Governance & Financial Management
The Governing Body
The governing body delivers three core functions :
- Setting the vision, ethos and strategic direction of the school
- Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school
- Overseeing the financial performance of the school to ensure money is well spent
Responsibilities:
- Ensure that the vision and values of the school are clear
- Act as a critical friend to the headteacher and school
- Support and challenge the headteacher
- Ensure the school is managed as well as it can be
- Ensure that money is spent wisely and properly, to ensure high quality teaching and learning
- Monitor school performance, gathering evidence to show progress is being made towards strategic
priorities and school targets - Monitor the implementation of school policies
- Account for the school’s overall performance
- Ensure that statutory requirements are met
- Monitor the strategic direction and performance of the Children’s Centre, including setting it’s budget
- Appoint governors to the Children’s Centre Advisory Board, including the Chair of the Advisory Board
Governing Body Code of Conduct
Statement of eligibility and disqualification criteria
Governance Impact Statement 2023-2024
The Governors
Gemma Gwatkin-Williams - Chair of Governors (Co-opted Governor)
Kate Bramley - Vice Chair (Co-opted Governor)
Keith Nelson - Co-opted Governor
Douglas Livingstone - Co-opted Governor
Cate Onanda - Co-opted Governor
Des Williamson - Co-opted Governor
Anna Wooldridge - Co-opted Governor
Maria Hewson - Local Authority Governor
Anya Salisbury - Headteacher Governor
Leila Dahou - Staff Governor
Details of the terms of office, appointing body, governor lead roles and attendance is given in the Governing Body register 2024-2025
Meeting Dates 2024-2025
The Governing Body of Epsom Downs Community School has agreed that its meetings will be open to people who are interested to attend and who request to attend the open part of the meeting in accordance with the agreed Open Meetings protocol. The protocol is available here.
Thursday 3rd October 2024
Tuesday 3rd December 2024
Thursday 6th February 2025
Tuesday 25th March 2025
Thursday 22nd May 2025
Tuesday 1st July 2025
Financial Management
The Governing Body has a formal, statutory responsibility for the financial management of the site and is accountable to the Local Authority.
The Governing Body needs financial skills to provide strategic leadership, financial accountability and acts as a critical friend to the leadership team. The composition of the governing body is therefore balanced to ensure there are adequate financial skills available to meet the statutory responsibilities for the financial management of the school and can safeguard the large amounts of public money for which they are responsible.
The key principles of good governance and financial management are openness, transparency and integrity. The school is willing to demonstrate the effective use of resources and answer questions about the financial probity.
Effective financial management ensures this money is spent wisely and properly, and allows schools to optimise their resources to provide high-quality teaching and learning and so raise standards and attainment for all their pupils.
In November 2010, the Secretary of State launched the new Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS). The SFVS has been designed in conjunction with schools to assist them in managing their finances and to give assurance that they have secure financial management in place. The SFVS is subject to annual review and approval by the Governing Body before submission in March.
Behaviour Principles - Governors Written Statement 2023/25
Charging and Remissions Policy 2024/26
Governance and Financial Statement 2022/24
Whistle Blowing Policy 2022/24
Epsom Downs policies shall remain in force and effect until reviewed and updated by the governing body. Reviews will be undertaken as per statutory guidance or as deemed necessary due to changes in legislation, school procedures, or other relevant factors.
The school will answer any questions you may have about its financial management. Please email any queries you have to info@epsomdowns.surrey.sch.uk
Financial information and benchmarking
Epsom Downs Primary does not have any employees with a gross annual salary of £100,000 or more.
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