Governing Body Remit
The purpose of the Governing Body is to conduct the school with a view to promoting high standards of educational achievement. Its three core strategic functions are:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
- Holding the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and
- Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent
Welcome Message from the Chair of Governors
Annual Statement of Governance
Annual Governance Statement 2023
Structure of our Governing Body
| Name | Position | Term of Office | Committees | Special Interest | Register of Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs Helen Beattie | Headteacher | 01/01/2023 – Ongoing | Complaints Committee, Finance and Premises Committee, Curriculum Standards and Wellbeing, First Committee | None | |
| Mrs Tracey Chester | Co-opted | 08/09/14 to 04/12/26 | Curriculum and Standards Committee, First Committee | SEND | None |
| Mrs Lisa Crombie | Co-opted | 11/09/23 to 10/09/27 | Curriculum | Member if staff (DHT) | |
| Mr Mark Chisholm | Co-opted | 26/04/24 to 25/04/28 | Appeals Committee, Complaints Committee, Finance and Premises Committee | ||
| Mrs Linda Deakin | Parent (appointed by governing body) | 24/10/22 to 23/10/26 | Appeals | None | |
| Mrs Nicola Farren | Co-opted | 02/05/23 to 01/05/27 | Vice Chair of Governors Complaints Committee, Curriculum and Standards Committee | RSHE, Early Years | Durham County Council employee, Governor at Pittington Primary |
| Mrs Karen Jones | Local Authority | 28/10/04 to 25/11/27 | Curriculum and Standards Committee, Appeals Committee, Finance and Premises Committee, Head Teacher Performance Management | RE | Governor at The Academy at Shotton Hall, Durham County Council Employee |
| Mrs Sharon Lawson | Co-opted | 30/11/17 to 26/01/26 | Chair of Governors Complaints Committee, Curriculum and Standards Committee, Finance and Premises Committee, First/Pay review, Head Teacher Performance Management. | History, OPAL, Early Reading and Phonics | None |
| Mrs Amanda Moon | Co-opted | 07/05/20 to 06/05/24 | Curriculum and Standards Committee, Wellbeing Committee, Finance and Premises Committee, First/Pay review Committee, Head Teacher Performance Management. | Art, DT | Chair of Local Academy Trust (Shotton Hall), Trustee of NE Learning Trust |
| Mr Jonathan Snelling | Staff | 08/03/22 to 07/03/26 | Curriculum & Standards, Wellbeing Committee | Member of Staff | |
| Mr Dean Wild | Parent (appointed by governing body) | 24/10/22 to 23/10/26 | Appeals, Curriculum and Standards | Behaviour , Computing | Head of Computing and IT at Kings Academy (Emmanuel Schools Foundation) |
Associate to the Governing Body – Mrs Amanda Walker (School Business Manager) attends Finance and Premises meetings and Full Governing Body Meetings when required. Mrs Walker has a four year appointment from 10/02/22 to 09/02/26 and does not have voting rights.
Our school clerk is Mrs Jill Huntington from Education Durham Governance Services.
Recent Resignations and expired Terms of Office
- Mrs H Adair (Headteacher) Retired 31/12/2022
- Mrs M Park (Co-opted) Resigned 31/7/2023
- Mrs R Sheppard (Parent Governor) Resigned 11/09/2023
- Mr R Currie (Parent Governor) Resigned 22/03/2024
- Mrs K Stevens (Co-opted) Resigned 13/12/2023
Vacancies
Terms of Reference for Howletch Governing Body
Committee Terms of Reference May 2023
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 or The National Governance Association website. From time to time there will vacancies for governors in our school and we will send home letters to inform you if a vacancy arises. Please contact the school if your would like to be considered for a governor or if you would like more information.
Statutory Guidance for Governing Bodies
Howletch Lane Primary School adhere to the statutory guidance from the Department of 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. You can find out more about our Governors roles and responsibilities by viewing or downloading the documents below:
The Constitution of Governing Bodies of Maintained Schools (2017)
Governor Attendance – Academic Year 2023/2024
| Meetings | Mrs H Beattie | Mrs T Chester | Mrs L Crombie | Mr R Currie | Mrs L Deakin | Ms N Farren | Mrs K Jones | Mrs S Lawson | Mrs A Moon | Mr J Snelling | Mrs K Stevens | Mr D Wild | Mrs A Walker (Associate) |
| Full Governing Board (14/12/23) | N/R | ||||||||||||
| Full Governing Board (21/03/24) | N/R | ||||||||||||
| Full Governing Board (11/07/24) | N/R | ||||||||||||
| Full GB Challenge and Priorities (05/10/23) | Y | A/A | A/A | A/A | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | A/A | N/R |
| Finance (15/11/2023) | Y | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N | Y | Y | N/A | Y | N/A | Y |
| Finance (Spring) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||||||
| Finance (Summer) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||||||
| Pay Review (13/11/2023) | Y | N | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Y | Y | N/A | Y | N/A | N/R |
| Head Teacher Performance (6/11/2023) | Y | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Y | N/A | N/A | Y | N/A | N/R |
| Curriculum (Spring) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/R | |||||||
| Curriculum (Summer) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/R | |||||||
| Wellbeing | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/R |
Key
A/A apologies accepted, APN apologies not accepted, N no apologies received, OBS observer, N/A not a member of this committee at that time
N/R (associates only) not required at this meeting
