Our Governing Body

Governors work closely with headteachers, school staff and representatives from the local authority (LA).

Governor Committee Structure

Click on the names below the find out more about our Governors

Name	Representing	Term of Office	Committee	Responsibilities	Register of Interests	Relationships in school
Mrs Veronica Kelsey	Diocese	10/03/25	Headteacher Performance Review Hearings First Committee incorporating Pay Review	Chair of Governing Body Safeguarding, Prevent and FGM Governor	None	None
Mrs Lauren Blakey	Staff	10/03/25	Admissions Committee	E-Safety and Child Sexual Exploitation Governor	Employed by St Michael's School	Teacher at St Michael's School
Mrs Jo Bruton	School	ongoing	All	Whole school	Employed by St Michael's School	Headteacher of St Michael's School
Mrs Elizabeth Hidson	Diocese	10/03/25	Hearings First Committee incorporating Pay Review	Pupil Premium and LAC children Governor	Employed by Sunderland University	None
Fr David Coxon	Diocese	10/03/25	Admissions Committee	Vice Chair of Governors Religious Life of School Governor	Foundation Governor at Federation of St Joseph's and Our Lady Queen of Martyrs School	Parish Priest
Mrs Gemma Spence	Parent	10/03/25	Admissions Committee	Remote Learning Governor	Relax Kids Coach Employed at St Bede's School	Parent at the school
Cllr Bev Coult	Associate Governor	10/03/25	Headteachers Performance Review	Vice Chair of Governors SEND Governor	Local Authority Councillor LA Governor at Langley Park Primary School Treasurer of Langley Park Primary School Secretary of Langley Park Allotments Secretary of Langley Park and Bear Park Cricket Club	None
Mrs Bev Rochester	Diocese	10/03/25	Hearings First Committee incorporating Pay Review	Sports Premium Governor	None	Parent at the School

Recent Resignations

Mrs Ruth Veitch (Foundation) Resigned from post October 2020
Mr Jonathan Yates (Diocese) Resigned from post June 2020
Mrs Kate Turner (Parent) Resigned from post February 2020
Mrs Kim Ivory (Parent) Resigned from post May 2019
Cllr Mike McGaun (LA) Resigned from post December 2018
Mrs Jude Gallagher (Diocese) Resigned from post August 2018
Mrs Tanya Watson (Parent) Resigned from post May 2018

How To Become A School Governor

If you require further information on the roles and responsibilities of School Governors or you are interested in becoming one, visit the Durham County Council website School Governor section.

Statutory Guidance for Governing Bodies

St Michael’s RC Primary School, adhere to the statutory guidance from the Department for Education. This means that governing bodies must have regard to it when carrying out duties relating to the constitution of governing bodies in maintained schools. For further information please view or download the full document below.

The Constitution of Governing Bodies of Maintained Schools (2017)

Annual Governance Statement

Annual Governance Statement for the Governing Body 2020

Governor Attendance

Schools are required to display a record of Governor attendance at meetings for each school academic year.

KEY
✓ – Attended meeting
A/A – Apologies sent and accepted by meeting
x – Did not attend
N/A – Not a member of the committee

Record of Governor Attendance 2020–2021

Name	Full Governing Body Meeting 13/10/20	Meeting [add date]
Mrs Veronica Kelsey	✓	✓
Mrs Lauren Blakey	✓	AA
Mrs Jo Bruton	✓	✓
Fr David Coxon	✓	✓
Mrs Gemma Spence	✓	AA
Cllr Bev Coult	✓	✓
Mrs Elizabeth Hidson	✓	✓
Mrs Rosaleen Palmer	✓	Resigned January 2021
Mrs Ruth Veitch	✓	Resigned December 2020
Mrs Christina Harrison	✓	Resigned December 2020
Mrs Julia Brown	✓	✓

Archived Attendance
You can also view previous years attendance on our website.

Committee Terms of Reference

Finance & Premises Committee (incorporating village hall)

CHAIR:
Terms of Reference:

In conjunction with the Headteacher to draft the first formal budget plan of the financial year, for approval by the full Governing Body.
To establish and maintain an up to date 3 year financial plan.
To monitor income and expenditure, including virement decisions, significant anomalies from the anticipated position and report termly to the Governing Body.
To ensure the school operates within the financial regulations of the County Council and the requirements of the DfE Financial Management Standard for Schools.
To monitor expenditure of all voluntary funds kept on behalf of the Governing Body.
To annually review charges and remissions policies and expenses policies.
To make decisions in respect of service level agreements.
To make decisions on expenditure following recommendations from other committees.
To prepare financial statements for inclusion in any reports to parents.
To ensure as far as is practical that any Health and Safety (H&S) issues are appropriately funded in accordance with priorities.
To ensure that Pay Review Committee and Pay Appeal Committee decisions are appropriately funded.

Meetings: Termly, or each half term, planned to coincide with Oracle.
Disqualifications: when there may be a conflict of interest; a fair hearing is required; or a pecuniary interest. Associate members may not vote.

Personnel Committee

CHAIR:
Terms of Reference:

To carry out an annual review of the staffing structure in consultation with the Headteacher and the Finance Committee.
To oversee the appointment procedure for all staff.
To establish and review a performance management policy for all staff.
To keep under review work/life balance, working conditions and well being, including the monitoring of absence.
To make recommendations to the Finance Committee on Personnel-related expenditure.

Meetings: As and when required.
Pecuniary interest.

Delegation to the Headteacher

School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009.

Appointment: The Governing Body can delegate the power to appoint outside the leadership group to:

The Headteacher
One or more Governors with the right of the Headteacher to advise
One or more Governors and the Headteacher.

Delegate to the Headteacher as above for:

Permanent teaching staff posts
Permanent support staff posts
Temporary staff

Dismissals: Governing Body delegates to Headteacher responsibility for up to and including first written warning/first and final warning:

All staff other than Headteacher, unless exceptional circumstances exist
Headteacher to a committee of the Governing Body

Governing Body delegates to the Hearings/First Committee for the dismissal of all staff unless exceptional circumstance exist.

Headteacher’s Performance Review Committee

CHAIR:
Terms of Reference:

To arrange to meet with the Education Development Partner (EDP) to discuss the Headteacher’s performance targets.
To decide with support from the EA or EDP whether the targets have been met and to set new targets annually.
To monitor throughout the year the performance of the Headteacher against the targets.
To make recommendations to the appropriate committee in respect of awards for the successful meeting of set targets.

Meetings: Autumn term, plus monitoring meetings.
Disqualifications: the Headteacher and staff.

Hearings/First Committee (incorporating Pay Review)

CHAIR:
Terms of Reference:

To make any decisions under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body, e.g. disciplinary, grievance, ill health etc where the Headteacher is the subject of the action.
To make any decisions relating to a member of staff (other than the Headteacher) under the Personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body (unless delegated to the Headteacher).
Reducing the staffing.
To act in accordance with the Whole School Pay Policy adopted by the Governing Body to include matters relating to: teaching and learning responsibility payments, SEN (Special Educational Needs) allowances, recruitment and retention payments, points for previous experience, bursaries, regradings.
To report to the Finance Committee on Pay Review-related expenditure.

Meetings: Autumn term, plus monitoring meetings.

Disqualifications: The Headteacher; School Staff; the Chair of Governors (if he/she has prior knowledge or involvement); Spouse/partner; Pecuniary interest

Delegation to the Headteacher

Under the 2003 Staffing Regulations the Governing Body determines the extent to which it delegates to the Headteacher responsibility, up to and including initial dismissal decisions for school staff.

Appeals Committee

CHAIR:
Terms of Reference:

To consider any appeal against a decision to dismiss a member of staff made by the Hearing/First Committee (or Headteacher if delegated).
To consider any appeal against a decision under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body. (eg disciplinary, pay review etc).
To consider any appeal against selection for redundancy.

Meetings: As and when required. Must have no fewer members than the Hearing.
Disqualifications: Headteacher. Any Governor who was involved in the hearing. Spouse/partner.

Admissions Committee (Voluntary Aided Schools only)

CHAIR:
Terms of Reference:

To determine within statutory provisions and the Governing Body policy whether any child shall be admitted to the school.
To review admission arrangements and to make recommendations for changes to the Governing Body.

Meetings: As and when required.
Disqualifications: Associate members may not vote.

Raising Standards Committee

Terms of Reference:

To make recommendations to the Governing Body and review the school’s curriculum statement and policies as required in the light of the LA curriculum statement and statutory obligations regarding the National Curriculum.
In collaboration with the staff to provide information about how the curriculum is taught, evaluated and resourced.
To review the policy and provision for sex education and to make recommendations where necessary.
To review the policy and provision for collective worship and RE and to make recommendations where necessary.
To monitor and review information about school performance and reporting to parents accordingly to statutory requirements.
To contribute to the School Development Plan.
Curriculum/performance review including target setting and monitoring mechanisms.

Meetings: Half termly.

Virement & Expenditure Limits

Virement Limits		Expenditure Limits
Limit set for Headteacher without prior written approval of Chair or Governing Body	£5,000	Any items of expenditure up to	£5,000
Limit set for Headteacher with approval from Chair of Governors	£5,000 to £10,000	Above this limit if item was previously notified to the Governing Body. Prior Finance Committee or Chair of Governors approval (whichever is the soonest) to be sought outside of this limit and reported at the earliest opportunity.
Prior Finance Committee or Chair of Governors approval (whichever is the soonest) to be sought outside of this limit and reported at the earliest opportunity.

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