Governance

1. Introduction and Overview

Key roles and responsibilities

All governors of Catholic maintained schools have legal rights and responsibilities which ensure that they safeguard and promote their school’s denominational character. These rights and responsibilities have been recognised by Government as central to the continuing success of Catholic education. The following are key aspects of the governing body’s legal duties in voluntary aided schools relating to their religious character.

• Appointment of Teachers
• Admissions
• The Curriculum

What do governors do?

The governing body of a Catholic school occupies and conducts the school on behalf of their trustees and under the supervision of the diocesan bishop as the occupier of the premises, proprietor of the undertaking, and employer of the staff. It occupies the school subject to the parameters laid down by their trustees, and  ultimately any decisions relating to the land and buildings rest with the trustees, except in so far as these have been delegated to the governing body by the trustees.

The governors of a Catholic school work as a team, in close co-operation with the headteacher and all staff. All governors and staff contribute to the Catholic character of the school and the Catholic nature of the education provided, as set out in its mission statement.

Successive Governments have recognised the responsibilities of the trustees and the rights of the Catholic community as a whole to ensure that the long term future of Catholic education is secure. The law enshrines a number of guarantees from the State to ensure the Catholic character and ethos of the schools is maintained; particularly in the areas of admissions, staffing and governance.

The diocese (or religious order) has the legal right to appoint (and remove) an overall majority of governors, who are known as foundation governors. In addition to all the other legal responsibilities of the governing body, the law recognises that foundation governors are appointed specifically to ensure:

 That the Catholic character of the school is preserved;

 That the school is conducted in accordance with its trust deed; and

 That the religious education curriculum is in accordance with the bishop’s policy for his diocese, based on the Bishops’ Conference Curriculum Directory.

Foundation governors are, therefore, appointed by the bishop, or religious order, to represent their interests and those of the Catholic community as a whole. Foundation governors play a leading role in the Catholic community: they collaborate with the bishop in his ministry in education. It is, therefore, important for them to:

 Know and implement the bishop’s policies on education, including religious education;

 Represent those policies to the governing body;

 Understand and promote the distinctive nature of Catholic education;

 Act for the good of Catholic education as a whole within the diocese, considering not only the interests of the individual school or college, but the interests of other schools and colleges;

 Respond to the needs of the Catholic community as a whole, as represented by the bishop;

 Secure the long-term future of Catholic education;

 Always act in accordance with the mind of the bishop.

The Sub Committees

There are full Governing Body meetings each term. Much of the work however is carried out in sub committees. More details about the Sub-Committees can be found in section 3 below. 

2. Current Governing Body Information

3. Governing Board Sub-Committees Information

• Coming soon

4. Governing Board Attendance Record 2019/20

KEY

Apologies = Apologies received and Governors consented to the absence

Absent = No apologies received

N/A = Not eligible to attend

Meet The Governors

Elizabeth Aspin (Chair of Governors)

I have been a governor at Our Lady of Mount for 15 years, first as parent then as a foundation governor. My daughter, Emily, attended Our Lady’s so I know what an amazing school it is. I have worked for the local authority for the past 27 years and work with vulnerable people in the community. It is a pleasure to be able to serve Catholic education at Our Lady’s. Both children and staff are very welcoming.

Kevin Toms

I have been a foundation Governor since January 2009 following my retirement from my headteacher post at St. Paul’s Catholic Primary School, Hyde. I was born and brought up in Hyde, attending St. Paul’s and later St. Peter and St. Paul’s, Dukinfield. I have always wanted to support my local Catholic primary schools so was happy to become a governor both here and at St. James, Hattersley. I also work closely with the Shrewsbury Diocese on inspections and appointments of headteachers and deputies.

Francesca Roberts

I currently have two children attending Our Lady of Mount Carmel. They are all very happy and feel supported and encouraged to develop their own individual gifts and talents. Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a caring and welcoming school that strives to put Christ at the centre of everything it does. As a Governor, I welcome the opportunity to be part of the school community and to do my best to contribute to its continued development and success.

Roisin Marsh

Vanna Carter

Hi, my name is Vanna and I work as a Teacher Trainer at a private language school where we train teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, both at pre-service and in-service levels. I have been involved in the running of the EFL teacher training department and the safeguarding and pastoral care of our trainee teachers for a number of years. These roles have  equipped me with transferable skills that can be of great benefit to education in the state sector too, both at primary and secondary level. I have served as governor at various schools over the years and I am currently an Associate Member on the Governing Board at St Damian’s RC Science College. I am very pleased to now serve as a Foundation Governor at Our Lady of Mount Carmel as it is a great school with a true Catholic ethos.  

Bushra Kauser

Sylwia Sachmata

Hannah Eves