Governors

Welcome to the Home First School Governors

What do school governors do?

The role of the governing board is to promote high standards of achievement to ensure every child at the school fulfils his/her potential. It does this by:

Setting the strategic direction of the school and contribute to the school’s improvement plan
Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school
Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure it is money well spent.
Monitoring that the school fulfils its statutory obligations, eg in terms of safeguarding, special educational needs, equality and diversity, financial reporting, health & safety etc.
Support the provision for a rounded education for all pupils.

Governors bring a broad range of knowledge and professional expertise, as well as differing experience and perspective, to the table to enable the board to make well-researched and reasoned decisions in the best interests of the pupils at the school. There are no specific qualifications or experience required to be a school governor, however, it is important that governors understand the importance of the governance role and are therefore are committed to preparing well for meetings and attending governor trainings to support their personal development. Meetings are held regularly and are supported by the Clerk to Governors.

Vision Statement

Our vision is to provide a safe, caring and stimulating environment where each child will recognise and achieve their full potential, so that they can make their best contribution to society.

The Governing Body Instrument of Governance to consist of:

3 x Parent Governors	1 x Local Authority Governor (LA)	2 x Staff Governors	2 x Co-Opted Governors
Governors are normally appointed for a 4-year term. Details of all the Governors and their appointed dates are detailed in table below. Each Governor takes a lead on an area of the school development and may also be responsible to evaluate progress of subject development areas.
Meeting	When and Time	Who attends	Documents for meetings are sent out 7 days in advance.
Governor meetings are held on Friday mornings starting at 08.15. The rotation is Finance, Curriculum and Full Governing Body. There are between 12 and 14 meetings per academic school year.

In addition, Associate Governors can be appointed by the governing board for between one and four years and may bring with them specific areas of expertise and experience. Associate Governors have no voting rights on Full Governing Body meetings, but may vote on any committees they are appointed to. If you feel that you would like to contribute in this way, then please contact the Clerk to Governors for more details.

Name		Governor representation	Term	Category
				Co-Opted Governor
Ashley Cox-Higgins (Vice Chair)	ACH	Finance	28.11.2022 – 28.11.2026	Co-Opted Governor
Dave Topping	DT	Curriculum	6.7.2021 – 6.7.2025	Parent Governor (Elected)
Clive Haines (Chair)	CH	Curriculum & Finance	14.9.2015 – 14.9.2022	LA Governor
Elly Wrighton	EW		24.11.2024 – 24.22.2028	Parent Governor (Elected)
Vicky Brand	VB	Headteacher	20.4.2012 - ongoing	Ex-officio as Headteacher
Gemma Sharma	GS	Headteacher	20.4.2012 - ongoing	Ex-officio as Headteacher
Sam Lawrence	SL	Staff	18.6.2021 – 18.6.2025	Staff governor (Elected)
Matt Bowley	BM	Finance	28.4.2023 – 28.4.2027	Parent Governor (Elected)
Karin Taylor		Clerk	01/01/2019 - ongoing	Clerk

Governors who have moved on

Name	Category	Start date	Leaving date
Sharon Beard	Parent Governor (Elected)	1.6.2023	31.12.2023
Isobel Gould	Parent Governor (Elected)	27.5.2022	1.9.2023
Jacqui Doling	Appointed by Local Authority	18.6.2020	31.7.2023
Lars Swan	Appointed by GB/Board	2.12.2016	13.7.2022
Jo Kilgallon	Elected by parents	23.9.2019	1.5.2022
Rachel Endacott	Appointed by GB/Board	14.12.2015	31.12.2021

2022 – 2023 Governor Meeting Attendance
Governor	JD	ACH	DT	IG	VB	GS	SL	RE	LS
8.10.2021	Meeting Cancelled due to OFSTED Inspection
19.11.2021	X	X	P		P	P	P	P	P
3.12.2021	X	P	X		P	P	P	P	P
21.1.2022	P	P	P		P	P	P		P
25.3.2022	P	P	X		P	X	P		P
29.4.2022	P	P	P		P	P	P		P
13.5.2022	P	P	X		P	P	P		P
26.6.2022	P	P	P	P	P	P	P		P
1.7.2022	Meeting cancelled
There were no governor declaration of interests at any meeting
2021 – 2022 Governor Meeting Attendance
Governor	JD	ACH	DT	CH	IG	MB	SB	GS	SL	VB
23.9.2022	P	P	P	P	P			P	P	P
14.10.2022	P	P	P	A	P			P	P	A
18.11.2022	Meeting Cancelled
2.12.2022	P	P	P	P	P			P	P	P
16.12.2022	Meeting Cancelled
13.1.2023	P	P	P	P	P			P	P	P
17.3.2023	P	P	P	P	P			P	P	P
29.3.2023	A	P	P	A	A			P	P	P
28.4.2023	P	P	P	P	P			P	P	P
19.5.2023	P	P	P	P	A	P		P	P	P
23.6.2023	A	A	P	P	P	P		P	P	P
14.7.2023	P	P	P	P	A	P	P	P	P	P
There were no governor declaration of interests at any meeting

Clive Haines	Chair of Governors with links to Safeguarding,
Clive Haines	I have been a governor for many years within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. I also hold the position of Deputy Director of Education within RBWM. I currently train all governors in maintained schools and Academies and also have a wide skill set that enables me to hold the school to account for the pupils it serves. I am is passionate about all children being able to learn in a safe environment and being able to ensure they have all the tools they need to develop in their education.

Ashley Cox-Higgins	Vice Chair with links to Finance, Phonics
Ashley Cox-Higgins	I have been a Parent Governor since November 2018. I am a Father of two children; one in Reception and another in Year 4. I have always had an interest in wanting to put something back into the community and I am excited to work with the team at Homer First School. I believe that all children should have the opportunity to enjoy and thrive in an environment that will enable them to achieve their full potential. As a Parent Governor, I hope to support the School in providing our children with the very best all round educational experience. Interests Golf, tennis and cycling in Windsor Great Park with the family.

Dave Topping	Links to Curriculum, English including writing
Dave Topping	I thoroughly enjoy being a parent governor because it allows me to play an active role in shaping the future of young learners. As a parent governor, I am privileged to contribute to important decisions and policies that directly impact the education and well-being of students. I take pleasure in witnessing the progress and achievements of the children, knowing that I have played a part in creating an environment where they can thrive. The opportunity to collaborate with dedicated educators, parents, and the local community gives me a sense of pride and fulfilment. Being a parent governor allows me to make a positive difference in the lives of students, ensuring they receive the best educational opportunities and experiences.

Matt Bowley	Links to Finance, Maths, Computing and Website
Matt Bowley	My daughter is in KS2 at Homer, having joined in Reception and has found the school a positive environment which has helped her learn and develop. I believe that all children should receive the best possible education, in surroundings which support all individuals and abilities. As a parent governor, I am committed to working collaboratively with other governors and staff to make decisions that are in the best interest of the school and its students. Outside of work I enjoy being in the outdoors, visiting the countryside and parks with my family, or cycling around the local area.

Elly Wrighton
Elly Wrighton	I have two children who attend Homer First School and both are enjoying their time at the school. I wanted to become a Governor to support the school in the hope that every child’s experience at Homer is as positive and nurturing as it has been for mine. My current employment within Youth Justice, is of particular interest to me and I hope my experience in this area gives me transferrable skills to bring to the governing body. My work involves supporting young people aged 10-17 who are involved with the police or who have received formal outcomes from Court following offending. I am also the Education Officer for the service which involves supporting any young person who is experiencing education difficulties to remain in school. It is a hugely rewarding job and no day is the same. I am passionate about ensuring young people receive all the support they need throughout their education journey and I hope that this will translate into the work I do as a Governor and will help to support the school with their statutory obligations.

If you would like any further information or would like to discussion becoming a governor please contact Mrs K. Taylor, Clerk to Governors karin.taylor@homerfirstschool.co.uk

No register of business interests to date

Governor meeting dates - Roles & responsibilities

2023-2024 Governor meeting schedule.docx