The Governing Body

The Governing Body is responsible for working with the school in a thinking, questioning and doing role to ensure that it delivers a good quality education. Together with the Head Teacher, who is responsible for day-to-day management, it sets the school's aims and policies. At Great Sampford our Governing Body consists of 10 Governors all of whom are entitled to serve a four year term of office.

Currently we have:

• four Parent Governors (these are members of the parent body who have been duly elected by the parents),
• three Co-Opted Governors (these are Governors who have been selected to represent a cross-section of the local community or to provide a specific skill set),
• one Local Authority Governor (this person is nominated by the Local Authority),
• one Staff Governor (this person is selected by the staff of the school), 
• The Head Teacher (this person stands in an ex-officio role).

The Governing Body meets as a Full Governing Body twice a term. There are three main areas that are considered by the Governing Body: 

• Learning and Development - focuses specifically on the curriculum and all other pupil related issues such as behaviour, school meals etc.
• Resources - focuses specifically on the school’s budget and the premises.
• Personnel - focuses on human resource issues and performance management.

Each member of the Governing Body is given a portfolio of areas to focus on and is required to engage in a specific area, often utilising their expertise. Actions and specific monitoring activities are generated at the start of each term and then reviewed during the second meeting of the term. Key actions are determined by the priorities of the school, as laid out by the Governors. 

Currently the Chair of the Governing Body is Mr. Andrew Shelley and the Vice Chair is Mrs. Nicola Robertson.

An individual Governor’s principal role is to contribute to the work of the Governing Body in ensuring the high standards of achievement for all children and young people in the school.

They are expected to contribute to the strategic discussions at Governing Body meetings that:

• set the school’s vision and ethos,
• hold senior leaders to account by monitoring the school’s performance,
• ensure that the school staff have the resources they require to do their jobs well.