GOVERNING BODY
Valentine Primary School is a maintained school operating within an Instrument of Governance authorised by Southampton City Council.
The Governing Body of the school conforms to standing orders and each governor is required to comply with a Code of Conduct which includes declaring relevant business and pecuniary interests. (The Governor Code of Conduct is attached below)
All governors (with the exception of the Headteacher) are appointed for a 4-year term of office which may be renewed. Parent governors are elected by parents of children currently attending the school; the local authority governor is appointed by Southampton City Council; the staff governor is elected by employed members of staff; and co-opted governors are appointed by the Governing Body to ensure a balance of skills, knowledge and experience is maintained.
GOVERNANCE AT VALENTINE
Valentine Governors are each assigned to support and monitor the work of the school. This is in conjunction with our school's School Development Plan and the Governor Monitoring Schedule.
The role of the Governing Body is to exercise a civic duty of accountability for the strategic operation of the school. The role of a governor is not to involve oneself with the operational (daily running) of the school or the decision-making of the Headteacher.
Documents are available at the bottom of this page.
GOVERNING BOARD 2023-24
Our Chair of Governors is Mrs Amanda Humby
NAME |
GOVERNOR TYPE |
ADDITIONAL INFO |
| Mrs Clare Bailey |
Co-opted Governor Safeguarding Governor |
Governor at St. Marys AHT at Bitterne CE |
| Mr Daniel Constable-Phelps | Executive Headteacher (Ex-Officio - Governor) | |
| Mr James Deas | LA appointed Governor | |
| Ms Karen Harrison | Clerk to Governors | |
| Mrs Amanda Humby |
Co-opted Governor & Chair of Governors Finance Committee Governor |
Chair of Governors at Bitterne CE |
| Mr Tomasz Lasek |
Co-opted Governor Finance Committee Governor |
|
| Mrs Sarah Richards | Parent Governor | |
| Vacancy | Staff Governor | To be filled ASAP |
GOVERNANCE ADVISOR
NAME |
TERM |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
| Mrs Lisa Benham | Appointed to support the chair for a period of 6 months | Lisa Benham is Chair of Governors at St. Mary's Church of England Primary School. She is also a delegated governor for finance at Mason Moor Primary School. |
GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE
GOVERNING BODY MEETINGS 23-24
Please see the Governor Monitoring Schedule below - these stipulate the activity we ask Governing Body members to complete to provide them with a rounded understanding of the school. In addition to this activity - committees meet for Full Governing Body matters on the following dates:
- Wednesday 20 September (16:00 - 18:00)
- Friday 1 December (08:30 - 10:30am)
- Friday 19 January (08:30 - 10:30am)
- Friday 26 April (08:30 - 10:30am)
- Friday 7 June (08:30 - 10:30am)
- Friday 12 July (08:30 - 10:30am)
The Governing Body meets at Valentine Primary School on the dates listed above. All Governors receive an enhanced DBS check, which the school undertakes, when the Governor begins their term of office. This ensures our commitment to the protection and safety of children.
In addition to the full governing body meetings, the following Governance activity happens throughout the year:
- Finance Committee meets half-termly. However, given the school's historic deficit budget - inherited by current leaders - this group meets 6-weekly to update on financial spending. Delegated support from St. Mary's is in place to ensure that fiscal responsibility improves quickly.
- The Quality of Education Team undertake monitoring as per the Governance Monitoring Schedule below.
Complaints to governors
Parents, carers and wider community members - please be advised that our Chair of Governors will not action a complaint if it has not followed the school's published complaints procedure - which is available on the 'Contact Us' page of the website. A reminder that complaints do not escalate directly to the Headteacher or Governors.
Governors must be assured that parents/carers have followed the complaints protocol to ensure fair and transparent discussion in relation to your issue.
