Governors

I joined the Governing Body as a Parent Governor in 2020 and was elected to the role of Chair in October 2024.

I became a governor to be engaged with our children’s education and to support our school strive for excellence. It is a privilege and an honour to fulfil this role and serve the school and local community.

Bidford on Avon Primary school is at the heart of our local community. We have an excellent team of teachers and staff who create a happy and caring environment in which our children learn and thrive, we are envied for our child-centric approach to learning. As governors, we see the professionalism and commitment of the staff striving to provide the best education for each and every child.

We have a very experienced Governing Body who come from a wide sector of the community, with a diverse and robust skillset, and have the expertise to provide a strong base for strategic oversight. We continually work with the Headteacher to raise standards, ensure sound financial accountability and ensure our children have a safe, happy environment in which to learn.

Why do we need our school’s governing body, and what do we do?

School governing bodies exist to help schools deliver the best possible standard of education to all pupils. We are one of the largest volunteer workforces with around 300,000 people serving as governors within 23,000 maintained schools throughout England.

School governing bodies have a vital role in supporting school leaders and managing school performance while providing accountability to the local community.

Our governing body has three main roles:

  1. To provide a strategic view - we help to set, and then keep under review, the broad framework within which our Head runs the school. We focus on raising standards of achievement, establishing high expectations and promoting effective teaching and learning.
  2. To act as a critical friend to the school - we provide our Head, and the staff, with support, advice and information drawing on our knowledge and experience. We’re critical in the sense of our responsibility for monitoring and evaluating the school’s effectiveness - asking challenging questions and pressing for improvement. We’re obviously a friend because we promote the interest of the school and our pupils.
  3. To ensure accountability - we have a responsibility to ensure good quality education in our school. Our Head reports to the Governing Body on the school’s performance, which we discuss, question and evaluate - whilst always respecting the professional roles of the Head and staff, and their responsibility for managing the school.

In addition to meeting as a full governing board, governors serve on two key sub-committees which meet regularly to cover:

Performance and Standards Committee

The purpose of these meetings is to enable the Governing Body to fulfil its core functions related to holding the head teacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff. By monitoring and challenging the impact of teaching and learning in school, the Performance and Standards Meetings will review and evaluate outcomes for all pupils and groups of pupils to ensure they achieve in line with their individual capabilities.

It will do this through a range of monitoring activities which include:

  • Evaluation and analysis of key school performance data.
  • Reviewing the results of school monitoring and performance management activities.
  • Meetings with stakeholders including children and staff member.
  • Taking into account information from professionals internal and external to the school.

Resources Committee

The purpose of this meeting is to enable the Governing Board to fulfil its core functions related to overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.

It does this by:

  • Planning, monitoring and approving the school budget.
  • Ensuring funding is in place to support effective provision for the school’s strategic improvement priorities.
  • Ensuring resources are in place to ensure that the school is a safe, healthy and effective teaching and learning environment.

Effective governance plays a crucial role in the success of our school - although central to the high standard of education that our school provides is the professionalism and dedication of our Head and all the staff.

Please feel free to contact me, or any member of the governing body through the School Office.

Mrs V Owen
Chair of Governors

Governing Body

Name Type of Governor
Mrs V Owen Chair of Governors, Parent Governor
Mr R Williams Vice-Chair of Governors, Co-opted Governor
Mrs V Gillman Foundation Governor
Mrs C Leahy Foundation Governor
(vacancy) LA Representative
Mr J Norledge Parent Governor
Mr C Archer Co-opted Governor
Mrs J Colwell Co-opted Governor
Mrs P Moore Co-opted Governor
Ms R Wilber Co-opted Governor
Mr A Morris Headteacher
Mr C Plumbe Staff Governor
Mrs M Brodie Clerk to the Governors

Also see:

Our Governors