School Governors
Welcome to the section of the website where you can find out more about the school’s governors, and the work that they do.
Governors’ main role is to support the Head Teacher and the staff. We help them to set and reach targets and to strive for excellence across the whole spectrum of school life. The two key documents used for this are the School Development Plan (SDP) and the Self Evaluation Form (SEF). The SDP sets out a year strategic plan for the school, with targets that everyone works towards and the SEF sets out how well the school is doing and where we aim to make improvements.
Our legal 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 Head Teacher
Much of the work of the Governing body is done in two main committees:
- Teaching, Learning and Community Committee, and
- Resources Committee,
There is a full Governing Body meeting each term as well as a meeting of each of the main committees. Reports and minutes of each committee meeting are circulated to all governors and are discussed at the full Governing Body meetings.
There are several categories of governor, appointed by different groups that have an interest in the school. These are Foundation Governors appointed by the Diocese, the Local Authority (“LA”) Governor, Parent Governors, and a Staff Governor. All governors have equal status, however they are appointed.
We are committed to providing an excellent environment for all pupils to enjoy during their time at our school.
The Governing Body members also attend training sessions and seminars to help keep them up to date with changes in schools and education and to help them do their job effectively. Governors also go into school to meet with the Head Teacher, other members of staff and pupils to help them find out how the school is progressing towards its targets.
If you wish to know more, or are interested in becoming a governor, please contact Mrs N Sisarello or Mrs J Walls (Joint Chair of Governors). They can be contacted via email at the following address;
chairofgov@st-thomascanterbury.merton.sch.uk
A complete list of our governors, their attendance for the previous academic school year and their roles can be found below.
Note: All appointments are for a four-year term
Committee Membership 2020/2021
Teaching Learning and Community Committee
Mrs J Walls (Chair) Mrs M Tucker Mrs N Sisarello Mrs N Origbo Mrs J Croft
Mr R Doe Fr Stephen Dias Ms L Morris Ms S Marc Mrs C Hodges
The Teaching, Learning and Communities Committee is responsible for ensuring that the curriculum in the school follows that legally required and is also responsible for ensuring that educational standards in the school are relentlessly raised. It does this by regularly considering the achievement and progress of groups of pupils in the school and challenging the Headteacher on these. This Committee is also responsible for ensuring that disadvantaged pupils and those with special needs are adequately supported so as to achieve and progress as well as the other children in the class.
Resources Committee
Mrs N Sisarello (Chair) Mrs M Tucker Mr O Pritchard Mrs N Origbo Ms L Morris
Mrs C Russell (School Business Manager) Miss J Newton (PA to Head Teacher) and Mr J Sammut (Caretaker) to attend
The Resources Committee has responsibility for the provision of guidance and assistance to the Headteacher and the Governing Body in all matters relating to budgeting and finance, and to clearly define financial responsibilities. This committee ensures that an annual budget is drawn up and presented to the Governing Body and that the income and expenditure during the year is monitored against this budget.
Staffing expenditure is a major constituent of the budget and this committee also ensures that staff appraisal takes place and that remuneration of all staff is in accordance with the school’s Pay Policy.
The Resources Committee also has the responsibility to advise the Governing Body and the Headteacher on all matters relating to the development and repair of the premises and also on all matters relating to the purchasing of services, e.g. cleaning, ground maintenance, school meals.
The Resources Committee is also responsible for advising the Governing Body and the Headteacher on all matters relating to Health and Safety and for ensuring compliance with the school’s Health and Safety Policy.
Admissions Committee
Mrs J Walls (Chair) Mrs M Tucker Staff Governor (TBC)
The Admissions Committee is responsible for determining within statutory provisions and the Governing Body’s Admission Policy whether any child should be admitted to the school. The Admissions Committee is also responsible for reviewing the school’s Admission Policy and making any recommendations for change to the Full Governing Body Committee. It also appoints a committee member to represent the school in any appeal against the refusal of a place at the school.
Pupil Discipline Committee
MrsJ Croft Mrs N Sisarello Mrs J Walls
The Pupil Discipline Committee is responsible for considering the appropriateness of any permanent exclusion or any exclusion where one or more fixed period exclusions total more than 15 school days in one term. In the case of other period exclusions, the committee will meet to consider any representation from parents of an excluded child. The Pupil Discipline Committee does not have the power to re-instate a pupil who is excluded.
Headteacher’s Performance Management Committee
Mrs N Sisarello (Chair) Mrs J Walls Mr E Morrison ( Local Authority School Improvement Representative)
This committee undertakes the statutory annual performance review of the Headteacher and sets performance targets for the Headteacher for the following year.
- indicated co-opted members of the committee with full voting rights.