Governing Body Welcome

My name is Heather Mash and, as Chair of the School’s Governing Body,  I would like to welcome you to this section of the school website : its aim is to provide information about the Governors and to keep you up-to-date about the work that we’re doing.  

The Governing Body has various legal duties, including helping to set the School’s strategic direction, together with supporting objectives and policies approving how the School’s budget is spent reviewing the progress made in attempting to meet these objectives.

In this, an important role is to support the Headteacher and her staff in their efforts to provide the best possible educational experience for each and every pupil, whatever the individual needs might be. We are asked to act as a ‘critical friend’ – to challenge, if necessary, what is being done to meet the School’s responsibilities. Much of our work is conducted at termly meetings of our 3 main committees : the Staffing, Curriculum, and Finance and General  Purposes committees all report back to a meeting of the Full Governing Body. Each committee meets three times a year to provide strategic leadership and accountability in our school.  Governors also take part in three full governing body meetings.

There are 4 categories of Governors, reflecting the groups which have a major interest in the success of the school : Parent-Governors  and Staff-Governors are elected whilst Community-Governors and Local Authority-Governors are appointed [the latter by the Full Governing Body and Bexley LA respectively]. There is a 4-year term of office but each Governor may apply to be re-elected/appointed.

It is important to note that, once elected/appointed, each Governor stands in his/her own right i.e. they are not delegates reporting back to these interest groups.

Governors do not interfere in the day-to-day running of the school : if, at any time, you have any cause for concern, you must always contact the Headteacher.

All Governors are encouraged, and expected, to visit and to get to know the school, the better to be in a position to fulfil obligations - and to undertake training relative to their roles and responsibilities. The Local Authority provides excellent initial and on-going training courses and there are a number of websites providing a similar service.

It is an honour to be in a position to help make a difference to the success of Danson Primary but, at the same time, it carries a demanding responsibility. The Governing Body is committed to playing a full role in helping to create an excellent environment in which all of your children can progress according to their abilities – and who knows just how far these can be helped to develop – whilst, at the same time, enjoying the educational experience offered to them.

Governors' Term of Office

Chair, Vice Chair and Clerk to Governors

Annually, the Governing Body elects two of its members to act as Chair and Vice Chair. For 2024-2025 the incumbents were:
Chair – Heather Mash
Vice Chair – Phil Boyd

Similarly, the Committees annually elect their Chairs. For 2023-2024, the Committee Chairs were:
Curriculum - Heather Mash
Finance and General Purposes - Mark Egelton
Staffing - Rob Waghorn

The Governing Body appoints a Clerk to advise it on constitutional and procedural matters, duties and powers, as well as to take minutes of its meetings. The Governing Body has appointed Phil Boyd to undertake this role. All governors can be contacted through the school’s administration office, and the Clerk via his email address which can be sourced via the School Office:office@danson.bexley.sch.uk.

Attendance at 2023-2024 Meetings

Governors’ attendance at full Governing Body and Committee meetings for the 2023-2024 academic year is set out below:

Business, Pecuniary and Other Financial Interests of Governors

Governors are required to inform the Clerk to the Governing Body of any business, pecuniary or other financial interests they may have in the school. At the beginning of all meetings of the Governing Body or its committees, Governors are again asked to declare if they have any financial interests they may have in the school. At the beginning of all meetings of the Governing Body or its committees, Governors are again asked to declare if they have any financial interest they should declare.

Other than those who are also paid employees of the school, one Governor declared a pecuniary interest, as their spouse was an employee of the school.

No Governor receives any form of remuneration for undertaking their duties.