Monday 7^th March 2016

Dear Parents

ELECTION OF PARENT GOVERNORS

There is a vacancy on the governing board of our school for 3 parent governors.  Any parent with a child on the register of this school (including the nursery) may stand as a candidate by completing the attached form and returning it to me by the date shown.  You may nominate candidates up to the number of vacancies available.  You may nominate yourself if you wish.

What skills and experience do you need to be a governor?

Governing boards are the key strategic decision makers and vision setters in every school and academy. They are also a key part of the overall system for school accountability. Governing boards have a vital role to play in driving up school and pupil performance and ensuring that resources are used well to give every child the best possible education.

Governing boards should have a strong focus on three core functions:

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

To do this as a governor you would need:

• a strong commitment to the role and to improving outcomes for children;
• the inquisitiveness to question and analyse, and the willingness to learn;
• good inter-personal skills;
• appropriate levels of literacy in English
• sufficient numeracy skills to understand basic data;
• work constructively in meetings and lead meetings if necessary.

In addition to this, expertise or experience in the following is always welcomed by the governing board:

• analysing performance data;
• in budgeting and driving financial efficiency;
• performance management and employment issues, including grievances.

The term of office for parent governors is four years but you may resign at any time.  Even if your child leaves the school you will be able to complete your term of office if you wish.

Governors’ conduct

Governors also have to operate within a code of conduct.  The code of conduct can be found on the Salford City Council Website at:  http://www.salford.gov.uk/gsupdates.htm.

The governing board takes its responsibility to safeguarding children very seriously and all governors are required to operate within the school’s safe working practices polices and child protection policies.  All governors are also required to complete eligibility checks, which can include a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Who is not eligible to be a parent governor?

A person is disqualified from being a parent governor if they are an elected member of the Local Authority or paid to work at the school for more than 500 hours (i.e. for more than one-third of the hours of a full-time equivalent) in any consecutive twelve month period (at the time of election or appointment).

There are some circumstances that make people unable to be considered as school governors. These are shown on the Salford City Council website at http://www.salford.gov.uk/schgov-ineligible.htm

How to make a nomination

Please use the attached nomination form which should be returned to Miss L Thelwell at school no later than the close of school on Friday 18^th March 2016. Nominees can submit a statement to support their candidacy.  The statement should be around 100 words in length and will be sent out with the ballot papers should a ballot be required.  Statements can be returned with the nomination form or at a later date if required for a ballot.

If we receive more nominations than parent governor vacancies, then it will be necessary to hold an election by ballot so that all of our parents can choose who will be the parent governor on the governing board.  If we only receive the same number of nominations as there are vacancies those nominees will be elected unopposed and a formal ballot will not be required.  We will inform you if a ballot is required or who has been elected unopposed as appropriate as soon as practicable after the deadline for nominations has passed.

Yours sincerely

Miss L Thelwell

The Returning Officer