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 at all 4 partnership schools is Mrs Amanda Humby

GOVERNANCE terms and attendance

GOVERNING BODY MEETINGS 24-25

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:

• Friday 18th October 2024 (11:00 - 13.30)
• Friday 13th December 2024 (11:00 - 13.30)
• Friday 28th February 2025 (11:00 - 13.30)
• Friday 28th March 2025 (11:00 - 13.30)
• Monday 19th May 2025 (11:00 - 13.30)
• Friday 18th July 2025 (11:00 - 13.30)

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.