Welcome to Highbury Primary School Governors’ page

We hope you find the information contained here useful

Our Chair of Governors is Pauline Jeffs who can be contacted via the school office at [email protected]

DUTIES OF THE GOVERNING BODY

Governors are elected to serve four years. Governors are like a Board of Directors who meet at least three times a term and make decisions about how the school is run.

The main duty of the governing body is to maintain and improve our school’s standards of education; our work can be divided into these key areas:

• setting the school’s vision and strategic aims, agreeing plans and policies and making creative use of resources
• monitoring and evaluating performance
• acting as a critical friend to support and challenge in the management of the school
• ensuring that the school is accountable to the children and parents it serves, to its local community, to those who fund and maintain it, as well as to the staff it employs

As a Governing Body we

• Ensure a high standard of educational attainment
• Ensure financial probity by overseeing the school budget, including staffing and pay levels
• Give support, advice and help to the school
• Take a real pride in the school and the achievements of its pupils and staff
• Work on and agree general school policies and the school’s own Development Plan
• Work in partnership with the staff and education advisers for the benefit of the school
• Visit the school in order to gain a clear understanding of the working of the school
• Accept and act on collective decisions of the governing body
• Participate in school activities in particular those which promote the school
• Participate in training sessions
• Ensure the premises are well managed

You can read more about the role of a Governing Body:

Agreed minutes of all governing body meetings are held in the school office. You can contact the governors via the school office.

Meet our Governors

	Pauline Jeffs, Chair of Governors My name is Pauline Jeffs and I live locally to the school in Hilsea. I joined the Board of Governors in May 2014 as a Local Authority governor. I am qualified accountant with 30 years’ service in the Public Sector in the NHS and more recently at the University of Portsmouth. I have over the years worked with many youth organisations and am great believer in giving our children both the academic and social skills to enrich them for their future. The Education arena is constantly changing and I am looking forward to embracing the challenges ahead to ensure the School continues to provide an excellent teaching environment for the children and staff going forward.
​	Jo Watson- Headteacher Hello, I have been teaching in Portsmouth for almost thirty years and joined the Highbury team in September 2022. I love being a teacher and those values remain within me in my role as Headteacher. I am passionate about ensuring all children experience a fulfilling education and enjoy the learning opportunities that come through a Primary School journey. I am proud to be part of the Highbury community, working alongside a dedicated team of staff, committed parents and governors. Living on the south coast, I enjoy spending time with my family at the beach as it always leaves me feeling happy.
	Bob Griffin – Co-Opted Governor I am Bob Griffin and was appointed as a Co-Opted Governor in December 2018.
	.Lyndsey Knight - Inclusion Lead
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Governor attendance at meetings can be found here:-