Like all state schools in England, St Laurence has a Governing Body. The governing body oversees the work of the Headteacher and staff at St Laurence and provides strategic direction. Policies relating to the work of the governing body and the School can be found in these pages.
St Laurence has a supportive and active governing body. They support St Laurence in its ambition to improve continuously, to challenge its students to achieve their potential and to prepare them for adult life. Being a governor at St Laurence School is a rewarding experience. The information below is a basic guide to what is involved in being a school governor; it has been reproduced from the direct.go.uk website.
Becoming a school governor
Schools are run by a governing body working with the Headteacher and senior management team to ensure pupils get a good education. Becoming a governor could be a way of contributing to your local school and learning new skills.
Who can become a school governor?
You don’t need to have a child at a school to become a governor
All types of people can become school governors. No special qualifications are required, but you must be 18 or over on the date when you are elected or appointed.
Enthusiasm, commitment and an interest in education are the most important qualities.
Many schools would particularly welcome new governors who have transferable skills developed at work, or who have a particularly good understanding of the community served by the school.
What do school governors do?
The governing body of a school is responsible for ensuring that it is run to promote pupil achievement. Its duties include:
- Setting strategic direction, policies and objectives
- Approving the school budget
- Reviewing progress against the school’s budget and objectives
- Appointing, challenging and supporting the Headteacher
What would be involved?
Governing bodies make their decisions based on the advice of committees that deal with specific issues, such as the school’s curriculum, premises or finances. If you become a governor, you will probably be asked to serve on a committee where you have an interest or can make a contribution.
The amount of time involved for each governor varies between schools. However, in a typical month in a typical school, you can expect to spend at least six to eight hours on your duties.
Being a governor is a serious commitment, but it can be rewarding. Find out more about the benefits of becoming a school governor on the School Governors’ One Stop Shop (SGOSS) website: www.sgoss.org.uk
The Governing Body
LFEF Foundation Appointments
Lauren Ash (CE)
Michael Smith (CE)
SDBE TRUST Appointments
Rev Joanna Abecassis (ST)
Alison Craddock (CE)
SLSAT Appointments
Sean Cooper (ST)
Mark Lee (FFE)
Kieran Kilgallen (ST/SY/FFE)
Ingrid Maher Roberts (SY/FFE)
Alexa Ensom (CE)
Parent Appointments
Michael Dooley (CE)
Dr Peter Lambert (SY/CE)
Catherine Hamilton (ST)
Lorraine Wicks (ST)
Staff Appointments
Trudi Chatfield (CE)
Martin Peters (CE)
Co-opted Members
David Roberts (FFE)
Headteacher
Tim Farrer (SY/ST/FFE)
Clerk to Governors
Robert Beesley
LFEF = Lord Fitzmaurice Educational Foundation
SDBE = Salisbury Diocesan Board of Education
SLSAT = St Laurence School Academy Trust
(SY) = Strategy
(ST) = Standards
(CE) = Community & Ethos
(FFE) = Finance, Facilities & Environment
