What is a School Governor?

School governors are volunteers who help to run the school. Some are elected (staff and parent governors) and others are appointed either by the local authority or from the local community.

What do governors do?

School governors have a wide range of responsibilities, helping to raise standards of pupil achievement and planning the school’s future direction, always in consultation with the Headteacher and other staff. We are also accountable for the performance of the school to parents and the wider community. We are not expected to take detailed decisions about the day-to-day management of the school; that is the job of the Headteacher. At Golden Valley we meet as a Full Governing Body about eight times a year.

Governors’ responsibilities include:

• Helping to establish the aims and policies of the school and how standards of education can be constantly improved
• Ensuring that a broad and balanced curriculum is delivered and that it meets statutory requirements, while promoting high standards and monitoring progress during the year
• Appointing, challenging and supporting the Headteacher (being a ‘critical friend’)
• Acting as a link between the local community and the school
• Helping to set and manage the school budget
• Ensuring the health and safety of pupils and staff

Individual governors are also linked with a particular area, such as Special Educational Needs, Safeguarding, a curriculum subject or a year group. All governors are encouraged to visit the school during the working day if they can, but we do not interfere in the day-to-day teaching or running of the school: we leave that to the professionals!

 
North Somerset provides training in all aspects of governors’ responsibilities and we take full advantage of that, in order to be as effective as possible.

At Golden Valley we have a lively and dedicated team who work hard for the school.

If you wish to contact Governors, please email the school office in the first instance: office@goldenvalleyschool.co.uk.  If your contact is regarding a complaint you will need to follow the complaints policy/procedure.

Dates of meetings for 2024-25

T1 -  19^th September 2024, 17th October 2024

T2 -  12th December 2024 

T3 -  6th February 2025 

T4 -  27th March 2025 

 T5 -  15th May 2025 

 T6 -  17th July 2025 

Our principle concern is the strategic leadership of the school; setting direction and policy to ensure our children are safe, happy and achieving their potential.

Our focus is the school improvement plan formed from our values, vision and strategy. We refresh the plan each year to take into account children’s attainment and feedback from the school community.

Our decisions reflect the school ethos and are centred on the children. The way we go about making decisions is in accordance with our code of conduct.

We are a collective decision-making body that represents community stakeholders and applies a subcommittee structure with governors nominated to oversee key areas. This ensures our decisions are of the highest quality, delivering the maximum impact for children.

We are a ‘critical friend’ to the Headteacher and wider operational leadership team, providing both support and constructive challenge. Governors have three crucial roles:

• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
• Holding leaders to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and
• Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.

Boards must be ambitious for all children and young people and infused with a passion for education and a commitment to continuous school improvement that enables the best possible outcomes. Governance must be grounded in reality as defined by both high-quality objective data and a full understanding of the views and needs of pupils/students, staff, parents, carers and local communities. It should be driven by inquisitive, independent minds and through conversations focussed on the key strategic issues which are conducted with humility, good judgement, resilience and determination.

Governance Handbook 

Golden Valley's School Governors

	Pauline Davis - Co-opted Governor & Chair of Governors When I retired from teaching, I volunteered to become a governor to support the school both my children had attended.  I am currently Chair of Governors and have been Safeguarding Link Governor in the past. I am proud to be working alongside leaders and teachers to ensure that the school is run effectively and all children are provided with an excellent education.
	Jan Barber - Co-Opted Governor My younger daughter, Fiona, was one of the first entrants to Golden Valley School in 1976, so I have been involved with the school since it was built, starting with helping with sewing and cooking, and the P.T.A. I have been a governor since 1984, firstly as a nomination from Nailsea Town Council and later as an L.E.A. Governor from Avon and subsequently from North Somerset Councils. In my professional life I visited many schools countrywide as an Ofsted Inspector. I hope that this helps my role as a governor and vice versa. I very much enjoy being a governor.
	Richard Riordan - Headteacher   I am Headteacher of Golden Valley and I am also a Governor. Golden Valley is the third Primary school that I have been headteacher of and I have been a member of school governing bodies for over 20 years in London, Gloucester, Bristol and North Somerset. I provide strategic leadership to the school and report both to the governing body and the Lighthouse Schools Partnership. Both the governing body and the Trust offer support and challenge to the school leadership team and hold us to account for standards in the school. I have a passion for mastery maths, mental health and wellbeing and the positive impact sport and exercise can have on children.
	Anna Maxwell - Staff Governor I have been a teacher at Golden Valley since September 2016 and have taught children across KS2 in that time. I now teach Y6 and am also Subject Lead for History, as well as being an ECT (Early Career Teacher) Mentor. Before retraining as a teacher, I had a career in fundraising management within the voluntary sector.
	Joyce (Lok Sang) Wong - Parent Governor I become a parent governor at the end of 2021 with two daughters studying in Golden Valley. I am a Chartered Engineer with years of experience working in the railway sector and am interested in safety standards and STEM development for young children. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to be part of the Golden Valley governor body and I am looking forward to supporting Golden Valley School and the students to thrive and excel.
	Katherine Armstrong - Parent Governor My daughter has recently started in reception and my niece and nephews are also at Golden Valley. I previously worked as a teacher at a secondary school in Bristol, where I also had whole school and faculty leader roles. I’m currently the professional lead for learning at a national charity, which has broadened my understanding of learning across the curriculum and key stages. I’m grateful for this opportunity to contribute what I can and support the school, helping all pupils to have the best educational experiences possible and providing a strong foundation for their future.
	Sarah Le Vaillant Stokes - Vice Chair/Parent Governor  I joined the governing team as a Parent Governor in March 2022 and have 3 children currently in Golden Valley School.  I bring with me, experience from my roles as co Director of a small planning consultancy and my own wellbeing business on the side. I wanted to become a Governor to give an 'on the ground' perspective to the governing team and to give something back to the school. Above all it is my pleasure to be able to contribute toward our children’s learning and wellbeing.
	Jackie Turner - Community Governor, Safeguarding Lead I became a co-opted community governor in 2022. I am currently an Educational Consultant, working in young people's safeguarding and mental health. Prior to this, I was a teacher at a secondary school in Bristol, teaching Modern Languages but also having the whole school responsibility for pastoral care and safeguarding. I also volunteer locally with my dog for Pets As Therapy.