COULD YOU BE A GOVERNOR IN A LOCAL SCHOOL?
“Together, we can shape the future of education and ensure that all young people have access to the high-quality education they deserve.”
Welcome
At Omega Multi-Academy Trust we believe that diverse perspectives and a strong community spirit are essential to creating an enriching and supportive educational environment. Our schools in Warrington are dynamic communities where every child’s potential is nurtured and developed. We are currently seeking volunteers to join our team of local school governors and play a crucial role in shaping the future of education in our community.
Join our team of School Governors
As an inclusive trust, we are seeking volunteers from all walks of life who represent the vibrant diversity of our community. Whether you are a professional, a retiree, an entrepreneur, or someone with a passion for education and community service, your unique experiences and insights can make a real difference in our schools. We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment where all members of our community feel welcomed and valued. By recruiting governors from a wide range of backgrounds, we ensure that our schools benefit from a rich tapestry of viewpoints and experiences.
Why Your Participation Matters
By joining our team, you will have the opportunity to:
• Shape the future of education: Help set the strategic direction of our schools and ensure that every student receives a high-quality education.
• Support school leadership: Work closely with headteachers and senior staff to drive school improvement and uphold our values.
• Represent your community: Bring your perspective to the table and ensure that the voices of our diverse community are heard and valued.
• Gain valuable experience: Develop new skills and gain insights into the education sector, which can be rewarding both personally and professionally.
Ready to Make a Difference?
We invite you to explore the various sections of this brochure to learn more about what it means to be a local school governor, the responsibilities involved, and the impact you can have. As you read through you will find information about our Trust, testimonials from current governors, a synopsis of the role, and guidance on how to apply. Alternatively, you can reach out to us for an informal conversation and to answer any questions you may have.
Together, we can shape the future of education and ensure that all young people have access to high-quality education they deserve. Your journey as a local school governor starts here!
Could You Be a Local School Governor?
We are seeking committed and enthusiastic individuals to join our Local Governing Bodies to help provide the best possible education to our students. As a Governor, you'll have the opportunity to make a real difference by working closely with the school's leadership team to ensure that all children receive the support and guidance they need to succeed as well as the best possible education to our students.
Governors are people like you. We are looking for people from all walks of life who are passionate about education and have a strong desire to help make a positive impact in our community, whether you are a parent, a local business owner or a retired professional. You don't need specific qualifications!
• Are you confident, curious, challenging and creative?
• Do you want all children to get the best from school?
• Do you have the time and commitment to get to know a school, go to meetings and read papers?
• Are you comfortable asking challenging questions and analysing answers?
• Are you open to new ideas and do you have a willingness to learn?
• Are you interested in people and prepared to work as part of a team?
• Do you have a good level of literacy and numeracy skills?
• Do you want to put something back into your local community?
New governors are often surprised at how their experiences can be used to help solve problems at their school just think about the skills you use in everyday life. Being a school governor is a big responsibility but can be one of the most rewarding ways of contributing to your local community.
“We will work with you on your individual development plan to ensure you have the support and training needed to succeed and that you get the most out of being a Local School Governor.”
What Does a Local School Governor do?
As a school governor, you will have responsibilities and real opportunities to:
• Raise educational standards in your local school by overseeing the educational performance of the pupils, and reviewing and monitoring the effectiveness of the curriculum and the quality of education
• Help children achieve their full potential
• Support and develop the school's management team
• Identify where the school can improve and help make it happen
• Improve the school's financial efficiency and effectiveness
• Engage with parents, teachers and pupils, gather their feedback and views.
• Work as part of a team, towards a common goal
• Acquire new skills, new friends and a real sense of achievement
• Share in and celebrate the success of children, staff, teachers and the school as a whole
• Ensure compliance with Trust wide policies and signing off school specific policies
• Regularly review the wellbeing and safeguarding of all pupils and staff at the school
• Monitor compliance to the Trust’s Health & Safety Policy and any school specific Health & Safety related policies
By volunteering your time and effort, you will be joining a group of over 250,000 volunteers nationwide, there will be important decisions to be made and a great deal to learn. You will have the chance to acquire invaluable experience, cultivate new skills, and take pride in positively impacting the lives of young individuals. Additionally, you'll have the prospect of expanding your network, and making a meaningful contribution to the broader community.
If you're interested in becoming a Trustee or Governor, we'd love to hear from you. Please get in touch with us, via our contact us page to find out more about our vacancies and how you can apply.
“No qualifications are needed as you will have the opportunity to complete our Trust Governance Induction Programme.”
Governance Structure
Our strategy is deeply rooted in the needs of our schools and their communities, ensuring their unique requirements are at the forefront of our decision-making. By aligning our objectives with these needs, we can effectively address the challenges faced by our schools and make a meaningful impact on their growth and success. Our governance structure provides a solid foundation from which to drive accountability for school standards, whilst robustly managing risk and ensuring financial regularity, prioritising the welfare and wellbeing of our children and our staff.
Members are responsible for determining the general governance of the Trust. They approve our Articles of Association, agreed with the Department for Education, which sets out the details for our internal management, decision making and running of the Trust.
Members also appoint Trustees in accordance with the Articles of Association and meet annually as part of the Annual General Meeting. Trustees work together to fulfil the purpose of the Trust Board:
• Strategic leadership – defining the vision, fostering the trust’s culture and setting the strategy
• Accountability and assurance – robust and effective oversight of trust operations and performance, holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the trust and its pupils, and the performance management of staff, and overseeing and ensuring effective financial performance.
• Engagement – strategic oversight of relationships with stakeholders, ensuring decision-making is supported by meaningful engagement.
Trustees meet as a Board of Trustees each term, in addition to the Annual General Meeting. There are three committees; the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, a Standards & Safeguarding Committee and a Capital Projects Committee, each committee meets termly.
Each school has a Local Governing Body (LGB) and local governors serve as a key link between the schools, parents/carers and the local community. They monitor the performance of the school, advising the Trustees of any concerns. Each LGB meets every half-term.
Chapelford Village Primary School
Burtonwood Primary School
Alsop High School
Great Sankey High School
Bradshaw Primary School
Park Road Primary School
Chapelford Village Primary School
Burtonwood Primary School
Bradshaw Primary School Park Road Primary School
Westbrook Old Hall Primary School
Local Governing Body
Board of Trustees
Members
What it means to be a school governor
“Having spent my entire career within a military environment in an engineering discipline, I had little knowledge of other career paths that people had embarked on and I wanted to broaden my experiences to get a flavour of other walks of life.
When the role of School Governor became available I thought this would be a fantastic opportunity to do exactly that and get involved with a diverse cadre of professions. It has not disappointed and I’m now working alongside professionals from areas that would never have been possible with my current full time employment.
It’s not an undertaking to be taken lightly, there is a responsibility to devote time and effort to the role, but for me, the experiences gained outweigh this commitment.”
Ronnie Gemmell Governor at Park Road Primary School
“As a governor, I really enjoy the challenge of applying my professional skills in a different area. I have valued the training and networking opportunities that have equipped me to develop in this role over time. I find it rewarding to contribute to the education of future generations.”
Michelle Kilmurray Chair of Governors Park Road Primary School
“You will have the opportunity to participate in learning walks to observe how the school is run and meet the staff and students.”
In the three schools where I have been Headteacher, the Governors have been instrumental in helping me as a school leader. The support of Governors is key in helping to set the strategic priorities of the school. The more they get to know the school, the staff and the students the more they can use their experience and expertise to assist school leaders, often giving a different perspective. Another important aspect of the life of a Governor is to challenge and support school leaders in equal measure. It is through challenge that progress is made and the support is valuable when school leaders need reassurance.
Gary Evans Headteachers Great Sankey High School
What it means to be a school governor
“As a Scheme Actuary, I am involved in a professional capacity in advising trustees on the funding position of their pension schemes and in part my role also involves consulting with trustee boards on standards for good governance. Being a School Governor allowed me the opportunity to sit “on the other side of the table” so to speak.
When my children first started school, I was approached and asked to join the governing body as they had identified
a “skills gap” and needed someone from a financial background to support the existing board.
Until this point, I wasn’t really aware of what the role of a School Governor entailed.
However, here I am some 8 years later and still enjoying it!
What I find most rewarding, having been a pupil at the school myself is being an instrumental part in striving to achieve the best outcomes for local children, holding
school leaders to account in helping every child fulfil their aspirations and achieve their best.
On a personal level, I’m pleased to say it’s not all one sided and I’ve also developed new skills and knowledge too, which has supported my own professional development.”
Lisa Hope Parent Governor Burtonwood Primary School
How governors support schools and the benefits they bring to the school community
“Governors play a vital role in supporting school leaders as they develop policies and provision to improve the school experience for their pupils. Acting as a critical friend, they gather a detailed insight into the operations of a school, questioning and reviewing the information they receive. Whether this is via the headteacher’s report or through school visits, the insight of these representatives, who themselves have varied skills, knowledge and experiences, ensures that schools gather feedback from different stakeholders within the school community. This insight allows schools to consider improvement priorities from a range of different perspectives.
Becoming a governor provides great reward for those who join the local governing body. This vested interest in the children’s education means that representatives can take an active role in ensuring that the school is successful, providing the very best educational opportunities for the students who attend.
Whether as a parent of a child in the school, as a community member or as a local businessperson, it is to everybody’s interest to ensure that the children within our organisations leave as well-rounded and well-educated members of society, who are prepared to fulfil their role as global citizens, as we begin to shape the future.”
Jason Heatley Headteacher Burtonwood Primary School
“If appointed as a Link Governor, you will have the opportunity to undertake monitoring visits and work alongside school staff on areas such Safeguarding, SEND, Careers, Health and Safety or school improvement priority areas.”
Title? Governance Recruitment etc?
Rewrite?
We are Omega Multi-Academy Trust, a trust that is ambitious for our learners, our colleagues and the communities we serve. We are driven by a simple mission statement that drives everything we do. We want to provide the best school experience possible for every child, whilst simultaneously being the best employer we can be. Put simply, we want our children, our staff and our communities to flourish.
Our Mission
• Provide the best school experience for every child
• Be the best employer we can be
About Omega Multi-Academy Trust
Omega Multi-Academy Trust was formed in 2018 and our mission and aims sit at the heart of our strategy; to provide the best school experience possible for every child and to be the best employer we can be. Our values place our staff and students at the core of education and ensure a common direction and purpose across the trust.
We educate over 5000 children, students and young people across Warrington and Liverpool, with our five primary schools and our two large high schools with their associated sixth forms. We strongly believe in the power of genuine collaboration and school-to-school support, so as a trust, we exploit every opportunity that arises to embrace the sharing of best practice and celebrating our many strengths.
We pride ourselves on nurturing a culture of inspiring education which emphasises the knowledge, skills and experiences that will enable all to be resilient and aspirational.
We embed innovative, high-quality teaching and learning into our curriculum whilst keeping the best interests of our students at the centre of everything we do. With over 600 employees we invest heavily in continuing professional development, providing excellent career progression paths, offer a range of leadership programmes and a gateway to a huge range of benefits and wellbeing tools. Our training courses are supported through national and local partnerships and founded on the latest research which underpins our focus on the quality of education, learning and improvement.
Alsop High School
Alsop High School joined Omega MultiAcademy Trust in November 2020.
With over 1800 students, including a sixth form it is the largest secondary school in Liverpool.
Alsop High School was built in 1926 and has had extensive investment to allow for a new 5,500m², three-story building comprising of varied teaching and activity areas including new dining facilities, dance and performance studios and communal social areas.
The school is on a journey to excellence and their school motto of ‘Achieving Excellence Together’ embraces their vision.
Bradshaw Primary School
Bradshaw Primary School is a one-form entry school, with a capacity of 210, located in Grapenhall Village in Warrington. The school joined Omega Multi-Academy Trust in April 2024.
In their latest Ofsted Inspection the school achieved a “good” judgement.
The school’s mission statement is “We are proud of who we are and proud of what we achieve”
Burtonwood Community Primary School
Burtonwood Community Primary School is a one-form entry school, with 210 children and is located in Burtonwood Village, in the Borough of Warrington. It is a founding school in our Trust.
Burtonwood Community Primary School has an excellent reputation in the local area. It was judged as ‘Good” in May 2023.
The school benefits from a rural location and has extensive grounds with play areas, parts of which have been set aside and planted with trees as natural woodland areas and has developed a large area into an exciting outdoor classroom. The school’s mission statement is “One team, one goal - excellence”. Their vision is “Our learning culture constantly drives for excellence and we will respect and support each other in a warm and welcoming community”.
chapelfordvillageprimary.co.uk
@ChapelfordPri
@chapelfordvillageprimary
Chapelford Village Primary School
Chapelford Village Primary School is a three-form entry school, located in Warrington with a capacity of 630 children. They are a founding member of Omega Multi-Academy Trust. In their most recent Ofsted Inspection the school retained a “good” judgement in all areas.
Chapelford Village Primary school is a modern building, built in 2013 and has over 20 state of the art classrooms, a wide range of outdoor spaces, a forest school and facilities for venue hire.
Their mission is “To Learn, To Achieve, To Respect”. Their aim is to become an outstanding school, recognised for inspiring and challenging individuals to achieve their dreams.
Great Sankey High School
Great Sankey High School is one of the largest high schools with a capacity of 2175 students, including their own sixth-form Barrow Hall College. The school converted to a single academy in 2013 before being a founding member of Omega Multi-Academy Trust, when it formed in 2018. In their last Ofsted Inspection, they were judged as ‘Good’ (March 2023).
Great Sankey High School is in a charming location in Warrington, with many new build sites close to the area. The school has benefited from investment in recent years and now has a new purpose-built science block, a new sports hall and access to a wide range of sport pitches including a rugby field and 3G pitch.
Barrow Hall College has a dedicated building which houses a café, drama theatre, art studio and Learning Resource Centre.
Their core values, devised by their students, empower them to harness their own creativity, to raise their aspirations and to achieve their potential. Working together, they gain confidence and pride to take their place in our community.
greatsankey.org @GreatSankeyHS @GreatSankeyHS
Park Road Community Primary School
Park Road Community Primary School is a one-form entry school, with 210 children. They are a founding school of our Trust.
In their latest Ofsted Inspection they retained their “good” judgement.
Park Road Community Primary School is a traditional school located in a lovely modern residential area in West Warrington. The school is proud to have such a community and family-based atmosphere. They have lots of outdoor space, which houses homebred chickens, guinea pigs, tortoise and gerbils and a forest school which includes a home-grown allotment.
Their mission statement is “We are all unique individuals learning together”. Their aim is “Together, we aim to continually improve the learning experiences of our children, their enjoyment of these, and the standards and achievements they make as a result”
Westbrook Old Hall Primary School
Westbrook Old Hall Primary School is a twoform entry school, with a capacity of 420 located in Warrington. The school is a founding member of our Trust.
In their latest Ofsted Inspection the school retained their “good” judgement.
Westbrook Old Hall Primary School house, extensive areas for multi-use play, sports, creative and community rooms. Their Early Years classrooms are set up for all-weather use.
The school’s mission statement is “We believe that the best preparation for tomorrows future is striving to do our best today”. Their aims are to ensure that all children are tolerant and responsible, happy and confident, safe and healthy, skilled and willing, eco aware and are expected always to do their best.
FAQ
Will I have to complete a formal application?
We will ask you to complete an application to include your experience and skills. This will be treated in the strictest of confidence.
How long is a governors term of office?
The usual term of office for a governor is four years.
Is being a governor a paid role?
All governors are volunteers and there is no payment for carrying out the role. The school has a policy in place that can cover some expenses to reimburse governors for necessary expenses such as care for children or dependent relatives or travel.
Will I receive any training?
You will receive a comprehensive induction programme ad ongoing support to help you in undertaking your role as a governor. Plus there is statutory training that governors must receive on an annual basis. Much of the training will be delivered online through arranged acess to a number of governance sites
What time commitment do I need?
Being a governor means making yourself available for some evenings each term and occasionally during the day.
Governing bodies meet once every half term, meetings held from late afternoon to early evening and on average meetings last about 2- 2 ½ hours.
You will also need some time to read papers, prepare for meetings and to attend training. The amount of time varies widely, depending on how involved you become and what needs doing, but schools do need governors who are fully committed.
You have a legal right to ask your employer for “reasonable” unpaid leave or flexible working, and some employers offer limited paid leave for this as it constitutes a public duty. What is considered reasonable will vary according to the nature of your job and your employer.
If you’re interested in becoming a Trustee or Governor, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch with us to find out more about our vacancies and how you can apply.
Lingley Green Avenue Great Sankey Warrington WA5 3ZJ
01925 988 330
enquiries@omegamat.co.uk
@omega_mat
omegamat.co.uk