Foundation governor vacancy
St James Church of England Primary Academy has a vacancy for a foundation governor. While the whole governing body has agreed to uphold the Christian foundation of the school, a foundation governor has a special responsibility to ensure the Christian ethos, vision and principles are supported and developed in all aspects of school governance and life. Foundation governors are likely to be part of their church community. No experience of the education sector is required.
Become a governor at St James Church of England Primary Academy
“There are immediate and lasting benefits to becoming a school governor. In volunteering your time, you are making a positive contribution to the success of your school and are therefore having an impact on the lives of its pupils, staff and the local community.”
About the school
St James Church of England Primary Academy is part of the Vale Academy Trust, a family of state funded primary and secondary schools, all located in south Oxfordshire. The Trust is a ‘Multi-Academy Trust’ and as such provides non-selective education for children in the catchment areas served by its schools.
St James Primary is located between East and West Hanney and provides education for up to 210 pupils from age 4 to 11 plus a nursery. It was last inspected by Ofsted in 2018 when it received a ‘Good’ rating and it received a positive Church (SIAMS) inspection in 2023.
The Local Governing Body
The Local Governing Body (LGB) of St James is comprised of 2 foundation governors appointed by the Oxford Diocese, 1 staff governor, 2 parent governor places, and 3 director-appointed governors. The term ‘director-appointed’ refers to governors that are officially appointed by the Board of the Trust, rather than through parent or staff elections. Regardless of type, all governors have exactly the same powers.
What does the LGB do?
The LGB has three core functions:
1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction for the school
2. Holding the Headteacher to account for both the educational performance of the school and the performance management of staff
3. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent
The Headteacher is responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of the school and the implementation of the strategic plan agreed with the LGB.
Do I need education sector experience or have children at the school to be a governor?
Absolutely not. You do need to be committed to your school, willing to ask questions and offer appropriate support and challenge to the Headteacher. As well as the support you’ll get from fellow governors, the Trust runs a full programme of induction, training and tools, and provides ongoing assistance from our dedicated governance team, all designed to help make being a governor as straightforward as possible.
How much time would I have to commit?
Governors are expected to attend circa 6 evening meetings of the LGB each year. These typically last around 2 hours each. In addition, the Trust runs governance development sessions on about 4 evenings each year, and encourages all governors to attend as many as possible. These events are a great way to network with governors from other schools, learn about new ideas and receive training in governance matters. Other time commitments will depend on whether you step up to additional roles on the LGB, which could, for example, see you visiting the school on a normal school day to monitor activity and meet with school leaders.
OK, I’m interested. What next?
Further information and an application form can be found on the Oxford Diocese Board of Education website:
Appointing Governors - Oxford Diocesan Board of Education (odbe.org.uk)
Alternatively contact the school to arrange a conversation: office@stjamesce.vale-academy.org
