Welcome to the Governors' section. In this section you will find details of:

• the roles of the governors as stated by the Department for Education
• some links to useful websites to give more details of the generic role of being a governor
• how to contact the governors
• who the governors are (names and photographs)
• the code of conduct that the governors follow
• governor roles specific to Gilded Hollins and the attendance record of governors at meetings of the full governing body and subcommittee meetings

You will also find photographs of governors in school..

Finally, at the end of this governor section, are copies of the old Governor Newsletter. This was produced to share some of the work of the governors with parents, to give an insight into what the governors do. This has now been replaced by news about the governors, as appropriate, on the school newsletter, as these are more regular snapshots, but the Governor Newsletters are saved here as they contain more detail of some of the governors which you may find interesting.

The Governing body is responsible for:

• ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
• holding the head teacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff
• overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent

These are our three core strategic functions. 

More information on the role of the Governors can be found on the DfE website.

The Governor's Handbook can be found here

The roles and responsibilities of the Governors can be found here 

Contact the Governors

To contact the governors please contact the Chair, Liz Haworth, via her email address, lizhaworth@yahoo.co.uk. Alternatively, contact the school office who will ask Liz to ring you to arrange a meeting.

Governor Code of Conduct 2024 to 2025

Amendments to be agreed at first meeting of the school year

The Code of Conduct sets out the expectations of and commitment required from

Governors’ in order for the Governing Board to properly carry out its work within the school and the community. The Governing Board can amend the Code to include reference to the aims and ethos of the school.

The Governing Board has the following three strategic functions:

· Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;

· Holding the executive leaders 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 organisation and making sure its money is well spent.

As individuals on the board we agree to the following:

Role and Responsibilities

1. We understand the purpose of the board and the role of the Headteacher and will ensure that the work of the board remains focused on the three strategic functions.

2. We accept that we have no legal authority to act individually, except when the board has given us delegated authority to do so, and therefore we will only speak on behalf of the governing board when we have been specifically authorised to do so.

3. We accept collective responsibility for all decisions made by the board or its delegated agents. This means that we will not speak against majority decisions outside the governing board meeting.

4. We have a duty to act fairly and without prejudice, and in so far as we have responsibility for staff, we will fulfil all that is expected of a good employer.

5. We will encourage open government and will act appropriately.

6. We will consider carefully how our decisions may affect the community and other schools.

7. We will always be mindful of our responsibility to maintain and develop the ethos and reputation of our school and ensure that the fundamental British Values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs are upheld within the school. Our actions within the school and the local community will reflect this.

8. In making or responding to criticism or complaints affecting the school we will follow the procedures established by the governing board.

9. We will actively support and challenge the headteacher.

Commitment

10. We acknowledge that accepting office as a governor involves the commitment of significant amounts of time and energy.

11. We will each involve ourselves actively in the work of the governing board, and accept our fair share of responsibilities, including service on committees or working groups.

12. We will make full efforts to attend all meetings and where we cannot attend explain in advance why we are unable to.

13. We will get to know the school well and respond to opportunities to involve ourselves in school activities.

14. We will visit the school, with all visits to school arranged in advance with the staff and undertaken within the framework established by the governing board and agreed with the headteacher.

15. We will consider seriously our individual and collective needs for training and development, and will undertake relevant training.

16. We accept that in the interests of open government, our names, terms of office, roles on the governing board, category of governor and the body responsible for appointing us and the register of interests will be published on the school’s website.

Relationships

17. We will strive to work as a team in which constructive working relationships are actively promoted.

18. We will express views openly, courteously and respectfully in all our communications with other governors.

19. We will support the chair in their role of ensuring appropriate conduct both at meetings and at all times.

20. We are prepared to answer queries from other governors in relation to delegated functions and take into account any concerns expressed, and we will acknowledge the time, effort and skills that have been committed to the delegated function by those involved.

21. We will seek to develop effective working relationships with the headteacher, staff and parents, the local authority and other relevant agencies and the community.

Confidentiality

22. We will observe confidentiality regarding proceedings of the governing board in meetings and from our visits to school as governors.

23. We will observe complete confidentiality when required or asked to do so by the governing board, especially regarding matters concerning individual staff or students.

24. We will exercise the greatest prudence if a discussion of a potentially contentious issue affecting the school arises outside the governing board.

25. We will not reveal the details of any governing board vote.

Conflicts of Interest

26. We will record any pecuniary interest (including those related to people we are connected with) that we have in connection with the governing board’s business in the Register of Interests, and in any such conflicted matter arises in a meeting we will offer to leave the meeting for the appropriate length of time.

27. We will also declare any conflict of loyalty at the start of any meeting should the situation arise.

28. We will act in the best interests of the school as a whole and not as a representative of any group, even if elected to the governing board.

Social Media

29. We will not identify ourselves as governors of the school at which we are a governor on any social medium.

30. We will not engage in activities involving social media which might bring the school at which we are governors into disrepute.

31. We will not represent our personal views as those of the school at which we are a governor on any social medium.

Breach of this code

If we believe this code has been breached, we will raise this issue with the chair and the chair will investigate; the governing board will only use suspension or removal as a last resort after seeking to resolve any difficulties or disputes in more constructive ways.

Should it be the chair that we believe has breached this code; another governor such as the vice-chair will investigate.

All governors will sign to say they have read and understand the Code of Conduct at the first governing board meeting each school year.

Governor roles

2024 to 2025

The Governing Body is responsible for:

• 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
• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent

Subcommittees

Pay Committee: Delegated by the Full Governing body to make decisions about performance related pay for the headteacher, teachers and support staff. Made up of the Chair of Governors, the Headteacher, 4 other non-staff governors, 3 of whom are Head’s Reviewers 

Any committees required on an ad-hoc basis, to deal with issues such as complaints, will be drawn from those governors available at the time who have no relevant prior knowledge or personal interest in the situation being looked at

Information about the Governing Body (currently no vacancies)

• Two elected parent governors appointed by parents of children at Gilded Hollins
• Headteacher appointed by Gilded Hollins Full Governing Body
• One staff governor appointed by Gilded Hollins staff
• One Local Authority governor appointed by Wigan Council
• Five co-opted governors appointed by the Governing body

Ten governors in total. 0 vacancies currently.                                                                                                                                                    

The reconstitution came into effect from 7^th March 2019

Details about the Governors

All terms of office are 4 years, except for the Headteacher and staff governor, but governors can remain on the governing body for consecutive terms of office if reappointed.

SMSC = Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural

Meetings also attended by Mrs Cathy Malley, Deputy Headteacher and Observer and Mrs Amy Appleton, Clerk to the Governors

Mrs Joanne Gumm, School Business Manager, attends the first part of each meeting if required, to report on financial matters

Register of Interests

Attendance Record

YES = attended

APOLS = apologies offered and accepted

NO = didn’t attend and no apologies offered prior to meeting / apologies offered but not accepted

N.A = Not applicable e.g. not a governor at that time

Annual Governance Statement 2023 to 2034

Governor roles

The Governing Body is responsible for:

• 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
• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent

Subcommittees

Pay Committee: Delegated by the Full Governing body to make decisions about performance related pay for the headteacher, teachers and support staff. Made up of the Chair of Governors, the Headteacher, 4 other non-staff governors, 3 of whom are Head’s Reviewers 

Any committees required on an ad-hoc basis, to deal with issues such as complaints, will be drawn from those governors available at the time who have no relevant prior knowledge or personal interest in the situation being looked at

Information about the Governing Body (currently no vacancies)

• Two elected parent governors appointed by parents of children at Gilded Hollins
• Headteacher appointed by Gilded Hollins Full Governing Body
• One staff governor appointed by Gilded Hollins staff
• One Local Authority governor appointed by Wigan Council
• Five co-opted governors appointed by the Governing body

Ten governors in total. 0 vacancies currently.                                                                                                                                                    

The reconstitution came into effect from 7^th March 2019

Details about the Governors

All terms of office are 4 years, except for the Headteacher and staff governor, but governors can remain on the governing body for consecutive terms of office if reappointed.

Meetings also attended by Mrs Cathy Malley, Deputy Headteacher and Observer and Mrs Amy Appleton, Clerk to the Governors

Mrs Joanne Gumm, School Business Manager, attends the first part of each meeting if required, to report on financial matters

Register of Interests

Attendance Record

YES = attended

APOLS = apologies offered and accepted

NO = didn’t attend and no apologies offered prior to meeting / apologies offered but not accepted

N.A = Not applicable e.g. not a governor at that time

Training undertaken by governors, 2023 to 2024

• Governors complete an annual skills audit and the clerk to the governors collates the outcomes on a governor skills matrix.
• At the end of last school year each governor completed a governor self-evaluation form to review their year, so identify any training needs. The Chair responded to each self-evaluation in writing and in September of this school year met with each governor to discuss the previous year’s reviews and targets for the upcoming year. The Chair’s performance was reviewed by the Vice-chair.  Governors have recently completed a self-evaluation based on this school year, which the Chair has again responded to in writing.
• Governors attend training sessions run by Wigan Governor Services or take part in training sessions offered via e-learning links, provided by bodies such as the National Governors’ Association and the Home Office. Each individual governor books onto sessions which meet their own training needs, to enable them to better contribute towards the three core strategic functions of governance, listed above, to ensure that they are all up to date with safeguarding and to keep their skills, knowledge and understanding up to date.

Training completed by individual governors this school year includes:

• Level 2 safeguarding, which is statutory
• Head’s performance management
• Mental health
• The Governing Board’s Role in Tackling Educational Disadvantage and Pupil Premium
• Effective monitoring of school budgets
• Understanding School Data
• SFVS
• Early Help and Prevention
• Governor Recruitment
• Online safety
• Supporting students with SEND

Chair’s statement, 2023 to 2024

The profile of the governors remains diverse, with a wide range of ages, work and life backgrounds, and skills, and a balance of genders. We hold face-to-face meetings, as this allows the discussions to flow more freely and also gives us the opportunity to go on learning walks round school if time allows.

During the first half of the Autumn Term, we each met with the subject lead/s and class teacher to which we are linked, to discuss the implementation of their plans for the school year. The meeting with the subject lead included sharing information about how the subject is delivered and monitored in school, how progress is measured and how the children feel about the subject, as well as any changes being made since last year’s meeting. The meeting with class teachers included sharing dates such as class assemblies and events such as family learning sessions and trips, so governors could arrange to attend, work allowing.  We also held a Governors’ Assembly, during which we explained the role of the governors to the children, with two governors joining us on the big screen as they were unable to attend in person.

In the Spring Term we took part in Governors’ Day, spending the day in school with the class to which we are linked. During this time, we all saw our class being taught maths, and aspects of phonics or reading, and writing, as well as each of us watching a foundation subject which we are attached to. We also all enjoyed attending a whole school assembly. We were very impressed by how engaged the children are, how well they are doing and how confident they are talking to us.

In the Summer Term we held a new governor event, Governor Marketplace. This was for an hour immediately after school. Each teacher set up a ‘stall’ based on the subject/s on which they lead, to showcase the children’s work. They also had two children from their own class with them to tell us about their subject/s.  The children were so enthusiastic about each subject and so proud to be speaking to us. We followed this event with a meeting of the full governing body, where one agenda item was to discuss the event and whether we felt it was worth repeating next year; the decision was a unanimous yes.

Throughout the school year governors also visited school to review their own individual responsibilities, such as safeguarding, health and safety, attendance and SEND, and to attend class assemblies and other events, such as trips, or go on educational visits as part of their subject responsibilities. After each monitoring visit to, or out of, school governors write a report and share it with school staff and other governors. This year one governor not only suggested that we introduce a new role to the list of governor roles, which was finance governor, but also volunteered to take on the role, so the governing body continues to evolve in order to better implement the Governors’ 5-year Strategic Plan.

I was in school for every day of the Year 6 SATs to monitor the implementation of the tests; not only were the tests very professionally organised and delivered the children behaved impeccably, being fully engaged in the warm-up session before each test and during the tests themselves. We are delighted that their hard work, and that of the whole staff, especially the Year 6 team under the leadership of Mrs Malley, has produced such a wonderful set of results, which will stand the children in good stead as they move up to their new schools. As safeguarding governor, I was involved in the appointment of two new staff members, monitoring that Safer Recruitment processes were being followed, completed a safeguarding/health and safety walk with the school business manager and caretaker, and regularly checked the school’s Single Central Record. The children are always warm and welcoming, and are used to having governors around school. They understand the lanyard system which shows them who it Is safe to interact with, and say they feel very safe in school.

It is always invaluable to get into school so we can not only see that our vision and aims for the children are being met but also see the outcomes of our decisions in areas such as policy review and financial planning in the light of budgetary constraints, which is a constant challenge. The school is very fortunate to have a wonderful team of teaching and support staff who work tirelessly to provide the best education and learning environment they can, and warm and respectful children who are well supported by their families. We are also lucky to have a very supportive Friends of Gilded Hollins group, who raise funds, provide resources and give their time and commitment to help the school.

The children and staff are always at the forefront of our discussions and decision making and I am confident that we have continued to support the school to the best of our abilities this year. I have made the very difficult decision to retire after 32 years as a governor with effect from the last day in August 2024, as has the Vice-chair after two separate terms of office as a governor, but am confident that the governors will continue to do an excellent job under the Chair-elect, Rob Hampson, and his Vice-chair elect, Brent Manning. I wish the whole school community the very best in the future.

Liz Haworth

Chair of Governors

Annual Governance Statement

2022 to 2023

The Governing Body is responsible for:

• 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
• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent

Subcommittees

Pay Committee: Delegated by the Full Governing body to make decisions about performance related pay for the headteacher, teachers and support staff. Made up of the Chair of Governors, the Headteacher and 4 other non-staff governors, 3 of whom are the Head’s Reviewers 

Any committees required on an ad-hoc basis, to deal with issues such as complaints, will be drawn from those governors available at the time who have no relevant prior knowledge or personal interest in the situation being looked at

Information about the Governing Body (currently no vacancies)

• Two elected parent governors appointed by parents of children at Gilded Hollins
• Headteacher appointed by Gilded Hollins Full Governing Body
• One staff governor appointed by Gilded Hollins staff
• One Local Authority governor appointed by Wigan Council
• Five co-opted governors appointed by the Governing body

Ten governors in total. 0 vacancies currently.                                                                                                                                                    

The reconstitution came into effect from 7^th March 2019

All terms of office are 4 years, except for the Headteacher and staff governor, but governors can remain on the governing body for consecutive terms of office if reappointed.

Governor Roles 

Meetings also attended by Mrs Cathy Malley, Deputy Headteacher and Observer

Register of Interests

Attendance Record

YES = attended

APOLS = apologies offered and accepted

NO = didn’t attend and no apologies offered prior to meeting / apologies offered but not accepted

N.A = Not applicable e.g. not a governor at that time

Governor  Attendance 2021 to 2022

Attendance Record

YES = attended

APOLS = apologies offered and accepted

NO = didn’t attend and no apologies offered prior to meeting / apologies offered but not accepted

N.A = Not applicable e.g. not a governor at that time

Governor  Attendance, 2020 to 2021 

Attendance Record

YES = attended

APOLS = apologies offered and accepted

NO = didn’t attend and no apologies offered prior to meeting / apologies offered but not accepted

N.A = Not applicable e.g. not a governor at that time