEN & Pupil Premium: Emily Okoli

Membership of School Improvement and Standards Committee:

Emily Okoli- Chair of SIS Committee - Foundation Governor

Barry Mullan- Foundation Governor

Ken MacEwan- Foundation Governor

Anna O'Donohoe- Foundation Governor

Patrina Begley- Headteacher

Jim Baker- Acting Headteacher

Membership of Personnel Committee:

Emily Okoli-Foundation Governor

Robert Littlefield- Foundation Governor

Patrina Begley- Headteacher

Jim Baker - Acting Headteacher

Membership of Finance and Premises Committee:

Steve Watkins- Chair of Committee - Co-Opted

Barry Mullan - Foundation Governor

Robert Littlefield- Foundation Governor

Patrina Begley- Headteacher

Jim Baker- Acting Headteacher

Julia Gemmell- Business Manager

Membership of Admissions Committee:

Barry Mullan- Chair of Governors

Patrina Begley- Headteacher

Jim Baker – Acting Headteacher

Our Lady of Hartley Catholic Primary School* Local Governing Body (LGB) Terms of Reference, Constitution and Membership 2020/21

Mission statement: For Catholic schools across Kent to deliver outstanding spiritual, moral and learning outcomes for children and young people by collaborating as a Catholic community of academies, working together and with others, and based on excellent leadership and teaching, with Gospel values at its heart.

Terms of Reference

Ensuring the clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction

1. Develop and enact the educational and religious character and mission of the school, ensuring that this is consistent with the mission of the Kent Catholic Schools Partnership (“the Trust”) and the teachings of the Catholic church
2. Ensure that the academy promotes Gospel values, ‘British Values’ and adheres to equality legislation
3. Ensure that the school has a medium to long term strategy for school improvement and governance and that there is a robust plan in place for achieving that strategy
4. Ensure that all actions taken by the Local Governing Body are consistent with the Trust’s policies and procedures

Overseeing the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff

1. Approve the curriculum proposed by the Executive Headteacher (EHT), Headteacher (HT) or Head of School (HoS)
2. Monitor the quality of teaching and learning and the progress and attainment of all pupils, with particular attention to those with special educational needs, a disability or in receipt of Pupil Premium funding, and ask the EHT/HT/HoS challenging questions
3. Participate in the recruitment of a new EHT/HT/HoS, so that a recommendation to appoint can be made to the KCSP Head of HR that carries the support of KCSP’s Director of School Improvement and the Education Commission
4. Inform the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on occasions where the dismissal or suspension of the EHT/HT/HoS/Deputy may be required
5. Inform the CEO of the Trust and the Education Commission of the appointment, suspension or dismissal of Head of RE and Chaplain
6. Ensure that the school is compliant with the Memorandum on the Appointment of staff in Catholic schools as issued by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference
7. Lead the EHT/HT/HoS appraisal process, including setting targets, drafting the report and monitoring performance with advice from and the agreement of the Director of School Improvement or his/her representative
8. Support the EH/HT/HoS/Deputy in the development and review (from time to time) of an appropriate structure for the school and for the appointment of school staff to ensure that the school is fully staffed in accordance with that structure

Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent

1. Recommend the school budget and three-year plan for submission to the Board of Directors
2. Monitor the financial performance against the school annual budget
3. Appoint a Governor(s) to monitor finance
4. Act on audit reports and your EHT/HT/HoS response
5. Enter into contracts up to the limits of delegation and within an agreed budget and capital plan

General governance responsibilities

1. Elect a Chair and Vice-Chair from among the Foundation Governors
2. Recruit a co-opted local governor who has been identified as having a specific skill set that the LGB would benefit from
3. Publish up to date details of the structure and remit of the LGB, full names and appointment dates and relevant business and pecuniary interests, and attendance records at LGB meetings over the last academic year on the school website
4. Ensure that the Department for Education’s Edubase website is up to date
5. Ensure the allocation of specific responsibilities for special educational needs, child protection, pupil premium, RE and financial matters to monitor and report to the LGB at least once a year
6. Appoint a Clerk to the Local Governing Bodies
7. Review and approve the policies of the school (in line with any Trust policy or Directive from the Archbishop) and publish on the school website where necessary
8. Note the Trust policies, publish on the school website and monitor their implementation
9. Monitor the single central record
10. Ensure systems are in place in line with the Trust’s strategy at the school for effective communication with pupil, parents or carers, staff, parish, Diocese and the wider community
11. Establish a Local Governing Body Pay and Progression Committee to review and approve the decisions made regarding staff pay and progression by the HT/EHT/HoS
12. Contribute to the development of the School prospectus

Admissions

1. Approve and publish a school Admissions policy
2. Undertake consultation, publish admissions and determine arrangements as required in accordance with the School Admissions and Appeals Codes, this includes the Diocese guidance for Admissions to Catholic Schools
3. Make recommendations to the Trust regarding school expansion who will seek consent from Education Commission.
4. Make arrangements for determining and hearing admissions appeals
5. Ensure effective arrangements are in place for pupil recruitment

Health, safety, risks and estates

1. Review the risk register of the school and report any issues of concern to the Director of Finance and HR
2. Implement the Trust Health and Safety policy
3. Support the Director of Finance and HR in developing a long-term estate management strategy that has due regard to all advice from the Education Commission and current legislation.

Constitution and membership

The Primary Local Governing Body is normally constituted with a maximum twelve members: seven Foundation Governors, two Parent Governors, one Co-opted Governor, one staff Governor and the ex-officio Headteacher Governor. If a Local Governing Body currently has more than twelve members the constitution can be temporarily increased to include all current Governors, as long as the requirement that Foundation Governors exceed the number of other members by two is fulfilled.

Membership: