St John the Baptist School is a member of Xavier Catholic Education Trust; as per the protocols and scheme of delegation there is a Local Governing Committee who are appointed to support school improvement and engage with the community.

The Governors act as ‘critical friends’ to the school working closely with the Headteacher and play a strategic role in the running of the school. This includes maintaining the ethos of St John the Baptist as a Catholic school under the direction of the Bishop, setting aims and objectives, adopting policies and setting targets.

This is achieved through regular meetings – the full Local Governing Committee meets once per half term. At these meetings Governors are expected to ask relevant and challenging questions thus ensuring the school leadership is effective and accountable. Link Governors meet periodically with relevant members of the School Leadership Team so that they can better understand, support and challenge the key aspects of school life.

Governors are also a visible presence in the school sitting on staff interview panels, attending school events, and supporting staff and students in their achievements and successes. They receive regular training to ensure that they understand their role and are able to support and challenge the School Leadership Team effectively.

The Governors are drawn from the local community and freely give their time and expertise in order to support the work of the school. There are several different categories of Governor:

• Foundation Governors are appointed by the Diocese;
• Parent Governors are appointed by self-nomination and parent vote where necessary;
• Staff Governors are appointed by self-nomination and staff vote where necessary;
• Co-opted Governors can also be appointed by the Local Governing Committee or the Trust Board where necessary.

We are blessed to have a committed and multi-talented Local Governing Committee with a wide variety of experience and expertise.

If you wish to contact or chair of governors Ruth Egan via email r.egan@sjb.surrey.sch.uk or send a letter marked for our attention to the school.