"I never really knew or appreciated how much work and effort goes into running a school until I was on the inside and I just want to say, you do an amazing job!" School Governor

"We appreciate the staff so much - teaching is not a job it is a vocation." School Governor

"The children at Morley Victoria are wonderful. They are so welcoming on Governor Days and they love to share their thoughts and their work with us. It is such a treat!" - School Governor

"It's the Governors' job to help run our school - to make sure we are learning well, that we are happy and that we are safe." - MV Pupil

"The Governing Body seem to be very active in the life of the school. They have Governor Days and they attend important events." - MV Parent

The Governing Body of any school is in place to provide both support and challenge the leadership team in the way the school is led and managed and to provide the best possible education to every pupil in the school - our Governing Body is no exception.

Our Governors do not tend to get involved with the daily running of the school but their expectations are exceptionally high in terms of the way the leadership team carry out their roles and responsibilities. It is the role of the Governors to work with the school leaders on the strategic planning and thinking ahead; they also ask questions and are well informed about every aspect of school life. 

Our Governors provide support and challenge in equal measure thanks to their excellent knowledge of the school and the policies and practices. The skill set of our Governing Body is also a strength of our school - we have people who work in the following professions: finance, HR, child minding, ex-teachers, law, coaching and mentoring and in the medical profession. When combined, all of this experience simply enhances the strategic running of our school.

Our Governors share the vision and ambition of the leadership team for the children at Morley Victoria to be the best they can possibly be both academically and socially and emotionally. They agree that the children are at the heart of everything we do at Morley Victoria. The Governors are always welcome to come into school but at the beginning of each academic year we plan three full days in school so that the Governors can come and spend time with the staff and the children - these days are incredibly valuable for everyone. Governors are invited to attend staff meetings, staff training, visits from external consultants, they attend some pupil progress meetings and performance management to name a few.

Governors are volunteers who give a significant amount of time over the course of the year to helping the school be the best it can possible be. They are part of the biggest volunteer workforce in the country and we thank them for their time and efforts.

For more detailed information about the members of the Governing Body, please see the Statutory Governance Information at the bottom of this page.

Equality and Diversity on the Morley Victoria Governing Body

Equality and diversity are hugely important at Morley Victoria and our Governing Body is no exception. In line with the school's work around CCQM we want our Governing Body to be reflective of the community we serve. Whenever we recruit new members onto the Governing Body we try to offer as much information as possible about the role and make it very clear that this role is suitable for any individual who has a keen interest in the life of the school regardless of their age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, culture, marital status, whether they are pregnant or on maternity / paternity leave or have a disability. We are keen to ensure that everyone is welcome and that our Governing Body is as diverse as we can possibly make it.

Who is part of the Morley Victoria Governing Body?

The current membership of the Governing Body is:

The Headteacher:
Joanne Wood

The Chair of Governors:

Claire Skeet (Co-opted)

Parent Governors, elected by parents/carers:

David Reid and Nikki Alstead 

Staff Governors, elected by the staff:

Sarah McCullagh and Lisa Farmer

Co-opted Governors appointed by the Governing Body to represent the community:

Julie Hardaker, Reena Sharma, Angie Walker and Julia Britton (Vice Chair)

Observer Members (These members attend because they wish to be part of the Governing Body but hold no responsibility or voting rights)

Debbie Smith and Kevin Precious 

How do I contact the Governing Body if I need their help?

If you would like to make contact with the Governing Body at any time, please speak to the school office.

How does the Governing Body work?

The Governing Body holds an organisation meeting in September each year to set out meeting dates and dates for Governor Days in school. We use the School Development Plan and the School Evaluation Form to decide upon strategic roles and responsibilities for the coming academic year.

Since becoming part of The Owlcotes Academy Trust, we have changed the meetings that we hold as Finance and Resources are now held centrally with the Trust. Therefore, from September 2024 we have two committee meetings which cover all other aspects of school life: Teaching and Learning, and Pupil and Staff Support. The committees are held termly, and all Governors attend both meetings so they have a rounded picture of the school. 

Some Governors have specific areas of responsibility due to their skillset, strengths and experience, but the Governing Body as a whole work together to discharge their responsibilities and support and challenge the school as appropriate - it is very much a team effort. All Governors are equal and the decisions made by the Governing Body are our collective responsibility.

Every year we have 3 Governor Days in school where the whole Governing Body spends the day in school looking at various aspects of the School Development Plan.  We also have other meetings during the school year when needed about subjects such as safeguarding, data, Ofsted and the curriculum. 

At the start of each academic year, all governors complete a Governors' Code of Conduct form and a Notice of Business and Personal Interest form.

What is the Governing Body responsible for?

(This information is taken from Leeds City Council Governor Support Services)

Primary School Governing Bodies have a range of responsibilities as a consequence of the Education Acts:

• to help to decide school policy for management of the school with the Headteacher and act as a link between the school and the local community
• to monitor the progress of a post-Ofsted Action Plan and the School Improvement Plan
• to set appropriate targets for pupil achievement at Key Stage Two
• to ensure that all children make progress in their personal development and wellbeing (Stay Safe, Be Healthy, Enjoy & Achieve, Make a positive contribution, Achieve economic wellbeing)
• to ensure that the curriculum for the school is balanced and broadly based and that the National Curriculum and religious education are taught
• to ensure that special education needs are met
• to manage the school budget
• to determine the staffing of the school and pay policy and make decisions about pay in accordance with the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions of Employment document
• to recruit and dismiss staff employed at the school
• to participate in the appointment of the Headteacher
• to ensure provision of a performance management policy and to set performance objectives for the Headteacher
• to listen to complaints from parents
• to hear appeals from parents when pupils are excluded from school
• to decide the start and finish times of the school
• to make sure the school is safe and healthy

How to become a Governor

When there is a space on our Governing Body, a letter/ email will go out to parents / carers and request those who are interested to contact school.  You will then be asked to write a short statement about what skills you could offer the school by being part of the Governing Body.  You will then be invited to a meeting to learn more about the role of a school Governor. The statement is then circulated round to the relevant people to read.  If needed, a vote is then carried out and the person with the highest number of votes is elected.  If you are interested in becoming a member of the Governing Body at Morley Victoria or need further information about the role of a Governor, please speak to the school office.   

The document below sets out the eligibility criteria for being a school Governor. This is a vital document to consider before applying.

• Eligibility Declaration

If you would like a copy of meeting minutes from the sub committees or require any other information, please contact the school office or Governor Support Services on 0113 3785123.

• Governor Day Feedback for Families.pdf

 

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Morley Victoria Primary School Governing Body

Statutory Governance Information

Chair: Miss Claire Skeet                                                             

Vice Chair: Mrs Julia Britton

The Governing Body is currently made up of:

• The Headteacher
• 2 parent Governors, formally elected through a ballot of parents unless the election is uncontested 
• 6 co-opted Governors, nominated and appointed by the Governing Body 
• 2 staff Governors, formally elected by staff employed at school

We then also have up to 3 observer members, appointed by the Governing Body (who have no voting rights within the Governing Body). They are staff members at the school who have a keen interest in the leadership and management of the school.

The Governing Body operates with the following committees:

•  Teaching and learning committee - responsible for overseeing teaching and learning matters, including target setting, standards and achievement, SEND (including reporting annually on the success of the SEND policy),  monitoring teaching and learning and curriculum provision. This committee must ensure that the Governing Body is represented at school improvement discussions.

   Committee chair: Miss Claire Skeet

• Pupil and Staff Support - responsible for overseeing all matters related to safeguarding, SEND, medical needs and the general behaviour and welfare of the pupils. This committee discusses the important matters of attendance, children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, children, parent and staff voice, extracurricular activities, cluster and other partnerships. We also consider the staff and their health and wellbeing, their CPD and their voice during this meeting.

   Committee chair: Mrs Julia Britton

• Headteacher Performance Management Committee – this small group of Governors will meet twice a year to review the Headteacher's performance targets. Members of this committee would also form a Pay Appeal committee should it ever be required – responsible for hearing pay appeals and ensuring a fair and proper process has been followed. This is done in partnership with the MAT Central Team and the CEO.

Current Governors and business/other interests declared are provided in the table below.  Governors and associate members are reminded that they should declare any changes as and when they occur and this is on the agenda of each meeting to ensure that this happens.

Name of governor  Category of governor   Date appointed and term of office Relevant financial interests Personal interests (relationships with school staff) Other Governance interests  Date declaration signed Miss Claire Skeet   (Chair) Originally a Parent governor, elected by parents. Now Co-Opted.   16/09/2024 4 years until 31/08/2028   None Miss Skeet works for a flooring company called Envirofloors Ltd who occasionally quote and carry out work at Morley Victoria. Miss Skeet never provides the quotes or has any involvement in the work. Miss Skeet has one child in school. She is an Accountant and has a great deal of financial experience to bring to Morley Victoria. None Autumn 2024   Mrs Julie Hardaker     Co-opted governor, appointed by governors.   16/09/2024 4 years until 31/08/2028 None Mrs Hardaker used to be the Assistant Headteacher at Morley Victoria Primary School, she retired in July 2016. She has wonderful experience and expertise to bring to the Governing Body. None Autumn 2024 Mrs Joanne Wood       Headteacher 05/05/2015 for the duration of her time at Morley Victoria as Headteacher Mrs Wood’s husband runs a company called ‘Scamp’ who do design work. Mr Wood frequently quotes for work done in school and is responsible for many documents and displays. Much work is paid for at a reduced rate for our school. Much is also done free of charge. Miss Skeet, the SBM or one of the AHTs sign off all of the orders for Scamp for financial transparency and security. Mrs Wood has been at Morley Victoria for 23 years, starting her career as an NQT in 000. None Autumn 2024 Mr David Reid Parent Governor           Mrs Nikki Alstead Parent Governor           Mrs Reena Sharma Co-opted governor, appointed by governors. 16/09/2024 4 years until 31/08/2028 None Mrs Sharma has one child in school. She is a pharmacist so has a keen interest in Health and Safety and Medical Needs and Safety in school. None Autumn 2024 Mrs Julia Britton Co-opted governor, appointed by governors. 05/05/2015 as Co-Headteacher then from 16/09/2024 until 31/08/2028 as a Co-Opted Governor None Mrs Britton has been at Morley Victoria since 2001 when she started as an NQT. She left the school as a Co-Headteacher in February 2021 but was keen to remain on the Governing Body. She possesses a great deal of knowledge of the school to bring to the Governing Body as an Education Consultant and she previously worked as an ad-hoc trainer for the Education Safeguarding Team. Mrs Britton is the Chair of the Academy Advisory Board where her children attend school. She also sits on the Board of Trustees at the Carlton Academy Trust. Autumn 2024 Mrs Angie Walker Co-opted governor, appointed by the governors. 16/09/2024 4 years until 31/08/2028 None Mrs Walker has been the clerk to the GB for the last few years and upon her retirement, expressed that she would be keen to join us. She has a background of social work so has much to offer. Mrs Walker is the Chair of Governors at St Francis Primary School in Morley. Autumn 24 Miss Sarah McCullagh Sarah was elected to represent the staff on the Governing Body in October 2024. 06/11/2024 4 years until 31/08/2028 None Sarah started at Morley Victoria as a trainee teacher. Following her placement, she was employed to teach full-time and now has a vast range of experience working across school. None Autumn 2024 Mrs Lisa Farmer Lisa was elected to represent the staff on the Governing Body in October 2024. 06/11/2024 4 years until 31/08/2028 None Lisa works as a Higher Level Teaching Assistant at Morley Victoria. She has many different skills and attributes to bring to the Governing Body. None Autumn 2024 Associate Members Mrs Debbie Smith Observer member appointed by governors.   01/09/2017 for the duration of her time at Morley Victoria as Assistant Headteacher None Mrs Smith has been at Morley Victoria since 2003 – she started as a trainee. She is now one of the Assistant Headteachers and sits on the Governing Body to share her knowledge and experience. None N/A Mr Kevin Precious Observer member appointed by governors. 05/05/2017 for the duration of his time at Morley Victoria as Assistant Headteacher None Mr Precious has been at Morley Victoria since 2009 – he started as a Trainee. He is now one of the Assistant Headteachers and sits on the Governing Body to share his knowledge and experience. None N/A Members of the Governing Body who have left in the last 12 Months   Mrs Candy Evans Originally an Associate Member, now Co-opted member appointed by governors. 01/09/2022   4 years until 31/08/2026 None Mrs Evans is a former member of staff at MV and had been at the school since 2012 when she arrived as an NQT. She left recently but was keen to continue her link with the school via the Governing Body and brings her knowledge and expertise to the meetings. None Autumn 2023 Stepped down Sep 24 Mr James Stott     Staff Governor voted for by school staff to represent them on the Governing Board. 16/09/2024 4 years until 31/08/2028 None Mr Stott has been a teacher at the school since September 2017. He has taught in Y1 and Y2 and is the Maths and Physical Activity Leader as well as the KS1 Leader. None Autumn 2024 Stepped down Oct 24 Mrs Susan Gilbertson Co-opted governor, appointed by the governors. 16/09/2024 4 years until 31/08/2028 None Mrs Gilbertson is the former, long standing Emotional Health and Wellbeing Manager at MV who retired in Summer 22. She still has so much to offer the school so the GB asked if she would like to be a governor. None Autumn 24 Stepped down Nov 24

Mrs Dee Odesola	Parent governor, elected by parents/carers.	01/09/2021 4 years until 31/08/2025	None	Mrs Odesola currently has one child at Morley Victoria. She is a chartered accountant, currently working as an analyst.	None	Autumn 2023
Mrs Rebecca Passley	Co-opted Governor, appointed by the governors	6/09/2024 4 years until 31/08/2028	None	Mrs Passley has a daughter at Morley Victoria. She is a skilled manager responsible for training, coaching and recruitment.	Child minder employed by families who attend Morley Victoria.	Autumn 2024
Mrs Ali Archbold	Ali was on the Morley Victoria Governing Body previously. She was re-elected by the families in 2022 as a parent governor.	30/3/2022 4 years until 31/08/2026	None	Ali is a Leadership Consultant specialising in learning and development, designing and delivering learning as well as coaching others to help them reach their potential.	None	Autumn 2024