The school is formally known as Aclet Close Community Nursery School. It is funded by the Government through Durham County Council who are the local authority (LA).
The school has a Governing Body (The Governors) who are legally responsible for most of the school’s activities. The Governors help schools provide the best possible education for their pupils. The Governing body changes almost every year, below is a list of current governors. Parent Governors can be appointed if there is no competition, otherwise a secret ballot is held at the school. Governors are unpaid people who give freely of their own time to help the community. Some of them are parents.
Governor Vacancies
We currently have a few Governor Vacancies at Aclet Close Nursery. For further information please contact the school office.
Governor Committee Structure
For further information about our Governors please click on the names below:
| Name | Representing | Term of Office | Committee | Responsibilities | Register of Interests | Relationship To Staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lisa Jayne Jenkins | Co-Head Teacher | 1/1/2016 - ongoing | Curriculum, Standards and every child matters and Finance, Premises & Personnel | none | none | none |
| Dr John Redman | Local Authority | 01/03/2024 – 29/02/2028 | Curriculum, Standards and Every Child Matters and First / Pay Review | Chair of Governors, Chair of Curriculum, Standards and Every Child Matters, Head Teachers’ Performance, Pay Review committee | none | none |
| Mrs Suzanne Staines | Co-Head Teacher | 14/07/2021 - 13/07/2025 | Curriculum, Standards and Every Child Matters and Finance, Premises & Personnel | none | none | none |
| Mrs Rebecca Garfield | Parent | 29/02/2024 – 28/02/2028 | Curriculum, Standards and Every Child Matters and First / Pay Review | Staff & Pupil's Wellbeing School website | none | none |
| Mr Thomas Cuthbertson | Co-opted | 23/06/2023 - 22/06/2027 | Finance, Premises and Personnel and Appeals | Vice Chair of Governors Behaviour and Attitudes, Head Teacher,Appraisal Safeguarding and Children in Care | none | none |
| Mrs Sabrina Hughes | Parent | 21/09/2023 - 20/09/2027 | Curriculum, Standards and Every Child Matters | Special Educational Needs, Head Teacher Appraisal | none | none |
| Mrs Paula Barion | Co-opted | 25/08/2022 - 24/08/2026 | Finance, Premises & Personnel and First / Pay Review | Chair of Finance, Premises and Personnel Committee and Governor Training, Pay Review committee | none | none |
| Mrs Charlotte Evans | Co-opted | 31/05/2023 - 28/06/2027 | Finance, Premises & Personnel and First / Pay Review | Early Years Pupil Premium | none | none |
| Mrs Michelle Charlton | Co-opted | 15/7/2024 - 14/7/2028 | Finance, Premises & Personnel | Health and Safety,Pay Review committee | yes | none |
| Georgia Hendry | Co-opted | 12/06/2025 - 11/06/2028 | Curriculum, Standards and Every Child Matters | Progress and interventions | none | none |
| Vacancy | Staff Representative | - | - | - | - | - |
How Become A School Governor
If you require further information on the roles and responsibilities of School Governors or you are interested in becoming one, visit the Durham County Council website School Governor section.
Statutory Guidance for Governing Bodies
Aclet Nursery School adhere to the statutory guidance from the Department for Education. This means that governing bodies must have regard to it when carrying out duties relating to the constitution of governing bodies in maintained schools. For further information please view or download the documents below.
You can view the Archived Annual Governance Reports on our website.
Governor Attendance
Schools are required to display a record of Governors’ attendance at meetings for each school academic year.
KEY
✓ – Attended meeting
A/A – Apologies sent and accepted by meeting
N – Did not attend
X – Not a member of the committee
OBS – Observer
Record of Governor Attendance September 2025 – July 2026
| Curriculum, Standards and ECM meeting 13.10.2025 | Finance, premises, personnel meeting 22.10.2025 | Full Governing Body meeting 04.11.2025 | Curriculum, Standards and ECM meeting | Finance, premises, personnel meeting | Full Governing Body meeting | Curriculum, Standards and ECM meeting | Finance, premises, personnel meeting | Full Governing Body meeting | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs L Jenkins | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||||
| Mrs Staines | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||||
| Mrs R Garfield | A/A | X | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||||
| Mrs P Barion | X | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||||
| Miss C Evans | X | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||||
| Mr T Cuthbertson | X | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||||
| Mrs S Hughes | A/A | X | A/A | ✓ | ||||||||||
| Dr J Redman | ✓ | X | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||||
| Mrs M Charlton | X | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||||
| Miss G Hendry | ✓ | X | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||||
| Clerk | DB | DB | MR | MR |
Archived Attendance
You can also view previous years attendance on our website.
Committee Terms of Reference
Full Governing Board
CHAIR: Dr J Redman
VICE CHAIR: Mr T Cuthbertson
Terms of Reference
Strategic Leadership and Accountability:
- Work with school leaders to set a clear vision with a focus on pupil progress, achievement, and wellbeing. Ensure this is communicated to the whole organisation and reviewed regularly.
- Set the values for the organisation and ensure these are embedded throughout the organisation and adhered to.
- Determine the strategic direction for the school.
- Monitor that school leaders are keeping up with their statutory duties in relation to the maintenance of the Single Central Record (SCR).
- Monitor and evaluate pupil progress and attainment by receiving reports and information from the School leaders; compare against national and local benchmarks over time.
- Receive reports from committees, working parties or individuals and agree actions.
- Approve the SEF and monitor throughout the year.
- Approve the School Development Plan priorities and monitor throughout the year progress towards agreed actions.
- Review and agreed the school’s Business Continuity Plan annually.
- Ensure the wellbeing of staff and that staff workload is managed.
- Ensure there is a transparent system for performance management of staff which is clearly linked to the school’s priorities. Have oversight of staff performance throughout the year.
- Ensure there are mechanisms in place to listen to and respond to the views of parents/carers, pupils, staff, local communities and employers.
- Agree the recruitment process to be followed in relation to Senior Leader posts; where delegated ratify appointments.
- Final approval of the annual budget plan.
- Monitor the school’s budget throughout the year.
- Agree virement and expenditure limits for the Headteachers.
- Hold at least 3 meetings each academic year.
- Ensure that committee meetings are held in accordance with the agreed terms of reference.
People and Governance Structures:
- Elect and/or remove Chair of Governors and Vice Chair of Governors.
- Appoint Committee Chairs or delegate to each committee.
- Consider and agree delegation of functions to individuals or committees.
- Agree committee terms of reference and membership.
- Agree quorums for committee meetings.
- Agree voting rights for Associate Members.
- Establish and maintain a register of Governors’ business interests.
- Ensure Governors information on the Get Information About Schools (GIAS) register and the school website is up to date and compliant with current requirements.
- Confirm the Instrument of Government and subsequent amendments.
- Appoint Co-opted, Local Authority and, where necessary, Parent Governors to the Governing Board.
- Review and monitor the Governor Induction Process.
- Have regard for Governors’ professional development i.e. development of an annual training plan.
- Where necessary, suspend or remove Governors from the Governing Board.
- Appoint/dismiss the Clerk to the Governing Board.
Compliance and Evaluation:
- Agree annually the School Financial Value Standard (SFVS) Self-Assessment Checklist prior to the 31 March deadline and monitor the implementation of any identified actions.
- Consider business provided by Local Authority and other sources.
- Suspend or end suspension of staff members.
- Ensure all statutory and non-statutory policies are in place and there is an effective policy review cycle.
- Review and agree the Governor Code of Conduct.
- Confirm arrangements for completion of a Governor Skills Audit.
- Ensure there is regular self-evaluation and review of individual’s contribution to the Board as well as the Board’s overall operation and effectiveness.
- As necessary, consider an external review of the Board’s effectiveness.
- Ensure the school website is up to date and compliant with current DfE requirements.
Finance and Premises Committee (including staffing)
CHAIR: Mrs P Barion
Terms of Reference
- Elect Chair
Finance:
- Review and agree the first formal budget plan of the financial year for approval by the full Governing Board.
- Ensure that priorities detailed within the School Development Plan are appropriately costed and are reflected in the annual budget.
- Monitor the capital and revenue budget position statements to identify and address any anomalies from the anticipated position and report termly to the full Governing Board.
- Review and monitor outstanding debts and action taken.
- Review the Quarterly Written Report and Financial Report.
- Monitor and authorise expenditure including those over the Headteachers’ delegated limit.
- Consider and approve spending decisions where competitive quotations or tenders are required in accordance with the current Contract Procedures Rules.
- Ensure the school operates within the financial regulations of the Local Authority and the requirements of the DfE Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS).
- Monitor the implementation of any actions identified in the Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS).
- Monitor expenditure of all voluntary funds held on behalf of the Governing Board and receive an audited annual statement of income and expenditure.
- Annually review the outcomes of the Asset Register stock check and approve the disposal of obsolete items.
- Oversee use and monitor impact all additional grant funding e.g. Early Years Pupil Premium.
- Consider and promote income generation.
- Annually review income generated from lettings, fees and charges, funding raising activities and the sale of assets.
- Monitor Extended Care provision (Breakfast club) including review of annual income and expenditure statements where applicable.
- Ensure the school has appropriate insurance cover in place.
- Annually review and adopt the school’s Financial Procedures Manual and all other finance related policies.
- Annually review and make decisions in respect of service level agreements and other contracts and lettings.
- Make decisions on expenditure following recommendations from other committees.
- Ensure as far as is practical that health and safety issues are appropriately funded in accordance with agreed priorities.
- Annually review financial benchmarking data.
- Monitor the implementation of actions arising from the Internal Audit report or of a financial nature from other inspection regime reports.
- Ensure any instances of fraud or financial irregularity are reported immediately to the Head of Education and Skills and Chief Internal Auditor and Corporate Fraud Manager.
Delegation to the Headteachers
The School Standards and Framework Act 1998
The Governing Board can delegate to the Headteachers responsibility for deploying resources, subject to the provisions in the Scheme for the Financing of Schools in County Durham.
Expenditure
Any item of expenditure up to £2,000.
Above this limit if item was previously notified to the Governing Board
Prior Finance and Premises Committee or Chair of Governors approval (whichever is the soonest) to be sought outside of these limits and reported to the Finance and Premises Committee at the earliest opportunity.
NOTE:
Any goods/services purchased and works to be carried out are subject to the latest Durham County Council Contract Procedures Rules as published on the School Portal
Premises:
- Annually approve the Health and Safety Policy ensuring that the school meets health and safety requirements.
- Ensure actions are taken in respect of relevant health and safety legislation.
- Receive regular Health and Safety Audit Reports and monitor any arising actions.
- Ensure that premises and the learning environment are maintained and are fit for purpose.
- Provide support and guidance for the Headteachers and Governing Board on all matters relating to the maintenance and development of the premises and grounds, including health and safety.
- Ensure that regular inspections of the premises and grounds is undertaken and that priorities for maintenance and development are identified.
- Ensure professional surveys and emergency works are arranged as necessary.
- Oversee the use of premises by outside users.
- Annually review the school’s Accessibility Plan and Asset Management/Building Development Plan.
- Receive and consider the recommendations from the annual Energy Report.
- Ensure appropriate Risk Assessments are carried out and reviewed on a regular basis.
- Ensure inspections of the school site, buildings and equipment take place at appropriate intervals and that reports are shared.
- Monitor data on accidents and incidents.
Staffing:
- Carry out an annual review of the staffing structure in consultation with the Headteacher and Finance and Premises Committee.
- Ensure the school is sufficiently staffed to fulfil the effective operation of the school and the School Development Plan (SDP).
- Oversee the recruitment and selection procedures for all staff.
- Keep under review work/life balance, working conditions and well-being including monitoring attendance management.
- Ensure that regular monitoring of the Single Central Record is undertaken and that it is up to date and compliant with current statutory expectations.
- Ensure that the school’s policy on safeguarding and child protection is compliant with the most recent KCSIE guidance and DSCP expectations.
Delegation to the Headteachers
School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009
The Governing Board can delegate the power to appoint outside the leadership group to:
- The Headteachers.
- One or more Governors with the right of the Headteacher to advise.
- One or more Governors and the Headteacher.
Appointments
Governing Board delegates to the Head Teachers, responsibility for the appointment of:
- Permanent teaching staff posts
- Permanent support staff posts
- Temporary staff
Dismissals
Governing Board delegates to the Headteacher responsibility in line with the delegation in school HR policies.
MEETINGS At least annually
QUORUM 3
DISQUALIFICATION
- where there may be a conflict of or pecuniary interest.
- any Governor whose spouse/partner is involved.
Curriculum and Standards Committee (including pupil discipline)
CHAIR: Dr J Redman
Terms of Reference
- Elect Chair
Strategic direction and statutory areas:
- Review, monitor and evaluate the curriculum offer.
- Contribute to the development and monitoring of the:
- SEF
- School Development Plan
- Targets for school improvement
- Develop and review policies identified within the school’s policy review programme and in accordance with its delegated powers (e.g. RHSE and pupil discipline/behaviour).
- Ensure that the school’s policy on SEND is consistent with the Code of Practice and Equalities Act, most recent KCSIE updates and receive regular reports from the Headteachers/SENDCo.
- Ensure the SEND Policy is monitored and reviewed regularly and that the policy is known to parents/carers.
- Ensure the school complies with the provisions of the Equalities Act 2010.
Curriculum and Improvement:
- Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of leadership and management in relation to curriculum design, implementation and impact.
- Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of curriculum design.
- Monitor and evaluate the school’s own assessment of the impact of the curriculum for all groups of pupils to include Reading in all key stages.
- Monitor and evaluate the quality of education and the impact of the curriculum
- Monitor and evaluate the impact of continuing professional development on improving staff performance.
- Monitor and evaluate provision for all groups of vulnerable children e.g. children looked after and children in need and ensure all their needs have been identified.
- Monitor and review impact of additional grant funding e.g. Early Years Pupil Premium.
- Set priorities for improvement and monitor and evaluate the impact of improvement plans which relate to the committee’s area of operation.
- Receive reports from external sources and agree actions to address recommendations; monitor and evaluate progress made.
- Ensure all children have equality of opportunity.
- Monitor pupils’ attitudes, values and development of other personal qualities within the school through the provision of PSE
Behaviour, Personal Development and Well-Being:
- Ensure the school is fulfilling its responsibilities regarding safeguarding and child protection and the requirements of ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’.
- Ensure Safeguarding policies are adhered to; monitor and review all safeguarding policies/procedures within school.
- Monitor and review data on behaviour, bullying, child on child abuse, attendance and exclusions.
- Ensure that adequate provision is made for pupil transition.
Engagement:
- Monitor the school’s publicity, public presentation and relationships with parents/carers and the wider community.
- Identify and celebrate pupil achievements.
- Oversee and monitor arrangements for out of hours’ provision, extra-curricular activities and educational visits
- Ensure all statutory requirements for reporting and publishing information are met.
- Review and monitor the school’s website to ensure that it is accessible and fully compliant with current DfE requirements.
- Ensure the school works well with its community, parents and other schools.
MEETINGS At least termly
QUORUM 3
DISQUALIFICATION
- None.
Pupil discipline:
- Consider representations from parents/carers in the case of suspensions in line with statutory guidance.
- Consider the appropriateness of any permanent exclusion or any exclusion where one or more suspensions total more than 15 school days in one term or where a pupil is denied the chance to take a public examination in line with statutory guidance.
MEETINGS As and when required
QUORUM 3
DISQUALIFICATION
- where there may be a conflict of or pecuniary interest.
- any Governor whose spouse/partner is involved.
Complaints Committee
CHAIR: Dr J Redman
Terms of Reference
- Elect Chair
- Consider complaint in accordance with the school’s Complaints Procedure.
The Complaints Committee will consist of at least three Governors with no prior involvement or knowledge of the complaint.
MEETINGS As and when required
QUORUM ?
DISQUALIFICATION
- Headteacher.
- Chair of Governors (if have prior knowledge).
- Any Governor (if have prior knowledge).
- where there may be a conflict of interest.
- staff.
First / Pay Review Committee
CHAIR: Dr J Redman
Terms of Reference
- Elect Chair
- Annually agree the Teachers’ Pay Policy.
- Act in accordance with the Teachers’ Pay Policy when carrying out the annual review of Teachers’ salaries.
- Consider any requests made in accordance with HR policies e.g. leave of absence etc. (unless delegated to the Headteachers).
- Make any decisions under HR procedures adopted by the Governing Board e.g. disciplinary, grievance, ill-health, capability etc. (Unless delegated to the Headteacher).
- Lifting of Headteacher’s suspension (lifting of all other staff suspensions delegated to the Chair of Governors). Amend if this is not what the Governing Board have agreed.
- Deal with matters relating to staffing reductions, restructures and changes to the permanent school staffing structure.
MEETINGS At least annually
QUORUM 2
DISQUALIFICATION
- Headteacher.
- Chair of Governors (if have prior knowledge).
- where there may be a conflict of interest.
- any Governor whose spouse/partner is involved.
- staff (annual pay review or matters related to a staffing reduction process).
Appeals Committee
CHAIR: Mr T Cuthbertson
Terms of Reference
- Elect Chair
- Consider any appeal against a decision made under the HR policies adopted by the Governing Board.
- Consider any appeal against a decision made by the First/Pay Review Committee during the annual review of teachers’ salaries.
- Consider any appeal against selection for redundancy through a staffing reduction process.
MEETINGS As and when required
QUORUM 2
DISQUALIFICATION
- Headteachers.
- Chair of Governors (if have prior knowledge).
- any Governor involved in the original hearing.
- where there may be a conflict of interest.
- any Governor whose spouse/partner is involved.
- staff (appeals in relation to salary or staffing reduction decisions).
Headteachers’ Performance Review Committee
LEAD GOVERNOR: Mr T Cuthbertson
Terms of Reference
- Elect Chair
- Set, with the support of Local Authority Advisor the Headteachers’ annual performance objectives.
- Monitor throughout the year the performance of the Headteacher against agreed performance objectives.
- Review, with the support of Local Authority Advisor achievement of performance objectives.
- Make recommendations to the First/Pay Review Committee in respect of the Headteachers’ annual pay progression.
MEETINGS Autumn Term plus monitoring meetings
QUORUM 2
DISQUALIFICATION
- Headteacher.
- Staff.
