Governor Impact Statement
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Governing Body Annual Statement and Impact Assessment
2026 - 2027
St Joseph’s strives to ensure the best possible outcomes for all children by maintaining a broad and ambitious curriculum, supporting their personal development and well-being, whilst enabling children to deepen their relationship with Christ. We have a committed staff, strong leadership team and an experienced Governing Body.
Governor Roles
The Governing Body is made up of a group of dedicated volunteers, who invest a huge amount of hard work and time for the sole purpose of improving the education of every child in our school. The Governing Body is an intrinsic part of the leadership of the school. The Government requires the Governing Body to be a dynamic group of skilled individuals who focus on supporting the Head teacher and all school staff to shape the strategic direction of the school. This impact statement is one way in which the Governing Body articulates their role in school leadership and the impact we have on school improvement.
The governors are accountable for the performance and safety of our school; and we have three core strategic functions, ensuring:
- that the vision, ethos, strategic direction and policies of the school are clearly defined and implemented.
- that the headteacher executes their responsibilities for the running of the school in accordance with UK legislation and regulations, school policies, and the Diocese Catholic Education Service (CES) Model Directives 2025.
- the proper and effective use of the school’s financial resources.
Governors work co-operatively with the Headteacher and senior leadership team in the writing and monitoring the School Development Plan. The School Development Plan (SDP) sets aims for the forthcoming year. The SDP is based on priorities identified from data, school self-evaluation and Ofsted priorities.
The SDP is set out with clear aims, the key tasks that will be completed to achieve these aims and the success criteria used to measure outcomes. The SDP is monitored and reviewed termly, with an evaluation overview being completed and presented to governors as part of the Headteacher report. Recent examples of implemented school improvement initiatives are:
Following the 2018 Ofsted, the Governors invested in a new phonics programme, books and resources. This has now been thoroughly embedded with our most recent Ofsted (2024) stating: ‘Reading is at the front and centre of the curriculum. The school has purposefully created a reading spine that opens pupils’ minds to the wider world. Older pupils enjoy reading and know that it is an important life skill. They strive to achieve the bronze, silver and gold reading badges, which motivates them to read on a regular basis at home. The importance of books and reading is interwoven throughout the school. The newly refurbished library, as well as interesting book corners in classrooms, keeps the reading profile high. Pupils in the early stages of reading learn phonics from the moment they start school. Skilled adults deliver effective phonics lessons. The school quickly identifies pupils who are at risk of falling behind. It ensures that these pupils receive the additional support they need to catch up. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know. All of this helps pupils to develop as confident and fluent readers’.
The Governors have invested in a specialist music teacher which has enhanced pupils’ personal development, judged to be strong by Ofsted (2024).
Foundation Governors are appointed by the Bishop to ensure that the religious character of the school is preserved; that the school complies with its trust deed and that the religious education curriculum is in accordance with CES directives. Governors are clear about the aims and values of the school and prepared to work strategically as a “critical friend", recognising and celebrating achievements, supporting and encouraging strategies to bring about improvements but also asking challenging questions to ensure objectives are met.
Training
All members of the Governing Body have received and continue to have significant training. The impact of this is that the Governing Body is aware of their responsibilities regarding the latest Department for Education regulations, initiatives and OFSTED requirements.
Recent whole governing body training has included:
- Governor Curriculum Learning mornings
- Regular Diocesan briefings
- Training via The Key’s Governor Hub and through BCP.
- Safeguarding & Cybersecurity training
Impact of Full Governing Body (FGB) Meetings
Governors attend full governing body (FGB) meetings each term. In addition, some governors meet 5-6 times a year as a Finance & Resources (Premises & Health & Safety) Committee, Curriculum & Standards (Safeguarding & Attendance) Committee. We also have an Admissions Committee. Individual governors are linked to areas of the School Development Plan and have Governor Learning Mornings, Monitoring and Evaluation Visits and meetings with staff to monitor progress against the SDP objectives. Governor visit reports are presented at FGB meetings. The visits and reports provide oversight for the governing body to ask questions and hold senior leaders accountable.
Governors provide strong support and effective challenge for the Headteacher. We have developed a strong senior leadership team, leading high quality teaching and learning throughout the school. The wellbeing of staff remains a priority for the Governors.
Safeguarding
The monitoring of safeguarding practices is a key priority for governors and is ongoing throughout the year. Along with the Headteacher and Deputy Head, governors conduct an annual safeguarding audit and monitor the actions identified from the audit. Safeguarding reports presented at FGB meetings provide an opportunity to challenge the safeguarding culture of the school and ensure robust procedures and practices are in place. The impact of this challenge and monitoring is a strong safeguarding ethos and culture at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, recently judged ‘effective’ by Ofsted (2024).
Staff Recruitment
Members of the governing body have completed “safer recruitment” training and contribute to the successful recruitment of school staff.
Impact of the Finance & Resources (F&R) Committee
The school budget is scrutinised and reviewed in detail at F&R meetings. The governors on this committee have strong finance skills who review end-of-year budgets, attend pre-budget meetings and question deficit/surplus balances. Using benchmarking information, the committee scrutinise the effect of pupil numbers on the budget and how this impacts staffing and resources.
Working closely with the School Finance Officer and Headteacher, the Finance & Resources Committee have supported the school and held it accountable to ensure effective budgeting. Careful monitoring and planning of the school budget over many years has enabled the school to maintain a strong and effective staffing structure to drive school improvements. The F&R committee will continue to actively manage the school budget to maintain high quality teaching and pupil support, a broad and rich curriculum, and well-maintained school infrastructure.
The committee ensures ‘best value’ when purchasing items or services. The governors ensure that the school provides three quotes for items or services over £1000. Ensuring the best value, evidenced by the successful installation of our new IT equipment, updating the internal school environment and the revamping the outdoor Early Years area along with a new garden area for the children to use. Best value practices have also been used for photocopying contracts and cleaning contracts, ensuring the school is getting a good service and good value for money.
Pupil Premium Funding
In comparison to other schools, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School receives a high percentage of Pupil Premium (PP) Funding.
The F&R Committee approves the planned spending of PP funding each year and challenges the Headteacher and senior leaders on the impact of the spending. Governors scrutinise evidence of impact on the outcomes for PP Children. Data and evidence show how the gap between PP children and non-PP children closes as pupils move through the school. Details of the impact of Pupil Premium spending can be found on the website.
Sports Premium Funding
The governors monitor how the school spends the Sports Premium Funding. The Primary PE and Sport Premium is ring-fenced and must only be spent on physical education and sport provision in schools. The funding aims to achieve improvement in all areas of PE, from the standard of physical education to introducing health-focused physical activities and after-school sports. Details of the impact of Sports Premium spending can be found on the website under the ‘Information’ tab.
Capital Projects
The F&R Committee is passionate about ensuring safe school buildings and grounds, and providing the best learning and working environment for the children and staff. The school works with the Diocese to fund such projects.
General Data Protection Regulation
Governors are responsible for ensuring the data protection policy is in place and being followed. Governors ensure the school has a Data Protection Officer (DPO) and they attend regular training.
Progress and Attainment
School performance data is made available to governors through termly meetings with verbal and written presentations. Governors review the school performance data and challenge the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team on the data, holding them to account to ensure the school’s standards and expectations are high. Particular scrutiny is placed on pupil progress across all ability groups, including pupils requiring SEND support, and those receiving Pupil Premium Funding.
School Policies
Governors review and approve the school policies throughout the year in FGB meetings. The Headteacher and staff are asked to give examples of how updated policies have been implemented, to ensure policy review is not just a paper exercise. Current policies are available on the school website.
Performance Management
Governors are responsible for undertaking the Headteacher’s performance management review each year. Governors, supported by the BCP Primary Advisor, set annual targets which are reviewed at points throughout the year.
The Headteacher completes an annual performance management report for the governors, evidencing that performance management has been completed for all staff and whether staff have met performance management targets. Governors scrutinise the report and use evidence to approve pay recommendations given by the Headteacher. Pay awards follow the national teachers’ pay scale.
Academisation
The Portsmouth diocese requires all its schools to join a Multi Academy Trust (MAT); St Joseph’s will join the Edith Stein Catholic Academies Trust (ESCAT). The governing body will shortly sign a partnership agreement (autumn term 2026) with ESCAT, to enable discussions about St Joseph’s joining ESCAT. The joining process will take several years and requires final approval by the Department for Education. Joining ESCAT will bring benefits including closer working with other primary schools in the diocese and cost savings due to cheaper service contracts. The governing body will provide updates to the school community as progress is made on joining ESCAT.
Please contact the Chair of Governors if you have any questions or comments about this impact statement.
Mike Board
Chair of Governors, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Christchurch