Governing board
The governing board is the employer and has overall responsibility for the running of the school. Governors play an important role in the strategic direction of the school, in ensuring that the school meets its statutory obligations and deploys it’s resources to maximum effect for the benefit of the pupils.
Representatives of the parish, deanary and diocesan board as well as staff, parents, the parish priest and the headteacher make up the school’s governing board.
Governors also engage in the day-to-day life of the school, attending services, meeting staff and visiting the school whilst it is in session.
The governors also meet termly at a formal governing body meeting. Details of the Governing Board and its members can be found at the foot of this page. Minutes from the meeting are published and are available at the foot of this page.
If you need to contact the Chair of Governors you may do so by this email chair@stpauls.hounslow.sch.uk
Can you help our school as an LDBS Foundation Governor?
We are currently looking to appoint school governors to join our governing board as LDBS (London Diocesan Board for Schools) Foundation governors.
Foundation governors form the majority of governors on our board and help to ensure that the Christian foundation of the school is protected in the decisions that governors take.
You probably don’t have any direct links with us and we probably don’t know you. This is important for LDBS foundation governors. If we know you well, you work for us, your child attends our school or you attend our attached church, you wouldn’t be eligible to be an LDBS Foundation Governor. You may be able to join our governing board in another role. As a practising Christian, your commitment to Church schools and children’s education is what we really need. We’ll get to know each other over time!
Why be a school governor?
School governance gives you a chance to help develop and steer the strategic direction of the school, helping to ensure that current and future pupils and families get the best out of their time at the school. Governors work closely together and with school leaders to achieve this.
The key duties of governors are to:
- Work with other board members to plan the school’s strategic direction,
- oversee the school’s financial performance, ensuring money is well-spent,
- hold school leaders to account,
- engage with pupils, staff, parents and the school community to understand their views.
What is the commitment?
School governors bring their own set of skills and expertise to the role and this often shapes how they work as governors. Some governors may visit the school regularly and engage with staff and pupils in lots of different ways, whilst others may mainly attend the key meetings and governance events.
All governors attend a termly (three in a calendar year) meeting, at 7pm on a Thursday (November, March, June). Governors also join a committee and attend a termly meeting, usually during school hours. Each meeting has an agenda and a document pack to read before the meeting.
There are additional meetings, which governors are invited to attend, such as School Improvement meetings, learning review mornings and others. Some governors may also take on a specific area of responsibility, such as safeguarding, Special Educational Needs or health and safety. This may involve additional meetings with the post holder in school.
What do I get from being a school governor?
You join a close-knit team working to support the future of our young people.
You gain valuable governance experience to enhance a CV and build connections.
You gain a much deeper understanding of how the education system operates.
You can make a tangible difference in your community.
Over recent years, our governors have:
- Evolved a new catering offer for the children in our school.
- Re-visited the vision of the school, including bringing about change to our admissions criteria to enable local children to secure a place in the school.
- Supported the expansion of the school’s nursery offer.
- Helped to steer the school through the financial challenges of inflation and a declining pupil population across London.
- Volunteered to read with children across the school.
- Volunteered to support older children develop and enhance their grammar.
- Run a school chess club.
- Met with parents, staff and pupils to evaluate the school’s provision.
Find out more and/or apply to become an LDBS governor
Most potential governors have a number of questions about the role before they apply. If you are interested but want to discuss things a bit further, please contact John Wright, the headteacher on 020 8560 3297 or office@stpauls.hounslow.sch.uk
Financial Information
Our school’s financial benchmarking data can be found here.
