Governors are volunteers who commit to working alongside the senior leadership team of the college to offer support and challenge. They come with skills and experiences which complement those of the staff in college and bring additional perspectives. They have a strategic, big picture role.
Riverside Primary School has academy status, and is a member of Lionheart Academies Trust. Governors form a Local Governing Body within the Trust organisation, with some delegated responsibilities to complement the top level responsibilities held by the Lionheart Trust Executive Board. Contact the governing body via the Chair of Governors, Chris Swan, on chairofgovernors@lionhearttrust.org.uk. For more information on Lionheart Academies Trust Lionheart Academies Trust.
Trust Organisation
The Trust currently consists of 8 schools:
- Beauchamp College, Oadby (the founding school of the Trust)
- The Cedars Academy, Birstall, which opened in September 2015 following the merger of Stonehill High School and Longslade community College.
- Humphrey Perkins School, Loughborough
- Judgemeadow Community College, Evington
- Martin High School, Anstey
- Hallam Fields Primary School, Birstall
- Highcliffe Academy Primary School, Birstall
- Riverside Academy Primary School, Birstall
Riverside, Highcliffe and Hallam Fields have a Head of School each, with the Head of Riverside who is also the Executive Head for Hallam Fields and has responsibility for standards across two of the three primary schools.
The CEO is also the Principal of Beauchamp College.
The Trust Board meets regularly to monitor attainment and progress, to ensure financial probity, to plan strategically for the group, and to hold the CEO and Operations Team to account.
The Trust Leadership team is made up of all senior leaders, operations directors and the QLT team and meets weekly to ensure the best possible outcomes for all of the schools within the Trust.
Governing Body Organisation
The Governing Body currently has three committees: Data, Resources and Health and Safety but is evolving, following review, to operate simply as one full governing body meeting twice each term with a focus on Quality, Teaching and Learning,
The Trust operates under a Scheme of Delegation agreed by the Trust Board.
You can find out more about the day to day tasks of governance.
You can contact the governing body via the Chair of Governors, Bernard Saunders, by email here or by sending a letter via the school office.
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Trust Board
Vision and ethos | Strategic direction | Risks and Opportunities | Overall responsibility
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Hub Governing Bodies (HGB)
Finance | HR | Estates | IT | Education | Marketing & Business | Complaints & Hearings
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North Hub
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South & Central Hub
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Cedars Academy: 11-19
Hallam Fields Primary: 4-11
Highcliffe Primary: 4-11
Martin High: 11-16
Riverside Primary: 4-11
(Humphrey Perkins to join 2019-20)
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Beauchamp College: 11-19
Judgemeadow College: 11-16
Sir Jonathan North College 11-16
(Beauchamp City Sixth Form to join 2019-20 in pre-opening)
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Local Governing Bodies (LGB)
Teaching & Learning | Pupil & Parent & Staff experience | Safeguarding | Business & Community links
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The Trust Board has overall responsibility for all governance in the trust and carries the final accountability for this. The focus of the Board is on the big picture, working with the trust Executive Team to set the overall vision for the trust, lead strategically and identify and respond to risks and opportunities.
The schools are grouped into geographical governance hubs, which hold the schools to account and take a strategic lead on the back room services, which support the schools within their cluster. They also consider the marketing strategies of the group of schools and plan for developing effective partnerships with local businesses. They take a lead on complaints and hearings, with governors and trustees from across all 3 layers supporting panel meetings as needed.
Each school has a Local Governing Body, which holds the school to account for the quality of teaching and learning, the experience of pupils, parents and staff, the processes to ensure safeguarding, and informal links with the local community and businesses. LGBs ensure that school leaders are mindful of the school’s context and work within the overall vision of Lionheart Academies Trust.
The Members of a trust are not involved in the practical running of the organisation and do not take part in governing body or Board meetings, except as occasional observers.
Their role is to ensure that the Board keeps its core priorities at the centre of its work – providing education for children and young people – and retains its stated ethos and values.
Members appoint some of the trustees and, in exceptional circumstances, can remove trustees who they have appointed.
Where a sponsored school is in significant difficulty across all areas – teaching and learning, as well as operations – the school will not belong to a hub and the LGB will meet 5-6 times per year, with additional working groups as necessary to support the drive to improve operational aspects of the work.
Staff in the trust leadership (Chief Operations Officer, Director of Estates, etc.) will lead on strategic developments in these areas and will report to the LGB as well as directly to the Board. Discussions in the LGB and in working groups will influence the decisions that are taken at Board level.
The key focus for LGBs in this situation will always be teaching and learning, supporting the school and holding senior leaders to account as they drive up standards as rapidly as possible.
Once the school’s position is more stable, by 2019-20, the school will join the North Hub.
Local Governing Body: Roles and Responsibilities of LGB Governors
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Membership
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Meetings
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Key roles
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Attending
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LGB meetings
Trust Finance meetings
3 per year, attended by Finance Governor, Head and business manager, CEO and COO (or their representative).
Staff Health & Safety meeting – attended by one governor in secondary schools.
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Performance Management & Pay
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Holding the school to account for standards:
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Pupil, Parent & Community
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Compliance
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Ambassadors & Vision
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Receive reports on:
First hand knowledge:
Ofsted:
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Stakeholder voice:
Pupil experience:
Parents as co-educators – hold school to account for:
Complaints:
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Risk:
Compliance – hold school to account for:
Exclusions:
Local policies:
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Ambassadors:
Vision & ethos:
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Membership
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Meetings
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Key roles
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Attending
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Vision, Policy, Risk
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Education & standards
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Finance
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Estates, IT, H&S
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HR
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Policy
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Hold trust to account for standards using:
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Risk
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Estates
IT
Health & Safety
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Membership
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Meetings
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Key roles
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Attending
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Vision, Policy, Risk
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Education & standards
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Finance & Risk
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Estates & IT
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HR
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Policies
Risk
Exclusions:
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Complaints
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Estates
IT
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How Can You Contact Us?
If you have a concern about an aspect of life at the school, the best first point of contact is always the class teacher, or the headteacher if it’s a concern about the structures and systems of the school (or if it’s a child protection issue). Staff are very keen to know when things aren’t going smoothly for your child and calling in for a chat or to book an appointment to meet is always the best first step.
Governors look at the big picture, and at procedures and policies that affect large numbers of children. So if you’re concerned about something that just affects your child, speak to the class teacher. If it’s about how we do things in school on a bigger scale, talking it over with a governor can be helpful.
- You can contact the chair of governors by email at chairofgovernors@lionhearttrust.org.uk
- Some governors are usually in school on parents’ evenings and we attend the parent forum meetings.
- Parent Governors are often at school dropping off and collecting their own children.
- Feel free to chat with one of them if there’s something you’d like them to know.
- Or send a note into school with your child labelled ‘Governors’.
A Note About Complaints
If, at any time, a member of the school community has a concern about an aspect of life at the school, the concern will be dealt with by the school as quickly, sympathetically and effectively as possible. It is hoped that most concerns will be settled amicably at this stage.
However, if there is a continuing concern, this can be directed through the formal stages as outlined in the school’s complaints procedure.
I’m interested In Becoming A Governor
All governors are elected for 4 years. When Parent Governor or Staff Governor vacancies become available they are advertised within the parent or staff body and nominations can be made.
Community Governors are appointed by the Governing Body when vacancies arise. If you know of someone with skills which you feel may be valuable to the school, and who you think may be willing to offer the time and commitment required, please contact us.
Governing Body Information
Please click here to see the Governing Body information.
Governors Register of Business Interests
Please click here to see the Governors Register of Business Interests.
Policies
Please click here to view the college policies