Newman Catholic Academy Trust

Members:      

Local Governing Body

 Chair of Governors: Mr G Joslin - chairofgovernors@springhillcatholic.net

Role and Responsibilities

The school governing body has a strategic role in ensuring that the school is providing education of a high standard, and based on the teachings of the Catholic Church and Canon Law. The governing body is essentially a monitoring body which works in partnership with the school leadership team. The school headteacher and the leadership team are responsible for the internal organisation of the school. The governing body critically appraises the whole school performance and is responsible for approving staff appointments and overseeing how the school budget is spent. Only decisions ratified by the whole governing body are binding and have a legal value. However, the board can delegate to committees or single governors, such as the Chair, some specific responsibilities. Otherwise, a single governor as such has no specific authority.

Composition of the Governing Body

The Governing Body is made up of:

• 10 Foundation Governors, appointed directly by the Bishop. They have a special duty to ensure that the school Catholic Ethos is preserved and developed, and that Catholic Education in School is in line with the Bishop's directions

• 2 Staff Governors (including the headteacher)

• 2 Parent Governors, elected by the parents

• 1 Co-opted Governor

A clerk supports them with circulation of documents, information and minute taking.

Committees and Working Groups

Springhill governing board meets once a month. 

Governors use different sources of information, such as: the regular Headteacher Report; anonymised statistics about pupils; reports from OFSTED, the Diocese of Portsmouth and other external auditors; visits to school and 'learning walks' to focus on a particular area.

Health and Safety 

There is a further working group, Health and Safety, which monitors school compliance with current Health and Safety legislation.