Meet the Governors
Mrs. Carol Canary is the Chair of Governors.
You can contact the Chair of Governors c/o the school office. She visits the school weekly and runs the school library in a volunteer capacity.
The Role of the Governors
The three core functions of a governing body as indicated in Ofsted's inspection criteria are setting a strategic direction for the school, creating robust accountability and ensuring financial probity. Governing bodies have a number of statutory duties that need to be fulfilled.
School governors are people who make a positive contribution to the school community by acting as "critical friends". They support and challenge the Headteacher to promote continuous improvement in the school’s performance. They also play a monitoring role asking relevant questions such as
"Is it working?","How do we know it is working?", "As a School, how can we get better?"
Governors need no formal qualifications but bring a range of experience to help our School achieve its vision.
They all have:
- An interest in the education and well-being of the children
- A willingness to ask questions
- The time commitment to attend termly meetings and to get into school to see the children working for themselves
- A commitment to be part of a team which, by working together, can make a real difference to the school.
Although they are volunteers, they are professional, committed and passionate about what the school does. Their contribution is voluntary and they generally meet twice a term and visit the school regularly.
Membership of Governing Body - 2018-19
The Governing Body (GB) of Five Elms Primary School consists of the people listed below:
| CHAIR OF GOVERNORS | Mrs. Carol Canary |
| VICE CHAIR OF GOVERNORS |
Ms. Stella Newman |
| STAFF GOVERNOR | Miss Jemma Buckle |
| ASSOCIATE GOVERNOR | Mrs. Carol Dickson |
| HEADTEACHER | Mrs. Barbara Turner |
| PARENT GOVERNORS |
Mr. Bob Armitage Ms. Olga Munikiene |
| CO-OPTED GOVERNORS |
Mr. Gerry Vincent Mr. Richard Ash Ms. Stella Newman Ms. Dionne Corrodus-Weekes Mrs. Carol Canary Mrs. Isabel Eames 1 Vacancy |
| LOCAL AUTHORITY GOVERNOR | Cllr. Oluwale Martins |
| ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES | |
| SEND | Ms. Stella Newman |
| CHILD PROTECTION/SAFEGUARDING/LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN | Mrs. Carol Canary |
| ANTI-BULLYING |
Mrs. Carol Canary |
| CURRICULUM & ASSESSMENT |
Mr. Bob Armitage |
| TRAINING & LIASON LINK | Mr. Bob Armitage |
| HEALTH AND SAFETY | Mr. Gerry Vincent |
| CULTURAL EDUCATION | Ms. Olga Munikiene |
| ATTENDANCE | Ms. Stella Newman |
| FINANCE | Ms. Dionne Corrodus-Weekes |
| ENGLISH | Mrs. Isabel Eames |
What do Governors do?
Together with the Headteacher, Governors are responsible for making sure the school provides a good quality education for all children and supports their well-being, they do the following:
- Set the vision and strategic direction of the school
- Provide challenge and support to the Headteacher, by holding the Headteacher accountable for educational performance
- Make decisions together on matters such as performance, targets, school policies and the School Development Plan
- Monitor the impact of policies and oversee school budget and staffing
- Report on school achievements and respond to inspection recommendations
- Hear appeals from pupils and staff and consider complaints.
Governors fulfil these duties by:
- Visiting the school on a regular basis;
- Attending Governor Board meetings that take place twice per term;
- Asking questions and considering documents prepared by the school;
- Challenging the Headteacher in a constructive way;
- Developing and supporting the values of the school.