Overview

Croxley Danes School is recruiting for a co-opted governor from the local community to join our School Board. 

We are proactively planning for succession and are looking to recruit an individual with the skills and time available to assume the position of Vice Chair and eventually the position of Chair as the current incumbents conclude their terms of office. 

We would actively welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds that are representative of our school community.

Local governors in Danes Educational Trust (DET) play a vital role in the governance of the schools and of the Trust as a whole, helping to ensure that every learner in the care of their schools receives the best possible education and has the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

The Board of Trustees has delegated powers and responsibilities for the governance of the school (or schools) to the School Board, which is a committee of the Trust Board.

All governors, as members of their School Board

•  Perform a ‘non-executive’ function – a thinking role, not a doing role

• Bring their own individual perspectives, views and experiences, to contribute to the diversity of the School Board

• Have equal status, regardless of how they came to be a governor, and are not a ‘representative’ of any particular stakeholder or group of stakeholders

• Act as the local ‘eyes and ears’ of the Trust Board 

• Are answerable to the Board of Trustees and to other stakeholders with an interest in the decisions the School Board takes

• Do not get involved in the day-to-day running of the school(s).

Each governor will at all times

• Abide by the DET Code of Conduct and the seven Nolan Principles of Public Life.

• Act in accordance with DET governance procedures, Scheme of Delegation and Trust and school policies and procedures

• Take account of any advice given to them by the Trust or School Board Chair.

• Local governors may not sit on more than one School Board in the Trust, unless at the express request of the Trust Board.

Panels and committees

• When required by DET policy, and having had appropriate training, governors are expected to serve on panels or committees (of their own school and other schools in the Trust) in order to:

• Review decisions to exclude learners

• Hear staff grievances, disciplinary matters and complaints.

Contribution to the School Board

• Governors should ensure that they are making a positive and meaningful contribution to the governing body:

• Carry out their duties and responsibilities in line with the Scheme of Delegation

• Ensure that the school(s) operates in accordance with DET policies and procedures

• Evaluate, question and challenge evidence and advice from a range of sources, and contribute to the School Board as a team, drawing conclusions from that and reaching appropriate decisions within their remit

• Attending meetings

• Reading papers and preparing questions in advance for senior leaders

• Establishing and maintaining professional relationships with senior leaders and colleagues on the board

• Getting to know the school by carrying out two link visits (three for safeguarding link governor) per year during the school day and attend two school events per year to engage with stakeholders

• Undertaking induction training and developing knowledge and skills on an ongoing basis

• Take part in the annual governor impact review.

Time commitment (minimum)

• Four School Board meetings per year, including meeting preparations and advance questions prior to the meeting

• Annual safeguarding update training (by 30th September each year)

• Ongoing training, three development sessions per year

• Two link visits during the day (three for safeguarding governor) and visit report

• Attendance at two school events per year and visit report

• Two exclusions/complaints panels per year for any DET school

• Attendance at annual governance event.

Safeguarding:

The school is committed to safeguarding children and young people. All post holders are subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

A section 128 check and two references are also required for governors.

Further information:

Croxley Danes School is an all-ability, co-educational state secondary school in Croxley Green, near Watford, providing high quality education to over 1100 students ages 11-18. We are part of the Danes Educational Trust which currently comprises twelve schools in Hertfordshire.