Message from Brian Birch, Chair of Governors

My name is Brian Birch and I am privileged to be Chair of Governors at St Luke’s School.

I was elected Chair in September 2018 and had previously held the Vice Chair role since January 2016.

The work of a governor at the school is varied, stimulating and at times challenging. 

As a governor, I am attached to Year 5 Basil and have met the class on several occasions this year. I really enjoy class visits, talking with Mr Bromley the year 5 teacher, and the children. What I find really inspiring is that each time I visit the class I am able to experience, first-hand the excellent progress which all the children are making throughout the year, deepening their skills and subject knowledge. This is evidenced with the feedback from children, the teacher and looking at the children’s learning books. 

I also participate in school’s INSET days, meeting and talking with the staff at the school and across the Federation. I recently attended a Windmill Cluster INSET day which was held at Trinity Academy Brixton. This provided very useful information both locally and nationally and I was able to feedback to governors and the Senior Leadership team on aspects of emerging priorities for the coming year. For example the focus on the new Ofsted framework, to be implemented by September 2019, and revisiting the foundation subjects being taught in the school to ensure they are fit for purpose and meeting the new National Curriculum standards.

As the Chair of Governors, I have the privilege to work with a team of governors who bring a broad range of diverse experience and expertise to the Governing Body. 

We hold several full Governor Body meetings each year. At the meetings the Governors scrutinise the papers, reports and the data, and hold the Senior Leadership at the school to account by asking challenging and meaning full questions. This is to ensure the school is performing to its full potential and meetings its targets set out in the school’s annual Development Plan.

Any decisions made by the governing body always include and focus on the children and their outcomes within the school.  As governors, we want all children who attend St Luke’s to get the best possible education and progress to their full potential and at times this can mean making difficult decisions. 

As the Governing Body our main focus is to secure the future of the school and ensure it is best placed to deal with any emerging issues.   We value effective partnership working and the sharing of resources and best practice, working towards improving outcomes for all our children.  This can be in the form of shared staff, Continuous Professional Development, enrichment activities for our children, being able to offer after schools clubs and building stronger community links. 

I am very honoured to be part of the St Luke’s family, and look forwarded to meeting with you and sharing information and ideas on how to improve the work of the school to benefit us all.

With best wishes

Brian