Camberwell Park Specialist Support School

Governors work with the school to ensure that our children can 'be the best they can be' through the education and care they receive. 

Who are we?

The governors come from a range of backgrounds and have different skills (you can find out more about us here).  We have two members of staff and two parents who are part of the Governing Body along with others who want to help to make a difference for our children. We are all volunteers. 

We can only be effective governors as part of the amazing team at Camberwell Park – the Headteacher, Leadership Team, all other staff, the wider team including health, parents and carers.

What do we do?

Our key roles are to …

• make sure that everyone, including yourselves, is clear about what the school is aiming to do and how we will do this together. We work with the school to shape the future together for our pupils, their families and the community. 
• work with the Headteacher to ensure that all children do the best that they can,and that all the staff are supported and trained to work with them to the best of their ability
• make sure that the money we have is spent well, seeking value for money and ensuring that all resources are targeted to the areas that will best help our children achieve their full potential.

How do we do this?

To enable us to do this, we have two committees which meet each term, and all of us meet as a Governing Body each half term.  Members of staff report back to us on the plans for the school and how they are progressing. School governors are involved in a range of other important tasks, working with senior leaders to ensure we provide the best for our pupils. We are also involved, together with an external assessor, in setting objectives and assessing the performance of the Headteacher.

In normal circumstances we also visit the school, participating in learning walks around the school and attending school events to get to know staff and children.  We also take part in interview panels for new staff.  At the moment we are keeping in touch with staff by phone and video call, as well as email.

Our committees:

Standards Committee

The standards committee has a range of regular items for discussion at each meeting which includes pupil achievement, behaviour and safety, pupil and staff attendance and curriculum.

Finance and Resources Committee

The Finance Committee has key responsibilities for ensuring that the school provides ‘Value for Money’ for example by monitoring budgetary allocation and control. The governors work with the school to ensure we meet the Schools Financial Value Standard.

Pay Committee

This committee meets once each year in order to scrutinize and make decisions in relation to performance related pay for teachers.

How are we doing?

We’ve had a number of new members in the past year, including a new chair of Governors (Ruth Boaden) and we will be working together to develop our skills and experience as a governing body in the coming year. Previous OFSTED inspections have consistently praised the governing body, including our most recent report in 2018, and we will build on this foundation of excellence as the school continues to develop and grow.

"The governing body is highly effective. Its expertise, ability to challenge and passion for the success of every pupil make an important contribution towards the strong practice that is evident in the school" - Most Recent OFSTED Report.