St Begh's Catholic Junior School
Mrs. Mary McCormick, Chair of Governors & Foundation Governor. Mary works for NWS in Procurement following over 19 years at Sellafield and then 15 years working as a SAP consultant. She has a wide range of interests outside of work, including finance and has been a governor for over 16 years. Mary is Chair of the Staffing, Finance & Assets Committee and sits on the Curriculum & Standards Committee. Mary is the (joint) nominated governor for safeguarding.
Mr. John Savage, Vice-Chair of Governors & Foundation Governor. John is a Science teacher who has worked in local secondary schools for over 20 years. His first position was at St. Benedict's Catholic High School. He is now Science Curriculum Leader at Workington Academy. John is a Eucharistic Minister and reader at St. Joseph's Church in Frizington. John sits on the Curriculum & Standards Committee. John is the (joint) nominated governor for safeguarding.
Foundation Governors:
Mrs. Jo Frears is a catechist at St. Begh's Church and a carer for her autistic son. She is a former pupil of St. Begh's as were her children and grandchildren. For many years she ran parent and toddler groups on the Howgill Playbus, play schemes and after school clubs. Jo sits on the Health & Safety/Safeguarding, Curriculum & Standards and the Pastoral & Spirituality Committees. She is the nominated governor for SEND.
Mrs. Susan Paterson has worked in the nuclear industry for over 20 years in Property & Land Management and Operations. Prior to this, she worked in vocational training. She is active in St Begh's Parish by supporting the Confirmation programme and sitting on the Buildings & Finance Committee. She sits on the Staffing, Finance & Assets Committee.
Mrs. Marie Shawcross worked in Public Relations before moving to work in Primary Care NHS, laterly running the COVID Centre in Whitehaven. Now retired, she volunteers for West Cumbria Hospice at Home helping run family and bereavement groups and has returned as a Foundation Governor for St. Begh's having previously served between 2015 and 2020. She loves to travel and is working through her ever increasing travel list.
Parent Governors:
Mr. Steven Power works as a Health Physics Monitor in the Nuclear Industry and has done so for over 20 years. Steven sits on the Health & Safety/Safeguarding Committee.
Miss Louise McLean is a former Catholic primary school teacher who worked in the profession for 17 years. 6 of these years were happily at St Begh’s. She now works in the Nuclear Industry leading training for nuclear professionals. During her teaching career she led many subjects including Maths and HRSE and taught from Years 1 to 6. Louise sits on the Curriculum & Standards Committee.
Local Authority Governor:
Mr. Grant Tebay has 10 years of experience working in a local secondary school, starting as a learning support assistant working with young people with a range of SEND needs and progressing to managing a small team within the department. He went on to teaching, specialising in Personal Development and Religious Education. He is currently pursuing a career in Project Management. He sits on the Curriculum & Standards Committee.
Co-opted Governor:
Mrs. Patricia McCarron works in the Nuclear Industry. She previously worked for the NatWest Bank for 30 years as a Lending & Finance Officer and Counter Manager. She is Chair of the Safeguarding/H&S Committee and sits on all committees. She has been a governor since 2008 serving until recently as a Foundation Governor.
Headteacher Governor:
Mrs. Catherine Mallard has worked at St. Begh's since 1998 as classteacher, deputy headteacher and acting headteacher before taking over the role of headteacher in February 2014. Catherine sits on all committees.
Staff Governor:
Miss Paula Skelly joined St. Begh's as a Year 6 classteacher in September 2018. She has extensive experience as a teacher and leader in local schools. Paula sits on the Health & Safety Committee.
Associate Members:
Miss Lois Anderson is a Risk Consultant working in multiple industries. She has a Masters Degree in Risk Management. She sits on the Institute of Risk Management Special Interest Group. Lois sits on the H&S/Safeguarding Committee.
Mrs. Hayley Hodgson joined St. Begh's as a Year 3 classteacher and deputy headteacher in September 2023. She has 15 years teaching and leading experience in KS2 and with NPQSL. She also has previous governing body experience as a staff governor at a previous school. Hayley sits on the Curriculum & Standards Committee.
Clerk to the Governors:
Miss Sophie McLean also works as an administrator in the School Office.
Documents:
Governor Declarations of Interest and Terms of Office
St. Begh's Instrument of Government
Annual Governance Statement 2023-24 (including governor attendance information)
Committees:
Curriculum & Standards This committee examines the way the School plans and delivers its curriculum and scrutinises data on the pupils' progress and attainment. Members ensure that school leaders are taking all necessary steps to continually develop provision and maintain the highest standards possible.
Members: Mr. John Savage (Chair), Mrs. Mary McCormick, Mrs. Catherine Mallard, Mrs. Jo Frears, Miss Louise McLean, Mrs. Hayley Hodgson, Mr. Grant Tebay.
CURRICULUM & STANDARDS TERMS OF REFERENCE
Staffing, Finance & Assets This committee oversees the school budget and ensures that resources are being used to meet the priorities outlined in the School Improvement Plan and Building, Maintenance and Servicing Plan. They are also responsible for recruitment and staffing matters.
Members: Mrs. Mary McCormick (Chair), Mrs. Catherine Mallard, Miss Lois Anderson, Mrs. Susan Paterson.
STAFFING, FINANCE & ASSETS TERMS OF REFERENCE
Health & Safety/Safeguarding This committee is responsible for the ensuring that all procedures pertinent to the health and safety of pupils, staff and visitors are in place and managed effectively and that all the School's statutory duties in relation to safeguarding are fulfilled.
Members: Mrs. Patricia McCarron (Chair), Mrs. Catherine Mallard, Mrs. Jo Frears, Miss Paula Skelly, Mr. Steven Power, Miss Lois Anderson.
HEALTH & SAFETY/SAFEGUARDING TERMS OF REFERENCE
Pastoral & Spirituality This committee is responsible for maintaining and nourishing the essential link between the School and Parish.
Members: Mrs. Penny Roberts (RE Subject Lead & Chair), Fr. Richard Simons, Fr. Cenydd Marrison, Mrs. Jo Frears, Mrs. Catherine Mallard.
PASTORAL & SPIRITUALITY TERMS OF REFERENCE
All committees report to the Full Governing Body at least termly.
The Role of the Governing Body is to:
- help the school to set high standards by planning for the school's future and setting targets for school improvement;
- keep the pressure up on school improvement;
- be a critical friend to the school, offering support and advice;
- help the school respond to the needs of parents and the community;
- make the school accountable to the public for what it does;
- work with the school on planning, developing policies and keeping the school under review;
- exercise its responsibilities and powers in partnership with the headteacher and staff;
- not intervene in the day-to-day management of the school unless there are weaknesses in the school, when it then has a duty to take action.
How to Become a Governor:
Voluntary Aided schools have:
· Parent governors
· Staff governors
· Local Authority governors
· Foundation governors
Parent Governors
Parent governors are elected or appointed from all parents and carers of registered pupils at the school. Parent governors are elected by other parents and carers at the school, however if insufficient parents stand for election, the governing body can appoint parent governors. A parent governor is a representative and not a delegate of the parents. Therefore parent governors do not have to vote in a particular way because they have been pressed by other parents to do so. Parent governors are on the governing body to promote the interests of all children in the school.
Staff Governors
Staff governors are elected by staff at the school. All paid staff at the school are eligible to become staff governors. The head teacher is a staff governor, but is a member of the governing body by right. Staff governors have equal status in the responsibility they share with all members of the governing body. However, staff governors cannot be chair or vice chair of the governing body and must withdraw from the governing body when discussions regarding appraisal or pay of staff is discussed. This does not apply to the head teacher, apart from when his/her pay is discussed. Again staff governors do not have to vote in a particular way because they have been pressed by other staff to do so.
Local Authority Governors
Authority governors are appointed by the local authority. Cumbria County Council can appoint any individual it thinks suitable for school governorship, many local councillors are school governors. Like all governors, authority governors must act in the best interests of the school and the wider community and cannot be mandated to take a particular stance on issues. However their knowledge and understanding of council priorities will inform debates.
Foundation Governors
Our schools have vacancies for Foundation Governors to support us in our Mission. We have attached below the Diocesan 'Called to Serve' guidance below for those wishing to find out more about how they can support our schools as Foundation Governors. Governors perform a vital role in our school and are highly valued by the school, the parish and the Diocese. They provide strategic support and oversight, as well as maintaining and developing the Catholic character and ethos of our schools. If you feel you could support our schools as a governor, please contact the Diocese of Lancaster on 01524 841190 who will be able to talk you through the application process. If you would like an informal chat with the Headteacher to discuss the prospect of becoming a governor, as well as an overview of the training and support that will be given, please contact the school on 01946 696959. Foundation Governor application form
Minutes of Full Governor Meetings available on request from the School Office.
Financial Information
No employees of St. Begh's Catholic Junior School earn £100,000 or more.
Please follow this link to the School's benchmarking information.