Our Governors

Who are the Governors?

Welcome to the Governors area of Cross in Hand Church of England Primary School website. My name is Mrs Vicky Crouch and I am the Chair of Governors. Cross in Hand School Governors play a very important role within our school. They work closely with the Headteacher and staff to ensure the best possible education for our children.

Our Governors come from a variety of backgrounds and offer a range of experience. They often visit the school to work with the children and to see what is happening.

With new legislation and initiatives continually coming on stream, we use many different forms of keeping ourselves up to date, including the reading of publications from county and government; making use of on-line forums for governors; attending training courses run by the Governor Services Department at East Sussex County Council and by the Diocesan Board of Education; and other officially recognised sources.

What do Governors do?

The day-to-day management of the school is the responsibility of the Head Teacher. The Governors support the Head in helping to shape the school's future direction and focus.

We are very pleased that at our last Ofsted inspection, it was found that:

The governing body provides effective support and challenge for school leaders.
Governors have strengthened links with parents.
Governors have a good understanding of the quality of teaching.

Governors do not work as individuals but as a team - the Governing Body - providing strategic leadership and accountability in the school. The governing body acts as a ‘critical friend’ to the Head Teacher, with duties and responsibilities which include:

setting the aims and objectives of the school
setting policies in order to achieve aims and objectives
setting targets for pupil achievement
monitoring and evaluating the progress the school is making
managing the school’s finances
making sure the curriculum is balanced and broadly based
appointing staff
reviewing Head Teacher performance and pay

Our Foundation Governors are responsible for the Christian ethos of the school. Governors individually also have an area of specific responsibility, a ‘link’, to a particular area of school, many relating to areas of the curriculum (Further details about the governing body can be downloaded below).

The full governing body meet termly with an alternate focus on leadership & management and achievement & standards. A Finance committee also meet on a termly basis.

A Governor’s term of office is four years, and they may be re-elected at the end of that term.