St Chad’s Catholic Primary School is a Voluntary Aided Catholic Primary School situated in the Archdiocese of Liverpool and maintained by Lancashire County Council. The Governing body of any Catholic Voluntary Aided School, like St Chad's, is made up of Foundation Governors appointed by the Archdiocese and elected representatives of Parents, Staff, and the Local Authority.
Mr K Rollins Chair & Foundation Governor
Mr G Roberts Vice-chair & Parent Governor
Mr J Riley Headteacher
Mrs J Hart Foundation Governor
Mrs C Burrow Foundation Governor
Mr B Derbyshire Foundation Governor
Miss L Gillibrand Staff Governor
Mrs Tina Newall LA Nominated Governor
Mrs S Noblet Foundation Governor
Mrs S Blackledge Parent Governor
Mr P Heskine Foundation Governor
Governors are the strategic leaders of our school and have a vital role to play in making sure every child gets the best possible education. The effectiveness of school governance is an important part of overall school performance and a key part of the system for school accountability.
The governing body has three core functions:
1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
The governing body is the key strategic decision-making body of our school. It is their role to set the school’s strategic framework and to ensure all statutory duties are met.
2. Holding the head teacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff;
The governing body works to support and strengthen the leadership of the headteacher, and holds them to account for the day-to-day running of the school, including the performance management of teachers. Having advised the governing body, the head teacher must comply with any reasonable direction given by it.
3. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
The governing body ensures that resources are allocated in line with strategic priorities, making full use of assets and efficient use of all financial resources. Governors need to make sure that the school achieves good value for money from its budgeted resources.
The headteacher works closely with the governing body as its principal professional advisor. Governing body policy decisions are then implemented by the headteacher in the day-to-day running of the school. Importantly, the governing body is a source of challenge, as well as support to the headteacher.
There are 12 governors on St Chad’s Governing Body, including seven foundation governors, two parent governors, a staff governor and a local authority governor. The Headteacher is also a governor.
A foundation governor is a practicing Catholic who is appointed by the Archdiocese. They have the responsibility of assisting the Bishop, by sustaining and developing the Catholic ethos and distinctive Catholic nature of the school in which they serve. The person is usually a member of the school’s parish community, often a current parent who has offered to be a governor, selected by the Governing body in agreement of the parish priest. A foundation governor is usually nominated by the parish priest, who sends an application to the Liverpool Archdiocese of Catholic Education (LACE), where the position is approved and ratified.
Parent and staff appointments are done by election conducted by a designated officer appointed by the governing body, usually the head teacher. The Governing Body appoints the Authority Governor.
Co-opted governors are appointed by the Governing body and are people who, in the opinion of the governing body, have the skills required to contribute to the effective governance and success of the school.
Each governor has a term of office of four years with the opportunity for re-election. The composition of the governing body is reviewed on a regular basis to make sure it has the right balance of skills, experience and perspectives to be effective and meet its statutory responsibilities.
The full governing body meets at least once term. In addition committees, which have specific responsibilities such as Teaching, Learning and Welfare (TL&W), Standards and Effectiveness (SEC), and Resources (R) meet termly before each full governing body meeting. There are other committees that meet less frequently or on an ad-hoc basis when required, as well as other meetings and time commitments depending on the school’s plans and activities underway.
A list of the main committee membership over the past twelve months, including Chairs of Committees, along with dates of tenure and declared interests are summarised in the table below:
Governor | Term start | Term end | Committee membership | Declared interests * |
Mr J Riley | 13/04/15 | 12/04/24 | R, TL&W, SEC | None |
Mrs J Hart (Vice-Chair) | 04/09/12 | 31/08/24 | TL&W (Chair), SEC | Holy Cross Catholic High School, Chorley (Governor) |
Mr G Roberts (Chair) | 20/09/15 | 19/09/23 | R, SEC (Chair) | None |
Mrs C Burrow | 18/09/17 | 17/09/25 | R, SEC | None |
Mr B Derbyshire | 01/09/12 | 312/08/24 | R (Chair), SEC | St. Oswald's Catholic Primary School (Governor) |
Miss L Gillibrand | 15/04/21 | 14/04/25 | R, TL&W | None |
Mrs T Newall | 26/03/18 | 25/03/22 | R, TL&W | None |
Mrs S Noblet | 05/03/15 | 04/03/23 | SEC, TL&W | St Mary's RC Primary School, Euxton (Governor) |
Mr K Rollins | 18/02/13 | 17/02/25 | R, SEC | None |
Mrs S Blackledge | 08/10/18 | 07/10/22 | SEC, TL&W | None |
| Mr P Heskine | 10/02/22 | 09/02/26 | R, SEC | None |
*Each year, every governor is asked to disclose any relevant interests pertaining to governance of an educational establishment. In doing so they state:
School governors constitute one of the largest volunteer groups in Great Britain. They are people from all walks of life who care about children’s education and are prepared to work to support the school and local community.
Governors do not need educational expertise but bring their own experiences and life skills to the team – in fact this is essential. They also need to be able to work as an enthusiastic member of the governing body team. Governors take part in regular training events to ensure their skills are up-to-date, including those relating to effectiveness, standards, safeguarding and finance.
We are always interested to hear from people that feel that they could offer their time, skills and experience as a school governor. While our constitution states a fixed number of governors, each with a fixed term, there are occasionally new vacancies that arise.
Each year the Governing body will provide an annual statement setting out the key issues addressed over the last year, including an assessment of the impact of the Governing body on the school.
We are always keen to hear from current or prospective parents or other members of the community, particularly if they have a specific question, issue or concern about the school. If this relates to a specific child or operational matter within school, the first point of call should be the class teacher, deputy head or head teacher, but the chair of governors can be contacted directly by email at stchadsgovernors@gmail.com or through the school office.
Click link below to view governor attendance at meetings during this academic year: