Governors work closely with headteachers, school staff and representatives from the local authority (LA).
Our Chair of Governors is Councillor James Cosslett.
Governor Committee Structure
Click on each name to find out further information about our governors and their roles and responsibilities.
| Name | Representing | Term of Office | Committee | Responsibilities | Governance Roles in Other Schools | Register of Interests | Relationship to Staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs Sturrock - Head Teacher | Head Teacher | Ongoing | Finance & Premises Personnel Discipline Curriculum First Pay review Staffing | Head Teacher | None | None | |
| Councillor JL Cosslett- Chair of Governors | Local Authority | 16/07/2021-15/07/2025 | Finance & Premises First pay review HTA | Chair of Governors | Yes | None | None |
| Mrs Karen Stewart | Co-opted | 20/10/2019 -20/10/2023 | Curriculum | None | None | None | |
| Rachel Watt | Co-opted | 22/01/2024 -21/01/2028 | Safeguarding | Finance School Budget | None | None | None |
| Mrs Debra Colegrove | Staff | 01/01/2020 - 01/01/2024 | EYFS Finance & Premises Personnel Discipline Curriculum | Curriculum | None | None | None |
| Mrs Debbie Howe | Parent | 15/04/2021-14/04/2024 | Curriculum First Pay Review | Safeguarding Curriculum | None | None | None |
| Mrs Anne Marshall | Co-opted | 11/07/2022-10/7/2026 | Finance HTPM | SEND | None | None | None |
| Mrs Rebecca Bogle | Parent | 20/07/2022- 19/07/2026 | Finance | Finance | None | None | None |
| Revd. Brian Whitley | Co-opted | 20/07/2022-19/07/2022 | Safeguarding | Vice chair | None | None | None |
Statutory Guidance for Governing Bodies
Ramshaw Primary School adhere to the statutory guidance from the Department of Education. This means that governing bodies must have regard to it when carrying out duties relating to the constitution of governing bodies in maintained schools. You can view or download further documents by clicking the link below:
- The Constitution of Governing Bodies of Maintained Schools
- Annual-Governance-Statement-for-the-Governing-Body
How To Become A School Governor
If you require further information on the roles and responsibilities of School Governors or you are interested in becoming one, visit the Durham County Council website School Governor section.
Governor Attendance
Schools are required to display a record of Governor’s attendance at meetings for each school academic year.
KEY
✓ – Attended meeting
A/A – Apologies sent and accepted by meeting
N – Did not attend
X – Not a member of the committee
Record of Attendance 2024-2025
| Name | Full Governing Body Meeting 16/09/24 | Finance Meeting 15/10/24 | Full Governing Body Meeting 11/11/24 | Finance & Curriculum Meeting 5/3/25 | Full Governing Body Meeting 31/03/2025 | Finance/Curriculum and Staffing 17/6/25 | Full Governing Body Meeting 7/07/25 |
| E. Sturock | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| D. Colegrove | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||
| K.Stewart | √ | Apologies | √ | √ | |||
| J. Cosslett | √ | v | √ | √ | √ | √ | Apologies |
| R. Bogle | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
| A. Marshall | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| R. Watt | √ | √ | √ | √ | |||
| D. Howe | √ | ||||||
| C. Roche | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Record of Attendance 2023-2024
| Name | Finance and Premises Meeting 28/09/2023 | Full Governing Body Meeting 4/12/2023 | Pay Review Meeting 4/12/23 | Finance and Premises Meeting 8/3/2024 | Full Governing Body Meeting 25/3/24 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs EM Sturrock | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||
| Mrs D Colegrove | √ | Apologies | |||||
| Mrs K Stewart | √ | √ | |||||
| Councillor JL Cosslett | √ | √ | √ | √ | Apolpgies | ||
| Revd. Brian Whitley | √ | Apologies | |||||
| Mrs Rebecca Bogle | √ | Apologies | √ | √ | |||
| Mrs Anne Marshall | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||
| Mrs D Howe | Apologies | ||||||
| R Watt | √ |
Archived Attendance
You can also view previous years attendance on our website.
Committee Terms of Reference
Finance and Premises Committee
Chair: Councillor J. Cosslett
Terms of Reference: To meet termly
Members: Mrs Liz Sturrock, Mrs K Johnson, Mrs A. Marshall
- In conjunction with the Headteacher to draft the first formal budget plan of the financial year, for approval by the full Governing Body
- To establish and maintain an up-to-date 3 year financial plan
- To monitor income and expenditure, including virement decision, significant anomalies from the anticipated position, and report termly to the Governing Body
- To ensure the school operates within the financial regulations of the County Council and the requirements of the DfE School Financial Value Standard
- To monitor expenditure of all voluntary funds kept on behalf of the Governing Body
- To annually review charges and remissions policies and expenses policies
- To make decisions in respect of service level agreements
- To make decisions on expenditure following recommendations from other committees
- To prepare financial statements for inclusion in any reports to parents
- To ensure as far as is practical that any Health & Safety (H&S) issues are appropriately funded in accordance with priorities.
Meetings: Termly to coincide with Oracle
Disqualifications: when there may be a conflict of interest; or a pecuniary interest.
| Virement Limits | Expenditure Limits | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limit set for Headteacher without prior written approval of Chair or Governing Body. | £3,000 | Any items of expenditure up to | £5,000 | |
| Limit set for Headteacher with approval from Chair of Governors. | £3,000 to £5,000 | • Above this limit if item was previously notified to the Governing Body. • Prior Finance Committee or Chair of Governors approval (whichever is the soonest) to be sought outside of this limit and reported at the earliest opportunity. |
||
| Prior Finance Committee or Chair of Governors approval (whichever is the soonest) to be sought outside of this limit and reported at the earliest opportunity |
Personnel and Pupil Discipline Committee
Chair: Councillor J. Cosslett
Terms of Reference: To meet at start of every Autumn Term, and then as required
Members: Liz Sturrock, Mrs A. Marshall
- To carry out the annual review of the staffing structure
- To oversee the appointment procedures for all staff
- To keep under review work life balance, working conditions and well-being including monitoring of absence
- Teaching staff appointments
- Review temporary contracts on an annual basis
- To ensure that a Performance Management Policy is in place
- Consider staff Leave of Absence (only if necessary after delegation to Headteacher)
- To act as the pupil discipline committee for fixed term and permanent exclusions.
- Complaints.
Delegation to the Headteacher
School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009.
Appointment:
- Temporary support staff
- Supply
- Non-teaching staff (delegated together with one Governor).
Dismissals:
- No delegation for dismissals (to be dealt with by the First/Pay Review Committee).
Curriculum Committee
Chair: Councillor J. Cosslett
Terms of Reference:
Members: Mrs L Sturrock Mrs K. Stewart Mrs D Colegrove Mrs Debbie Howe
- To make recommendations to the Governing Body and review the school’s curriculum statement and policies as required in the light of the LA curriculum statement and statutory obligations regarding the National Curriculum
- In collaboration with the staff to provide information about how the curriculum is taught, evaluated and resourced
- To review the policy and provision for sex education and to make recommendations where necessary
- To review the policy and provision for collective worship and RE and to make recommendations where necessary
- To monitor and review information about school performance and reporting to parents accordingly to statutory requirements
- To contribute to the School Development Plan and SEF
- Curriculum/performance review including target setting and monitoring mechanism.
Disqualifications: Pecuniary Interest
Safeguarding Committee
Chair: Councillor J. Cosslett
Terms of Reference
Members: Liz Sturrock, Debra Colegrove, D. Howe, Revd. B. Whitley
- Ensure the school is fulfilling its responsibilities regarding Child Protection and the requirements of ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’
- To consider and determine the school’s policy relating to E-Safety
- To consider the school security policy.
Disqualifications: Pecuniary Interest
Headteacher’s Performance Review
Chair: Councillor J. Cosslett
Terms of Reference
Members: Revd. B. Whitley, Mrs A. Marshall
- To arrange to meet with the Education Development Partner to discuss the Headteacher’s performance targets
- To decide with support from the EDP whether the targets have been met and to set new targets annually
- To monitor throughout the year the performance of the Headteacher against the targets
- To make recommendations to the appropriate committee in respect of awards for the successful meeting of set targets.
First / Pay Review Committee
Chair: Councillor J. Cosslett
Terms of Reference
Members: Mrs A. Marshall, Mrs D. Howe
- To act in accordance with the Teachers’ Pay Policy adopted by the Governing Body
- To report to the Finance Committee on Pay Review-related expenditure.
- To make any decisions under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body, eg disciplinary, grievance, ill health, capability etc where the Headteacher is the subject of the action
- To make any decisions relating to a member of staff (other than the Headteacher) under the Personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body and in line with Diocesan advice
- Staffing Reductions.
Appeals Committee
Chair: Councillor J. Cosslett
Terms of Reference
Members: Mrs A. Marshall
- To consider any appeal against a decision to dismiss a member of staff made by the First/Pay Review Committee
- To consider any appeal against a decision under the personnel procedures adopted by the Governing Body (eg disciplinary, pay review, capability for teachers etc)
- To consider any appeal against selection for redundancy.
Adobe Reader
You may need a product like Adobe Reader (free download) to view our PDF documents on our website.
