The overall purpose of the governing body is to help the school provide the best possible education for the pupils. This involves, in particular:

• Setting the school’s vision and strategic aims, agreeing plans and policies, making creative use of available resources.

• Monitoring and evaluating performance, and acting as a critical friend to the Head Teacher and her deputy to support them and challenge them in managing the school.

• Ensuring that the school is accountable to the children and parents, to the local community and those who fund and maintain it, as well as to the staff.

The governing body consists of four categories of governor; Staff, Parent, Community (co-opted) and Local Education Authority.  On occasions an Associate Member may sit on the Board to offer particular expertise.

At Watlington, the Governing Body composition is as follows:

• Headteacher - The Headteacher is automatically a Governor. 
• Two governors are parents or carers of children enroled at the school at the time of their appointment. Vacancies for parent governors must be notified to all parents and nominations requested. A ballot of all parents is held if there are more nominations than posts available.

• Four governors can be invited to serve by the governing body as being representative of the interests of the local community. Community governors can be reappointed an indefinite number of times at the end of their four-year terms.  One governor is appointed by the local authority to represent local interests.

• Staff Governor - One member of staff has a place on the governing body, elected by their peers.  All of these school-based governors remain on the governing body only while they are employed at the school. Should they retire or resign, a new nomination is required.

Due to being a relatively small Governing Body we have decided to operate without sub committees so all our meetings are Full Governing Body meetings. The agenda is split to ensure that all key statutory functions, responsibilities and monitoring are covered. Governors have statutory responsibilities which they carry out by monitoring the area and reporting back to the Full Governing Body. On occasions we may convene a committee or panel to deal with a specific task.