Our Governors | Kelvin Grove Primary School

A Word

From Our Chair OF GovernorS

“A big welcome to Kelvin Grove’s Governors page. My name is Ian Mearns and I have served in the past as Chair of Governors so I was delighted to be re-elected last year. I am immensely proud to serve my community and Kelvin Grove Community Primary School.”

I am currently the Member of Parliament for Gateshead, and before that I was a local councillor for Saltwell ward for 27 years.

As the MP for Gateshead my job is to represent the views of my constituents in Parliament where, amongst other things, I also serve on the House of Commons Education Select Committee.

The Governing Body’s responsibility lies in curriculum delivery, personnel matters, school finances and the maintenance of the school premises, as well as having an oversight of the welfare of our entire school community.

Above all our responsibility is to ensure that every child receives the best possible education in a happy and safe environment. The governors work in partnership with the Head Teacher, Deputy Head and the staff to promote the aims and values of Kelvin Grove.

I’m proud that Kelvin Grove offers an inspirational learning environment, where aspiration and self-belief are championed in order for pupils to fulfil their full potential. Working together ensure that every pupil gets the best educational start in life possible.

Ian Mearns
Chair of Governors

What does a school governor do?

Governors are responsible for overseeing the management side of a school: strategy, policy, budgeting and staffing. They enable their school to run as effectively as possible, working alongside senior leaders and supporting teachers to provide excellent education to children. Being a school governor is a commitment to attending governing body meetings which consider issues such as setting the school vision, mitigating financial risk and scrutinising educational outcomes. They are also involved in the school community, acting as critical friends to the headteacher and senior leaders. Governors bring a wide range of skills and expertise from their professional lives to the governing board and schools benefit greatly from working with skilled volunteers, for example anyone with experience of finance, law, premises management or human resources. A governor with business know-how can transform the running of a school.

Core governor responsibilities

Setting the strategic direction

Governing bodies are the key strategic decision makers in every school. Along with the Head Teacher, it is the job of a governing body to set the school’s aims and objectives around how the school will develop and improve. They set policies, formulate plans and agree targets to help the school achieve these objectives, as well as regularly reviewing their strategic framework in light of that progress.

Creating robust accountability

The governing body is there to support and challenge the school’s senior leadership team. They play a crucial role in holding the Head Teacher to account for securing the best possible outcomes for pupils. By challenging key decisions and asking pertinent questions about the school’s performance data, governors aim to guarantee high standards in education.

Ensuring financial probit

Governing bodies have a strategic role in the financial management of schools. Their key responsibilities include, setting financial priorities through the school development plan, 3 year financial plan and the annual budget. They also decide on how the school’s delegated budget should be spent in accordance with the school improvement plan and statutory curriculum requirement.