4 December 2024

Dear Parent/Carer,

I am writing to you to invite you to stand for election as a parent governor, or nominate another parent to do so. In our school we have provision for two parent governor(s) and both posts are vacant at present. We also have vacancies for co-opted governors.

The governing body is an established committee of the Creative Learning Partnership Trusts Board of Trustees who, with the headteacher, has responsibility for the running of the school. Governing bodies have three core strategic functions:

• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
• Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils; and
• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.

No special qualifications are needed and the most important thing is to have a keen interest in the school and be prepared to play an active part in the governing body’s work. Training is available for all governors and this governing body has an expectation that those new to being a governor, attend free induction training.

The enclosed sheet summarises the circumstances under which someone cannot serve as a governor. In addition, parents/carers who have paid employment in the school for 500 or more hours per academic year or who are elected members of the Local Authority, are not eligible to stand in these elections. Nominations must be from parents or carers with children at the school on the day that nominations close.

If you would like to stand for election, please complete the attached nomination form and return it by email to dmoss@jamesbateman.staffs.sch.uk or submit to the school office no later than Friday 14th February 2025.   Paper copies are also available from the school office.  Please feel free to call in or telephone to request these are sent home with your child.  Please include a short personal statement to support your nomination, which should be no longer than 250 words. Self-nominations will be accepted but if you are nominating another parent, please seek their prior consent.

If there are more nominations than vacancies, the election will be by secret ballot. If that is necessary, details of the ballot procedure will be sent to all parents.

Yours faithfully,

Jennifer Francis

Governance and Executive Support Officer