Governors
School governors are one of the largest volunteer forces in the country.
Boards of governors have 3 core functions:
• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos, and strategic direction;
• Holding the headteacher 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 school and making sure its money is well spent.
Governors do not manage the school’s day-to-day operation, but are required to oversee its long-term development. To find out more information click on the link - https://www.nga.org.uk/Governance-Recruitment/Be-a-school-governor-or-trustee.aspx
which will take you to the National Governors Association website.
In practical terms, governors at Harmans Water Primary School work closely with the Headteacher and staff to ensure pupils have an environment where they can progress and achieve as well as they should. This is done by taking strategic decisions that support and enable but also challenge the Headteacher and staff, while respecting their professional expertise in the day-to-day operation of the school.
There are several different categories of governor:
- Parent Governors: elected by parents, these governors themselves have children attending the school.
- Staff Governors: elected by teaching and non-teaching colleagues at the school.
- Headteacher: the Headteacher decides whether to take up office as a governor.
- Authority Governors: nominated by a panel of local councillors from Bracknell Forest council, but appointed by the governing body.
- Co-opted Governors: appointed by the governing body as they have complementary skills that will contribute to the effective governance and success of the school.
- Associate Members: governing bodies can choose to appoint associate members to help them with their work. Assoicate members cannot vote on governing body decisions.
At HWPS, we are lucky to have a good number of school governors with diverse backgrounds and skills.
The Governors of Harmans Water Primary School meet once a month at full governing body (FGB) meetings. It is at these meetings that we discuss overarching matters and sign off any proposals.
We also have several panels to carry out specific functions:
- Pay Panel - who make the decisions on teachers' annual pay awards
- HPM (Headteacher's Performance Management) Panel - where we set objectives for the Headteacher and assess progress
- Hearings & Appeals Panels - where we hear complaints and appeals against decisions
Governors also undertake monitoring visits into school to look at anything which is necessary at any given time.
Meet Our Governing Body
.jpg?width=320&height=240&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "Andrew Taylor(1)") |
Andrew Taylor Chair of Governors Co-opted Governor 01/12/22 - 30/11/26 Safeguarding & Health & Safety Finance Wellbeing HT Panel
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Matthew Irving Head Teacher 01/09/24 - ongoing |
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Jemma Shakespeare Staff Governor 18/10/21 - 17/10/25 Eco Community |
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Christopher Best Vice Chair Co-opted Governor 19/06/23 - 18/06/27 Teaching & Learning Safeguarding & Health & Safety Wellbeing HT Panel (Chair) |
Louise Hayward
Parent Governor 19/06/23 - 18/06/25 Inclusion & Equality / SEND
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Amanda Hughes Co-opted Governor 09/07/23 - 08/07/27 Pupil Premium
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Mark Ison Parent Governor 28/11/22 - 27/11/24 IT Support Community
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Donna Sidebotham Co-opted Governor 17/01/22 - 16/01/26 Eco
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Paul Simpson Co-opted Governor 18/10/21 - 17/10/25 Finance Pupil Premium Pay Panel (Chair)
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Chris Turrell LA Governor 18/01/21 - 17/01/25 Community Pay Panel
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Governor Business Interests
Annually all members of the governing body are under a legal duty to declare any business or pecuniary interests which may conflicy with their role as a governor or associate member.
Governing Body Register of Business Interests 2023-2024
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Name |
Person |
Business Interest Declared |
Began |
Ended |
| Christopher Best |
Partner
Self |
Employee of Harmans Water Primary School
Employee at Royal Berks Hospital
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July 2019
June 2017 |
Ongoing
Ongoing |
| Louise Hayward | None | |||
| Amanda Hughes | None | |||
| Mark Ison | None | |||
| Matthew Irving | Self | Head Teacher of Harmans Water Primary School | September 2024 | Ongoing |
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Jemma Shakespeare |
Self
Husband |
Teacher at Harmans Water
Headteacher at Manor Field Junior School |
September 2021
January 2021 |
Ongoing
Ongoing |
| Donna Sidebotham | None | |||
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Paul Simpson |
None |
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Andrew Taylor |
Wife |
Employee at Harmans Water |
September 2015 |
Ongoing |
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| Chris Turrell | Self | Employee at McDonald Hotels | June 2017 | Ongoing |
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Governor Attendance
The governing body is required to publish information about governor attendance at meetings in the last academic year.
Governing Body Record of Attendance at Meetings 2022-2023
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Current Governors |
Meetings attended |
Possible meetings |
% attendance |
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If you would like to know any more about the governing body, or would like to get in touch for any other reason, please email us – secretary@harmanswater.co.uk