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Melbourne Primary School

Melbourne Primary School Melbourne Primary School

Meet the Governors

OUR GOVERNORS

Welcome to Melbourne Primary School Governors' page.  The most important thing about our school is the people in it. At Melbourne we are very proud of both our staff and the children and the way they contribute to the calm, positive and productive atmosphere that visitors always comment on.

We believe that children are happy at Melbourne and see our school as a place where they can achieve and succeed.

Our School’s Local Governing Committee (LGC) is made up of eleven governors which are set and appointed to, as follows:  

1 x ex-officio

Headteacher (appointed by virtue of their role)

1 x Staff Elect 

Appointed by staff election process 

2 x Parent Elect

Appointed by parent election process

7xTrust Appointed

Appointed through an application process with recommendation from the LGC elevated to the Trust Board for formal approval

Our current composition, appointments and any vacancies can be found on our Governor Membership Document. The LGC acts as a governance committee of the Wolds Learning Partnership’s Trust Board (the Trust Board) whose overarching, core, functions and responsibilities are prescribed as follows:   

•  to ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction

• to hold executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and

•  to oversee and ensuring effective financial performance

It is the Trust Board who, in turn, determines the role, remit and responsibilities of its Committees (including those of the LGC) by delegating authority through its Scheme of Delegation as well as its Terms of Reference. Please click here to access the scheme of delegation.

It is the Scheme of Delegation and, in this case, the LGC’s Terms of Reference which provide the framework under which the LGC operates. In our case, the LGCs play a crucial role in supporting the work of the Trust Board, it’s Committees and, in turn, the School itself, through:  

• being a local point of consultation and review on matters such as policy, vision and strategy

• representing the views of the School and its stakeholders to the Trust Board

•  scrutinising detailed information on pupil progress and attainment and, if necessary, challenging assumptions

•  helping to monitor the effective and proper use of finances

•  monitoring key policies, such as safeguarding, for their effectiveness

•  monitoring progress being made towards meeting key strategic priorities and aims

•  carrying out panel work when required

•  contributing to the recruitment and performance management of key staff

LGC Meetings and School Visits

LGC Meetings are convened, formally, once every half term to attend to its business and address those roles and responsibilities prescribed and delegated to it from the Trust Board.   Running alongside this, and set out as part of those delegated responsibilities, the LGC also appoints its Governors to Panels and Link Governor Roles (as detailed in the LGC Panels, Link Governors and Working Parties document).  These roles enable and require a more direct involvement with the School including undertaking visits to the School and meeting with the Headteachers and members of staff.

Why does it matter?

According to Ofsted, “…where governance is good, standards of attainment are more likely to be higher than in other schools. The quality of teaching, the behaviour of the pupils, and leadership and management are also more likely to be good. Where governance is weak, schools are more likely to be less successful overall.”

'Governors have a wide range of skills and expertise to support the school’s work and do so effectively. They, too, are ambitious for the school and are confident in asking searching questions about the school’s performance, any proposed actions to make improvements and the impact of these actions to accelerate pupils’ progress. They are astute in recruiting high-calibre staff because they want the best for the school, and hold leaders to account effectively for the progress pupils make.'  OFSTED October 2017

How might I become involved?

We would warmly welcome anyone interested in becoming a Governor at our school to either contact our Chair of Governors (please click here) or the Trust’s Governance Professional (please click here) both of which would be more than happy to informally talk through any preliminary questions which you may have. 

If there aren’t any vacancies available on our LGC, it may be that there are other School’s within our Trust who would really benefit from your skills and experience.  If you would be interested in supporting another School in the Trust, please do contact the Trust’s Governance Professional (please click here). 

For the Trust’s full Governance Composition please click here.

Current Governor Vacancies

x2 Trust appointed governors - for more information click here.

The Governing Body

Jane Henley - Chair of Governors

My three children were at Melbourne School and now one of my grandsons is in Dragonflies class.  I wanted to give something back to the school, supporting all the amazing work the staff do for our children and their commitment to high standards, through the many changes in education policies and practices.  As a result I have been a school governor at Melbourne for well over thirty years, through some challenging times!    I am a retired professional librarian, and worked in York University Library in various roles.    I am Chair of Seaton Ross Parish Council.  I enjoy reading and walking and am interested in local history, currently helping to write a history of Woldgate School with other members of the Pocklington Local History Group. 

 

Vicky Burdett (Headteacher) - In post by virtue of office 

 

 

 

Martin Braidley - Trust Appointed Governor

I am a retired secondary headteacher and have been a school governor in both primary and secondary schools for over 30 years. As a headteacher,  I greatly valued the advice and support offered by my governors and wanted to offer my experience and expertise to my new local community. I feel privileged to have been a governor at Melbourne for the last 5 years and my twin grandsons are currently in Dragonfly class. I am a Parish Councillor in the village and attend several U3A groups. I am a keen walker, an avid reader and a massive sports fan with a dry sense of humour - hence my season ticket at York City FC!

Sam Parkinson - Staff Governor 

After studying Physical Education at university and volunteering for many years in primary schools, I found that teaching was my passion and studied for a further year, working in schools in the east riding, to gain my QTS.

7 years ago, I began my first teaching job at Stamford Bridge Primary school. Over the next 6 years, I taught mainly in UKS2, lead PE and English, and was a key part of the 2019 Good OFSTED inspection. In 2021, I took the opportunity to join Melbourne as assistant head with an aim to develop my leadership skills and support staff to progress the school and provide the best possible education for our pupils.

Outside of school, I am big fan of sport and fitness, regularly playing football, running and more recently attempting to play golf.

 

 

Rebecca Major - Trust Appointed Governor

 

I moved to Melbourne from Leeds just before lockdown in March 2020. I am a retired civil servant, working as a project manager in Leeds having moved up from Reading in 1992. I have two daughters, one living in Sheffield and one in Amsterdam. I have always been interested in education as my mother was a primary school teacher. I was a member (and chair) of the Governing Body at Manston Primary School for many years and I also spent 2 years as a governor at John Smeaton Academy in Leeds. I must say that I enjoyed my time working with the primary school considerably more than the high school and am looking forward to being able to use my knowledge and experience at Melbourne Primary School. 

Alina Kalnaraja - Parent Governor 

I am a parent governor at Melbourne Primary School where my son is currently in the Kingfishers class. Our family relocated to the area from Leeds in November 2020 and we have loved it here since. 

I have teaching experience in both primary schools in the UK and abroad. I have MA in Education with specialism in linguistics and over the years have transitioned to work in the Higher Education (HE) where I have been a lecturer on the BA Primary Education course and currently work on the postgraduate teacher training course. I specialise in distance learning in HE with an emphasis on accessibility and inclusive practice. 

I have previously supported a large scout group as a member of the executive team and aim to bring my skills and knowledge to help Melbourne primary school to continue to thrive.

In my free time I enjoying reading, running and going on an outdoor adventure with my family. 

 

 

 

The Governor Membership list can be found here.

The Register of Business Interests is available to view here.

The LGC Panels, Link Governors and Working Parties list can be found here.

The LGC attendance record for 2020-21 is available to view here.

The LGC attendance record for 2019-20 is available to view here.

The LGC Terms of Reference for September 2021 is available to view here.

 

 Governing Body Meeting Dates 2023 - 2024

 

 

Date

Autumn 1

3rd October 2023

Autumn 2

14th November 2023

Spring 1

16th January 2024

Spring 2

5th March 2024 

Summer 1

7th May 2024

Summer 2

25th July 2024


Any issues concerning pupils at the school should, in the first instance, be discussed with the class teacher and thereafter with Mrs Burdett,  Headteacher. If you do not feel the matter has been resolved to your satisfaction, then you can write to Mrs Henley c/o the school.

 

Melbourne Primary School
Melbourne, York, East Riding of Yorkshire
YO42 4QE
01759 318369
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