Governors

Our Governors

Instrument of Government effective 9^thJanuary 2017

• The name of the school is St. Anthony’s
• The school is a Foundation Trust Special School
• The school is part of Ksent (Kent Special Educational Needs Trust) Co-operative Trust
• The name of the governing body is “The Governing Body of St. Anthony’s School”.

The governing body shall consist of:

• 2 Parent Governors
• 1 Local Authority Governor
• 1 Staff Governor
• 1 Headteacher of the school
• 3 Co-opted Governors
• 2 Foundation Trust Governors

Total number of governors is 10

The Chair of Governors can be contacted through the Clerk to Governors (Mrs Val Woodin) either through the School Reception by letter or email at woodin.val@theeducationpeople.org

GOVERNORS – ST ANTHONY’S SCHOOL 2023/24

1 Vacancy 1 Co-opted

Governors in Post during 2022-23 but who are no longer in post

Are you interested in becoming a governor?

St Anthony’s School currently has 2 vacancies for co-opted governors and 1 LA governor. No special skills are required other than a desire to make a difference and enthusiasm. Governors play a vital role in raising standards and monitoring the performance of the school as such you will be required to make important decisions on a range of issues to improve the school.

Role and Responsibilities of a School Governor

Being a school governor is a challenging but hugely rewarding role. It will give you the chance to make a real difference to young people, give something back to your local community and use and develop your skills in a board-level environment.

The Governing Body needs a balance and diversity of knowledge, skills and experience to enable it to be effective.

Anyone aged over 18 can be a Governor (but there are some exceptions) and you do not need to be a parent. There is no requirement for you to have an understanding of the education system, just the necessary skills, character and time to contribute. There is plenty of training available to help you learn about education. Schools needs and benefit from a range of professional knowledge on their Governing Body including education, finance, human resources, legal, marketing and public relations, property and estates management, and organisational change.

As a Governor you will be able to:

• Use your own experience of education and life beyond school to inform conversations
• Develop and utilise your skills in a board-level environment
• Make a valuable contribution to education and your community
• Support and challenge the school so that it improves for pupils and staff
• Bring your unique experiences, perspectives and insights in to decision-making in the interests of the school community

What Governors do

The Governing Body provides strategic leadership and accountability in schools. It has three key functions:

• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent
• Holding the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupil
• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction

Governors set the aims and objectives for the school or group of schools and set the policies and targets for achieving those aims and objectives. They monitor and evaluate the progress the school is making and act as a source of challenge and support to the Headteacher.

Term of Office and Meetings

The term of office for a school Governor is normally four years. The school has a full Governing Body meeting once a term – 6 per year (for approximately 2 hours). The average time commitment is five to eight hours per month, although this could vary. This includes meetings, background reading and school visits.