Division of responsibilities
Under the current governance arrangements, Walter governors meet each term for Full Governing Body, Finance Committee and Teaching & Learning Committee meetings. Not all governors are members of both the Finance and Teaching & Learning Committees. Governors are each assigned additional specific responsibilities, covering a range of areas including the Curriculum, Pupil Premium, Health & Safety, IT and Performance Management. Specific responsibilities can vary year on year and are aligned to the school’s current priorities.
In addition to the formal meetings, governors attend Governor Days in school (3 half day visits; one each term) and also visit the school on an individual basis throughout the year as part of their specific governor responsibilities. Governors often attend school assemblies, parent information evenings and school fairs, as well as undertaking training sessions or attending conferences led by the local authority.
Full Governing Body
The Chair of the Full Governing Body for 2025-2026 is Gary Robinson. Each governor is a member of the Full Governing Body. The core functions of the Full Governing Body are to establish the strategic direction of the school; to ensure accountability; and to oversee financial probity. The Head Teacher is responsible for the implementation of policy, day to day management of the school and the implementation of the curriculum.
The terms of reference for the Full Governing Body, available below, are reviewed on an annual basis and include a comprehensive description of:
- The purpose of the Full Governing Body
- Membership
- Meetings
- Roles and Responsibilities
- Commitment of the Governing Body
- Relationships
- Confidentiality
- Conflicts of Interest
- Breach of this code of conduct
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee is a sub-committee of the Full Governing Body. The Full Governing Body is the body ultimately responsible for the overall financial management and affairs of the School. It exercises this responsibility by establishing clear levels of delegation to the Chair of the Finance Committee, the Finance Committee, to other Committees and to the Head Teacher.
The Chair of the Finance Committee for 2025-26 is Lara Panesar Beavis. The Finance Committee has responsibilities for: financial competence; policies and procedures; annual financial planning; monitoring; compliance (with national standards and internal policies and procedures); expenditure approval; and financial planning.
The financial Terms of Reference, financial management, procedures and structure operating within the school are set out in the Integrated Finance Policy, which is reviewed on an annual basis.