Minutes from Governing Body Meetings

 Minutes of Governing Body meetings are available for inspection upon request.  Copies of documents may incur an admin charge.  Please contact the school office for further details:  admin@ruswarp.n-yorks.sch.uk or 01947 602029

Our Governing Body

The governors’ work affects most aspects of the school’s work.  They establish, with the Headteacher, aims for the school, and approve policies – for the curriculum, behaviour and discipline, for example; and are responsible for the school’s budget and the use and maintenance of the premises.  

They are expected to be in touch with the local community and to help guide the school to meet the community’s educational needs. They are also expected to help the school explain to the community what the school is trying to achieve for their children. 

School governors have legal duties, powers and responsibilities. 

They can only act together; they cannot act individually.

The full governing body meets twice each term.

The Key Functions of Ruswarp Church of England Governing Body are to:

• ensure that the vision, ethos and strategic direction of the school are clearly defined 

• ensure that the head teacher performs his or her responsibilities for the educational performance of the school

• ensure the sound, proper and effective use of the school’s financial resources. 

The total number of governors on the instrument of governance is 9. 

Date of reconstitution:  07/2018

The Governing Body  comprises:

• Parents - 3

• Staff Governors - 1

• Head Teacher

• Local Authority representatives - 1

• Representatives of the church (also known as Foundation governors) – 2

• Co-opted governors - 1

Governor Attendance 2022/23

Governing Body Committee Membership

Staff Discipline Committee

Three governors (or more), excluding the Head Teacher, Staff Governors and Chair of Governors

Staff Discipline Appeals Committee

As above but not same governors involved in making the initial decision

Pupils Discipline Committee

Three governors (or more), excluding staff governors.  No Associate Members.

Head Teacher Performance Management

Three governors (or more), including Chair of Governors plus two others.  No staff governors

Meet our Governors

Vicci Smith

Hello everybody! I’m Vicci and I’m the Chair of Governors at Ruswarp School.

I have 3 children, all of whom attended Ruswarp School so I have been a parent here for 10 years and have had the privilege of being on the Governing Board for 7 of those. 

My background is in the care sector and working with horses. I’m usually seen outside the school gates, covered in mud and hay!!  

I love working closely with the school and being able to watch the children grow and learn as they progress through our school. 

I can be contacted through the school office on 01947 602029 or directly by email at vsmith@ruswarp.n-yorks.sch.uk

Chanda Morgan

It has been a busy period since joining the governing board in March, and I feel that this time, so far, has helped me to understand and value what being a governor entails. 

I currently work as a specialist 1-1 study skills tutor and support students who have neurodiversity. This involves working with my students, being compassionate and empathic to their personal needs to identify barriers and implement strategies and techniques to support their learning, development, and progress, whilst promoting their independence at university and beyond. 

Being on the board of governors has enabled me to appreciate the hard work, commitment and dedication that is involved by the leadership team and staff and the fantastic impact that it has within the school community. 

I am positive about driving our wonderful school forward and working as a collaborative and constructive board to continuously develop and improve its outcomes to deliver the best education for our children.  This is at the heart of why I am a governor at Ruswarp School.

Kelly Hodgson

Hello, I am the newest member of the School Governors team. I work in Middlesbrough at the Voluntary Development Agency where I manage a communication and campaigns project, designed to inform and support unpaid carers across the South Tees area. I joined the Board of Governors as I am passionate about supporting the success of our fantastic school where my own children are thriving. I have over twelve years' experience of working in the Voluntary Sector in various strategic positions and have gathered many transferrable skills along the way. I am looking forward to getting stuck in, working as a team to drive Ruswarp School forward. 

Father Michael Gobbett

I was born in Kent, grew up in Stamford in Lincolnshire and was at University in Durham and theological college in Oxford, with some time spent working in pastoral roles in London too. I was ordained in 1990 and have served in Hartlepool, Stockton, Sedgefield and the nearby villages, and since 2016, Whitby and Ruswarp.

I've been a school governor in four schools over a period of 29 years (in both Church and Local Authority schools) and have always enjoyed the various ways in which clergy engage with schools; as a governor, and also leading Collective Worship and assemblies, school events, residential trips and helping church schools to develop their Christian ethos.

Ruswarp is great school to be involved with. For clergy, governorship of Church schools tends to 'come with the job' and it's one of the best parts of it with the opportunity to work with children as they learn and grow in all sorts of ways and also adults in various roles in school who are so committed to the children in their care .

Fr Paul Burnett

Fr Paul is one of our Foundation Governors. He splits his time between his duties with North Yorkshire Fire Service in Whitby and as a priest in the Whitby Parish.

He is shortly to take up a reserve commission with the Royal Army Chaplains Department.

He has been in the fire service for 24 years and was ordained priest in 2022. Fr Paul is married to Kelly, a driving instructor and has two daughters. Emie is at Wilkes Academy studying for a BA in Musical Theatre and Darcey is in first year of A Levels at Harrogate Grammar.

Fr Paul enjoys reading, politics and walking in our beautiful countryside.

Lorna Brown

I am the school's staff Governor elected by the staff in 2021. 

Previously I was a local authority governor at another primary school, which gave me a good understanding of how a governing body works . I have been a teacher for 18 years, teaching children from 5 - 14 years of age and have specialisms in special educational needs, P.E, science and R.E.  Over my years of teaching I have worked in a number of different schools and with children from a wide range of backgrounds. It is a privilege to be working here at Ruswarp and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here so far getting to know both children and their families. 

I truly believe Ruswarp gives children an excellent start to their education and want to build on that; ensuring that children can be the best that they can be.  This is why I am proud to be the staff governor, so I can help strategically shape the school as it moves forward, sharing with the board the views and opinions of the staff.