About the Governors

The governors of Cumberland School are volunteers drawn from the school’s community. It includes parents, representatives of the staff, representatives of the local authority and others with particular skills and experience to contribute.  As a group, the governors are committed to the school as a vital part of the local community and to helping it provide the best possible education for our young people. The governors share and endorse the vision of the school to equip every Cumberland pupil with the knowledge and skills to develop as individuals, to contribute as citizens and to build happy and fulfilling lives.

 

In its most recent report on the school Ofsted said, “Governors are rigorous in performing their statutory roles and fully involved in the strategic direction of the school.”

 

Governor responsibilities

At Cumberland School the governors make important collective decisions and our governing body is answerable to parents and the wider community. Governors are responsible for helping to provide an environment in which a good quality education can be delivered. The specific responsibilities fo the governing body include:

 

·         Promoting high standards of education and achievement

·         Planning the school's long-term future

·         Setting the school's aims and values

·         Appointing senior staff, including the headteacher

·         Budgetary allocation and control

·         Acting as a critical friend to the headteacher by providing support and challenge

 

Governors are not involved in the day-to-day management of the school; that is the responsibility of the headteacher.

 

The governing body meets each term and relies on committees to advise their decisions. The governors are expected to attend termly meetings and serve on one or more of the committees where they have an interest or can add value. At Cumberland our committees address issues such as:

 

·         Students + Standards

·         Strategy + Communication

·         Resources (including budget and finance)

 

Membership        

Total membership: 18

 

Becoming a School Governor

School governance is the most important volunteering role in education.  An effective governing body is a source of enormous strength to a school and being a school governor is a rewarding way of making an important contribution to education.

Anyone aged 18 or over can become a school or college governor.  No specialist qualifications are needed and people from many different backgrounds volunteer for the role.

 

Enthusiasm, commitment and an interest in education are the most important qualities. You don’t need to have a family member attending a school or college to become a governor.

 

Being a governor is an enormously challenging and rewarding opportunity.  The personal benefits can be summarised as:

 

·         A sense of satisfaction through knowing children will benefit from your efforts

·         The opportunity to develop new skills and to strengthen existing ones

·         The opportunity to gain understanding in key areas such as finance, personnel and strategic planning

·         The opportunity to gain awareness of the education system as a whole.