Local School Board
The DSAT Trust Board
In the Diocese of Sheffield’s Academy Trust (DSAT), ultimate accountability and governance lies with our Trust Board.
Click here for the DSAT Trust Board of Directors.
Click here for our trust ‘Directors Trustees Business Interests.’
Click here for more information about our Trust- DSAT or visit our own DSAT page.
Our Local School Board
We have a Local School Board, who are the eyes and ears on the ground and work alongside governance at trust level. We have an amazing set of people who give up their time and effort to make sure that TASS is the very best that it can be for all of its children.
Our Local School Board is made up of a membership of 9 members. These are broken down as follows:
- One Chair of the Board: Chris Walch
- Two Headteachers (one Executive Headteacher – Mo Andrews & one Head of School – Melissa Drake who is an Associate Governor)
- Parent and Community Representatives – Chris Walch (Chair), Louise Broddle, Helen Pocock, Izzy Dunn and Maria Gledden
- One Staff member – Laura Cupitt
- ex-officio Ben Tanner the Priest in charge of All Saint’s Totley
Contacting the Local School Board:
You can contact the Chair of the Local School Board, Chris Walch, via his email: cwalch@tas.dsat.education or via the usual school contact:
Totley All Saints CE VA Primary School
Hillfoot Road
Totley
Sheffield S17 4AP
Telephone: 0114 236 1934
Governance in our school and the role of the school board
The relationship between the trust and the secretary of state for education is set out in a legal document known as the funding agreement. The funding agreement and the Academies Financial Handbook are two key documents that DSAT Trustees work to. DSAT trustees are responsible for three core functions. They are setting the direction of the trust and its schools, holding the appointed DSAT Executives and school leaders to account and ensuring financial probity. As charity trustees, they ensure that DSAT complies with charity law requirements and, as company directors, must comply with company law requirements. The details of what has been delegated from the trustees to executive leaders appointed by DSAT are detailed in a scheme of delegation. This makes it clear what functions the trustees have delegated and to whom.
To see who the Trustees are and to access the scheme of delegation, please visit dsat.education.
Each DSAT academy also has a Local School Board, which acts in an advisory capacity. Our school board is made up of, the headteacher, two parents, two foundation members, a local representative and a staff member. It meets three times yearly to consider and scrutinise how we deliver for our pupils and parents. Members of the school board also support the school in recruitment and other local activities that help ensure the school reflects the community’s needs and retains its unique identity. More details can be found on the dsat.education website in the document Local School Boards in DSAT.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding Lead: The Chair and Headteacher
Governance and statutory oversight of safeguarding lies with the trustees. The main trustee for safeguarding is James Dugmore. However, local boards are ‘our eyes and ears’, the protection of children is the core of this. We invest in training to provide LSBs with more incredible skills in this area. We cannot think of a more critical task for an LSB than bringing together their local community knowledge and knowledge of school practice to ensure that safeguarding is at the core of what we do. The LSB has access to all relevant information, including the audits that DSAT complete centrally. The LSB always asks, “Do the audits reflect how the local community view safeguarding at the school?”
Monitoring School Performance
DSAT’s school improvement protocols mean a school has support visits throughout the academic year. The Record of Visit will typically focus on the many positive elements we see, but the purpose is to identify areas where support is required. These ROVs (Record of Visits) provide information that can assist the LSB in asking the right questions at LSB’s meetings. LSBs can have data to be a better ‘critical friend’ influencing the outcome, not just reviewing it. The LSB is critical to asking the right questions about school progress, understanding the priorities, and ensuring the community’s needs are met. Feedback from LSBs has been very positive regarding the training we provide. Good data is only meaningful when it is understood. DSAT aims to ensure through training and coaching that LSBs understand the information to which they have access. LSBs are not required to pass comments on classroom practice, judge teaching methods or assess the perceived quality of teaching. DSAT expert practitioners will provide the LSB with this information where it is relevant to do so. At every LSB meeting, the group ask, “Is this school delivering positive progress for every pupil” asking, “Are relationships with the community and parents supporting this progress?”
You may also want to visit the DfE ‘Get Information About Schools’ (GIAS) website for more information.
Chris Walch
I became Parent governor in Nov 2018 to use my skills and experiences to ensure the school’s priorities and targets are set to achieve the best possible education for our children. I’m currently a Technical Director for a global IT services provider with over 10 years’ experience in Information and Communications Technology (ICT). My son Finley is in Y3 with his brother Alex hopefully joining the TASS family in 2021. I am an enthusiastic parent who will give maximum effort to the privileged role of parent governor. I’m here to speak out for what is most important – our children.
Izzy Dunn
As a Foundation Governor, I became involved in the governing body through my involvement at Totley All Saints Church. Professionally, I have a strong interest in education, and have taught History for over 10 years at a secondary school in Derbyshire. I passionately believe in the importance of inspiring a love of learning to last a lifetime. Furthermore, as a parent of a pupil at the school, I have witnessed the nurturing environment created at TASS and the dedication of the wonderful teaching and support staff. I am proud to be able to support the work of the school in my role as a governor. As a working mum of young children, spare time is a rare luxury. Given the chance, I love to get my sewing machine out or curl up with a good book!
Class Representatives
Class Representatives meet with their allocated classes on a regular basis in order to see how the children are getting on as well as monitor teaching & learning. This is then fed back to the whole Local School Board at the next meeting. As well as providing insight into practice & allowing governors to see the outworking of their participation in school, these are also beneficial because they allow our children to build relationships with governors, understand a little about adult responsibility & service to others as well as aspire to serve their communities in the future.
These are photographs of when our school governors spent time with their assigned classes & met with members of the School Council, the Merit Captains & Eco-Saints.
