Dear Parents and Carers,

It’s been fantastic for all of us to see school life return to normal, with parents being welcomed back into school for Christmas performances. The COVID period was challenging for all of us, parents, children and staff alike. Now that we are able to again, we would encourage you to engage with your child’s class teacher to communicate your thoughts and experiences or suggest any improvements you would like to see; effective communication between school and home is a key part to our success.

I would like to take this opportunity to update you on some changes to the Governing Body at Grange. Three of our Governors have recently stepped down, Jenny Davidson, Andy Hicken and Chris Thompson. Chris joined us last year as a Parent Governor but has unfortunately had to step down; we thank him for his work as the KS1 & OPAL Play Link Governor during his time with us.  Andy has been a Governor for 4 years, most recently as Vice Chair of the Governing Body and Chair of the Curriculum and Achievement Committee. Helping to steer the curriculum improvements we have been making at Grange throughout the past couple of years, his experience and commitment has been greatly appreciated by all at the school. Finally, Jenny Davison, who has committed the last 7 years to Grange as a Governor. Prior to myself, Jenny was Chair of Governors for a number of years and has been instrumental in not only shaping all aspects of school life, but also in making Grange the successful school we all enjoy today. Jenny has been an enormous personal help to me and Mrs Clougher. The whole Governing Body will miss her experience and knowledge but we move on as a strong team; we thank Jenny very much for everything she has done for Grange!

The Grange Governing Body is made up of a number of different types of Governors. There are staff, parents and others from the local community with an interest in ensuring the success of the school and most importantly the children. The Governors are responsible for overseeing the management side of school: strategy, policy, budgeting and staffing. They enable Grange to run as effectively as possible, working alongside senior leaders and teachers.  We appoint Link Governors aligned to the School Development Plan. These Governors liaise with the relevant members of staff to make visits into school across the year, reporting to the main Governing Body on the progress and initiatives being undertaken.

We currently have four vacancies on the Governing Body; two will be appointed by the Governors themselves and two will be Parent Governors. Mrs Clougher will be sending out details of an election to appoint these Parent Governors in the New Year. I would encourage anyone interested in applying for these roles as Parent Governors to put their name forward; it’s an excellent opportunity to get involved with the school, understand how it operates and help to ensure we maintain the highest standards. There is a time commitment required; we have four full Governor meetings throughout the year and usually another 3 smaller committee meetings a year. Governor meetings are held early evening in school.

On behalf of the Governing Body, we would like to thank you for your ongoing support and commitment. We hope you all enjoy some well-earned relaxation and time off with your families during the Christmas holidays and we look forward to seeing you back at school in 2023.

Best Wishes

Iain Ross

Chair of Governors