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 - Head Teacher | 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 | none | none |
| Mrs Suzanne Staines | Staff | 14/07/2021 - 13/07/2025 | Curriculum, Standards and Every Child Matters | 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 Children Looked After Safeguarding | 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 | none | none |
| Mrs Sabrina Hughes | Parent | 21/09/2023 - 20/09/2027 | Curriculum, Standards and Every Child Matters | Special Educational Needs | 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 | 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 | Finance, Premises & Personnel | Health and Safety | none | none | |
| Vacancy | Co-opted | Curriculum, Standards and Every Child Matters | Progress and interventions | none | none |
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 2023 – 2024
| Curriculum, Standards and ECM meeting 14.11.23 | Finance, premises, personnel meeting 21.11.23 | Full Governing Body meeting 10.11.23 | Curriculum, Standards and ECM meeting 14.02.23 | Finance, premises, personnel meeting 18.01.24 | Full Governing Body meeting 29.02.24 | Curriculum, Standards and ECM meeting 30.4.24 | Finance, premises, personnel meeting 17.04.24 | Full Governing Body meeting | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs L Jenkins | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Mrs Staines | A/A | X | A/A | ✓ | OBS | A/A | ✓ | A/A | |
| Miss T Ellis | X | X | A/A | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Mrs R Garfield | ✓ | X | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Mrs P Barion | X | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ | |
| Miss C Evans | X | ✓ | A/A | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | A/A | |
| Mr T Cuthbertson | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Mrs S Hughes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | |
| Mr J Redman | X | X | X | OBS | OBS | ✓ | ✓ | X | |
| Clerk | DB | DB | JH | SS | DB | MR & DP | DB | PB |
Archived Attendance
You can also view previous years attendance on our website.
Committee Terms of Reference
Full Governing Body
CHAIR: Celia Dixon
VICE CHAIR: Tamsin Ellis
Terms of Reference
Strategic Leadership and Accountability:
- In collaboration with school leaders determine a clear and explicit vision for the future. Ensure this is communicated to the whole organisation.
- Set strong and clear values and ensure these are embedded across the organisation and adhered to.
- Determine the strategic direction for the school.
- Monitor and evaluate pupil progress and attainment by receiving reports and information from the Headteacher and other 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 Improvement Plan priorities and monitor throughout the year progress towards agreed actions.
- Ensure there is a transparent system for performance management of all 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 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 Headteacher.
- Hold at least 3 meetings each academic year. Ensure that committee meetings are held in accordance with the agreed terms of reference.
People and 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.
- Establish 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 Board.
- Review and monitor the Governor Induction Process.
- Have regard for Governors professional development.
- Where necessary, suspend or remove Governors from the Board.
- Appoint/dismiss the Clerk to the Governing Body.
Compliance and Evaluation:
- Consider business provided by Local Authority and other sources
- Suspend or end suspension of staff members.
- Ensure all 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 school website is up to date and compliant with current DfE requirements.
Curriculum and Standards Committee (including pupil discipline)
CHAIR: Celia Dixon
Terms of Reference
- Elect Chair (if delegated by full Governing Body).
Curriculum Planning and Delivery:
- Review, monitor and evaluate the curriculum offer.
- Contribute to the development and monitoring of the:
- Self Evaluation form
- School Improvement 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. sex education and pupil discipline/behaviour).
- Ensure that the school’s policy on SEND is consistent with the Code of Practice and Equalities Act and receive termly reports from the Headteacher/SENDCo and an annual report from the SEND Governor.
- 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.
Assessment and Improvement:
- Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of leadership and management.
- Monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning and the impact on rates of pupils progress and standards of achievement
- Monitor and evaluate the impact of continuing professional development on improving staff performance.
- Receive pupil progress and achievement data; monitor and evaluate rates of progress and standards of achievement against agreed targets for all pupils and for all groups of pupils.
- Monitor and evaluate provision for all groups of vulnerable children e.g. looked after children and ensure all their needs have been identified and addressed.
- Monitor and review impact of Early Years Premium.
- Monitor and review pupil attendance data against attendance targets.
- Monitor and review pupil exclusion information.
- Set priorities for improvement and monitor and evaluate the impact of improvement plans which relate to the committee’s area of operation.
- Regularly review the Assessment Policy and ensure that the policy is operating effectively.
- Ensure the school is fulfilling its responsibilities regarding child protection and the requirements of ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’
- Receive reports from external sources and agree actions to address recommendations; monitor and evaluate progress made.
- Ensure all children have equal opportunities.
- Ensure Safeguarding policies are adhered to; monitor and review all safeguarding policies/procedures within school.
- Advise the Finance and Premises Committee on the relative funding priorities necessary to deliver the curriculum.
- Monitor pupils’ attitudes, values and development of other personal qualities within the school through the provision of Personal, Social and Emotional Development.
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 including overnight stays.
- Ensure that adequate provision is made for pupil transition.
- 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.
Pupil Discipline
- Consider representations from parents/carers in the case of fixed term exclusions in line with statutory guidance.
- Consider the appropriateness of any permanent exclusion or any exclusion where one or more fixed period exclusions total more than 15 school days in one term
MEETINGS: at least termly
QUORUM: 3
DISQUALIFICATIONS: None (for Pupil Discipline: prior knowledge; any Governor whose child is involved)
Finance and Premises Committee (including staffing)
CHAIR: To Be Confirmed
Terms of Reference
- Elect Chair (if delegated by full Governing Body).
Finance:
- In conjunction with the Headteacher to draft and propose the first formal budget plan of the financial year for approval by the full Governing Body.
- Establish and maintain an up-to-date three year financial plan, taking into account priorities in the School Improvement Plan, roll projection and signals from central government and the LA regarding future years’ budget.
- Ensure that priorities detailed within the School Improvement Plan are appropriately costed and are reflected in the annual budget.
- Monitor the budget position statement to identify and address any anomalies from the anticipated position and report termly to the full Governing Body.
- Review and monitor outstanding debts and action taken.
- Review and monitor Extended Services Provision by income and expenditure statements.
- Review the year end outturn report.
- Monitor and approve virements and expenditure over the Headteacher’s delegated limit.
- Appraise and approve spending decisions where competitive quotations or tenders are required.
- Ensure the school operates within the financial regulations of the Local Authority and the requirements of the DfE Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS).
- Approve annually the Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS) submission prior to the 31 March deadline and monitor the implementation of any identified actions.
- Monitor expenditure of all voluntary funds held on behalf of the Governing Body by review of 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.
- Ensure appropriate use of the Early Years Premium
- Review and monitor the school’s website to ensure that it is accessible and fully compliant with current DfE requirements.
- Review and monitor all financial policies including lettings, charging and remissions and expenses policies.
- Consider and promote income generation.
- Annually review income generated from contracts and lettings; oversee the use of premises by outside users.
- Where necessary, monitor and review Wrap Around Care provision including review of annual income and expenditure statements where applicable.
- Ensure all appropriate insurances are in place.
- Annually review and approve the school’s Financial Procedures Manual.
- Monitor service level agreements annually and make decisions in respect of service level agreements ensuring value for money.
- Make decisions on expenditure following recommendations from other committees.
- Ensure pay decisions can be appropriately funded.
- 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.
Premises:
- Establish, review and monitor 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.
- Ensure that premises and the learning environment are maintained and are fit for purpose.
- Provide support and guidance for the Headteacher and Governing Body on all matters relating to the maintenance and development of the premises and grounds, including health and safety.
- Ensure that an annual inspection of the premises and grounds is undertaken and a report received identifying any issues. Inform the Governing Body of the report and set out a proposed order of priorities for maintenance and development for the approval of the Governing Body.
- Ensure professional surveys and emergency works are arranged as necessary.
- Oversee the use of premises by outside users.
- Establish and keep under review an Accessibility Plan and an Asset Management/Building Development Plan.
- Monitor data on accidents and incidents.
Staffing
- Elect Chair (if delegated by full Governing Body).
- 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 Improvement Plan (SIP).
- Oversee the recruitment and selection procedures for all staff.
- Make recommendations to the Finance and Premises Committee on personnel-related expenditure.
- Develop and review policies identified within the school’s policy review programme and in accordance with its delegated powers (e.g. Appraisal, Whistleblowing, Recruitment and Selection).
- Keep under review work/life balance, working conditions and well-being including monitoring attendance management.
- Review the Single Central Record to ensure compliance with current statutory guidance.
- Approve the Staff Code of Conduct and ensure all staff are aware.
MEETINGS: at least termly
QUORUM: 3
DISQUALIFICATIONS: where there may be a conflict of or pecuniary interest; any Governor whose spouse/partner is involved
Delegation to the Headteacher
School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009
The Governing Body can delegate the power to appoint outside the leadership group to:
- One or more Governors and the Headteacher
Appointments:
Governing Body delegates to the Head Teacher, responsibility for the appointment of:
- Permanent teaching staff posts
- Permanent support staff posts
- Temporary staff
Dismissals:
Governing Body delegates to the Headteacher responsibility up to and including first written warning / first and final written warning / dismissal of:
- All staff other than Headteacher
Virement & Expenditure Levels
| Virement Limits | Expenditure Limits | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Limit set for Headteacher without prior written approval of Chair of Governing Body .Where the cumulative effect of multiple virements on the same budget heading exceeds this limit, details are to be reported to the next Finance and Premises Committee meeting for information and retrospective approval | £2,000 | Any items of expenditure up to | £2,000 |
| Limit set for Headteacher with approval from Chair of Governors A log of these approvals will be maintained and details reported to the next Finance and Premises Committee meeting. | £2,000 to £5,000 | Above this limit if item was previously notified to the Governing Body. | |
| 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. | |||
NB Any goods/services purchased and works to be carried out are subject to Durham County Council Contract Procedures Rules (January 2014) for quotations i.e. quotations or tenders to be invited from capable contractors based on the likely value of the procurement over its lifetime:
- Between £500 and £5000 at least one quotation
- Between £5001 and £50,000 at least three quotations
- Over £50,000 full tender exercise
First / Pay Review Committee
CHAIR: Celia Dixon
Terms of Reference
- Elect Chair (if delegated by full Governing Body).
- Annually agree the Teachers’ Pay Policy.
- Act in accordance with the Teachers’ Pay Policy when carrying out the annual review of teachers’ salaries.
- Report to the Finance and Premises Committee on pay review related expenditure.
- Consider any requests made in accordance with personnel policies e.g. flexible working, leave of absence etc. (unless delegated to the Headteacher).
- Make any decisions under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body e.g. disciplinary, grievance, ill-health, capability etc. (Unless delegated to the Headteacher).
- Deal with matters relating to staffing reductions.
MEETINGS: at least annually
QUORUM: 3
DISQUALIFICATIONS: 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 and matters relating to staffing reductions)
Headteacher’s Performance Review Committee
LEAD GOVERNOR: Celia Dixon
Terms of Reference
- Set, with the support of the External Advisor (EA) or Education Development Partner (EDP) Headteacher’s annual performance objectives.
- Monitor throughout the year the performance of the Headteacher against agreed performance objectives.
- Review, with the support of the External Advisor (EA) or Education Development Partner (EDP) achievement of performance objectives.
- Make recommendations to the First/Pay Review Committee in respect of the Headteacher’s annual pay progression.
MEETINGS: Autumn Term plus monitoring meetings
DISQUALIFICATIONS: Headteacher and staff
Governor – Dr John Redman
My name is John Redman and I have worked with young children and families for 40 years in different capacities. I was Headteacher of Cockton Hill Infants School for 30 years before retiring in 2012. Through that role, I had strong links with Aclet Close Nursery as a ‘feeder school’ and used to visit annually to meet children who would be transferring. I have always enjoyed the interesting experiences of working with young children and supporting their learning – watching a child master something is quite wonderful.
I believe in lifelong learning and have studied for a number of postgraduate degrees including a Doctorate in Education from the University of Newcastle. While working I attended numerous training courses to develop my expertise in different areas – I am particularly interested in Special Educational Needs, Mathematics, Information Technology and Assessment. During my career I also took on various secondments, including one as an Assessment Coordinator and a second as support for schools developing Special Educational Needs. I would hope my experience would help me be an effective Governor for Aclet Close Nursery.
I am a caring, kind and friendly person who gets on well with others. I am a team player who can both be led or lead, as the situation requires. In my spare time I play hockey, love watching movies and really like to travel widely. I live with my wife, Ruth, in Spennymoor and we have one grown up daughter, Helen. She has very recently given birth to a daughter. So, we now greatly enjoy spending time with our new granddaughter, Sophie.
Appeals Committee
Terms of Reference
- Elect Chair (if delegated by full Governing Body).
- Consider any appeal against a decision made under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body.
- 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.
- Consider complaints against the school in accordance with the agreed school Complaints Procedure.
MEETINGS: as and when required.
QUORUM: Must have at least the same number of Governors as were present at the original hearing.
DISQUALIFICATIONS: Headteacher; 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)
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