Local Governing Body
Blackthorn Primary School is part of Northampton Primary Academy Trust. The Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees who delegate some of their functions for the school to a Local Governing Body (LGB). The LGB for Blackthorn is shared with Rectory Farm Primary School, meaning that the one board looks after both schools. The LGB provides focussed governance for the schools at a local level and works alongside the school leadership teams to provide support, challenge and strategic direction. It also monitors a range of the schools’ activities. The LGB is responsible for:
- Supporting, monitoring and challenging senior leaders in relation to educational and financial performance
- Agreeing the school improvement plans and monitoring progress
- Monitoring the risks to the schools
- Ensuring statutory policies are in place and being adhered to
- Having regard to the voices of the schools’ stakeholders, especially those of pupils, parents and staff.
For more information about governance in Northampton Primary Academy Trust, including the Scheme of Delegation that sets out what functions are delegated, the Local Governing Body Terms of Reference that gives more information about the work of the local governing body and the Governance Code of Conduct that all governors sign up to, please see the NPAT Governance Webpage.
Who the School’s Governors Are
The Local Governing Body is made up of:
- The Headteacher
- Parent Governors (elected by parents)
- Staff Governors (elected by staff)
- Co-opted Governors (appointed by the Trust)
More information about who the current governors are is available from the school’s page on Get Information About Schools.
There are currently three vacancies on the local governing body; one for a parent governor and two for co-opted governors.
Governor Monitoring
The Local Governing Body monitors in detail areas such as finance, health & safety, safeguarding, inclusion and the curriculum. They also ensure that legally required policies and documents are held and are available for staff, pupils, governors, parents and carers, and any visitors to school when and where relevant. The LGB receives a report from the Headteacher once a term which keeps them up to date with pupil’s academic achievements, staffing, attendance, special projects, school life in general and other legally required reports. They support and challenge the Headteacher and make crucial decisions about the school in meetings.
Governors triangulate information they receive about the school by visiting the school to undertake monitoring visits and to talk to pupils and staff. Governors with monitoring roles in a specific area meet with leaders responsible for that area in school and discuss plans and progress with them.
Contacting a School Governor
Should you wish to contact a Governor please telephone the school or email the Governance Professional to the LGB and your enquiry will be passed on to the relevant Governor.
The Chair of Governors is Sally Perkins. The Chair can be contacted via the school email address or by writing c/o Northampton Primary Academy Trust, Headlands Primary School, Bushland Road, NN3 2NS.
The Governance Professional to the LGB is Rebecca Howell. The Governance Professional can be contacted via the school email address .
Attendance at Local Governing Body meetings
The Local Governing Body keeps track of all governors who attend or are absent from meetings. It is important for the development of the board that governor absence from meetings is kept to a minimum.
Business and Pecuniary Interests of Governors
Governors are not allowed to be involved in decision making relating to the purchases by the school of goods and services from themselves, their relatives or any organisation in which they or those close to them have significant interest. A declaration of interest is updated annually by all governors to declare such interests. If interests change, this is updated.
At every governance meeting, governors declare as to whether they have any pecuniary interests related to the items on agenda.
Minutes of Local Governing Body meetings
To view a copy of the minutes of the LGB, please contact the Governance Professional to the LGB, who will be able to provide you with an electronic or paper copy of the minutes.
Becoming a School Governor
School governors do not have to be experts in education and almost everyone has something they can contribute. Training about the role of governors is provided. Parent governors are very valuable as they have experience of the school and they can help us to keep in touch with what parents are thinking. We are particularly looking for candidates that can bring specialist skills to the governing body, such as in Finance, IT, Law, Marketing or HR. We also strive to have a governing body that is representative of the pupils at our school and their parents/carers, so those from diverse backgrounds, with protected characteristics and people under the age of 40 are encouraged to apply.
If you are interested in becoming a Governor or would like to find out more, please email the Governance Professional to the LGB via the email address above.
