Annual Governance Statement

St. Vincent’s Catholic Primary School Annual Governance Statement Autumn 2025 for Academic Year 2025/26

Approved by the Board of Governors November 2025; review date November 2026

The Board of Governors

Current Governors	Type of Governor	First Appointed	Current term of office expires
Mrs Anita Harrop	Headteacher	01/09/2015	Statutory
Mrs Deborah Mc Duff	Staff Governor	06/04/2022	05/04/2026
Mrs Alice Kilburn	Foundation Governor	01/09/2019(parent governor)	31/08/2028
Canon Jonathan Brandon	Foundation Governor	01/09/2019	31/08/2025
Mrs Sarah Butler	Foundation Governor (Vice Chair)	10/2015 (as Parent Governor)	31/08/2026
Mrs Joanne Donnachie	Foundation Governor (Chair)	01/09/2010	31/08/2026
Ms Louise Dickinson	Foundation Governor	01/09/2010	31/08/2026
Mrs Chinelo Aniedu	Foundation Governor Designate	07/03/2025	31/08/2028
Mrs Christina O'Connor	Foundation Governor Designate	28/01/2025	31/08/2025
Mr Matthew Lee	Local Authority Governor	28/02/2023	28/02/2027
Mr Patrick Coyle	Parent Governor	01/11/2023	01/11/2027
Mr Tim Barnard	Parent Governor	01/11/2023	01/11/2027

Previous Governors	Type of Governor	First Appointed	Term of Office finished
Mr Raymond Machell KC	Foundation Governor	01/09/2010	31/08/2024
Mr Adrian Godding	Foundation Governor	11/2016 (as Associate Member)	resigned 31/08/2024
Ms Susanna Ngai	Associate Member	20/06/2023	20/06/2024
Mr Carl Thorgaard	Foundation Governor	05/09/2018 (as parent governor) 01/09/2020	31/08/2024
Mrs Sinead Donnelly	Parent Governor	11/02/2021	Resigned 01/09/2023
Mrs Patricia Young	LA Governor	01/09/2010	Resigned 21/06/2022
Mr Stuart Nichols	Staff Governor	06/10/2016	Resigned 01/04/2022

1. CLERK TO GOVERNORS

Julie Lawson, Trust GS, Green wood Street, Altrincham, Cheshire 0161 3487188 or contact Hannah Ascott, School Business Manager at the School.

2. COMMITTEES

Remits for the Committees are available on request from the School or on Governor Hub

Finance Committee

Curriculum Committee

Pay Review Committee

Louise Dickinson (Chair/Clerk)

Sarah Butler (Chair/clerk)

Jo Donnachie (Chair/Clerk)

Jo Donnachie (Vice Chair)

Alice Kilburn (Vice Chair)

Anita Harrop (in attendance)

Anita Harrop

Louise Dickinson

Sarah Butler

Debbie McDuff

Sarah Butler (school only)

Hannah Ascott (in attendance)

Christina O'Connor

Patrick Coyle(Nursery & TSC)

Ivana Butterworth(in attendance)

Naomi Farrell (in attendance)

Ciara Sutton (in attendance)

Ivana Butterworth(in attendance)

Buildings and Health & Safety Committee

Admissions and Marketing Committee

Staffing and Children Committee

Matthew Lee (Chair/Clerk)

Jo Donnachie (Chair/Clerk)

Chinelo Aniedu(Chair /Clerk)

Anita Harrop

Sarah Butler

Anita Harrop

Tim Barnard

Anita Harrop

Canon Jonathan Brandon

Hannah Ascott (in attendance)

Jo Donnachie (Chair/Clerk)

Ryan Walker (in attendance)

Christina O'Connor

Michael Burke (in attendance)

Ivana Butterworth (in attendance)

Community Facilities Staffing and Children Committee

Headteacher’s Performance Review

Parental Queries for Community Facilities

Patrick Coyle(Chair/Clerk)

Jo Donnachie (Chair)

Louis Dickinson (Chair/Clerk)

Jo Donnachie

Sarah Butler

Joanne Donnachie

Anita Harrop

Adviser-Karen Morris

Patrick Coyle

Ivana Butterworth (in attendance)

Anita Harrop

Ivana Beckett (in attendance)

Karen Wilkinson (in attendance)

Appeals Committee (any governors available from the following)

Jo Donnachie

Matthew Lee

Canon Jonathan Brandon

Louise Dickinson

Sarah Butler

Tim Barnard

Patrick Coyle

Christina O'Connor

Chinelo Aniedu (Maternity leave)

Alice Kilburn

3. LINKED GOVERNORS

Remits for Linked Governors are available on request from the School or on Governor Hub

Governor	Area of Responsibility	School Link	Visit Frequency	Reporting Committee
Canon Jonathan Brandon	Religious Education Focus on Delivery of the new RE scheme	A McCann/D Mc Duff	Once/term	Curriculum
Sarah Butler Debbie McDuff	3Is for the National Curriculum, Combined ARE across all years, Statutory Assessment Points	C Sutton/ N Farrell	Once/ term	Curriculum
Anita Harrop	Nursery/ Sunshine After School and Holiday Club	I Butterworth	N/A	Board
Jo Donnachie	Child Protection & Safeguarding	A Harrop	Once /term	HR & Board
Alice Kilburn	Inclusion: Exceptional Offer and achievement of Pupil Premium/ SEND/ Looked After Children/ Neurodiversity	C Sutton/ N Farrell	Once/ term	Curriculum & Board
Alice Kilburn	Reading and Writing	N Sheldon	Once/year	Curriculum
Alice Kilburn	Enrichments and Pupil Groups	S Kirk	Once/year	Curriculum
Matthew Lee	Health & Safety	H Ascott	Once/ year	H&S / Board
Matthew Lee	Security & Parking	H Ascott	Once/ year	Buildings/ H&S
Matthew Lee	Humanities (Geography, History)	H Bullock, L Campbell	Once/ year	Curriculum
Christina O'Connor	Computing Curriculum and Online Safety (including Filtering and Monitoring)	Online Safety Team	Once/year	Curriculum/Board
Chinelo Aniedu	Maternity Leave
Debbie McDuff	Prayer and Worship	A McCann	Once/year	Curriculum
Patrick Coyle	Maths	D Hobday	Once/year	Curriculum
Christina O'Connor	Science	J Kerigan/L Turnbull	Once/year	Curriculum
Sarah Butler	Music & Art	H Carr/ C Robinson	Once/year	Curriculum
Jo Donnachie	EYFS curriculum indoor and outdoor	N Farrell	Once/year	Board
Patrick Coyle	PE	J Morris	Once/year	Curriculum
Tim Barnard	Design and Technology	M Hollins	Once/year	Curriculum
Jo Donnachie	British Values	C Gerrard	Once/year	Curriculum
Jo Donnachie	SMSC	L Dreniw/E Leather	Once/Year	Curriculum
Louise Dickinson	Digital Plan	A Harrop/ H Ascott	Once/year	Finance/Board
Patrick Coyle	Sports Premium	C Sutton	Once/year	Board
Louise Dickinson	GDPR & Cyber Security	H Ascott	Once/year	Finance
Sarah Butler	RSE & PHSE	E Slater	Once/ year	Curriculum

4. ATTENDANCE

Academic Year 2023/2024

88% attendance at Board of Governors’ meetings

98% attendance at committee meetings

Academic Year 2024/2025

94% attendance at Board of Governors’ meetings

97% attendance at committee meetings

Linked Governor Visits 2023/2024

100% Linked Governor Visits completed.33 visits in total.

Linked Governor Visits 2024/2025

100% Linked Governor Visits completed.30 visits in total.

Academic Year 2024/25

Governor	Attendance at Committee Meetings	Attendance at Board Meetings (including Community Facilities’ AGM)
Anita Harrop	100% (22/22)	4/4
Jo Donnachie	95% (18/19)	4/4
Alice Kilburn	100% (4/4)	4/4
Canon Jonathan Brandon	100% (3/3)	4/4
Matthew Lee	100% (3/3)	4/4
Sarah Butler	92% (11/12)	4/4
Louise Dickinson	100% (9/9)	2/4
Christina O'Connor	100% (2/2)	4/4
Debbie McDuff	100% (4/4)	4/4
Patrick Coyle	75% (3/4)	3/4
Tim Barnard	100% (4/4)	4/4
Chinelo Aniedu	100% (3/3)	4/4

5. CHAIR’S STATEMENT / STATEMENT FROM THE BOARD

Please see annual letter from the Chair of Governors here.

6. BOARD'S STRATEGIC PRIORITIES DELIVERED 2024/25

Mitigate 'red' risk and monitor amber and green risks on Board's risk register.
Deliver funding and development plan.
Renew vision and strategy in July 2025.

7. BOARD'S STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR 2025/26

Deliver Cyber Security action plan as identified on risk register.
Deliver Junior extension project as identified on Funding and Development Plan.
Roll out new vision and strategy.

8. RECORD OF TRAINING 2023/24 AND 2024/25

Board of Governor' Training and Workshops 2023/24
Annual Certificate in Safeguarding and Child Protection Training for Governors	Online on National College, all governors.
Understanding Secual Harassment and Sexual Violence for School Governors	Online on National College, all governors.
Annual Certificate in Online Safety for Governors	Online on National College, all governors.
Annual Certificate in Prevent Duty	Online on National College, all governors.
EYFS	7th November 2023, all governors.
Annual Certificate in Data Protection and GDPR	Online on National College, all governors.
Attendance, including Emotionally Based non school attendance	27th February 2024, all governors.
RSE and PSHE Curriculum	18th June 2024, all governors.
Diocesan Annual Governor's Conference	4th November 2023 (SB)
Diocesan Briefings	October 2023, February 2024, May 2024 (JD, AK, ML, SB)
Diocesan Academy Meeting	October 2023 (SB & AH)
Trust GS Chairs’ Network meeting	May 24, July 24 (JD)
Accountability and Being Strategic	November 24 (JD, ML)
Safeguarding - responsibility of Governors and Trustees.	December 23 (JD, ML, TB)
Understanding Equality and Diversity	February 24 (JD, SB, ML)
Safer Recruitment and Appointing School Leaders	June 24 (JD, ML)
SEND and Inclusive Education	June 24 (JD, ML, AK, SN)
Governor visits to school and the role of linked governor	May 24 (TB)
Strategic Leadership and Governance	March 24 (TB, LD, ML)
Governors' role on appeal panel	January 24 (TB)
Roles and Responsibilities	December 23 (TB)
Filtering and Monitoring KCSIE 23	October 23 (SB)
Positive Handling for Primary Schools	September 23 (AH, DM)
Attachment Aware and Trauma Informed (SEND)	November 23 (AK)
What does outstanding SMSC Development look like?	October 23 (AK)
Board of Governor' Training and Workshops 2024/25
Annual Certificate in Safeguarding and Child Protection Training for Governors	Online on National College, all governors.
Understanding Secual Harassment and Sexual Violence for School Governors	Online on National College, all governors.
Annual Certificate in Online Safety for Governors	Online on National College, all governors.
Annual Certificate in Prevent Duty	Online on National College, all governors.
EYFS	7th November 2023, all governors.
Annual Certificate in Data Protection and GDPR	Online on National College, all governors.
Cyber security and GDPR (all governors)	12th November 2024
RE Vine and Branches Scheme (all governors)	4th March 2025
Oracy (all governors)	19th June 2025
Diocesan Annual Governor's Conference	9th November 2024
Diocesan Briefings	October 2024, February 2025, May 2025 (JD, AK, ML, SB)
Trust GS Chairs’ Network meeting	May 25 (JD)
Vision and Strategy Day (all governors)	1st July 2025
Governor visits to school and role of Linked Governor	9th June 2025 (SB)
Spotlight on Equality and Diversity	5th February 2025 (JD, ML)
School Funding and Finance	4th November 2024 (JD)
Safeguarding for Governors and Trustees	19th March 2025 (JD)
Ofsted Inspection and the role of the Governors	18th June 2025 (ML)
Governors Role on Appeal Panels	3rd March 2025 (ML)
Certificate in the Fundamentals of AI for Educators	4th December 2024 (CO)

9. CALENDAR OF TRAINING 2025/26

Annual Certificate in Safeguarding and Child Protection Training for Governors	Online on National College, all governors.
Understanding Secual Harassment and Sexual Violence for School Governors	Online on National College, all governors.
Annual Certificate in Online Safety for Governors	Online on National College, all governors.
Annual Certificate in Prevent Duty	Online on National College, all governors.
Annual Certificate in Data Protection and GDPR	Online on National College, all governors.
Vision, Strategy, SDP	11th November 2025 for all governors.
Inclusion	3rd March 2026 for all governors.
Pupil Groups	16th June 2026 for all governors.
Diocesan Annual Governor's Conference	8th November 2025
Diocesan Briefings	October 2025, February 2026, May 2026
Cyber Training	National College
Formatio Training	CES Online Training
CES Governor Training	Online Training
Trust GS Training	See Governor Hub
National College Training	Online Training

10. CALENDAR OF MEETINGS

Term	Board Meeting	Link Governor Report
Autumn	11th November 2025	Inclusion (SEND, PP. LAC)
Spring	3rd March 2026	Safeguarding
Summer	16th June 2026	Health and Safety
Community Facilities' AGM	12th May 2026	Nursery & Sunshine Club

11. CODE OF CONDUCT

Please see CES Code of Conduct here.

12. GOVERNING BOARD EVALUATION

Governor Hub Governing Board Health Check completed Autumn 2021.
CES Annual Board Self Evaluation completed Summer 2025.
Internal Review of Governance completed June 2022 and May 2024.
CES Governor Skills Audits completed in June 2022 and Autumn 2023 and Summer 2025.
360-degree feedback of the Chair completed Autumn 2022 and Summer 2024. Scheduled Summer 2026.
Performance one-to-ones for all governors completed by the Chair every Autumn term. Last completed in October 2025.