Governors
Welcome to the section of the website where you can find out more about the school’s governors, and the work that we do.
Our main role is to support the Headteacher and the staff – the phrase often used to describe this role is ‘a critical friend’. We help them to set and reach targets and to strive for excellence across the whole spectrum of school life. The key document used for this is the School Improvement Plan (SIP).
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 Headteacher.
The Governing body invites parental contribution at any time. However, in particular, the governing body carries out a parental survey once a year to obtain feedback.
Woodlands Primary School Current Governing Body
| Name | Type of Governor |
| Lark Snow (Chair) | Co-opted |
| Ripu Bains (Vice Chair) | Co-opted |
| Laura Bekker | Parent |
| Graham Blair | Parent |
| Alice Plane | Clerk to Governors |
| Kerry Barham Smith | LA appointed |
| Michael Barnes | Co-opted |
| Karen Corbett | Staff |
| Glenn Fisher | Co-opted |
| Kim Groves | Co-opted |
| Mel Jones | Co-opted |
| Vicki Lonie | Headteacher |
| Caroline Pearce | Co-opted |
| Gareth Williams | Co-opted |
| Steph Williams | Co-opted |
Formation of the Governing Body
The governing body uses the circle method of governance. It meets 6 times a year and the use of committees is limited to 3.
The committees and their remit are reviewed each year in September. All other content and decisions are made by the full governing body as detailed in the Woodlands Primary School governing body handbook. This is reviewed every year.
Finance Committee
Members: Gareth Williams, Mike Barnes, Claire Gillick (School Business Manager), Vicki Lonie.
- Oversees the financial performance of the school
- Monitors the setting of the 3 year plan and budgeting to that plan.
- Reports the monitoring to the full governing body.
Headteacher’s Performance Committee
Members: Ripu Baines/ Kerry Barham-Smith (Chair), Steph Williams, Lark Snow
- To meet annually with the Headteacher and external advisor to review the Headteacher’s performance.
- To set the Headteacher’s targets for the forthcoming year
- To make recommendations to the pay committee about pay progression
- To monitor the performance of the Headteacher of the year.
Pay Committee
Members: Ripu Bains (Chair), Gareth Williams, Mike Barnes
- To undertake an annual pay review for members of the leadership team
- To consider fully all recommendations for pay progression
- To ensure the performance management process is carried out according to policy
- To review the pay recommendations for the Headteacher salary progression.