Welcome to our Governors’ section.
Please find below details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.
Our School Vision
For each child to have a love of learning, hope, confidence, wisdom and respect for all. – Life in all its fullness John 10:10
About school governance
School governors provide strategic leadership and accountability in schools. Governors appoint the Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher. It is the governors who hold the main responsibility for finance in schools, and it is the governors who work with the Headteacher to make the tough decisions about balancing resources.
Each individual governor is a member of a governing board, which is established in law as a corporate body. Individual governors may not act independently of the rest of the governing board; decisions are the joint responsibility of the governing board.
The role of the governing board is a strategic one, its key functions are to:
1) Ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
2) Hold the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils
3) Oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure its money is well spent.
Volunteering to be a School Governor takes a very committed person who brings with them a wide range of knowledge and skills that should enhance the leadership process of the school.
All school governors have to follow a robust application process and are appointed in a number of ways: through the Diocese, if the school is a Church school; by the Local Authority; or appointed (co-opted) by the governing body.
The structure of St Peter’s Brafferton governing body:
- 7 Foundation Governors
Appointed by the Diocese of York. Main role is along with the other members of the Governing Body, is to ensure that the Christian ethos and character of the school is secured, preserved and developed. - 1 Local Authority Governor
Appointed by the Local Authority - 2 Parent Governors
Appointed by the Parents of the school and who are parents of the school - 2 Staff Governors
Appointed by the staff of the school and who are staff within the school - Associate Governors (2 at present)
Appointed by the Governing body, based on the skills and experience they have to offer. They do not have voting rights.
The Headteacher of St Peter’s Brafferton Primary School is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school. The role of the Governing Body is to provide strategic management support and advice, and to act as a “critical friend”, supporting the work of the Headteacher and other members of staff. The Headteacher is responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of the school and the implementation of the strategic framework established by the governing board.
Contact the Governing Body
To contact St Peter’s Brafferton Governing Body, please email the Chair of Governors on:
cofg@st-peters-brafferton.n-yorks.sch.uk
Peter’s Brafferton Governors’ Term of Office and Attendance
Name and category of Gov. | Appointed by | Term of Office end date (4 year term) | Committee Membership | Position | Business Interests/other educational establishments governed | Relationship between govs and members of staff | Non attendance at meetings Sep 2022 – July 2023 |
Virginia Arrowsmith (Parent Gov/associate Gov.) |
Parents End of term of office 23.03.19 Now an associate Gov (sept 2019) |
23.03.23 | FGB | Literacy Link | None | None |
Sept 2022 May 2023
|
Tom Spilman (Foundation Gov.) | York Diocese in consultation with Parochial Church of Brafferton | 12.4. 2026 | FGB | PP | None | None |
Nov 2022 Feb 2023 May 2023 |
Sarah Anderson (Staff Gov.) | HT/Staff Governor | 21.01.23 | FGB | None | None | ||
Pete Hambling (Foundation Gov) | York Diocese in consultation with Parochial Church of Brafferton | 1.9.2026 | FGB | Science Link/Finance | None | None |
Nov 2022 Dec 2022 Feb 2023 May 2022 July 2023 |
Shirley Sowray (Foundation Gov.) | York Diocese in consultation with Parochial Church of Brafferton | 01.02.24 | FGB |
Chair of Govs EY Link |
None | None | |
Laura Wise (Foundation Gov.) | York Diocese in consultation with Parochial Church of Brafferton | 01.12.2026 | FGB/Vice Chair | Numeracy Link | None | None |
|
Claire Dwyer (Parent Gov) |
Parents LEFT NOV 2022 |
12.11.22 | FGB | SEND/Wellbeing Link | None | Yes, school caretaker. | N/A |
John Rhodes (Foundation Gov) |
York Diocese in consultation with Parochial Church of Brafferton |
1.9.23 |
FGB |
RE/Wellbeing Link |
None |
None |
Dec 2022 May 2023 |
Stephen Baker (Parent Gov)
|
Parents | 20.01.2024 | FGB | Sports Premium Link | None | None |
Nov 2022 Dec 2022 May 2023 |
Mike Dennett (Foundation Gov)
|
York Diocese in consultation with Parochial Church of Brafferton | 19.11.2024 | FGB | SG Link | None | None | Nov 2022 |
Sarah Atkinson (Staff Gov) | Staff | 1.9.2024 | FGB | SENCo | None | None | Sept 2022 |
Geoff Arnott (LA Gov) | LA |
1.9.2026 |
FGB |
H and S Link |
None |
None |
Dec 2022 May 2023 |
Anna Blackwell (parent Gov) | Parents | 10.1.2023 | FGB | SEND, Art, DT | None | None | |
Jim Brown |
Co-opted by the FGB |
1.9.2022 | FGB | Finance | None | None | Attends at another school |