Welcome to the section of the website where you can find out more about the school’s trustees, and the work that we do.
You can email the trustees using: admin@highwoodsprimary.com. Any emails will be forwarded directly to the Trustee Board.
‘All Leaders, including trustees have a relentless focus on maintaining and building on established high standards’. Essex Advisor report autumn 2023
Our main role is to support the Head Teacher and the staff – the phrase often used to describe this role is a ‘critical friend’. We help them to set and reach targets and to strive for excellence across the whole spectrum of school life. The two key documents used for this are the School Improvement Plan (SIP) and the Self Evaluation Form (SEF). The SIP sets out a two-year strategic plan for the school, with ambitions that everyone works towards and the SEF sets out how well the school is doing.
Our legal duties include:-
- Setting strategic direction, policies and objectives
- Approving the school budget
- Reviewing progress against the school’s budget objectives
- Appointing, challenging and supporting the Head Teacher
The Trustee Board meets at least once a term. We also set up committees and working groups to look at particular issues. Each trustee takes on a role of responsibility e.g. Health and Wellbeing, Mathematics, English, as well as being involved in chairing or attending various committees e.g. Curriculum and Pupil Related Matters, Finance & Premises and Personnel.
There are several categories of trustee appointed by different groups that have an interest in the school. These are Community Trustees, the Local Authority (LA) and parents. All trustees have equal status, but they are all appointed.
We are committed to providing an excellent environment for all pupils to enjoy during their time at our school.
Our Trustee Board meetings are usually held in the evening. We attend training sessions and seminars to help us keep up to date with changes in schools and education and to help us do our job effectively. We also go into school to meet with the Head Teacher, other members of staff and pupils to help us find out how the school is progressing towards its targets.