Governors

What is the role of the Governors?

Quotes from the National Governor Association:

  • ‘Governors provide strategic leadership and accountability in schools.’

  • ‘Governors are key to the effectiveness of a school.’

As St Michael’s is a Church of England School, there are added responsibilities:

  • Firstly, ensuring that the Christian Ethos of the school is encouraged and maintained and links between the School, Church and Diocese are preserved.

  • Secondly, 10% of all building work is paid for through the Governing Board.

In practical terms the Headteacher and Staff are accountable to the Governing Board for the educational performance and progress of the pupils.

The finance of the school is overseen by the Governing Board.

We work closely alongside the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team and Staff to ensure that the core school values and the Mission Statement underpin all activities and this leads to an inclusive, welcoming and outstanding school.

 

How do we fulfil these responsibilities?

Each term, four main committees meet and cover all areas of school life:

Premises and Buildings:  Responsible for everything to do with these and work with a Yearly Premises Development Plan.

Pupil and Personnel: This covers everything to do with pupils and all staff throughout the school and includes areas such as Safeguarding and Pupil Premium and SEND.

Curriculum: This covers all areas of the Curriculum in school and includes assessing progress of pupils throughout their school life. Each term a presentation is given by a Subject Leader.

Finance: We deal with the school budget, and there is also a Staff Pay Committee which oversees Salaries.

There are other groups who meet when needed to deal with Admissions, Appointments, Exclusions, Complaints and Headteacher Performance Management.

Once a term the Full Governing Board meet.

All Governors attend initially Induction Training and then in depth training in their responsibility area. Two training days a year are held specifically for Governors of St Michael's School.

Who are we?

The majority of the Governing Board is appointed by the Church or the Diocese and called Foundation Governors.

Additionally we have a Local Authority Governor, two Parent Governors, two co-opted Governors, a Staff Governor, and Associate Governor, all having terms of office for four years.

We have two ex-officio Governors:  the Headteacher and the minister of St Michael's Church.

Any other information or questions that you would like to have or ask or if you feel we can be of help to you then you can contact me through the School Office.

Jennifer Bailey

Chair of Governors 

Our Governors:

  • Foundation Governor: Expiry Date of Office: 05.03.25

    I am a Diocesan Representative on the Governing Body and have been Chair of Governors since 2009. Before retirement, I was a Chartered Librarian, Primary School teacher and eventually Deputy Head in a Special School in Thurrock. I am a licensed Reader at St Michael’s Church.

    I am frequently in school and regularly take assemblies. I attend all the Committee Meetings but the role of Chair is delegated in all these. I regularly meet with the Head teacher.

    I am in regular touch with all Governing Body members and constantly ensuring that there is a range of skills and expertise on the Governing Body and is being used to the benefit of all the St Michael’s School Community.

    I try to ensure that all staff and Governors feel valued and so spend time getting to know them and am informed if staff are ill, pregnant, have problems etc. so that they receive cards and good wishes from the Governing Body.

    Alongside the Chairs of Committees, Head teacher and the Clerk, I plan the annual calendar of meetings.

  • Chair of Admissions Committee

    Foundation Governor (PCC Appointment)
    Term of Office Expiry Date: 02.02.25

    I have three children, who all attended St Michael’s School. I oversee the organising of fundraising to help raise the 10% governors are required to fund towards building projects and maintenance. I am also the Chair of Trustees for the school fund (the school’s charity account) and the Premises and Pupil and Personnel subcommittees. I also chair the Admissions committee which is tasked with ensuring the school’s admissions criteria is correctly applied for places at the school.

  • Minister of St Michael’s Church

    Ex-officio

    I took over at St Michael’s Church, Braintree, in September 2017 and have been delighted by the excellent links between the school and the church. It is clearly a school which offers both an outstanding education and also the opportunity for pupils to grow up learning something of what the Bible teaches. It is a privilege to be involved in assemblies at the school and to be able to welcome pupils from the school to our church as we celebrate the major Christian festivals.

    St Michael’s is the third Church of England School at which I have been a school governor and I will do all that I can to support the school in continuing to provide an outstanding education for all of our children, in the context of a Christian ethos.

  • Foundation Governor (PCC Appointment)
    Term of Office 17.11.25

    I am a Diocesan representative on the Governing Body and sit on the Pupil and Personnel Committee and Curriculum Committee.

    I have two children, both of whom attend St Margarets, Gosfield.

    I am Children’s and Youth Minister at St Michael’s Church.

    I regularly take Assemblies in school plus three lunchtime ‘Spotlight’ Clubs.

    My background is in teaching primary school age pupils and I have been an Assistant Head Teacher.

  • Foundation Governor (PCC)
    Term of Office 05.12.25

    I work locally and have two children in St Michael’s School.

    I am fully involved in the life of the school especially volunteering with Forest School.

    I have taken on responsibility for Health and Safety and am a member of the Premises Committee.

  • Foundation Governor
    Term of Office PCC 29.10.24

    I am a member of the Curriculum Committee, and part of the Pay Performance Management Group

  • Foundation Governor (PCC Appointment)
    Term of Office 14.03.26

    Initially I was a co-opted Governor with responsibility for finance.

    In July 2022 I was appointed a Foundation Governor.

    I’m a member of the Finance Committee.

  • Foundation Governor (PCC Appointment)
    Term of Office Expiry Date: 16.7.24

    I have been a governor at the school for over 8 years. As mother to two boys, I have experienced the school as a parent as well as a governor. I have been a member of St. Michael's Church for 13 years. I used to be an administration manager at a large retailer but I then retrained as a teacher and teach a Year 2 class.

    I am on the Pupil and Personnel Committee and Curriculum Committee. I am Chair of the Curriculum Committee.

  • Parent Governor.
    Term of Office Expiry Date: 30.09.24

    My first interaction with the school came when my eldest son joined in 2009. He graduated from Year 6 in 2016 and it was at this stage that I volunteered to play a more involved role with the school and was appointed as a Parent Governor. Now I have four other children attending St Michael’s and living by the school’s values.

    I work with the Curriculum Committee as well as the Finance Committee.

    Outside of school life, I have worked in the Corporate Banking industry for 20 years. Working in the City of London, my responsibilities include assisting corporate businesses to import, export and trade internationally.

  • Local Authority Governor
    Term of Office Expiry Date : 20.01.25

    I have three children, all of whom attended St Michael’s, and first became the Local Authority governor at the school 16 years ago. I am also a parent governor at a Secondary Academy in Colchester. This has given me a wealth of experience, including Headteacher recruitment, performance management and school-led improvement. I am a member of the Pupil and Personnel Committee.

    After starting my career in teaching, I worked as an HR Professional for 20 years before becoming Governor Services Manager for EES for Schools. At EES I am responsible for providing information and advice to support Essex governors in the critical work they do, including having the strategic lead for governor and clerk development.

    I am currently a member of the Personnel Committee, chair of the Headteacher’s Performance Management panel and Training Link Governor. This means making sure that governing body members keep up to date and develop the skills and experience they need to support continuous school improvement.

    I am also a Governor at Chelmer Valley High Chelmsford

  • Co-opted Governor - 30.10.26

    I have taken on responsibility for Well Being/Mental Health throughout the School.

    I’m also a member of the Finance Committee.

  • Elected Staff Governor September 2018

  • Headteacher - Ex-officio