Welcome! On behalf of the Governing Body at Wigginton, welcome to our school and to our refurbished website. As governors we want to ensure that children here are safe, happy, and in line with the school’s vision, develop open and enquiring minds and a love of learning that will last a lifetime. The school is a special place and we hope your children will enjoy their time with us. So whether you are a pupil, a parent, a new member of staff, or just a visitor: welcome.
What is the Governing Body? The Governing Body is made up of representatives of the school staff, parents, the Local Authority and members of the local community. This range of people is intended to provide a broad and balanced selection of viewpoints and to represent each sector of the school’s community. At Wigginton it functions as a strong working group of 12 people committed to promoting high quality education and to the welfare and development of our school. Governors meet five times a year as a full governing body and each governor also sits on one or two committees which also meet regularly. Among other responsibilities governors ensure the National Curriculum is taught, decide the school’s aims and values, set appropriate targets for student achievement, develop and review the School Improvement Plan, decide how the school’s budget is spent, establish and review staff performance management, manage legal duties (e.g. to students with Special Educational Needs), self-evaluate the school’s strengths and weaknesses, hear exclusion and disciplinary appeals, ensure that the buildings and furnishings are kept in good order, and prioritise responses to a plethora of government initiatives! Governors also have responsibility for appointing the Headteacher to whom they delegate the day to day running of the school and thus do NOT get involved in the operational aspects of school – this is the job of the Headteacher and his staff.
What makes a good governor? The most important quality is the desire to make a difference to children’s lives through education. Governors also bring a desire to help the local community, an external perspective, an ability to think creatively, a willingness to challenge assumptions and have the time to get involved. It’s also important to have the ability to work as part of a team. It's both a challenging and highly rewarding role and full training is provided.
Does it matter? It does. According to OFSTED, “…where governance is good, standards of attainment are more likely to be higher than in other schools. The quality of teaching, the behaviour of the pupils, and leadership and management are also more likely to be good. Where governance is weak, schools are more likely to be less successful overall.”
If you’d like to have an informal discussion about the possibility of becoming a Governor, please contact myself, Chair of the Governing Body, via the school office.
Mandy Windass, Chair of Governors