What is the Governing Board?
A governing boards overriding responsibility is to work in partnership with the Headteacher to promote continuous improvement in the performance of the school. The Governing board is there to be a ‘critical friend’ who can provide the right balance between supporting and challenging the performance of both the Headteacher and the school ensuring that the school is delivering good education for all the children and providing value for money.
Roles and Responsibilities
There is a clear distinction between the Governing Board & the Headteacher. The headteacher is responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of the school; and for advising on and implementing the governing board’s strategic framework. In particular, Headteachers need to formulate aims and objectives, policies and targets for the governing board to consider adopting; and to report to the governing board on progress at least once every school year. In summary, the Headteacher’s role is operational.
The role of the governing board is to:
- Provide strategic review – focusing on where they can add most value, helping to decide, set and keep under review the school’s broad framework and strategy so that the Headteacher and staff are able to continually raise standards of achievement promote effective teaching and successful pupil learning.
- Act as the ‘critical friend’ of the Headteacher and school – providing the Headteacher and staff with support, guidance and advice drawing on the member’s knowledge and experience as well as monitoring evaluating the schools effectiveness and promoting the interests of the children.
- To ensure accountability – responsibility for ensuring a quality education in the school by being in an informed position, discussing, questioning and refining proposals to fit the school and it’s short, medium and long term strategies, whilst at all times respecting the Headteacher and staff and the work that they do in the school.
Welcome to the section of the website where you can find out more about the school’s governors and the work that we do.
The role of the school governor carries a great responsibility with it, so it can be demanding and challenging, but on the whole it is very rewarding. School governing bodies are responsible for working with the school to ensure that it delivers a good quality education. Together with the headteacher, who is responsible for day-to-day management, they set the school’s aims and policies.
Key roles of governors:
- To ensure clarity of the school’s vision, ethos and strategic direction.
- To hold the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff.
- To oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure its money is well spent.
Role of the Finance Committee.
The Finance Committee meets regularly to ensure the school’s finances are well managed and that we are achieving value for money.
Finance Committee Meetings are attended and clerked by the School’s Business Manager who initially circulates the Agenda for the meeting, which Governors on the committee can add to. At the meetings, the Governors request that the Business Manager provides detailed information on the current budget position and highlights areas for discussion.
The committee provides challenge and support to achieve overall effectiveness in its responsibilities for the financial position of the school. It feeds back to the full Governing Body at its twice termly meetings.
The Finance Committee complies with the core responsibilities and strategic planning as set out in the ‘Governors External Review’ and is working on the action point regarding PPG performance.
Governors also fulfill a number of other important duties, which include:
- Making sure the school buildings and grounds are safe
- Setting and monitoring the school’s aims and objectives
- Setting standards for the pupils’ behaviour and discipline
- Ensuring policies are relevant and up-to-date
- Deciding how to spend the school’s budget
- The appointing and dismissing of staff
- Hearing appeals and grievances
Who can be a school governor?
You do not have to have children at the school in order to be a governor. However, you do need to be aged over 18 and pass a formal check (DBS) for your suitability to enable you to come into our school.
No specific qualifications are required but there are certain expectations which are set out in the governor’s code of conduct. Similarly, experience of working in a school can be helpful in your role as a school governor but not essential. What really matters to us is that you have the time to commit fully to the role of the governor, playing a proactive part while working as part of a team, and the passion to ensure that every child has the opportunity to realise their potential and be the best they can be. As a school governor, there is no greater achievement than bringing about school improvement to ensure the best possible education for our children. What better way is there of giving something back to your community.
If you feel you have what it takes to be a school governor, or would like more information about becoming a school governor, then please speak to Mrs Codling in the school office or email our Chair of governors: a2176@taw.org.uk
Governor Meetings
2023-2024
| 3/10/2023 | Full Governing Body | |
| 5/12/2022 | Resources Committee | Full Governing Body |
| 6/2/2024 | Full Governing Body | |
| 19/3/2024 | Resources Committee | Full Governing Body |
| 7/5/2024 | Resources Committee | Full Governing Body |
| 2/7/2024 | Full Governing Body |
Please click on the Business Interests document link below to see the latest Business Interests Record from Governors.
For the current academic year so far click on the Governor attendance document link below.
Please click on the Annual Statement of the Governing Body document link below to see the Annual Statement of the Governing Body.
Our Governors
Carol Cooke – Chair of Govenrors
Mark Freathy
Emily Guess – Headteacher
Connor Furnival – Co-opted
Mashuda Khanam – Parent
Kerry Tudor – Staff
Carol Cooke
Chair of Governors
I am excited to be joining the governing body at John Randall and I am looking forward to working collaboratively with staff, pupils and parents at the school.
I have worked within the Criminal Justice System for nearly 30 years at both a practitioner and senior leader level throughout Staffordshire and West Midlands with more recently in Shropshire, working in a multi-agency arena with Local Authorities and voluntary organisations striving to achieve positive outcomes for service users and the public. I have three daughters two who are teachers [one in primary and one an English teacher] and one who works for Children Services, which together with my experience of supporting them through their education journey has given me some insight into the benefits of a positive educational experience together with areas for improvement and development. I am passionate about improving opportunities for both children and their families and that children are allowed to thrive, be safe, healthy and are happy. I am a believer that education and learning is not purely within the school environment and that parents play a key role in supporting their child’s development and that collaboration between the school and parents is fundamental to this. I am looking forward to supporting John Randall and parents in helping our children achieve positive outcome.
Carol Cooke
Mark Freathy
I became a local authority governor at John Randall Primary school in summer 2021 and am currently chair of the Resources Committee.
I have been a Trustee at Bridgnorth Endowed School since 2010, where I have served as chair of trustees since 2014. I have six years previous experience as a governor of a Bridgnorth primary school, including five as chair of governors, and recently served as a governor at another Telford primary school for three years, supporting the newly elected chair. I have 35 years of experience in human resources, have held senior roles in three local authorities, and have spent most of that time working in education departments. I currently work as HR Lead for a multi academy trust in the Black Country.
Mark Freathy
Emily Guess
Headteacher
I feel very honoured to be Headteacher at John Randall Primary School and Nursery, having joined the team in September 2023. Previous to working at John Randall, I was Deputy Head at Ladygrove Primary School, Assistant Head at Grange Park Primary school and started my teaching career with Telford and Wrekin at Sir Alexander Fleming School. I know this area – it is my home and I am passionate about making our school the best place it can possibly be for our children and families.
As a Headteacher Governor I report to the Governing Body on the progress the school is making in all areas of our development plan and advise the Chair and other Governors on a range of matters in relation to the strategic development of John Randall Primary School and Nursery.
It is a pleasure to work at John Randall Primary School and Nursery alongside a talented team who strive to make the school the best learning environment they can for all children.
I look forward to working with everyone in the future on the next stage of our development.
Connor Furnival
Co-Opted
I work in the local government and charity sectors specialising in the areas of good governance, process audit, finance, project management and organisational development planning. I have been a Borough Councillor where I undertook the role as a Corporate Parent of the Borough of Telford & Wrekin. Day to day my main work is being a Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer for town and parish councils across Shropshire.
Outside of my professional work, I am very interested in sports including football and F1. I often run, cycle or attend the gym and do the occasional half-marathon for various charities. I love photography, DIY projects (mostly unfinished ones my wife would say) and days out with the kids. We love exploring new places, new experiences and showing our boys the wider outdoors.
My family and I have been very closely connected with John Randall for many years. My wife and some family members went to school here in the 1990’s and both my children study here today.
I volunteered with the school when studying sports at college in 2011/12 and my wife volunteers here as part of her Teaching Assistant training.
We always take part in activities and engagement opportunities with the school as I believe it’s important that, in order to ensure the children have a good relationship with the school, it must start with the parents also fostering that relationship with the school.
I am very determined to support the school in whatever way I can. I want my time as a Governor to be used to ensure parents feel engaged with the school’s vision and children are feeling the benefits of that vision. Their time with John Randall Primary School should be one that sets them up with the skills and attitudes ready for secondary school education with the values of being ready, respectful, and safe.
Connor Furnival
Mashuda Khanam
Parent
I’ve had the pleasure of being part of John Randal Primary School for number of years, I have 3 children 1 who has left and 2 who attend the school. I have watched my children being taught respect and kindness from the staff.
I have an A Level in health and social care and NVQ in child care. I have looked after and worked with children for 10 years, I have recently changed my career to Domiciliary care. I am currently studying in adult care, I feel our elderly are a forgotten society who need the love and support they once gave us. I have always been passionate about helping others and have always wanted to help children get the best education out there which is why I am happy to be elected as parent governor, I will try myl best to use my perspective as a parent to help the board understand your (parents) views.
Hillary Clinton quoted – It takes a village to raise a child”
I believe we can together bring out the best in our children for a better future.
When I’m not working I am a voluntary translator (in Bengali) for family and friends whose English is not a first language. In my spare time time I love to read, swim and go for long walks. I love playing board games with my family although we can get competitive.
I’ve got to know many parents and look forward to meeting more.
Mashuda Khanam (Maz)
Kerry Tudor
Staff Governor
My name is Kerry Tudor and I am very happy to be serving the John Randall Primary school and its community as a school governor. I have worked at John Randall since 2019 and in that time I have built excellent relationships with staff and children, so that we can all be the very best we can be. Being a governor will allow me to make a real difference to the priorities of the school and to make choices about what is best for our children and families.
Throught my time in John Randall I have taught accross the whole school with my driving passion being for Outdoor Learning and Computing.
Outside of school I am a Mum, with a busy life! I love to spend time with my family, sailing, walking and relaxing.
Kerry Tudor
