Making a difference!
What do governors do?
Governors are volunteers who work with the Executive Head, Heads of School and all staff to set the culture, vision and values for the school. They are responsible for ensuring the budget is well-spent. They ensure that the school provides the very best education for all of its pupils.
A key part of the role is also setting the key priorities of the school for the coming year, based on the areas of improvement identified. This is called the School Development Plan (SDP). Every school has one of these, it is a working document and a new one is created each year.
What is the time commitment?
The Local Governing Committee (LGC) of St. Nicholas meet once a term, and go in to school at least three times a year to check progress of the SDP targets. Governors also have several other areas of responsibility, such as Safeguarding, Health and Safety, Attendance, Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) and Early Years. The assigned governor for each of these areas will go in to school once per term to monitor these areas. The role is flexible in terms of when governors can go in to school and meetings are a combination of during the day and late afternoon/early evening, and the LGC always considers the needs of its governors and staff when setting meeting dates and times. Meetings can be joined either in-person or online.
Are governors from an education background?
Governors do not need to have a background in education and come from all walks of life. All governors are valued for their commitment and skills that they bring to the team. Being a governor in a Bath and Wells Multi-Academy Trust (BWMAT) school is extremely rewarding as the BWMAT are incredibly supportive. They provide an extensive training package but are also on hand to support with all aspects of school governance.
What types of governors are there?
There are several types of governors:
MAT-appointed governors - These are governors from the local community who are appointed by the BWMAT.
Parent governors - These are governors who have been voted on to the board by the parents and carers of pupils at the school.
Foundation governors - These are governors who have responsibility for ensuring that the religious character of the school is upheld.
Staff governors - These are governors who are currently employed by the school. One is the Headteacher (Executive Head in the case of St. Nicholas) and one is any other member of staff.
Interested in getting involved?
We have vacancies! We are always happy to chat about the role in more detail and we can support a method of communication that suits you; whether that's in-person, online, phone, email or messages. You can contact the Chair of Governors here: leanne.maidment@stnicholas.bwmat.org.
Current St. Nicholas Governors
Mr Joe Beament
Executive Headteacher
Mrs Lee-Ann Britten
MAT appointed governor
Mrs Sophie Hunt
MAT appointed governor
Mrs Hayley Bendle
Parent Governor
Mrs Gemma Curtis
Parent Governor
Miss Sara Underhill
Parent Governor
Current Governing Body Vacancies
Staff Governor
Vacancy
Foundation Governor
Vacancy
Foundation Governor
Vacancy
