All schools are required to have a Governing Body.  School Governors work together with the headteacher in agreeing the aims and conduct of the school, ensuring that the pupils have a full entitlement to the agreed curriculum and managing the school within its allocated budget.

The Governors at our school are chosen by parents (Parent Governors), the Diocese and church community (Foundation Governors), the school staff (Teacher and Staff Governors), the Local Authority (LA Governors) and the governing body itself (Co-opted Governors).

Governors are appointed to provide:

• strong links between the school and the community it serves
• a wide experience of the outside world
• an independent view
• a visible form of accountability for the headteacher and staff of the school
• a team focusing on long term development and improvement
• accountability to the community for the use of resources and the standards of teaching and learning in the school
• support for the headteacher and staff.

School Governors:

• accountable for the strategic management of the school
• attend the regular and special meetings of the full governing body
• work as a member of the governing body (not as an individual) in the best interests of the school
• work on specific topics through sub-groups or committees (e.g.: the financial management of the school, the curriculum, staff appointments and personnel issues, the school premises, school policies and the training of governors)
• become well-informed about education in general and about Whitewater school in particular
• become familiar with the rules of school governance
• attend necessary training courses
• visit the school to gain further insight about particular issues by arrangement with the Headteacher
• are volunteers

In order to do this a governing body:

• works with the headteacher who is responsible for the day to day management of the school
• agrees policies and practice that assist the headteacher and staff to carry out their responsibilities
• agrees and monitors principles and targets for improvement
• acts as the critical friend of the school and headteacher
• receives and discusses reports on the resulting practice and conduct of the school
• reviews its own working practices
• works within the regulations for governing bodies; these are laid down by central government and the local authority