Message from Gary Booth
Chair of St Helens Primary School Governors

Welcome to the Governors’ page of our school website.

As Governors of St Helens Primary School, we are ambitious for every one of the children at our school, and are committed to pursuing a programme of continuous school improvement to achieve the best possible outcomes. We have signed up to the National Governors’ Association Code of Conduct  and have defined our core aim, namely: to be an effective Governing Body, that works to maximise the potential of every child in a safe and caring environment.

Our main job is to set the strategic direction of the school. These are our three strategic priorities: 

  • Ensuring the vision, ethos and strategic direction of the school are clearly defined
  • Ensuring the Headteacher is held accountable for the performance of the school 
  • Ensuring the financial resources of the school are used in a sound, proper and effective way.

Through a programme of school visits and Full Governing Body (FGB) and working group meetings, we monitor progress against the school improvement plan (SIP) and Action Plan. The  key SIP priorities for 2022/23 are:

Improve end of year outcomes for all pupils; 
80% of pupils without SEND will achieve Age Related Expectations or better
To further develop quality first inclusive  teaching strategies to ensure all    
pupils make at least good or better progress in core subjects.
To increase and raise attainment at both the expected and greater depth in  
the core areas (Reading/Writing/Maths) at key stage 

  • Improve Greater Depth within the Standard (GDS) across the school in single subjects which will impact on combined scores in both KS1 and KS2.Improve GDS across the school in single subjects which will impact on combined scores in both KS1 and KS2
    Implement a comprehensive Early Career Teacher (ECT) programme.
    To ensure safeguarding is effective.
    Develop leadership within the school including strategic headship.
    Wellbeing for All.

We ensure we know the strengths and weaknesses of the school and are able to provide a balance of challenge and support to the Headteacher and senior staff in areas including:

  • Teaching, learning and assessment
  • The transition from pre-school and the progress of children in Early Years Foundation Stage
  • Financial management and spending, in particular the effectiveness of Pupil Premium Funding in ‘closing the gap’ in progress and attainment of vulnerable groups
  • Effectiveness and consistency of behaviour management
  • Equality of opportunity and inclusion
  • Effective safeguarding, including the implementation of the school’s Prevent policy
  • Effective promotion of the children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development (including the promotion of British Values), as well as their physical well being
  • Effective attendance management.
  • Full Governing Body (FGB) meetings 

Our Clerk to Governors manages minutes of the meetings, the governors’ calendar and policy ledger.

In addition to the Full Governing Body meetings, we have a Strategy Group and Finance and Resources Committee. (See the structure of our Governing Body.)

Training is important for all Governors, and we conduct an annual skills audit to identify need. During the past few years Governors have participated in a wide range of training including:

  • Induction training (required for all new governors)
  • Understanding Data
  • Monitoring, Evaluating and improving SEN
  • School finance for maintained schools
  • Safeguarding and Child protection
  • Safer recruitment
  • Ofsted update
  • HT and Chair of Governor’s seminar
  • Prevent training
  • Information management (Data Protection and Freedom of Information)

We evaluate the impact of the Governing Body to ensure we are making a positive contribution to school improvement. We do this in a number of ways, including through our regular Strategy Group meetings.

The Chair of Governors meets with the Headteacher weekly and attends the school’s Awards Assembly on Friday.

If you would like to know more about the Governing Body, please contact the Clerk via the school office.

Gary Booth