Westgarth – Local School Board Governance at Westgarth
Westgarth Primary School is part of the Galileo Multi-Academy Trust.
The Westgarth Local School Board is made up of a number of individuals who represent the different stakeholders in the successful running of the school.
The Local School Board meets at least once a term, and has committees which meet more regularly to deal with specific issues. The Chair (Ellen Bissell) or the governor with responsibility for Safeguarding (Ellen Bissell) can be contacted via the school office if you have any specific queries or issues you wish to raise.
The purpose of having a Local School Board is to:
- help the school to set high standards by planning for the school’s future and setting targets for school improvement
- keep the pressure up on school improvement
- be a critical friend to the school, offering support and advice
- help the school respond to the needs of parents and the community
- make the school accountable to the public for what it does
- work with the school on planning, developing policies and keeping the school under review
- exercise its responsibilities and powers in partnership with the headteacher and staff
- not intervene in the day-to-day management of the school unless there are weaknesses in the school, when it then has a duty to take action.
From time to time vacancies for new governors become available. These are advertised through the school newsletters and on the website.
Once appointed or elected, all governors must operate in the best interest of pupils, not as representatives to lobby on behalf of their constituency. Their task is to govern the school. This means focusing on the core functions of providing strategic leadership, holding the headteacher to account and making sure the school’s money is well spent. This is a demanding task for which all governors need to have, or develop, relevant and appropriate skills.
Related Documents
Westgarth – Local School Board
LSB Meeting Attendance Register 2023-24
Declarations – Westgarth Primary School