The governors of The Willow Tree Federation govern across both schools- Willow Lane CP and Appletree Nursery School. We are proud to support our schools, which is part of a strong community in which the majority of the governors live. Along with the staff of the school we want to promote the federation’s commitment to provide interesting and challenging learning for all the children who attend both schools and ensure that they find excitement in learning in order to achieve all that they aim for and promote the highest pupil achievement. We seek to work in cooperatively with the headteacher, all staff, parents, carers and other professionals to provide a safe, exciting learning environment for the children.
The federation has an ethos of inclusion and is lucky to have wonderful facilities that provide excellent opportunities for the children’s development. As governors we seek to make the most of the environment and find ways to improve it and keep the children safe. Our role is to ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction of the school. We work together as a group in a strategic role to oversee the direction and leadership of the federation for which the Governing Body is legally accountable.
The headteacher and management team are responsible for the day to day management of both schools and the governors act as critical friend to monitor the educational achievements of the school and its pupils and oversee the financial performance of the schools to make sure its money is well spent to meet the needs of the children in their learning. Your child’s education is at the forefront of everything we strive to do as part of our governor duties.
Governors are regular visitors to school and can be seen helping out in class and at school events whether it be the PTFA, Sport’s Day, Children’s Performances, Educational Visits or in providing volunteers for special events and activities. They also bring a wealth of life experience from their different backgrounds and often help with specific projects and initiatives.
We meet termly with Ms Naylor, both in small committees and also as a Full Governing Body. The Resources Committee monitors the finances, physical resources and staffing resources of the school while the SEC (Standards, Effectiveness and Curriculum) has overview of the teaching standards and the progress of the children in the school. The Resources Committee ensures that finances are spent on meeting the identified needs of the school and ensures that the school does not enter financial difficulties. Schools have a duty to share their financial overviews and these can be found at https://financial-benchmarking-and-insights-tool.education.gov.uk/ or https://schools-financial-benchmarking.service.gov.uk/school/detail?urn=119134
All staff and governors work together with a shared aim of providing a safe and vibrant learning environment in which all children can reach their potential and have an enjoyable experience in this wonderful school. As parents and carers, you are very much part of this whole school community and your opinions and comments are very valuable to us.
Nick Harrison (Chair of the Governors)
Email: chairofgovernors@willow.lancs.sch.uk
The full list of governors for both schools can be found on the Government’s Information About Schools Webpage. Please click on the link below:
