Governors

The Governing Board

What does the Governing Board do?

The governing board operates at a strategic level, leaving the school’s senior leadership responsible and accountable for the operational day-today running of the School.

As a governing body of a Catholic school, the overarching responsibility lies in ensuring that the school is conducted in accordance with its Catholic character at all times, and this overriding duty (which is also a legal duty) permeates the work of the governing body.

The core functions of the governing body are, but are not limited to ensuring:

• that the vision, ethos and strategic direction of the school are clearly defined
• that the headteacher performs their responsibilities for the educational performance of the school
• the sound, proper and effective use of the school’s financial resources

The governing body of a Catholic maintained school is responsible for policy relating to religious education. This ensures that the curriculum of the school, is taught in the light of the Gospel values and actively promotes the spiritual and moral development of the pupils. Foundation governors have special responsibility for the religious education curriculum and have a duty to ensure that it is taught in accordance with the Curriculum Directory and the bishop’s policy.

A governing body and its governors must:

• act with integrity, objectivity and honesty and in the best interests of the school
• be open about the decisions they make and the actions they take and shall be prepared to explain their decisions and actions to interested parties.

The governing body also has legislative responsibility and strategic oversight for the school’s safeguarding arrangements.

The Governing Board at St Margaret Mary’s has twelve members all of whom bring a wide range professional and personal experience to support the work of the school. The board consists of seven foundation governors who are appointed by the Diocese of Salford, two parent governors elected by the parent body, one staff member elected by the staff, a local authority governor nominated by Manchester LA and the headteacher.

In addition to broaden the expertise of the Governing Body there are two associate governors.

Donna Blackwell and Rachel Walsh. Associate Governors are appointed for one year at a time.

Currently there four foundation governor vacancies.  More information about becoming a foundation governor can be found on the Diocese of Salford website. Governance - Roman Catholic Diocese of Salford .

During 2024/25, the governing board has decided that it will meet a minimum of seven times in the year as a full board.

There are separate committees for pay, headteacher’s performance and admissions which each meet annually to deal with these matters.

Governors who left the board in the last 12 months

Margaret Dolan, Pauline Hamilton