West Cornforth Primary School

High Street, West Cornforth, Ferryhill, DL17 9HP

 West Cornforth Primary School
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Home / About Us / Our Governing Body

Our Governing Body

Governors work closely with headteachers, school staff and representatives from the local authority (LA).

Governor Committee Structure

Find out more about our governors by clicking on their name below:

NameAppointed byFromToCommitteeResponsibilitiesRegister
of
Interests
Relationship
to
Staff
Mrs Jill Hodgson - Head TeacherEx-officio by virtue of office as headteacher/principle1 April 2016Not recordedFinance and Premises
Achievement and Learning
First/Pay Review
Personnel
NoneNA
Mr Dennis Ramsey - ChairAppointed by GB/board10 April 20209 April 2024Finance & Premises
First/Pay Review
Headteacher's Performance
Personnel
Achievement and Learning
History
Geography
NoneNA
Mrs Jane BrownAppointed by GB/board6 March 20207 March 2024Health, Safety & WellbeingNoneSister of Mrs Cunliffe (DHT)
Mrs Julie SmithAppointed by GB/board21 September 201922 September 2023Health, Safety & Wellbeing
Behaviour
Child Protection
Health & Safety
NoneNA
Mrs Margaret BerryAppointed by GB/board13 March 202014 March 2024Finance and Premises
Personnel
First/Pay Review
Achievement and Learning
RSHE
Safeguarding
Music
NoneNA
Mr Ian MachinAppointed by GB/board26 March 202125 March 2025Finance and Premises
First/Pay Review
Maths
P.E
Training
GDPR
NoneNA
Miss Tracy HutchinsonAppointed by GB/board26 March 202125 March 2025Appeals
Headteacher's Performance
Art & Design
Design & Technology
SEND
NoneNA
Mr David SeedAppointed by GB/board7 June 20216 June 2025Finance and Premises
Appeals
P.E
Computing/School Website
NonePartner of Mrs. Low
Rev Canon Paul TylerAppointed by GB/board5 July 20214 July 2025Health, Safety & WellbeingReligious Education
PSHE
NoneNA
Mrs Joan LowNominated by LA and appointed by GB12 October 202111 October 2025Achievement and Learning
First/Pay Review
English
Science
NoneNA
Mrs Maxine Braithwaite nee StokesElected by parents1 July 20192 July 2023AppealsEYFSNone NA
Mrs Simone JonesElected by parents22 October 202021 October 2024First/Pay ReviewMFL

How To Become A School Governor

If you require further information on the roles and responsibilities of School Governors or you are interested in becoming one, visit the Durham County Council website School Governor section.

Induction Guidance for New Governors 2017

Statutory Guidance for Governing Bodies

West Cornforth Primary School adheres to the statutory guidance from the Department for Education. This means that governing bodies must have regard to it when carrying out duties relating to the constitution of governing bodies in maintained schools. For further information please view or download the full document below.

The Constitution of Governing Bodies of Maintained Schools (2017)
19-20 Annual Governance Statement for the Governing Body


Governor Attendance

Schools are required to display a record of governor attendance at governing body and committee meetings over the last academic year. The information can be found in the table below.

KEY
✓   – Attended meeting
A/A   – Apologies sent and accepted by meeting
N   – Did not attend
X  or blank – Not a member of the committee

Record of Attendance

Committee
Meetings
Mr
Dennis
Ramsey
Headteacher
Mrs
Jill
Hodgson
Mr
Ian
Machin
Mrs
Jane
Brown
Mrs
Joan
Low
Mrs
Julie
Smith
Mrs
Margaret
Berry
Miss
Tracy
Hutchinson
Rev.
Canon
Paul
Tyler
Mrs
Maxine
Braithwaite
Mrs
Simone
Jones
Mr
David
Seed
28.02.2022
Finance
✔✔✔✔✔
15.02.2022
Achievement & Learning
✔✔✔✔✔
20.01.2022
FGB
✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔
10.01.2022
Wellbeing
✔✔✔
07.12.2021
Achievement & Learning
✔✔✔✔
16.11.2021
First Pay Review
✔✔✔✔
14.10.2021
FGB
✔✔✔A/AA/A✔✔✔✔✔A/A✔
11.10.2021
Finance & Premises
✔✔✔✔✔
04.10.2021
Wellbeing
✔✔✔A/A
24.06.2021
FGB
✔✔✔✔A/A✔✔✔✔✔✔✔
07.06.2021
Finance & Premises
✔A/A✔✔✔
18.05.2021
Achievement & Learning
✔✔✔A/A✔
20.04.2021
Achievement & Learning
✔✔✔✔✔
19.04.2021
Finance & Premises
✔✔✔✔✔
18.04.2021
Finance & Premises
18.03.2021
FGB

Committee Terms of Reference

The Finance and Premises Committee

CHAIR:  Mr D Ramsey

Terms of Reference:

  • In conjunction with the Headteacher to draft the first formal budget plan of the financial year, for approval by the full Governing Body.
  • To establish and maintain an up-to-date 3-year financial plan.
  • To monitor income and expenditure, including virement decisions, significant anomalies from the anticipated position and report termly to the Governing Body.
  • To ensure the school operates within the financial regulations of the County Council and the requirements of the DfE Schools Financial Value Standard.
  • To monitor expenditure of all voluntary funds kept on behalf of the Governing Body.
  • To annually review charges and remissions policies and expenses policies.
  • To make decisions in respect of service level agreements.
  • To make decisions on expenditure following recommendations from other committees.
  • To prepare financial statements for inclusion in any reports to parents.
  • To ensure as far as is practical that any Health and Safety (H&S) issues are appropriately funded in accordance with priorities.
  • To ensure that Pay Review Committee and Pay Appeal Committee decisions are appropriately funded.
  • To report to the Finance Committee on Pay Review-related expenditure.
  • To review Data Protection policies and procedures.

Meetings: termly, or each half term, planned to coincide with Smartstream.
Disqualifications: when there may be a conflict of interest; a fair hearing is required; or a pecuniary interest.  Associate members may not vote.
Pay Review Meetings:  Autumn Term and as necessary
Disqualifications:  school staff, pecuniary interest

First / Pay Review Committee

CHAIR:  Mr I Machin

Terms of Reference:

  • To act in accordance with the Teachers’ Pay Policy adopted by the Governing Body.
  • To report to the Finance Committee on Pay Review-related expenditure.
  • To make any decisions under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body, eg disciplinary, grievance, ill health, capability etc where the Headteacher is the subject of the action.
  • To make any decisions relating to a member of staff (other than the Headteacher) under the Personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body (unless delegated to the Headteacher).
  • Staffing reductions.

Appeals

CHAIR:  Miss T Hutchinson

Terms of Reference:

  • To consider any appeal against a decision to dismiss a member of staff made by the First/Pay Review Committee (or Headteacher if delegated).
  • To consider any appeal against a decision under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body (eg disciplinary, pay review, capability for teachers etc).
  • To consider any appeal against selection for redundancy.

Virement and Expenditure Limits

Virement LimitsExpenditure Limits

Limit set for Headteacher without prior written approval of Chair or Governing Body£
7,500
Any items of expenditure up to£
10,000
Limit set for Headteacher with approval from Chair of Governors £
10,000
Above this limit if item was previously notified to the Governing Body.

Prior Finance Committee or Chair of Governors approval (whichever is the soonest) to be sought outside of this limit and reported at the earliest opportunity.
Prior Finance Committee or Chair of Governors approval (whichever is the soonest) to be sought outside of this limit and reported at the earliest opportunity.

 NB     Any goods/services purchased and works to be carried out are subject to
Durham County Council Contract Procedure Rules (January 2014) for quotations.

Personnel Committee

CHAIR: Mrs M Berry

Terms of Reference:

  • To carry out an annual review of the staffing structure in consultation with the Headteacher and the Finance Committee.
  • To oversee the appointment procedure for all staff.
  • To establish and review an appraisal policy for all staff.
  • To keep under review work/life balance, working conditions and well being, including the monitoring of absence.
  • To make recommendations to the Finance Committee on Personnel-related expenditure.
  • To act as the Pupil Discipline Committee.

Meetings: Half termly/when required
Disqualifications:  Pecuniary interest, prior knowledge on involvement, spouse/partner

Delegation to the Headteacher:

Appointments:

  • Temporary staff

Delegation to Staffing Committee appointments of:

  • Permanent Staff

Dismissals: 

Delegated to the Headteacher:

  • Up to and including final written warning

All Dismissals to the First/PR Committee.

The Governing Body agreed that should the Headteacher be the subject of any conduct, capability, performance or discipline proceedings, delegation was to the Chair of the Governing Body.

Achievement and Learning Committee

CHAIR: Mrs J Low

Terms of Reference:

Overall Responsibility: To take a strategic role in ensuring that the school provides high quality teaching and learning which leads to the highest possible levels of attainment and progress for all pupils.

A minimum of 3 full governors must attend each meeting in order to be quorate.

Meetings will be held 3 times a year. Dates for the following academic year will be determined at the summer term meeting of the Full Governing Body. A reminder will be sent to Governors at least one week in advance of the meeting, by the circulation of an agenda and related papers.

Areas of Responsibility of the Learning and Achievement Committee

1. Standards

To ensure that strategies are in place to raise achievement for all pupils:

  • To understand the performance data for the school.
  • Agree targets (statutory and non-statutory) for attainment & progress in consultation with the head teacher.
  • Consider the school’s analysis of all pupils’ achievement during the year by monitoring the progress towards these targets especially for any underperforming groups:
    • SEN pupils
    • Ethnic Minority pupils
    • EAL pupils
    • FSM pupils
    • LAC
    • Boys/girls
    • Any other vulnerable or previously underperforming group
  • Explore differences in outcomes between different subjects
  • Agree further strategies for improvement in consultation with the Headteacher to incorporate in the SDP
  • To undertake monitoring visits to the school and record appropriately
  • Monitoring and assessment of the following policies:
    • Calculation Policy
    • English Policy
    • Maths Policy
    • PE Policy
    • Anti-bullying Policy
    • Behaviour Policy
    • Equality Opportunities Policy
    • Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct
    • Marking and Feedback Policy
    • Attendance Policy
    • Pupil Premium Policy
    • Special Educational Needs and Disability Policy and Information sheet

2. Teaching and Learning 

To ensure there is high quality teaching & learning across all year groups:

  • Monitor that there is reliable assessment and high quality tracking information for all learners to support learning
  • Monitoring tracking and progress reports on teaching, learning and progress on all year groups through termly summary reports.

3. Curriculum  

To monitor and review academic and pastoral arrangements to ensure the school delivers a broad and balanced curriculum in keeping with the ethos of the school and the requirements of the National Curriculum: 

  • Monitor progress against the curriculum and targets of the School Improvement Plan and action plans
  • To deal with complaints about GB actions in the National Curriculum and in accordance with the school’s complaints procedure
  • Ask Headteacher to demonstrate that the school is meeting statutory requirements on curriculum
  • Review the curriculum and intervention programme for SEN; EAL; G&T and any other underperforming groups
  • To plan and evaluate Governor Activity Day to take place in annually in March

 Reporting

The committee shall report to the Full Governing Body each term. All minutes, with the exception of confidential minutes, will be distributed to all governors within the term.

Governor Development

The committee will regularly review their competence and experience and instigate any training and development which is considered beneficial.

 Review

The Terms of Reference will be reviewed annually.

Wellbeing and Health and Safety Committee

 CHAIR:  Canon Paul Tyler

 Terms of Reference:

  • At the first meeting each academic year: review the arrangements for having a Chair; review the terms of reference and remits for the committee.
  • Report on matters discussed by the Wellbeing committee to the next meeting of the FGB
  • Ensure that there is a clerk at each meeting and minutes are produced and distributed at the next FGB meeting.
  • Operate with a quorum of at least 3 governors.
  • To annually monitor staff wellbeing through an optional whole-staff questionnaire and interviews, and to feed back the findings to the FGB.
  • To continually monitor pupil wellbeing through feedback from staff, pupils and guardians.
  • To come up with ideas and practical strategies which will enhance the wellbeing and health and safety of all those connected with the school.

Meetings: termly/or more frequently if circumstances demand.
Disqualifications: when there may be a conflict of interest; a fair hearing is required; or a pecuniary interest.  Associate members may not vote.

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Copyright © 2022 West Cornforth Primary School

High Street

West Cornforth

Ferryhill

DL17 9HP

Tel 01740 654 315 · Email westcornforth@durhamlearning.net


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