Calverley CE Primary School Annual Governance Statement 2025–26
In accordance with the Government’s expectations for school governing boards, the Governing Body has three core strategic functions:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
- Holding school leaders to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils.
- Overseeing the financial performance of the school and ensuring resources are used effectively.
As a Church of England school, we also have a responsibility to preserve and develop the school's Christian vision and values, ensuring they are reflected in our leadership, relationships and decision-making.
At Calverley CE Primary School, we are committed to fulfilling these responsibilities effectively. We work in partnership with school leaders to support, challenge and champion the school, always with the best interests of children at the heart of our decision-making.
This statement provides an overview of the work undertaken by the Governing Body during the 2025–26 academic year.
Our Vision
Love – Every person known, valued and enabled to flourish.
Learn – Providing good ground through a rich education.
Care – Caring for our community and our shared future.
This year, the Governing Body undertook a strategic visioning exercise to reaffirm this vision and ensure it continues to guide the school's long-term direction. This shared understanding now provides the foundation for our strategic planning and decision-making as we look to the future.
Governance Arrangements
The Governing Body is made up of volunteers from a range of backgrounds, including parents, staff, the church, the local authority and the wider community. Together, governors bring experience in education, finance, business, sustainability, human resources, safeguarding, local government, project management and community engagement. Current governor details, terms of office and attendance records can be found on the Governors section of the school website.
The Governing Body meets regularly throughout the year, supported by specialist committees covering:
- Teaching, Learning and Pupil Support
- Resources and Finance
- Admissions
- Pay and Performance Management
Governors also undertake monitoring visits to school, meet with subject and phase leaders, review school improvement priorities and participate in training to ensure they remain effective in their role.
Academic Year 2025-26
Like many schools nationally, our school has faced increasing financial pressures, driven by rising costs and changing pupil demographics. At the same time, the school has continued to manage challenges relating to the condition of parts of the school estate and the need to ensure that resources remain focused on pupils’ education and wellbeing.
The Governing Body has worked closely with school leaders throughout the year to navigate these challenges while maintaining a clear focus on school improvement, educational outcomes and the long-term sustainability of the school.
The year also included the resignation of the previous Headteacher and the commencement of a recruitment process to appoint a permanent successor, supported by the Diocese and Leeds City Council.
Strategic Priorities
During 2025-26, governors monitored progress against key strategic priorities:
- Strengthening Relationships, Behaviour and Communication: Governors monitored the school’s work to strengthen behaviour systems, restorative approaches, communication with families and staff wellbeing. Monitoring visits and external reviews identified significant improvements in school culture, classroom environments and learning behaviours.
- Ensuring Financial Sustainability: Governors maintained close oversight of the school's financial position throughout the year in response to increasing national funding pressures, rising costs and falling pupil numbers. Working closely with school leaders, the Governing Body carefully scrutinised budgets, reviewed long-term financial forecasts and took difficult but necessary strategic decisions to safeguard the school's future. Throughout, governors remained committed to ensuring that resources were directed where they would have the greatest impact on pupils' education, wellbeing and opportunities.
- Improving Outcomes for All Pupils: Governors received regular updates on pupil attainment and progress, with a particular focus on disadvantaged pupils, SEND provision and narrowing achievement gaps. Leaders were challenged and supported to ensure that interventions were targeted effectively.
- Developing Buildings and Grounds: The condition of the school estate remained a significant focus throughout the year. Governors worked with school leaders, Leeds City Council and the Diocese to highlight concerns and explore options for future investment and support.
- Raising Achievement in Mathematics: Mathematics was identified as a key improvement priority. Governors undertook dedicated monitoring visits, reviewed attainment data and received regular updates from the Maths Lead. Particular attention was given to consistency of teaching, curriculum planning and supporting pupils working just below age-related expectations.
- Strengthening SEND Provision: Governors maintained oversight of SEND provision and recognised the increasing complexity of need being experienced nationally. Regular monitoring ensured that SEND remained a strategic priority and that the school continued to develop its provision for vulnerable learners.
- Reaffirming Our Vision: During the year, governors worked together to review and reaffirm the school's vision of Love, Learn, Care. This work helped establish a shared understanding of the values and aspirations that will continue to guide our strategic decision-making and the future direction of the school.
Stakeholder Engagement
Listening to the views of parents, carers, pupils and staff is an important part of effective governance. During the year, governors conducted a parent survey that received 77 responses. The feedback highlighted many strengths, including the school’s caring ethos, dedicated staff and strong sense of community. Governors analysed this feedback in detail and used it to inform both strategic discussions and the School Development Plan.
Governors also increased their visibility within the school community through newsletter contributions, attendance at school events and greater engagement with parents and carers.
Leadership and Governance
A significant focus this year has been leadership succession planning. Following the resignation of the previous Headteacher, governors worked with external advisors, Leeds City Council and the Diocese to establish a robust recruitment process for a permanent Headteacher.
The Governing Body would like to record its thanks to Chris Minett and the wider leadership team for their commitment and leadership throughout this period of transition.
Financial Stewardship
Ensuring that public money is spent effectively remains one of the Governing Body’s most important responsibilities. Governors closely monitored the school’s financial position throughout the year and approved a revised staffing structure designed to support long-term financial sustainability.
These decisions were not taken lightly. Governors recognise the impact that financial pressures can have on schools and their communities. However, careful financial planning is essential if the school is to remain sustainable and continue providing a high-quality education for future generations.
The Governing Body will continue to work closely with school leaders to ensure that resources are directed where they have the greatest impact on pupils.
Monitoring and Challenge
Governors completed monitoring visits and reviews throughout the year, including:
- Safeguarding
- SEND
- Mathematics
- English
- Health and Safety
- Early Years
- Collective Worship
- School Improvement Priorities
Governors also received regular reports on:
- Pupil outcomes and attainment
- Attendance
- Safeguarding
- Behaviour
- Finance
- Staffing
- School improvement
This work enables governors to provide informed challenge and support, ensuring that decisions are evidence-based and focused on improving outcomes for children.
Throughout the year, governors monitored how the school's Christian vision is lived out in everyday school life. This included oversight of Collective Worship, Religious Education, wellbeing, relationships, behaviour and the school's links with St Wilfrid's Church and the wider parish community.
Governor Training and Development
During the year, governors undertook training in areas including:
- Safeguarding
- Safer Recruitment
- Ofsted readiness
- SEND
- Pupil Premium
- Governance leadership
Looking Ahead
As we move into 2026–27, the Governing Body’s priorities will be:
- Successfully appointing and supporting a new Headteacher
- Maintaining financial sustainability
- Continuing to improve outcomes for all pupils
- Strengthening SEND provision
- Improving communication and engagement with families
- Securing improvements to the school estate
- Delivering the priorities set out in the School Development Plan
We'd like to thank our staff, pupils, parents, carers, governors, the church and our wider community for their continued support over the past year. Our vision of Love, Learn, Care will continue to guide us as we make decisions for the future of our school and ensure every child is known, valued and enabled to flourish.
Nicola Spalding
Chair of Governors