Governors

GOVERNING BODY OF LIONEL PRIMARY SCHOOL: 2023/2024

Mrs Michelle Hone                  Headteacher

Mrs Helma Betts                     Chair of Governors

SEN/D Governor

History Governor

                                                (Co-Opted Governor, appointed by FGB on 05/10/23)                                                       

Mr Euan Ferguson                  Vice Chair of Governors

                                                Child Protection and Safeguarding Governor

                                                Maths Governor

                                                PE Governor 

                                                (Co-opted Governor, appointed by FGB on 07/12/22)

Mrs Louise Gill                        Deputy Headteacher     

                                                LAC Looked after children Governor                                              

                                                (Staff Governor, appointed by FGB on 06/02/23)

Mrs Mary Power                      LINK / Community Governor

Health and Safety Governor

Music Governor

                                                (Associate Governor, appointed by FGB on 08/07/20)                        

Ms Alison Bellwood                 Deputy Child Protection and Safeguarding Governor

Mental Health/ Well- being, Geography and PSHE Governor           

(Co-opted Governor, appointed by FGB on 25/11/20)

Ms Beatriz James                   EYFS Governor

English Governor

Science Governor

(Parent Governor, appointed by FGB on 06/07/21)

All terms of office are 4 years and none of the governors have declared any relevant business and pecuniary interests.  

All governors stand on all committee boards. These boards are as follows:

• Premises, Health and Safety
• Curriculum
• Finance
• Personnel
• Head Teacher Appraisal Panel

We currently have one vacancy for a co-opted Governor which we are seeking to fill.

Should you wish to contact our Chair of Governors please do so using the address below:

Mrs Helma Betts,

c/o Lionel Primary School,

Lionel Road North,

Brentford,

TW8 9QT.

Code of Conduct for Lionel Primary School Governing Board

As governors / trustees, we will focus on our strategic functions:

1. Ensuring there is clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
2. Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils and the performance management of staff.
3. Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.
4. Ensuring the voices of stakeholders are heard.

As individuals on the board we agree to:

Fulfil our role & responsibilities  

1. We accept that our role is strategic and so will focus on our core functions rather than involve ourselves in day to day management.
2. We will develop, share and live the ethos and values of our school.
3. We agree to adhere to school policies and procedures as set out by the relevant governing documents and law.
4. We will work collectively for the benefit of the school.
5. We will be candid but constructive and respectful when holding senior leaders to account.
6. We will consider how our decisions may affect the school and local community.
7. We will stand by the decisions that we make as a collective.
8. Where decisions and actions conflict with the Seven Principles of Public Life or may place pupils at risk, we will speak up and bring this to the attention of the relevant authorities.
9. We will only speak or act on behalf of the board if we have the authority to do so.
10. We will fulfil our responsibilities as a good employer, acting fairly and without prejudice.
11. When making or responding to complaints we will follow the established procedures.
12. We will strive to uphold the school’s reputation in our private communications (including on social media).

Demonstrate our commitment to the role

1. We will involve ourselves actively in the work of the board, and accept our fair share of responsibilities, serving on committees or working groups where required.
2. We will make every effort to attend all meetings both a full board and committee which happen once per half term and where we cannot attend explain in advance why we are unable to.
3. We will arrive at meetings prepared, having read all papers in advance, ready to make a positive contribution and observe protocol.
4. We will get to know the school well and respond to opportunities to involve ourselves in school activities.
5. We will visit the school and when doing so will make arrangements with relevant staff in advance and observe school and board protocol.
6. When visiting the school in a personal capacity (i.e. as a parent or carer), we will continue to honour the commitments made in this code.
7. We will participate in induction training and take responsibility for developing our individual and collective skills and knowledge on an ongoing basis.

Build and maintain relationships

1. We will develop effective working relationships with school leaders, staff, parents and other relevant stakeholders from our local community/ communities.
2. We will express views openly, courteously and respectfully in all our communications with board members and staff both inside and outside of meetings.
3. We will support the chair in their role of leading the board and ensuring appropriate conduct.

Respect confidentiality

1. We will observe complete confidentiality both inside and outside of school when matters are deemed confidential or where they concern individual staff, pupils or families.
2. We will not reveal the details of any governing board vote.
3. We will ensure all confidential papers are held and disposed of appropriately.
4. We will maintain confidentiality even after we leave office.

Declare conflicts of interest and be transparent

1. We will declare any business, personal or other interest that we have in connection with the board’s business and these will be recorded in the Register of Business Interests.
2. We will also declare any conflict of loyalty at the start of any meeting should the need arise.
3. If a conflicted matter arises in a meeting, we will offer to leave the meeting for the duration of the discussion and any subsequent vote.
4. We accept that the Register of Business Interests will be published on the school/trust’s website.
5. We will act in the best interests of the school/trust as a whole and not as a representative of any group.
6. We accept that in the interests of open governance, our full names, date of appointment, terms of office, roles on the governing board, attendance records, relevant business and pecuniary interests, category of governor and the body responsible for appointing us will be published on the school’s website.
7. We accept that information relating to board members will be collected and recorded on the DfE’s national database of governors (Get information about schools), some of which will be publicly available.

We understand that potential or perceived breaches of this code will be taken seriously and that a breach could lead to formal sanctions.

 Adopted by Lionel Primary School Governing Board on 03.02.22

The governing board agree that this code of conduct will be reviewed annually, upon significant changes to the law and policy or as needed and it will be endorsed by the full governing board.