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Welcome note from the chair

Dear Parents and carers,

I am very glad to have this opportunity to write to you as chair of Stithians CP School's governing body at the beginning of a new school year.

The last two years have been very challenging ones for everyone. However, although the pandemic presented us with many difficulties, the school continued to provide a good education for the children of Stithians. I would like to thank the staff and you, the families, warmly for making that possible. Now it is with real pleasure that we as governors can visit the school operating under its normal routine, and see the way that it is looking forward so positively and making the children so happy.

In spring, the governors were presented a different challenge: to recruit and appoint a new headteacher. We were delighted to appoint Miss MacQuarrie in February and to work with her from April onwards when Mr Illsley retired. She immediately approached her new role with great energy, hard work and enthusiasm throughout the summer and has continued to do so since September. We are very grateful for the support you have shown her and the school as she began her time at Stithians School.

This September, Miss MacQuarrie, the staff and children were faced with yet another challenge when the Ofsted inspection was announced. We were very pleased to receive the final report which stated that Stithians is a ‘Good’ school.

The inspector highlighted the strengths of our school and in particular the pride children take in the school and the quality of their relationships with each other and the staff.

‘Stithians Community Primary School is a warm, nurturing and happy place. Pupils are proud of their school. They feel that the staff are approachable and want the best for them.'

The report also noted the impact Miss MacQuarrie has already had on different aspects of school development in a very short time, in particular communication with families and phonics.

‘Leaders pride themselves on their ‘open door’ policy. They have strengthened relationships with parents.’  

The inspector also noted strengths in other areas of the curriculum, such as reading, and how well the school provides for all its pupils.

‘Leaders are passionate about ensuring that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities learn the full curriculum.’

Miss MacQuarrie has been well supported in this by the other leaders in school and all the staff. 

The two areas identified for further development by the report are being addressed already and as the report says the ‘Leaders of the school are ambitious for the pupils.'

The governors work hard to continue to support the school in these ambitions.   

In the meantime, I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the governors to congratulate Miss MacQuarrie, the staff, the children and you, their families, on this Ofsted report and the school. You are a wonderful team of people.

I would also like to thank all the governors who have worked very hard this year. I am very grateful to them for their unstinting commitment to the school.

Best wishes

Chair, Stithians CP School Governing Body

October 2022

What do Governors at Stithians CP School do?

The Governing Body has three specific roles: 

• To ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
• To hold the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff
• To oversee the financial performance of the school.

We are appointed to ensure that everyone associated with the school understands the school’s ethos and vision for your children, to ensure that they enjoy school, are inspired and feel valued.  We work with the headteacher  to ensure that your children realise their potential and that all staff are supported and trained to achieve this. We set the budget and monitor that the funding we receive from central Government is well spent. 

You can find more details of the Ethos and Vision, which underpins the School Development Plan, and further details about our governing body and its members on this and other pages of the school website.

How we work 

Our governing body is made up staff, community and parent governors, who work as a team with the support of you the parents/carers and families and the wide community.

The Governing Body has a number of committees and statutory panels.  We meet as a Full Governing Body every term. The Governing Body’s committees also meet once or twice every term to review and discuss the details of the school life. 

These committees cover:

• Curriculum
• Finance, Staffing
• Health and Safety

The statutory panels only meet when they are needed, and these are: 

• Headteacher Performance Management 
• Pay Review 
• Complaints.

We are always keen to seek the views of parents and the community, so please come and chat to us when you see us at school, in the playground or at any school function. If you wish to contact us, please do not hesitate to do so through school.