Penns Primary School
PENNS PRIMARY SCHOOL GOVERNING BODY
Why do we have Governors?
The Governing Body is responsible for the strategic day to day function of the school, as this has now been taken away from the Local Authority. This means that the needs of the school are assessed and addressed by a team working in, or closely with the school each day. School Governors are the largest volunteer force in England, and no other group carries the same level of responsibility or scrutiny.
What do they do?
Governors sign up to a Code of Conduct to ensure that they are following the expected standards of those in public office.
There are different categories of Governor, which complete a board of twelve at Penns, including the Head Teacher, a representative from the Local Authority, parents of pupils or recent pupils at school, and those with an interest in the running of the school. All Governors have to undertake a DBS (previously a CRB) check.
The areas of management covered by the Governing Body are: Finance, Staff, Pupils, Curriculum, Buildings and Communication with additional responsibilities in each area.
Penns governors have specific areas of focus within the school curriculum e.g. Numeracy, Literacy, Special Educational Needs, Pupil Premium Funding and also have particular roles within the wider running of the school.
As a small school with a limited number of Governors, it would be difficult to have a committee and separate meetings for each of these categories, so they are combined into smaller sections.
Each of our committees meet about 5 times per year and the Chairperson of each committee reports to the rest of the Governing Body. Committee meetings might start at 8.00a.m or 1.15p.m., lasting for about 1.5 hours. A Full Governing Body meeting will usually start at 5.30 pm and last for at least 2 hours. Other committee meetings, site visits and training sessions both in school and at external venues are attended as necessary on an individual basis, including at weekends.
OUR GOVERNORS
Mr John Clemson (Chair) Mr Tom Hulin (Co-opted) Mrs Levain Preston (Vice Chair and Safeguarding Governor, Mrs Lisa Martin (Co-opted), Ms Ebony Campbell (Co-opted), Mr Igal Nagar (Co-opted), Vacancy (Parent), Mrs Zoe Throup (Parent), Mrs Kate Doogan (Staff), Mrs R Sheffield (Co-opted)
We currently have two vacancies:
1 x parent governor (closing date on 31st October)
1 x co-opted governor
THE BASICS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
https://www.good-governance.org.uk/publications/insights/the-basics-of-good-governance
We agree to abide by the Seven Nolan Principles of Public Life:
The Annual Governance Statement for the Governing Board of Penns Primary School September 2022
The Effective Governing Board
Engaging with parents and carers - a guide for governing bodies
file:///G:/My%20Drive/Downloads/nga-engaging-parents-20211126.pdf
CHAIR OF GOVERNORS
JOHN CLEMSON
MBE, CHAIR OF TRUSTEES
MBE
HonFBC
ABSM
Cert. Ed
Honorary Doctor of Birmingham City University
We are delighted and thrilled that John has been awarded an MBE in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to Birmingham's Music Service and in his role as Chair of MTW's Trustees on the New Year Honours list 2016. Born and educated in Birmingham, John Clemson studied to diploma level at Birmingham School of Music (now Birmingham Conservatoire) with the 'cello as his main instrument. He then gained a Cert Ed and combined a career as a' cello teacher, initially with Solihull Music Service, with work as a freelance musician. John moved from Solihull to Birmingham Music Service in 1976 and continued as a 'cello teacher and added double bass. He introduced minibass teaching to the City and has many ex pupils, both 'cello and double bass, active as players and teachers.
He has held a number of managerial posts in Birmingham at increasing levels of responsibility from 1991 and was Head of Service from March 2000 to August 2014. The Birmingham Music Service HMI/OFSTED inspection took place in March 2001 and from the report - "The Birmingham Music Service has strong management and is well led by the Head of Service, an established tutor and highly regarded in this new role".
During his time as Head of Service the numbers of pupils supported each week by the Music Service increased fourfold and is now in excess of 33,000.
John was a nationally elected representative for five years, and then Secretary, of the Federation of Music
Services. He was also Chair of the British Suzuki Institute School Committee for ten years. He is a governor of two primary schools and sits on a number of other management and advisory boards. He has been a Trustee of Music Therapy Works since it was founded in 2000.
John was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of Birmingham Conservatoire in June 2007 and the MBE in the New Year Honours List 2016. He has also recently received an Honorary Doctorate from Birmingham City University in recognition of his lifetime of service to education in Birmingham.