'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:

• Resources
• Curriculum and Pupil Progress (CPP)
• Headteacher Performance Management
• Child Protection (meets annually)

Terms of Reference

• To agree constitutional matters*, including procedures where the Governing Body has discretion.
• To hold at least three Full Governing Body meetings a year*.
• To approve the formal 3-year budget plan of the financial year.
• To consider recommendations from external reviews of the school (e.g. Ofsted or local school improvement advisers), agree actions as a result of reviews and evaluate regularly the implementation of the school improvement plan.
• To monitor the relationships with the wider community.
• To receive updates from the sub-committees and headteacher.
• To consider actions required from the sub-committees where they do not hold delegated authority.
• To recruit new members as vacancies arise and to appoint new governors* where appropriate.
• To ratify the sub-committees of the Governing Body, their terms of reference and members*.
• To appoint or remove the Chair and Vice Chair*.
• To appoint or remove a Clerk to the Governing Body*.
• To appoint the Chair of any sub-committee (if not delegated to the committee itself).
• To appoint or remove a Clerk to each committee*.
• To suspend a governor*.
• To review the delegation arrangements annually*.  

* these matters cannot be delegated to either a committee or an individual

Current Governing Body Membership

Key:

HT PM - Headteacher 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 – 2022 / 2023

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.

Resources Committee

Members: Graham Parkin, Michelle Clark, Dianne Maughan, Elaine Barnes and Rosie Collin

                   Clerk: Nikki Hipwell

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.

Terms of Reference:

Finance:

• To ensure that the school operates within the Financial Regulations of the Local Authority.
• In consultation with the headteacher, to draft the formal budget plan of the financial year.
• To establish and maintain a three-year Financial Plan.
• To consider the budget position at least termly and to report significant variances from the anticipated position to the Governing Body.
• To monitor any non-public funds maintained on behalf of the Governing Body.
• To monitor and review appropriate policies.
• To oversee Service Level Agreements.
• To consider and ratify any Pay Progression recommended by the headteacher following Performance Management.
• To consider and ratify any Pay Progression for the headteacher following Performance Management.
• To consider any appeal made against a decision on Pay Grading or Pay Progression.

Staffing:

• In consultation with the headteacher, to draft and keep under review the Staffing Establishment.
• To oversee the appointment procedure for all staff.
• To oversee any process leading to staff reductions.
• To keep under review staff well-being, including the monitoring of absence.

Buildings and grounds:

• To advise the Governing Body on the maintenance and development of the school’s premises, having regard for all Health and Safety matters.
• To oversee arrangements for repairs and maintenance.
• In consultation with the headteacher, to oversee premises-related funding bids.
• To oversee arrangements for the use of school premises by outside users, subject to governing body policy.
• To monitor and review appropriate policies.
• To review and audit the School Asset Register annually.

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 Resources Committee or Governing Body, but must report to the Resources 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 Resources 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 £500 without prior authorisation from the Headteacher.

Curriculum & Pupil Progress (CPP) Committee

Members: David Freak, Carole Cozens, Denise Frisby, Kathryn Bratihwaite, Michelle Clark & Jack Davis

Terms of Reference:

• To review, monitor and evaluate the curriculum.
• To develop and recommend for approval to the full governing body elements of the:
  • Self-evaluation Form (SEF);
  • School Improvement Plan (SIP).
• To monitor and evaluate rates of progress and standards of achievement by pupils.
• To monitor and review appropriate policies.
• To review the provision for all groups of vulnerable children and ensure all their needs have been identified and addressed.
• To ensure that the requirements of children with special needs are met, as laid out in the Code of Practice, and receive termly reports from the head teacher/SENCO and an annual report from the SEN governor.
• To ensure that all children have equal opportunities.
• To advise the Resources committee on the relative funding priorities necessary to deliver the curriculum.
• To celebrate pupil achievements.
• To oversee arrangements for educational visits, including the appointment of a named co-ordinator.

Child Protection Committee

Members: David Freak, Michelle Clark, Carol Cozens, Densie Frisby & Kathryn Braithwaite

Safeguarding Governor: Densie Frisby

Terms of Reference: 

• 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

Headteacher Performance Management Committee

Members: David Freak & Carole Cozens

Terms of Reference:

On a yearly cycle to agree and set performance targets for the headteacher, to monitor performance against those targets and at the end of the yearly cycle to determine what targets have been met. The procedure shall be as follows:

• The Panel will meet in the autumn term of academic year, before 31^st December,  to decide what targets (if any) from the previous year have been met.  At the same meeting the Panel will agree and set performance targets for that academic.
• The Panel will meet six months after the above meeting to monitor the performance of the headteacher to date against the agreed targets.
• The Panel will also decide what Pay Progression recommendations to make to the Resources Committee.

Governor Profiles

Graham Parkin
Co-Opted Governor
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

David Freak
Co-Opted Governor

Vice-Chair Of Governors

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

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

Elaine Barnes

Local Authority Appointed Governor

I moved to the village in 2021 having previously worked for a bank for 35+ years.  My role was in the commercial banking sector, responsible for the project management and delivery of banking services and training to clients with annual turnover in excess of £75m. 

I believe that primary schools are so important in providing a strong foundation for children's futures which cannot be underestimated. I hope that the skills I obtained from my time in banking will help me to support and grow the excellent work and teaching at our school.

Contact: elainebarnes@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

Denise Frisby
Foundation Governor

I have lived in Little Asby since 2006 and during this time I retired from the NHS after 38 years working as a Dietitian and in services management. My particular focus and interest was working with diverse communities to promote health and well-being.

As a parent, I have previously been a school governor at a secondary school near Preston. More recently, I have been able to support AES through joint ventures with St Peter's Church, Great Asby. Now, as a Foundation Governor, I look forward to my new roles within the school.

Contact: denisefrisby@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

Kathryn Braithwaite

Parent governor

I am originally from Penrith however now live on the outskirts of Great Asby and have done so for the past 13 years. My 2 children attend Asby School and are the 5th generation of Braithwaite’s to attend there.  I enjoy hiking in the Lake District. 

Contact: kathrynbraithwaite@asby.cumbria.sch.uk

Jack Davis
Staff Governor

I am incredibly excited to be joining the team at Asby Endowed School this year. In 2015, following the successful completion of a BA in International Relations at the University of Leeds, I spent some time teaching English as a foreign language in Shanghai. This was a hugely positive experience and pushed me to pursue a career in education. In 2019 I completed my PGCE course at the University of Sussex and, prior to joining Asby Endowed School, I worked at Chesswood Junior School in Worthing, West Sussex. I can't wait to meet everyone in person and please note that I am only ever an email away. 

Contact: jackdavis@asby.cumbria.sch.uk

Rosie Collin

Local Authority Appointed Governor

I moved to Great Asby in 2021 and with my degree in Visual Communications from the University of Leeds (2009) and a background working in the education sector, I hope to offer a broad range of experience in graphic design, video production and content marketing - ultimately whatever I’m able to contribute in order to support my local school to thrive.

Contact: rosiecollin@asby.cumbria.sch.uk

Nikki Hipwell

Clerk To The Governors

Contact: clerk@asby.cumbria.sch.uk

Governor Information

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

Record of Meeting Attendance