Welcome message from Maggie Barwell, Chair of Governors

On behalf of the Governing Body, I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to all those visiting our website. Friday Bridge Primary is a friendly and inclusive village school, small in numbers but big on ambition. We believe that every child is unique and special and so are committed to providing a high quality, personalised education for every pupil coming to our school. There is a strong focus on pupil wellbeing which is having a very beneficial, positive effect on children’s mental health and readiness to learn.

Our governing body is made up of ten governors including the Headteacher. Governors come from a range of professional backgrounds and all have high quality training to equip them for their particular role(s) in school.

We make regular, purposeful visits to school to enable us to carry out our three core functions effectively:

1. holding leaders to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils

2. overseeing the financial performance of the school, ensuring money is well spent

3. ensuring a clear vision, ethos and strategic direction for the school that is relevant to our community

Resources Governors, including a finance expert, monitor the school budget very closely to ensure that income and expenditure are on track and any variances followed up. We ensure that the budget is deployed effectively to ensure the best educational provision and outcomes for our pupils.

Teaching & Learning Governors work with the Headteacher and staff with a focus on how the school is performing against the objectives in the School Development Plan. Pupil performance data is evaluated and monitored every term and all governors are interested in children’s progress.

Governors thoroughly enjoy working alongside school leaders, staff and pupils; seeing the curriculum come to life in the hands of our experienced teaching team and chatting to children about what they are learning. Our fantastic parents, however, are equally as important to their child’s success, and we thank you all for the valuable contribution you make to your child’s learning by:

· taking an interest in their school day - regularly talking to them about what they are learning

· motivating – encouraging your child in their learning, helping them to persevere and responding positively to them when they make small gains as well as the big ones!

· reading - frequently supporting their reading and sharing books with them so that they develop a deep love of books that endures throughout their lives

· organisation - helping them to learn how to be organised by talking about what kit is needed for school tomorrow and supporting them to get it ready in advance

· attendance and commitment – helping your child to be successful in their learning by making sure they attend school regularly and on time.

If you spot a governor or me at a school event, please stop to say hello, or if you would like to get in touch with me, please email me at: chair@fridaybridge.cambs.sch.uk

Maggie Barwell

Chair of Governors, Friday Bridge School