Our Governors

Baldersby St James CE Primary School Governance

A Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) is a legal entity accountable for the running of the organisation and all the academies within it. The MAT is a charitable company limited by guarantee, and has multiple layers of governance: the Members, the Board of Trustees and Board Committees, which include a Local Governing Committee for each school within the MAT.

The Local Governing Committee serves as a sub-committee of the Hope Learning Trust York Board of Trustees, and their responsibilities are set out within the Trust’s Scheme of Delegation. If required, the Board can either delegate more powers to the Local Governing Committee or withdraw powers in exceptional situations. Governors are not involved in the operational running of the school; the daily management of the schools is the responsibility of the Head Teacher. All decisions are made as a group; governors are there as a corporate body responsible for the governance of the school and not to represent their own interests or the interest of others.

What does the Local Governing Committee do?

Local governors have three central duties:

i) setting the vision of the schools
ii) holding the Executive Head Teacher to account
iii) and ensuring the schools’ financial management is to the highest possible standard.

Governors carry out their tasks in a number of different ways, through regular meetings and visits to the schools. Meetings are held at least once a term.

The Local Governing Committee provides the school with a wide range of skills and experience which supports the Senior Leadership team in vital decisions thatenhance the schools’ environment, curriculum and delivery of the best educational experience possible.

If you are interested in becoming an LGC member do contact the school to find out about the current vacancies.

Skills and Training

Governors do not need specific skills, but many of the tasks they are required to undertake can benefit from general business knowledge such as understanding management systems, budget planning and HR functions. Local authorities are required to ensure that training for governors is available and most governing bodies buy into their local authority training packages (which may include online learning) to ensure that governors are properly inducted to their role and trained for specific tasks such as appointing the Head Teacher and then carrying out the Head Teacher’s performance review.

Our Governors

Baldersby St James’s governing board comprises of nine governors. Two of these, Foundation Governor and the Headteacher hold ex officio positions and the remainder serve a term of four years.

Our Clerk to Governors for Hope Learning Trust is Jess Swarbrick, Governance Adviser (effective from 1 September 2020).

If you wish to contact our Chair, please email d.judson@bsj.hlt.academy or contact the school office.

If you would like to become a parent governor, please contact us for further details.

Meeting dates of the LGC in 2020-21

• Thursday 21/1/21
• Thursday 29/4/21
• Thursday 24/6/21

All meetings take place at 3:45pm in the school.

Additional information

Baldersby St James Business Interest Register 2020-21

Baldersby LGC Attendance Register 2019-20