Moreton School – Parent Governor Vacancies

Dear Parent/carers,

We write to inform you of vacancies that have arisen for TWO parent governors to join our Local Governing Body at Moreton School.

This Committee is responsible for promoting and reviewing the performance of the school to promote high standards and continual self-improvement, as we inspire students to become well-rounded, employable individuals with a passion for life-long learning.

The School’s local Governing Board will ensure that the Trust’s vision is embedded and upheld within the school by building a thorough knowledge of the school and the community in which it serves. The committee will support and constructively challenge School Leaders, to ensure accountability and compliance. They will act as both a critical friend and a champion for the school alongside actively promoting the School at events, including; Open days, Parents evenings, Christmas Fayres etc.

The Local Governing Board is made up of parent governors, staff governors, Trust Directors and a Committee Clerk.

All parents and guardians of children at either school are eligible to express an interest in the above governor role except,

• if s/he is an elected member of the local education authority; (local councillor)
• If s/he is under 18 years’ old
• Have been disqualified from working with Children
• Have been declared bankrupt

Please note, all appointments to the Governing Board will be subject to Enhanced DBS checks.

Before you decide whether you wish to become a parent Governor, you may want to know a bit more about what is involved. Governors need not be experts in the field of education. What they do need is an interest in the school and in the welfare of our children and the time and willingness to get involved. Governors also need what is known as ‘soft skills’ – the ability to be able to build relationships with a range of people, to be able to work as part of a team, to be able to question, and to make connections between different types of information. All governors are expected to be able to read straightforward budget reports and data on school standards. (Training will be provided if necessary.

The Trust expects governors to;

• attend three termly meetings of the  Local Governing Body (information regarding meeting times is outlined in the FAQ information sheet attached to this letter)
• If availability permits, sit on one additional committee and attend the meetings which are usually once per term.
• Governors are expected to attend school once per term to complete a link governor monitoring visit.
• commit to attend training courses, as necessary.

In return, our governing body commits to

• provide you with a structured induction
• provide access to quality training materials
• provide you with an experienced governor as mentor

If you are interested in applying to sit as a parent governor on the Governing Board, please complete an expression of interest, via the following link;

The deadline for governor nomination forms is Friday 9th June 2023

Please note that where we receive more nominations than the number of posts available, a ballot will be held. The committee clerk will advise individual candidates of this process should the need for a ballot arise.

We look forward to receiving governor nominations forms, and if you have any questions in regards to this matter, please contact Lauren Jones, the Trust’s Governance professions via email; ljones@aatrust.co.uk

Yours sincerely,

Ben Dumayne
Headteacher

Frequently Asked Questions

How much time will it take up?

Meetings of the Local Governing Board are held once per term from 5.00 – 7.00 pm. Additional committees usually meet once per term, from 3.00 pm for an hour or so. There will be additional training sessions offered to you, to suit your availability on an ad-hoc basis. You will need to spend some time reading the agenda, the minutes and other papers to prepare for a meeting. All preparatory meeting paperwork will be sent out to you, at least 1 week in advance of the meeting date.  Governor appointments are for a period of four years.

Can I get help with child-minding costs?

Yes, if you need to employ a child-minder for evening meetings, then you can claim some of the costs back from the school.

Can I get help to understand what happens at meetings?

Yes: The Chair and Clerk will meet new governors before their first meeting to talk through the agenda. If you feel it would be helpful, we could provide you with another governor as a “mentor” to help you through the first few meetings. The excellent induction training provided by the Trust will help you to understand how governing bodies operate. Induction training can be booked with the committee clerk to suit your availability.

Do I get paid for being a governor?

No. All school governors are unpaid volunteers.

What do governors actually do?

School Governors are responsible for the strategic direction of the schools within the Trust: they make long term decisions about the progress and development of the schools. Governors agree on Trust policies and set targets for pupil achievement and attendance. School Governors ensure that all schools with the Trust provide the highest standard of education for every child.

Can I talk to parents or other people about what goes on in meetings?

You can talk about matters in a very general way, but you must not identify any individual member of staff or any child. Part of the agenda is strictly confidential (it covers discipline, exclusions and similar items) and you must not talk about anything discussed in that section. Governors are asked to agree to a Code of Conduct that will be explained at your first meeting

What are the benefits of becoming a governor?

You will learn how the schools within the Amethyst Trust manage their budget, personnel and buildings, and how school policies are developed.

Are there any restrictions on becoming a governor?

Governors must be over 18 years of age; not be bankrupt, nor have served a long prison sentence nor have been disqualified from working with children. All governors are required to sign a declaration to this effect and a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Check will be carried out.

If I enjoy being a governor, how can I develop my role within the Trust’s Governance system.

Experienced governors, with a strong skill set are encouraged to express their interests in a trust board position, when these become available. A number of our Directors who sit at Trust Board Level, have been long serving members of our school’s governing body, and have acquired a broad range of skills which now serves them well as Directors, with strategic oversight of the Trust. (please see our website for more information about of current governance model)

PARENT GOVERNOR – ELIGIBILITY FORM

Are you eligible to be a governor?

People may not serve as a parent governor who:

• are at any time during their period of office detained under the Mental Health Act 1983(c);
• have failed to attend the governing body meetings for a continuous period of six months, beginning with the date of the first meeting they failed to attend, without the consent of the governing body (not applicable to ex officio Governors);
• their estate has been sequestrated and the sequestration has not been discharged, annulled or reduced; or they are the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or an interim order;
• are subject to a disqualification order or disqualification undertaking under the Company Directors Act 1986, a disqualification order under Part 2 of the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, a disqualification undertaking accepted under the Company Directors Disqualification (Northern Ireland) Order 2002, or an order made under section 492(2)(b) of the Insolvency Act 1986 (failure to pay under county court administration order);
• have been removed from the office of charity trustee or trustee for a charity by the Charity Commissioners or High Court on grounds of any misconduct or mismanagement, or under Section 7 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 from being concerned in the management or control of anybody;
• are included in the list of teachers or workers prohibited or restricted from working with children or young people; · works at the academy for more than 500 hours per year;
• are disqualified from working with children;
• are disqualified from being an independent Academy proprietor, teacher or employee by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills;
• have received a sentence of imprisonment (whether suspended or not) for a period of not less than three months (without the option of a fine) in the five years before becoming a governor or since becoming a governor;
• have received a prison sentence of 2.5 years or more in the 20 years before becoming a Governor;
• have at any time received a prison sentence of five years or more; · have been fined for causing a nuisance or disturbance on academy premises during the five years prior to or since appointment or election as a governor;
• refuse an application being made for an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, formally CRB)

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