Governance
The Governing Body warmly welcome you to
Our Lady's Catholic Primary School
The Governing Body hold the responsibility, through a range of duties and powers, for the conduct of the school with a view to promoting high standards of educational achievement as well as upholding the Catholic ethos of the school.
The main aims of the Governing Body are:
- To ensure every child enjoys their school life and can achieve their very best through the delivery of an expansive curriculum.
- To ensure that all our Staff always deliver the very best teaching to each and every child.
- To support families and carers in the religious life of their child, including Sacramental Preparation.
We achieve this by:
- Monitoring the academic progress and performance of all pupils.
- Ensuring the highest quality continuing professional development of all staff.
- Using funding and resources effectively to meet the needs of our school.
- Maintaining the highest quality of Catholic life and ethos in the daily life of our school.
- Monitoring the health, safety and welfare of all children within our school.
- Assessing, planning, prioritising, implementing and evaluating while school needs to ensure on-going improvement.
Types of Governors
There are different types of governors; this is to ensure that the governing body of a school reflects a wide range of groups from the community. The different categories of governors are:
- Parent Governors – are elected to be representative of the parent body. They keep in touch with those who elected them but make up their own minds on how to vote on a specific issue.
- Staff Governors – include the Headteacher, teaching and non-teaching staff. With the exception of the Headteacher, staff governors are elected by the staff of the school and communicate with those who have elected them.
- Local Authority Governors – are appointed by the local authority that maintains the school, they keep in touch with the Local Authority who appointed them, but they vote according to the best interests of the school.
- Foundation Governors – are appointed by the Bishop and Trustees of the Diocese they may be nominated by the Parish Priest. Foundation governors have an important role which is to uphold the Catholic ethos of the school and are always in the majority in a Catholic school.
Our Lady's governing body is made up of a wide range of people from varying backgrounds and professions. Each Governor has different roles and may sit on more than one subcommittee! The Full Governing Body meets at least once a term and relies on the various sub committees to advise their decisions. Our sub committees include: Curriculum Focus, Finance & Buildings, Personnel, Health and Safety, Ethos & Discipline and Admissions & Appeals.
At Our Lady's each year group has an assigned Class-Link Governor. This Governor will be more involved with the class activities and work undertaken by each class, for example, they may attend School Trips or be involved in project work. It is an excellent way for the children to get to know the Governing Body!
At Our Lady's we have the very best interests of each and every child at the heart of everything we do and the decisions we make as a Governing Body. We fully support the school's mission statement that every child deserves the very best and to 'follow their dreams using the guiding light of Jesus'.
Governor Profiles
Mr Harold Hands
I am a retired Chartered Surveyor with 45 years' experience in the property and buildings industry. I bring this experience to the board of governors as Chair of the Health & Safety and Premises Committee. I served as the elected parent governor at Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Primary School, Shirley, for a period of 15 years, latterly as a foundation governor. I also served on the School Association's Committee becoming its chairman. I live in Solihull with my wife Eve, we have two adult children. Our son Edward now lives in Norway and our daughter is married and a primary school teacher. In my spare time I help with the care of my grandchildren.
Chair of Governors
Mrs Jackie McCorristan
I was delighted to be appointed as Clerk to the Governing Body at Our Lady's School. I have worked as a clerk at various schools for over 18 years now and very much enjoy unique insight the role gives me. The Governing Body is made up of volunteers who are passionate about ensuring the pupils get the very best possible start in their foundation and primary education. The pupils' development and well being are at the heart of everything the Governors do. I firmly believe that a good education at primary level is essential if children are to reach their full potential. I know that all of the staff and governing body at Our Lady's Catholic Primary School are wholly committed to make this happen and feel lucky to be part of that team.
Clerk to the Governors
Governing Body Members
Please find below details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.
| Name | Type of Governor |
|---|---|
| Mr Harold Hands | Chair of Governors, Foundation Governor, Year 2 Class Link |
| Brother Andrew Ferris | Deputy Chair of Governors, Foundation Governor, Year 6 Class Link |
| Ms Vivien McDonald | Headteacher |
| Mrs Mary Johnson | Foundation Governor, EYFS Class Link |
| Mrs Eileen Moroney-Barnett | Foundation Governor, Year 4 Class Link |
| Mrs Susan Nightingale | Foundation Governor, Year 3 Class Link |
| Mrs Julie Pass | Parent Governor |
| Miss Sarah Cahill | Staff Governor |
| Mrs Michelle Grantham | Associate Governor |
| Father Anthony Pham-Tri-Van | Associate Governor, Parish Priest |
| Mrs Jackie McCorristan |
Clerk to Governing Body |
| Mr Matt Sparling | Associate Governor, Year 5 Class Link |
| Mrs Cath Henny | Associate Governor, Year 1 Class Link |
Governing Body Information - January 2020
|
Governor Name |
Type of Governor |
Chair (CH) or Vice Chair (VC) |
Committee Chair |
Performance and Standards Committee Member |
Resource Management Committee Member |
Connections to Staff Yes or No, if Yes who and how |
Term of Office / End Date |
Other School Governor Posts held. Name of school adn governor type |
Business interests declared Yes or No, if yes please state |
| Miss V McDonald | Head Teacher | N | N | Y | Y | Head Teacher | NA | Associate member-Guardian Angels School, Birmingham | No |
| Mrs M Johnson | FOU | N | Y | Y | Y | Prior Acting Head Teacher | 30/10/2021 | No | No |
| Mr H Hands | FOU |
Y C |
N | Y | Y | N | 09/01/2022 | No | No |
| Mrs E Moroney Barnett | FOU | N | Y | N | N | N | 07/11/2020 | St George and St Theresa School, Solihull | No |
| Brother A Ferris | FOU |
Y VC |
N | Y | N | N | 11/04/2022 | Holy Name Catholic School, St Mark's Catholic School | No |
| Miss S Cahill | STF | N | N | Y | Y | Deputy Head | 03/10/2021 | No | No |
| Mrs C Henny | AS | N | N | N | Y | Prior SBM | 26/03/2020 | No | No |
| Ms Julie Pass | PG | N | N | N | N | N | 21/01/2023 | No | No |
| Mrs S Nightingale | FOU | N | N | Y | N | N | 14/03/2022 | No | No |
| Mr M Sparling | FOU | N | N | Y | N | N | 25/11/2023 | Guardian Angels School | MJS Safeguarding |
| Vacancy | LA | ||||||||
| Vacancy | Parent | ||||||||
| Mr S Charlton | PG | N | N | N | N | N | No | No | |
| Dr M Weeks | AS | N | N | Y | N | N | Term of office ceased 31/08/2019 | No | No |
Key:
LA - Local Authority nominated or appointed Governor
PG - Elected or appointed Parent Governor
STF - Staff Governor
FOU - Foundation Governor appointed by Diocesan Education Service
AS - Associate member
Governing Body Contact
Mr H Hands - c/o Our Lady's Catholic Primary School, East Meadway, Tile Cross, Birmingham, B33 0AU