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Message March 2025 Dear Parent SCHOOL GOVERNING BODY: PARENT GOVERNOR VACANCY There is a second vacancy for a Parent Governor to serve on the St Damian’s Governing Body due to a term office coming to an end. As well as 2 Parent Governors, the Governing Body consists of 1 Local Authority Governor nominated by Tameside Council, 1 Staff Governor elected by the staff of the school, 7 Foundation Governors, 1 Associate Governor and myself as Headteacher. Becoming a Parent Governor is an important role, you will be involved in making decisions about many aspects of the school’s life, and it is vital that parents’ views are represented at Governing Body meetings. If you are the parent of, or you have parental responsibility for, a child who attends the school you are eligible to stand for election as a Parent Governor - unless any of the conditions stated on the enclosed sheet apply to you. Governors will be involved in many aspects of school life – please see the information contained on the following sheet. Enclosed with this letter you will find a nomination form that you need to complete if you would like to stand for election. As you will see, you need to write a short paragraph about yourself to help other parents decide whom to vote for, if an election is needed. If you would like more information about what is involved in being a governor, or you are not sure how to complete the form, please contact me at the school. Information is also available from Governor Services at Tameside Council (Tel: 0161-342-3206) New Parent Governors are not expected to be instant experts. If you are elected, you will receive information about the Governing Body’s responsibilities and you will be invited to attend an Induction Programme for New Governors, which is held in the second half of each term. Please think seriously about standing as a governor. Remember that decisions taken by the Governing Body will affect your child’s future. Yours sincerely Mr S Logue Headteacher

ST DAMIAN’S R.C. SCIENCE COLLEGE THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL GOVERNOR AND GOVERNING BODIES The role of the school governor is demanding but very rewarding and is a worthy way to give back to your local community. School governing bodies are responsible for working with the school to ensure that it delivers a good quality education for all of its pupils. The headteacher is responsible for day-to-day management of the school and together with the governing body, they set out the school's aims and policies. Key roles of governors: • To ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction • To hold the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff • To oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure its money is well spent There are a number of other important duties, which include: • Determining how the school's budget is spent • The appointing and dismissing of staff • Hearing appeals and grievances • Forming policy on the school's curriculum and collective worship • Setting standards for pupils' behaviour and discipline • Making sure school buildings are welcoming and safe • Setting and monitoring the school's aims and policies What can governors expect from the school: The governing body expects the school to: • understand and respect its statutory role and purpose • recognise the shared commitment to school improvement and securing the best outcomes for every child • respect governors as volunteers who bring other skills, experiences and perspectives, and value their contribution • work openly with the governing body and provide clear, concise and relevant information on which to base decisions • enable all governors to become involved in the life of the school • contribute to the induction, training and development of governors • ensure that where educational jargon is unavoidable it is at least explained The school expects the governing body to: • respect the professional expertise of the headteacher and staff • work openly in partnership with the headteacher and staff for the benefit of the school and its pupils • demonstrate its commitment, collectively and individually • act and take decisions that are in the best interests of the school and not those of self, individuals or groups

• support the school with parents and in the community • recognise the need for both governor induction and ongoing training and development Individually, governors will: • enhance the work of the governing body to enable a strong focus on raising standards, so that every child achieves their potential • demonstrate their commitment by getting to know the school and becoming involved in school life and activities • take personal responsibility for their ongoing training and development • prepare for meetings so they are well informed, having at minimum read all of the papers sent out with the agenda • attend meetings (governing body/committees/working group) and play an active part • support the school with parents and in the community • recognise the corporate status of the governing body and the concept of collective responsibility • respect confidentiality and the need to act with circumspection. Each governor must sign and abide by the governing body’s Code of Conduct which is provided to all governors each year.

ST DAMIAN’S R.C. SCIENCE COLLEGE Nomination Form for Parent Governor Election Before completing this form, prospective candidates should read the notes on the sheet “Persons Ineligible to Act as Parent Governors”. DETAILS OF NOMINEE (PERSON WISHING TO STAND AS A PARENT GOVERNOR) NAME: (block letters) SIGNATURE: DATE: ADDRESS: (including post code) PARENT OF: (pupil’s name) PUPIL’S CLASS: You are asked to provide a statement about yourself in the space below, giving relevant personal details and stating your reasons for wishing to become a parent governor. This statement should not exceed 100 words. It will be published for the information of parents should an election be necessary. (If you require any assistance in completing this part of the form please contact the Headteacher at the school). The nomination form should be returned in a sealed envelope, marked “PARENT GOVERNOR NOMINATION”, to the Headteacher at the school by Friday 4th April 2025 at 12 noon

ST DAMIAN’S R.C. SCIENCE COLLEGE PERSONS INELIGIBLE TO ACT AS PARENT GOVERNORS There are a number of reasons why people cannot become governors of a school. Individuals applying to be a school governor are therefore asked to have regards to the statements below A person must be over the age of eighteen and is disqualified from holding or from continuing to hold as a governor or associate member if they are or have been: o subject to a bankruptcy restriction order or an interim order, a debt relief order and interim debt relief order; o has had their estate sequestrated and the sequestration order has not been discharged, annulled or reduced; o is subject to: ▪ a disqualification order or disqualification undertaking under the Company Directors Act 1986 ▪ a disqualification undertaking accepted under the Company Directors Disqualification (Northern Ireland) Order 2002 ▪ an order made under section 492(2)(b) of the Insolvency Act 1986 (failure to pay under county court administration order); ▪ has been removed from the office of charity trustee or trustee for a charity by the Charity Commissioners or High Court on grounds of any misconduct or mismanagement, or under Section 34 of the Charities and Trustees Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 from participating in the management or control of anybody; o is included in the list of teachers or workers considered by the Secretary of State as unsuitable to work with children or young people o is barred from any regulated activity relating to children o is subject to a direction of the Secretary of State under section 128 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 o is disqualified from working with children or from registering for child-minding or providing day care o is disqualified from being an independent school proprietor, teacher or employee by the Secretary of State o has been sentenced to three months or more in prison (without the option of a fine) in the five years before becoming a governor or since becoming a governor o has received a prison sentence of two years or more in the 20 years before becoming a governor o has at any time received a prison sentence of five years or more o has been fined for causing a nuisance or disturbance on school premises during the five years prior to or since appointment or election as a governor o refused a request for the clerk to apply to the Disclosure and Barring Service for a criminal records check. SIGNATURE__________________________DATE_______________________ If you require clarification on any of the above, please contact; governor.support@tameside.gov.uk (Tel: 0161 342 5069)