Governors work closely with headteachers, school staff and representatives from the local authority (LA).
Our Governors
The role of the Governing Body is to work with the school’s management team to provide strategic direction to raise standards, monitor progress, and ensure best use is made of school resources. We aim to ultimately achieve our mission of “high quality teaching and learning that challenges pupils to raise their expectations and standards in a safe environment through a creative, experimental and experiential curriculum for the development of the whole child in a secure, happy and nurturing school community”.
Our Governing Body is made up of 14 Governors from a combination of Parent Governors (parents of children at the school), Staff Governors, Foundation Governors, Local Authority Governors (nominated by Durham County Council) and Co-opted Governors (members of the local community). Each Governor (with the exception of the Teaching Staff Governor) has allocated to them areas of special interest and acts as the curriculum Link Governor between the school and Full Governing Body.
Governor Committee Structure
Detailed below are the names of our Governors and their Special Interest Area(s). Please note that we are currently updating the committee structure following our recent federation with Bowes Hutchinson’s Primary:
| Name | Representing | Term of Office Started | Term of Office Ends | Committee | Responsibilities | Register of Interests | Relationship to Staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mr Peter Nicholls | Foundation Governor | 11/1/2021 | 10/1/2025 | Foundation. Children's Curriculum and Community. Finance. | Safeguarding, Child Protection Looked After Children | None declared | |
| Alison Butler | Parent | 11/1/2021 | 10/1/2025 | Children's Curriculum and Community. Finance. | English Modern Foreign Languages | None declared | |
| Chris Matthewman | Statutory | 11/1/2021 | - | Foundation. Children's Curriculum and Community. Finance. | _ | Head Teacher | None declared |
| Richard Bell | Foundation | 8/2/2021 | 7/2/2025 | Foundation Governor. Finance. | History | Durham County Councillor | None declared |
| Chris Marmont | Foundation | 10/2/2021 | 9/2/2025 | Foundation Governor. Finance. | Geography | None declared | |
| Richard Batchelor | Associate | 24/11/2017 | 23/11/2021 | Children's Curriculum and Community. | _ | Teacher. Wife is HLTA | Married to HLTA Mrs Jane Batchelor |
| Sue Scaife | Teaching Staff | 11/1/2021 | 10/1/2025 | Children's Curriculum and Community. | _ | Teacher. Husband is teacher. | Teacher. Husband is teacher Chris Scaife. |
| Martin Sayer | Foundation | 11/1/2021 | 10/1/2025 | Foundation Governor. | None declared | ||
| Louise Whitburn | Parent | 11/1/2021 | 10/1/2025 | Finance. | Science Health & Safety | None declared | |
| Penny Sunderland | Foundation | 8/2/2021 | 7/2/2025 | Foundation Governor | RE Assemblies | None declared | |
| Rachel Atkinson | Parent | 11/1/2021 | 10/1/2025 | Children's Curriculum and Community. | None declared | ||
| John Degnan | Foundation | 11/1/2021 | 10/1/2025 | Foundation Governor | Art & Design Design Technology | None declared | |
| Trish Jarrett | Local Authority | 11/1/2021 | 10/1/2025 | Children's Curriculum and Community. | Maths | None declared |
Statutory Guidance for Governing Bodies
Cotherstone Primary 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 about our Governors, please view or download the documents below.
The Constitution of Governing Bodies of Maintained Schools (2017)
Annual Governance Statement for the Governing Body 2015
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.
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
N – Did not attend
X – Not a member of the committee
Record of Governor Attendance 2020-2021
| Name | Finance Committee Meeting 6/10/20 | Full Governing Body Meeting 3/11/20 | Meeting [add date] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs Alison Butler Chair | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Mrs Chris Matthewman - Headteacher | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Councillor Richard Bell | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Mrs Teresa Wilcox | ✓ | A/A | |
| Mrs Rachel Atkinson | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Mrs Alison Sabey | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Mr Richard Batchelor | ✓ | ||
| Mrs Tamsin Coulson | A/A | ||
| Mr Daniel Blagdon | ✓ | ||
| Mrs Louise Whitburn | ✓ | ✓ |
Archived Attendance
You can also view previous years attendance on our website.
Committee Terms of Reference
The Finance and Premises Committee
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 Schools Financial Value Standard.
- 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.
- Ensure that buildings and the learning environment are maintained and fit for purpose.
- Oversee the use of the premises by outside users.
- Establish and keep under review an asset management /building development plan.
- Establish and keep under review an Accessibility Plan.
- Ensure that adequate provision is made to make the building safe and secure.
- To ensure as far as is practical that any Health and Safety (H&S) issues are appropriately funded in accordance with priorities.
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.
Record of Finance Committee Meeting Attendance 2017-2018 & 2018-2019
| 29/11/17 | 31/1/18 | 21/3/18 | 25/4/18 | 20/6/18 | 7/11/18 | 6/3/19 | 10/6/19 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Rebecca Jellis | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||
| Rachel Atkinson | Y | Y | Y | Y | A/A | Y | A/A | Y | ||
| Alison Butler | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||
| Michelle Ferguson | Y | A/A | Y | Y | Y | Y | A/A | Y | ||
| Teresa Wilcox | Y | Y | A/A | Y | A/A/ | Y | Y | Y | ||
| Alison Sabey | Y | Y | A/A | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||
| Richard Bell | Y | Y | A/A | A/A | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||
| Jane Ayre | Y | A/A | Y | A/A | - | - | - | - | ||
| Alison Lamb | - | - | - | - | - | Y | - | - | ||
First / Pay Review Committee
Terms of Reference:
- To act in accordance with the Teachers’ Pay Policy adopted by the Governing Body.
- To report to the Finance Committee on Pay Review-related expenditure.
- To make any decisions under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body, e.g. disciplinary, grievance, ill health, capability etc where the Headteacher is the subject of the action, after delegation to the Chair.
- To make any decisions relating to a member of staff (other than the Headteacher) under the Personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body, after delegation to the Headteacher.
- Staffing Reductions.
Meetings: as required
Disqualifications: when there may be a conflict of interest; a fair hearing is required; or a pecuniary interest. Staff members cannot take part in any salary decision.
Delegation to Headteacher: up to and including first written warning.
Personnel & Discipline Committee
Terms of Reference:
- To carry out an annual review of the staffing structure in consultation with the Headteacher and the Finance Committee.
- Permanent appointments.
- 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.
- Exclusions.
- General Complaints.
Meetings: as required
Disqualifications: when there may be a conflict of interest; a fair hearing is required; or a pecuniary interest.
Delegation to the Headteacher: School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009.
Appointments:
Delegated to the Headteacher
- All temporary appointments (in consultation with the Chair)
Dismissals:
- All dismissals remain with the Committee Structure.
Curriculum/Strategic Development 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 and SEF
- Curriculum/performance review including target setting and monitoring mechanism.
- To make recommendations to the Governing Body concerning the long term strategic development of the school in respect of links with other schools
Meetings: Termly or when required.
Appeals Committee
Terms of Reference:
- To consider any appeal against a decision to dismiss a member of staff made by the First/Pay Review Committee.
- To consider any appeal against a decision under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body (e.g. disciplinary, pay review, capability for teachers etc).
- To consider any appeal against selection for redundancy.
Meetings: As required
Disqualifications: when there may be a conflict of interest; a fair hearing is required; or a pecuniary interest. Staff members cannot take part in any salary decision.
Virement & Expenditure Limits
| Virement Limits | Expenditure Limits | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Limit set for Headteacher without prior written approval of Chair or Governing Body | £1,000 | Any items of expenditure up to | £1,000 |
| Limit set for Headteacher with approval from Chair of Governors | £1,001 to £5,000 | 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. | |||
NB: Any goods/services purchased and works to be carried out are subject to Durham County Council Contract Procedure Rules (January 2014) for quotations.
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