To all parents of pupils at
Grindon Infant School
Date: Autumn Term 2021
Our Ref: WH/GIS
Education Services
PO Box 100, Civic Centre
Sunderland, SR2 7DN
Tel: 0191 520 5555
Web: www.togetherforchildren.org.uk
This matter is being dealt with by: William Harrison, Governor Support Officer, Governor Support Team, Civic Centre, Burdon Road, Sunderland, SR2 7DN
Dear Parent
Parent Governor Election
One vacancy exists at your child’s school for a Parent Governor with immediate effect. Governors serve a four-year term.
If you are a parent of a registered pupil at the school (or an individual who has parental responsibility for, or cares for a registered pupil at the school), I am writing to you on behalf of Education Services, to seek nominations for this Parent Governor position.
You would be expected to attend Governing Board meetings at least once a term. When appropriate, these meetings can be conducted virtually. Working alongside the Headteacher, governors’ responsibilities now include :-
• attending meetings regularly and contributing to discussions. Governing Boards must meet at least three times per year.
• helping to establish the aims, policies and objectives of the school, and how standards of education can be improved
• helping to draw up the School Development Plan
• setting the school budget and monitoring expenditure
• ensuring that the national curriculum is implemented and hearing any complaints about its delivery
• appointing, promoting, supporting and disciplining school staff, and deciding their salaries
• acting as a link between the local community and the school
• producing an action plan after an OFSTED inspection and monitoring how the plan is put into practice
Classification: Restricted
Working on behalf of Sunderland City Council. www.togetherforchildren.org.uk
• considering cases of excluded pupils
• establishing a Performance Management Policy
• ensuring accountability
You do not have to be an expert on education to be a member of the Governing Board, and we value the contribution that all members bring to the role. Nevertheless, a key consideration in the appointment and election of all new governors should be the skills and experience the Governing Board needs to be effective. It is therefore important that all prospective governors for election or appointment understand the role of a governor and that they will be expected to adhere to a governance Code of Conduct.
Any specific skills or experience that would be desirable in a new governor, such as the willingness to learn or skills that would help the Governing Board improve its effectiveness and address any specific challenges it may be facing will be an advantage. Training and development will be provided via the school.
You may self-nominate, but if you wish to nominate another parent you should seek their approval before submitting the nomination.
If you would like to be nominated as a Parent Governor please email your full name, date of birth along with the name of the school, name of your child and their year group to william.harrison@togetherforchildren.org.uk You may submit a nomination in writing. Please ensure these are hand delivered or posted to the school in line with the closing deadline of the end of the school day on Friday 8th October 2021.
Further to this, please send a personal statement of no more than 250 words. Your statement may include:
• evidence of the extent to which you possess the skills and experience the board desires;
• your commitment to undertake training and development to acquire or develop the skills to make an effective contribution to governance;
• if seeking re-election, details of your contribution to the work of the board during your previous term of office; and
• how you plan to contribute to the future work of the board.
If a greater number of nominations are received than spaces the school will implement a ballot procedure. More details of this will follow if necessary.
It should be noted that the appointment of a Parent Governor will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS). The Council is responsible for processing these checks on school governors and candidates can be assured that all information is treated in absolute confidence.
You can find out more about school governors by visiting the City’s website: –
https://www.togetherforchildren.org.uk/schools/school-governor-information
Before completing a nomination, please carefully note the list of disqualifications below. If any of these apply to you, it will mean that you are ineligible to serve as a Parent Governor: –
You are disqualified from holding office if you:
a) are not a parent of a registered pupil at the school at the time of your election (although it should be noted that you are entitled to complete your term of office if your child leaves the school during your term)
b) are the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order, an interim bankruptcy restrictions order, a debt relief restrictions order or an interim debt relief restrictions order
c) have been convicted of an offence, either within the UK or elsewhere, punishable by a sentence of imprisonment (whether suspended or not) without the option of a fine: –
(i) for a period of at least three months within the past five years; or
(ii) for a period of not less than two and a half years during the past twenty years;
or
(iii) for a minimum period of five years.
d) have been convicted of an offence under Section 40 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 (nuisance and disturbance on education premises) or Section 547 of the 1996 Act, which took place on any school premises and were sentenced to a fine;
e) employed in any capacity at the school for 500 hours or more per year
f) are below the age of 18 years.
g) you have been removed from office as a charity trustee by order of the Charity Commissioners or the High Court.
h) where at any time you are included in the list of teachers and workers with children or young persons whose employment is restricted (List 99/Barred List)
i) where you have been disqualified from being a proprietor of an Independent School or for being a teacher or other employee in any school
j) where a governor refuses a Disclosure and Barring Service check
k) Have been disqualified as a Parent Governor in another School in any Local Authority within the last 5 years
If, having read the above list of disqualifications, you are satisfied that you are eligible to serve as a Parent Governor please submit your nomination and parental statement by the end of the school day on Friday 8th October 2021.
Yours sincerely
William Harrison
Governor Support Team
Direct Line: 0191 561 2626
E-mail: william.harrison@togetherforchildren.org.uk
