Governors

"I never really knew or appreciated how much work and effort goes into running a school until I was on the inside and I just want to say, you do an amazing job!" School Governor

"We appreciate the staff so much - teaching is not a job it is a vocation." School Governor

"The children at Morley Victoria are wonderful. They are so welcoming on Governor Days and they love to share their thoughts and their work with us. It is such a treat!" - School Governor

"It's the Governors' job to help run our school - to make sure we are learning well, that we are happy and that we are safe." - MV Pupil

"The Governing Body seem to be very active in the life of the school. They have Governor Days and they attend important events." - MV Parent

The Governing Body of any school is in place to provide both support and challenge the leadership team in the way the school is led and managed and to provide the best possible education to every pupil in the school - our Governing Body is no exception.

Our Governors do not tend to get involved with the daily running of the school but their expectations are exceptionally high in terms of the way the leadership team carry out their roles and responsibilities. It is the role of the Governors to work with the school leaders on the strategic planning and thinking ahead; they also ask questions and are well informed about every aspect of school life. 

Our Governors provide support and challenge in equal measure thanks to their excellent knowledge of the school and the policies and practices. The skill set of our Governing Body is also a strength of our school - we have people who work in the following professions: finance, HR, child minding, ex-teachers, law, coaching and mentoring and in the medical profession. When combined, all of this experience simply enhances the strategic running of our school.

Our Governors share the vision and ambition of the leadership team for the children at Morley Victoria to be the best they can possibly be both academically and socially and emotionally. They agree that the children are at the heart of everything we do at Morley Victoria. The Governors are always welcome to come into school but at the beginning of each academic year we plan three full days in school so that the Governors can come and spend time with the staff and the children - these days are incredibly valuable for everyone. Governors are invited to attend staff meetings, staff training, visits from external consultants, they attend some pupil progress meetings and performance management to name a few.

Governors are volunteers who give a significant amount of time over the course of the year to helping the school be the best it can possible be. They are part of the biggest volunteer workforce in the country and we thank them for their time and efforts.

For more detailed information about the members of the Governing Body, please see the Statutory Governance Information at the bottom of this page, alternatively click on the blue box to the left. Below is a short summary.

Equality and Diversity on the Morley Victoria Governing Body

Equality and diversity are hugely important at Morley Victoria and our Governing Body is no exception. In line with the school's work around CCQM we want our Governing Body to be reflective of the community we serve. Whenever we recruit new members onto the Governing Body we try to offer as much information as possible about the role and make it very clear that this role is suitable for any individual who has a keen interest in the life of the school regardless of their age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, culture, marital status, whether they are pregnant or on maternity / paternity leave or have a disability. We are keen to ensure that everyone is welcome and that our Governing Body is as diverse as we can possibly make it.

Who is part of the Morley Victoria Governing Body?

The current membership of the Governing Body is:

The Headteacher:
 Joanne Wood

The Chair of Governors:

Claire Skeet (Co-opted)

Parent Governors, elected by parents/carers:

Dee Odesola, Rebecca Passley and Ali Archbold

Staff Governor, elected by the staff:

James Stott

LEA Governor appointed by Leeds City Council:

Angie Walker

Co-opted Governors appointed by the Governing Body to represent the community:

Julie Hardaker (Vice Chair),  Reena Sharma, Susan Gilbertson, Candy Evans and Julia Britton 

Associate Members (these Governors hold voting rights within the sub-committees but not at the full Governing Body Meetings - they attend because they wish to be part of the Governing Body)

Debbie Smith and Kevin Precious 

How do I contact the Governing Body if I need their help?

If you would like to make contact with the Governing Body at any time, please speak to the school office.


How does the Governing Body work?

The Governing Body meets formally four times during the year. Governors also sit on one or more of the Committees: Finance, Pupil Support, Teaching & Learning, Pay, Resources, Performance Management and Personnel. These meet termly. By having a committee structure and allocating governors to particular parts of the school development plan it becomes possible for the Governing Body as a whole to discharge its responsibilities although individual governors are familiar with different aspects of the school, and none, other than the Headteachers, can have a complete understanding. It is thus very much a team effort, with different Governors bringing different skills and experience. All Governors are equal and the decisions made by the Governing Body are our collective responsibility.

At the start of each academic year all governors complete a Governors' Code of Conduct form and a Notice of Business and Personal Interest form.

Every year we have 3 Governor Days in school where the whole Governing Body spend the day in school looking at various aspects of the School Development Plan.  We also have other meetings during the school year when needed about subjects such as safeguarding, data, Ofsted and the curriculum. 


What is the Governing Body responsible for?

(This information is taken from Leeds City Council Governor Support Services)

Primary School Governing Bodies have a range of responsibilities as a consequence of the Education Acts:

* to help to decide school policy for management of the school with the Headteacher and act as a link between the school and the local community
* to monitor the progress of a post Ofsted Action Plan and the School Improvement Plan
* to set appropriate targets for pupil achievement at Key Stage Two
* to ensure that all children make progress in their personal development and wellbeing (Stay Safe, Be Healthy, Enjoy & Achieve, Make a positive contribution, Achieve economic wellbeing)
* to ensure that the curriculum for the school is balanced and broadly based and that the National Curriculum and religious education are taught
* to ensure that special education needs are met
* to manage the school budget
* to determine the staffing of the school and pay policy and make decisions about pay in accordance with the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions of Employment document
* to recruit and dismiss staff employed at the school
* to participate in the appointment of the Headteacher
* to ensure provision of a performance management policy and to set performance objectives for the Headteacher
* to listen to complaints from parents
* to hear appeals from parents when pupils are excluded from school
* to decide the start and finish times of the school
* to make sure the school is safe and healthy

How to become a Governor

When there is a space on our Governing Body, a letter/ email will go out to parents / carers and request for those who are interested to contact school.  You will then be asked to write a short statement about what skills you could offer the school by being part of the Governing Body.  You will then be invited to a meeting to learn more about the role of a school Governor. The statement is then circulated round to the relevant people to read.  If needed, a vote is then carried out and the person with the highest number of votes is elected.  If you are interested in becoming a member of the Governing Body at Morley Victoria or need further information about the role of a Governor, please speak to the school office.   

The document below sets out the eligibility criteria for being a school Governor. This is a vital document to consider before applying.

Eligibility Declaration

If you would like a copy of meeting minutes from the sub committees or require any other information, please contact the school office or Governor Support Services on 0113 3785123.

Governor Day Feedback for Families.pdf

Full Governing Body Minutes 2022-2023

Full Governing Body Minutes - Organisation Meeting - Autumn 

Full Governing Body Minutes Autumn

Full Governing Body Minutes Spring

Full Governing Body Minutes - Budget Meeting

Full Governing Body Minutes - Summer

Full Governing Body Minutes 2021-2022

Full Governing Body Minutes Autumn

Full Governing Body Minutes Spring

Full Governing Body Minutes - Budget Meeting

Full Governing Body Minutes Summer

Full Governing Body Minutes 2020-2021                                                                          

Full Governing Body Minutes Autumn

Full Governing Body Minutes Spring

Full Governing Body Minutes - Budget Meeting

Full Governing Body Minutes - Summer

Full Governing Body Minutes 2019 - 2020

Full Governing Body Minutes Summer

Full Governing Body Minutes COVID Summer

Full Governing Body Minutes Spring

Full Governing Body Minutes Autumn

Full Governing Body Minutes 2018 - 2019

Full Governing Body Minutes Summer

Full Governing Body Minutes - Budget Meeting

Full Governing Body Minutes Spring

Full Governing Body Minutes Autumn

Morley Victoria Primary School Governing Body

Statutory Governance Information

Chair: Miss Claire Skeet                                                             

Vice Chair: Mrs Julie Hardaker

 

The constitution of the Governing Body is 13 members:

  • The Headteacher
  • 1 Local Authority (LA) Governor, recommended by the LA and approved by the Governing Body 
  • 3 parent Governors, formally elected through a ballot of parents unless the election is uncontested 
  • 7 co-opted Governors, nominated and appointed by the Governing Body - 1 vacancy
  • 1 staff Governor, formally elected by staff employed at school

We then also have up to 3 associate members, appointed by the Governing Body (who have been given the right to vote in committee meetings but are not able to in the Full Governing Body Meetings). They are staff members at the school who have a keen interest in the Leadership and Management of the school.

The Governing Body operates with the following committees:

  • Resources committee - responsible for overseeing the financial management of the school, property management and health and safety. This committee is also responsible for staffing including the appointment of any Senior Leaders and the school SENCO. This committee promotes equality and diversity within the school. 

   Committee chair: Miss Claire Skeet

  •  Teaching and learning committee - responsible for overseeing teaching and learning matters including target setting, standards and achievement, SEND (including reporting annually on the success of the SEND policy),  monitoring teaching and learning and curriculum provision. This committee must ensure that the Governing Body is represented at school improvement discussions.

   Committee chair: Mrs Julie Hardaker

 

  • Pupil support - responsible for overseeing all matters related to safeguarding, SEND, medical needs and the general behaviour and welfare of the pupils. This committee also discusses the important matters of attendance, children’s spiritual moral social and cultural development, children, parent and staff voice, extra-curricular activities, cluster and other partnerships.

   Committee chair: Mrs Julia Britton

 

  • Pay Review committee – responsible for ensuring the implementation of the school Pay Policy and Teacher Appraisal Policy. Some members of this committee will also form the Headteacher’s Performance Management Committee and will meet twice a year to review performance targets. Members of this committee would also form a Pay Appeal committee should it ever be required – responsible for hearing pay appeals and ensuring a fair and proper process has been followed.

   Committee chair: Mrs Reena Sharma

 

Current Governors and business/other interests declared are provided in the table below.  Governors and associate members are reminded that they should declare any changes as and when they occur and this is on the agenda of each meeting to ensure that this happens.

  

 

Name of governor

 

Category of governor and committees served

 

Date appointed and term of office

Relevant financial interests

Personal interests (relationships with school staff)

Other Governance interests

 

Date declaration signed

Miss Claire Skeet

 

(Chair)

Originally a Parent governor, elected by parents. Now Co-Opted.

Member of the Resources and Pay and Personnel Committees.

 

11/09/2023

4 years until 31/08/2027

 

 Miss Skeet works for a flooring company called Envirofloors Ltd who occasionally quote and carry out work at Morley Victoria. Miss Skeet never provides the quotes or has any involvement in the work.

Miss Skeet has one child in school.

She is an Accountant and has a great deal of financial experience to bring to Morley Victoria.

None

Autumn 2023

Mrs Julie Hardaker

 

(Vice Chair)

Co-opted governor, appointed by governors.

Chair of the Teaching and Learning Committee.

 

11/09/2023

4 years until

31/08/2027

None

Mrs Hardaker used to be the Assistant Headteacher at Morley Victoria Primary School, she retired in July 2016.

She has wonderful experience and expertise to bring to the Governing Body.

None

Autumn 2023

 

 

 

Mrs Joanne Wood

 

 

 

Headteacher

05/05/2015

for the duration of her time at Morley Victoria as Headteacher

Mrs Wood’s husband runs a company called ‘Scamp’ who do design work. Mr Wood frequently quotes for work done in school and is responsible for many documents and displays. Much work is paid for at a reduced rate for our school. Much is also done free of charge. Miss Skeet, the SBM or one of the AHTs sign off all of the orders for Scamp for financial transparency and security.

Mrs Wood has been at Morley Victoria for 23 years, starting her career as an NQT in 2000.

None

Autumn 2023

 Mr James Stott

 

 

 

 

Staff Governor voted for by school staff to represent them on the Governing Body.

01/09/2021

4 years until 31/08/2025

None

Mr Stott has been a teacher at the school since September 2017. He has taught in Y1 and Y2 and is the Maths and Physical Activity Leader.

None

Autumn 2023

Mrs Dee Odesola

Parent governor, elected by parents.

Member of the Finance Committee.

 

01/09/2021

4 years until 31/08/2025

None

Mrs Odesola currently has one childat Morley Victoria.

She is a chartered accountant, currently working as an analyst.

None

Autumn 2023

Mrs Rebecca Passley

 

Parent governor, elected by parents.

Member of the Teaching and Learning Committee.

 

01/09/2021

4 years until 31/08/2025

None

Mrs Passley has a daughter at Morley Victoria.

She is a skilled manager responsible for training, coaching and recruitment.

Child minder employed by families who attend Morley Victoria.

Autumn 2023

Mrs Reena Sharma

Co-opted governor, appointed by governors.

Member of the Pay and Personnel and Pupil Support Committees.

22/06/2020

4 years until 01/09/2024

 

None

Mrs Sharma has one child in school.

She is a pharmacist so has a keen interest in Health and Safety and Medical Needs and Safety in school.

None

Autumn 2023

Mrs Julia Britton

 

Co-opted governor, appointed by governors.

Member of the Pay and Personnel and Resources Committees.

 

05/05/2015 as Co-Headteacher

Now until 31/08/2025 as a Co-Opted Governor

None

Mrs Britton has been at Morley Victoria since 2001 when she started as an NQT. She left the school as a Co-Headteacher in February 2021 but was keen to remain on the Governing Body.

She possesses a great deal of knowledge of the school to bring to the Governing Body and is an ad-hoc trainer for the Education Safeguarding Team.

Mrs Britton is also a Co-opted Governor and Vice Chair at a Secondary Academy in Leeds.

Autumn 2023

Mrs Susan Gilbertson

Co-opted governor, appointed by the governors.

 

Member of the Pupil Support Committee

01/09/2022

4 years until 31/08/2026

None

Mrs Gilbertson is the former, long standing Emotional Health and Wellbeing Manager at MV who retired in Summer 22. She still has so much to offer the school so the GB asked if she would like to be a governor.

None

Autumn 23

Mrs Angie Walker

Co-opted governor, appointed by the governors.

 

Member of the Pupil Support and Pay and Personnel Committees.

01/09/2022

4 years until 31/08/2026

None

Mrs Walker has been the clerk to the GB for the last few years and upon her retirement expressed that she would be keen to join us. She has a background of social work so has much to offer.

Mrs Walker is the Chair of Governors at another primary school in Morley.

Autumn 23

Mrs Debbie Smith

Associate member appointed by governors.

Member of the Pupil Support and Pay and Personnel Committees with voting rights within the committees but not with the FGB.

01/09/2017

for the duration of her time at Morley Victoria as Assistant Headteacher

 

None

Mrs Smith has been at Morley Victoria since 2003 – she started as a trainee. She is now one of the Assistant Headteachers and sits on the Governing Body to share her knowledge and experience.

None

N/A

Mr Kevin Precious

Associate member appointed by governors.

Member of the Teaching and Learning and Pay and Personnel Committees with voting rights within the committees but not with the FGB.

05/05/2017

for the duration of his time at Morley Victoria as Assistant Headteacher

 

None

Mr Precious has been at Morley Victoria since 2009 – he started as a Trainee. He is now one of the Assistant Headteachers and sits on the Governing Body to share his knowledge and experience.

None

N/A

Mrs Candy Evans

Co-Opted member appointed by governors.

Member of the Pupil Support Committee.

01/09/2021

 

4 years until 31/08/2026

None

Mrs Evans is a former member of staff at MV and had been at the school since 2012 when she arrived as an NQT. She left recently but was keen to continue her link with the school via the Governing Body and brings her knowledge and expertise to the meetings.

 

None

Autumn 2023

 Mrs Ali Archbold

 

Parent governor, elected by parents.

Member of the Teaching and Learning Committee.

 30/3/2023

4 years until 31/08/2027

 None

 Ali is a Leadership Consultant specialising in learning and development, designing and delivering learning as well as coaching others to help them reach their potential.

 None

 Autumn 2023



 

 

These are Governors who have left our Governing Body in the last 12 months. We would like to thank them for all of their time and commitment. 

Name of governor

Category of governor and committees served

Date appointed and term of office

Relevant financial interests

Personal interests (relationships with school staff)

Other Governance interests Date declaration signed