Our Board of Trustees is a diverse group of professionals who care deeply about the school, its staff and its students, and work closely in a professional capacity with the Headteacher.
The purpose of governance is to provide confident, strategic leadership and engagement, and to create robust accountability, oversight, and assurance for educational and financial performance.
The Trustees of SHSB believe it is important that boards reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. They are always looking to ensure that their own Trustees reflect the diversity within the school community, and wish to encourage people with the right skills, experience, qualities and capacity to consider the role. They use the data about the board's diversity to inform their recruitment and training needs and to ensure there is always a diverse range of perspectives around the table to support robust decision-making.
The Board of Trustees operates a circle model of governance, whereby Trustees work collectively as a 'whole team' with minimal committees; currently they meet six times per year (once per half-term) to make decisions, consider monitoring reports and recommendations, and conduct routine business. Separate committees operate in the areas of Pay and Personnel and Health & Safety; in addition, the lead Trustees in the areas of Finance & Audit, Pay & Personnel, Curriculum & Pupil Matters, Facilities, plus the Chair and Vice-Chair, meet at least once per term as the Executive Committee. Focus groups meet three times per year to scrutinise aspects of school data and finance in more depth: Pupil Data, Accounts and Audit, and Forecast & Budget. Provision is made for Trustees to form committees and appeal panels to deal with Pupil Discipline & Exclusion; Staff Discipline and Dismissal; Admissions; Complaints; Grievances; Pay; and the Headteacher's Performance Review.
The term of office for a Trustee is four years. School Trustees are entitled to time off work for public duties: https://www.gov.uk/time-off-work-public-duties
If you would like to offer your services as a Trustee , please contact the Clerk to the Governing Body, Mrs Carolyn Higgs, at the school to discuss the role: governors@shsb.org.uk.