Our Board of Governors is the strategic decision-making and vision-setting body in our school. It plays a vital role in ensuring the best possible education for every child by creating robust accountability for school leaders. Crucially, that means using and being familiar with objective ‘standards’ data on the performance of pupils, teachers and finances.

This confidence with the data enables them to ask the right questions and ensure resources are correctly allocated in relation to school priorities to ensure that the highest possible standards are achieved.” As such governors are accountable to the Department for Education (DfE) and the Local Authority (Essex County Council) for the standards of learning that take place.

A message from the Chair of Governors...  

At Great Sampford Primary School, Staff, Pupils, Families and Governors work as a team creating a happy, caring environment where the children, their achievements and successes are at the heart of everything we do.

As a team of Governors, we are involved in many activities which enable the school to function efficiently; we have committees for looking after finances, for the drawing up of appropriate policies as well as being involved in staff appointments.  We are also responsible for the effective maintenance of the buildings and grounds and oversee issues which require health and safety measures. However, uppermost in our minds are the safeguarding of the welfare and education of the pupils.

We work closely with the Head Teacher and Leadership Team to support and provide the strategic direction for the school.   

The Governing Body has 11 members including teachers, parents and members of the local community. We are all volunteers and come from diverse backgrounds. Our role is to ensure that our children receive the very best education that we can provide and that the school has the necessary resources to achieve this.

Our school’s outstanding reputation is founded on an ethos which puts our children first and makes every individual the focus of our endeavours. We are committed to providing the secure, happy and stimulating environment that enables each individual to flourish and maximise his or her full potential.

Andrew Shelley

Chair of Governors