Governors

'Governors are passionate for the school to continue to be good and serve the local community well. They are knowledgeable about the many strengths of the school and the areas that need to be further improved. Processes for the induction of new governors are effective. Governors are fully involved in the life of the school. Each governor has an area of responsibility and regularly monitors the effectiveness of that area alongside the teachers. For example, governors were able to clearly articulate changes in the way mathematics is taught at the school and how that has led to increased pupil outcomes.' Ofsted October 2018 

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.

 

Role and Responsibilities
School governing bodies are responsible for working with the school to ensure that it delivers a good quality of education. Their key responsibilities are:

 

• To ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
• To hold the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and for the performance management of staff;
• To oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure its money is well spent.

Members of the governing body include parents, teaching staff and representatives from the local community. Full governing body meetings are held each term and the minutes are available for inspection. In addition, there are several committees which meet during each term:

 

• Staffing & Finance
• Premises

 

Current Governing Body Membership

 

 

Key:

P - Premises

S&F - Staffing & Finance

CP - Child Protection

PM - Performance Management

 

* Full details about governor interests, committee membership, and meeting attendance are provided below - scroll to bottom of this page.

Committee Terms of Reference - including current members – 2019/2020

 

Staffing and Finance Committee

 

Members: Graham Parkin (Chair), Michelle Clark, Jackie Smart, Rob Braithwaite, Carol Cozens & Rev'd Judy Polkinhorn

 

Purpose: The purpose of the Committee is to ensure that the Staff and Governors have in place effective systems and procedures for the financial management of the school and to contribute towards the raising of standards. 

 

Period of Review: Terms of reference should be reviewed annually by each committee and recommended for approval to the Governing Body in the first meeting of each academic year.

 

Membership: Membership shall consist of no fewer than four Governors including the Headteacher. The committee should meet at least three times a year. The Committee must elect a chair at the first meeting of the academic year. A quorum is a minimum of three members of the committee.

 

Functions:

• To consider the objectives of the school development plan in each financial year and prepare and approve an annual budget based on that plan ensuring that the school has followed Best Value principles when drawing up the annual budget plan.
• To prepare, recommend to the Full Governing Body and to submit to the Cumbria County Council a three year financial plan.
• To ensure that the Headteacher has put in place systems and procedures that comply with the requirements of the Cumbria Scheme for Financing schools and the County Council’s Financial Regulations. 
• To receive budget-monitoring reports from the Headteacher showing the income and expenditure of all funds and to report to the Governing Body at least three times a year on the financial position of the school.
• To approve the virement of funds within the agreed budget. 
• To ensure the audit of the School fund is carried out and approved by the governing body.
• To receive and respond to audit reports received from the LA.To determine the level of delegation to the Headteacher/Small School Business Manager (SSBM) for the day to day financial management of the school.
• To make decisions on expenditure following recommendations from other committees.To ensure appropriate systems and procedures are in place for the awarding of contracts for services. 
• To ensure that value for money reviews are undertaken to assess the effectiveness of the use of school resources. To make recommendations to the Governing Body with respect to fluctuations in the numbers of staff employed at the school.To oversee the arrangements for all staff appointments.
• To review annually the school’s performance management policy in conjunction with the Annual School Teachers Pay Review Body report and Teachers Pay and Conditions document and recommend any amendments for approval by the governing body.
• To consider matters of staff work/life balance, working conditions, welfare and well-being.
• Through the Performance Management Panel, to review in the Autumn Term each year, the performance of the Headteacher in line with targets set the previous year and to consider and make decisions upon any recommendations from the Panel. 
• To ensure adequate arrangements are in place for obtaining advice and support on personnel matters.
• To receive from the Headteacher recommendations for teaching staff job descriptions.
• To receive from the Headteacher recommendations for approval by the Governing Body (in consultation with the Finance committee) of dismissal or early retirement payments that would benefit the development of the school but require school budget payments.
• To ensure appropriate arrangements are made for the Continuous Professional Development of all staff.To be responsible for the review, development and where appropriate recommend to the Governing Body for approval, policies relating to equal opportunities, recruitment, appointment and retention of staff and management of sickness absence.

 

Responsibilities Delegated to the Committee:

• To approve budget requirements (excluding amounts relating to Employee costs) within the budget set for the financial year.
• To enter into contracts up to the value (the ‘value’ being the total value over the period of the contract) of £4000
• To determine the level of financial delegation to the Headteacher/ SSBM.
• To consider and approve the longer-term financial plan recommended by the Headteacher.
• To review on an annual basis the following policies and procedures:
• Financial procedures manual.
• Best Value statement.
• Charging and Remissions policy.

 

Responsibilities Delegated to the Headteacher:

• The Headteacher has the delegated authority to make the following decisions without referral to the Finance Committee or Governing Body, but must report to the Finance Committee each meeting any decisions taken.
• To hire within the current budget up to £2000. 
• To enter into contracts up to a value (the” value” being total value over the period of the contract) of £2000, within the budget available.
• To review & monitor all payments made for salaries, goods and services on behalf of the Governing Body.
• The Headteacher (or nominated staff) must provide a report to the Finance Committee at each meeting on the financial position of the school.
• The Headteacher must investigate and report to the Governing Body any suspected irregularities.
• Ensure that the school has in place procedures which follow best value principles in relation to the contracting for goods and services. 
• The appointment of all non-teaching staff vacancies.
• The production, review and amendment of non-teaching staff job descriptions.
• The implementation of the performance management policy of the school.

 

Responsibilities delegated to the Small School business manager (SSBM):

• The SSBM has the authority to use the County Council charge card in accordance with the terms and conditions thereof.
• The SSBM can use the charge card for transactions up to £1500 without prior authorisation from the Headteacher.

 

Premises Committee including Health and Safety

 

Members: Dianne Maughan (Chair), Emma Capstick, Jennifer Baker, David Freak & Donna Campbell

 

Role and Responsibilities:

Meet as and when necessary, at least once every academic year.

To maintain and develop a safe School environment.

Monitor use of School premises by outside groups.

Report back regularly to main Governing Body.

Minimal of 4 members - quorum of 3.

Communicate any decision & associated costs to appropriate chairs of other committees. 

Delegated powers to co-opt as necessary. Work within framework of policy of delegation maintained by the main Governing Body.

 

Child Protection Committee

 

Members: Chair & Vice Chair of Governors; nominated safeguarding governor;  Designated Safeguarding Lead

 

Roles and Responsibilities:

Meet as and when necessary. 

Ensure the school’s policies and procedures safeguard and promote the welfare of the children at the school, and that appropriate training is undertaken. 

Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s safeguarding arrangements. 

Report to the main Governing Body relevant safeguarding issues. 

Annually review the school’s safeguarding policy. 

To conduct the annual safeguarding audit

Annually review equality objectives

 

Governor Profiles

 

 

Jackie Smart

Chair of Governors
Local Authority Appointed Governor

 

I was brought up in London. I went to London University to take my B.Ed teaching degree. I have three sons and we moved as a family to Wiltshire where I taught, for more years than I care say, at Wootton Bassett, (Royal), Comprehensive School, 11 to 18, my specialist subjects being Religious Studies and Philosophies and Ethics. In 2006 I took a Teaching Dyslexia degree and taught students with Dyslexia and poor Literacy skills.

Currently I help pupils at Asby school who will benefit from help with their literacy.  I am responsible for monitoring English, RE and Collective Worship within the school.

 

Contact: JackieSmart@asby.cumbria.sch.uk

 

 

Graham Parkin
Co-Opted Governor
Vice-Chair Of Governors

 

I am vice-chair of the Governing Body and serve on the Staffing & Finance committee as the Chair, as well as monitoring assessment within the school.

 

I believe Asby Endowed to be an excellent school providing quality learning within a stimulating, nurturing and safe environment, and I hope to be able to contribute to its continuing success.

 

Contact: GrahamParkin@asby.cumbria.sch.uk

 

 

Dianne Maughan
Co-Opted Governor

 

I live on the outskirts of the village of Great Asby, and I have one son, who attended the school. I have been cleaner in charge at the schooI since October 2003.  I am Chair of the Premises Committee. 

 

Contact: DianneMaughan@asby.cumbria.sch.uk

 

 

David Freak
Co-Opted Governor

 

I moved into Great Asby in 2017 having served as a RAF Officer for 32 years.  Most of my RAF career was spent as an Education and Training officer, covering a wide scope of roles.  It included support for Service Children's schools whilst I was based in Germany and also overseeing the small primary school, not dissimilar in size to AES, whilst in the Falkland Islands.  I have been responsible for the RAF's policy on Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDD) for service personnel and I also dealt with Ofsted in my final RAF appointment running the RAF's aeronautical apprenticeships scheme.

 

I am passionate about education and understand the importance of the primary years in providing a strong foundation for the future.  AES clearly provides this and I see it as a privilege to be able to assist the school's staff as they educate our future generations.  

 

Contact: davidfreak@asby.cumbria.sch.uk

 

 

Carole Cozens
Foundation Governor

 

Having moved to Little Asby 18 months ago, I have recently been appointed as Foundation Governor and am very much looking forward to supporting Asby Endowed School.

 

I graduated from Greenwich University in London and taught in challenging schools mostly in year's 2,3, and 4. I enjoyed meeting individual needs and went on to work with Looked After Children and Children with Special Needs.

 

Contact: carolecozens@asby.cumbria.sch.uk

 

Rev'd Judy Polkinhorn

Foundation Governor

 

Contact: judypolkinhorn@asby.cumbria.sch.uk

 

 

Michelle Clark

Headteacher

 

I completed my PGCE teaching training in 2008 after graduating from Bournemouth University with a degree in Archaeology. I have taught in a number of different school, both large and small schools in Coventry, Cyprus, Italy and North Yorkshire.  I moved to Cumbria in 2016, and returned to teaching after maternity leave at Long Marton Community School.  I started teaching at Asby Endowed School in September 2017 as the Senior Teacher teaching KS2.  In September 2019 I was appointed the school's headteacher.   

 

Contact: head@asby.cumbria.sch.uk

 

 

Rob Braithwaite

Parent governor

 

My name is Robert Braithwaite and I am a farmer in Great Asby with two young children. Our family has farmed here for over 60 years.  My eldest child is the fourth generation of our family to attend Asby Endowed School. 

 

Contact: RobBraithwaite@asby.cumbria.sch.uk

 

 

Jennifer Baker
Parent Governor

 

Originally from Cambridge, I have lived close to Great Asby for the past 25 years. My two children are both in class 2 at the Asby Endowed School. I have worked in Graphic Design since the age of 17 and now I work full time in Marketing.

 

Contact: jenniferbaker@asby.cumbria.sch.uk

 

Donna Campbell

Parent Governor

 

Contact: donnacampbell@asby.cumbria.sch.uk

 

 

Emma Capstick
Staff Governor

 

I qualified from St Martin's, Carlisle and worked in a small Eden school for a short time before joining Asby Endowed School in 2006. During my time at Asby I have also completed a PGCE in special educational needs.

 

When not at school I enjoy spending time with my three young children.

 

Contact: emmacapstick@asby.cumbria.sch.uk

 

 

Wendy Swinbank
Clerk To The Governors

 

My name is Wendy Swinbank I am clerk to Asby Endowed School Governors. I am a farmer's wife and we have three children. I also work as Small School Business Manager and Clerk To The Governors at Long Marton School.

 

Contact: clerk@asby.cumbria.sch.uk

 

Governor Information

 

Full details about governor interests, committee membership, and meeting attendance are provided below.