Explain the Strategic Purpose of School Governors free essay sample

Other Statutory Roles, Teachers and Support Staff Roles School Governors – School Governors give direction and focus by performing a vital and strategic role. Their main role is to help raise standards of achievement. Governors: †¢Are accountable for the performance of the school †¢Help shape the school’s future direction †¢Monitor and review the performance of the school Make decisions about the school’s budget and staffing †¢Make sure the school provides for all its pupils, including those with special needs †¢Decide how the school can encourage pupil’s spiritual, moral and cultural development Governors are at the heart of how a school operates. Their job affects the interests of pupils, staff morale and how the school is seen by parents and others in the community. Governors are responsible for how the school is performing. They have to be prepared to support and challenge the head teacher and staff by gathering views, asking questions and deciding what’s best for the pupils. We will write a custom essay sample on Explain the Strategic Purpose of School Governors or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Senior Management Team – this is usually the head teacher and the deputy or and including the head of departments. The Special Needs Co-Ordinator could also be a member. Their role is to set and manage the strategic direction of the school. They also lead changes and generally make sure that the school is doing its best to deliver the strategic direction for the pupils that attend the school.Generally, the senior management of a school will be aware of the current state of the school, be imaginative in launching new and relevant initiatives in a way that can motivate the whole school behind them, be diligent in keeping track of the progress these initiatives are making and the targets achieved and be sincere in trying to lead by example. Teachers and Support Staff – Teachers are responsible for educating pupils that are in their care. In addition to that they set the tone of their classrooms, build warm environments, mentor and nurture pupils and are seen as role models.They are also responsible for listening to their pupils and looking out for signs of trouble. When a child’s behavior changes or if physical signs of abuse are noticed, teachers are required to look into the problem. Teachers – They are responsible for delivering the national curriculum effectively to the pupils according to various educational needs. The teacher has to prepare and plan for lessons as well as assess record and report on the development and progress of all the children. Where required, the teacher as to discuss any learning problems identified with SENCO.They are responsible for all of the children in their class; the teaching assistants, students who are doing their placements at the school and volunteers. As well as normal classroom teaching some teachers conduct extra focus group sessions for a selection of the children to help them reach attainment levels and gain confidence in doing their numeracy and literacy. In my school the teacher splits the children up into groups. Those that can work independently do so without the teacher or an adult and those that are struggling with the work get help from the teacher.This group is called the teacher’s focus group. The teacher also monitors the pupils reading and guides them to help them reach the expected reading attainment levels for their age. The teachers also plan and organise parent’s evenings. They feedback to parents about their child’s performance and provide information to parents on how they can help improve or maintain their child’s performance. Teachers work together as a team with their fellow colleagues and attend all training days and staff meetings as well as liaise with outside agencies.Support Staff and other statutory roles There are many different types of support roles in schools. These include: †¢Teaching Assistants or Learning Support Assistants – They complement the role of the Class Teacher and support learning for all pupils †¢Higher Level Teaching Assistants – They work closely with the teacher, complementing their role and helping free up teacher time to enable each child to work to his/her full potential †¢Cover Supervisors – They cover short-term absences of teachers such as unexpected sick leave or professional development leave.They set work for pupils in accordance with school policy, manage and supervise behaviour, collect work at the end of the lessons and report back to the appropriate senior member of staff †¢Specialist Teaching Support – They suppor t the teaching of children who have more complex learning needs. †¢Facilities Management – Caretakers and Cleaning Staff – They deal with the upkeep and maintenance of the school premises and grounds. †¢School Midday Supervisors and Assistants – They are responsible for the welfare of pupils in school during the lunchtime break.They supervise pupil behaviour indoors and outdoors, help younger children with tasks such as cutting up food, look out for the health and safety of pupils at all times, distribute and tidy away lunchtime resources, assist with play activities, deal with misbehaviour and report them to a senior member of staff. †¢Catering Staff – They plan, prepare, cook and serve meals to pupils and staff in accordance with school policy and a fixed budget. †¢Clerical and Administrative Roles – They cover a wide range of responsibilities, including being the clerical ‘face’ of the school and point of contact for staff and parents.School Administrators, Receptionists, Personal Assistants or Front Office staff will provide a key role in the day-to-day running of the school, communication between staff, pupils and parents, handling of staff rotas, parent enquiries, pupil absence and admissions. †¢Schools Business Managers (Bursars) – They manage the school’s finances, policies, resources and planning. They may also undertake a range of other bespoke responsibilities to support the smooth running of the school as a centre of the local community.