As a Local Governing Board, we have a collective responsibility to work with the school to ensure it delivers a high quality education for our pupils. Working with the head teacher, we commit to the objectives of the School Improvement Plan to make sure the pupils are able to achieve to the best of their ability within a secure and happy environment.

An effective school will always challenge itself to ensure it maintains high standards and continues to drive excellent results. How have we, as governors of St Thomas of Canterbury School, made a difference?

• Developed the feedback process, giving parents and pupils a "voice" by instigating an annual Parent Questionnaire, Pupil Questionnaire and Year 6 Leavers' Interview
• Improvements in communication to all stakeholders via our new school website and newsletter
• Successfully securing grants to carry out essential building works to maintain a safe environment for pupils and staff

Our role, as Governors, is to fulfil three key strategic functions:

• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
• Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils
• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent

We focus on the central issues lying at the heart of school improvement by promoting:

• the school's religious ethos, its values and culture
• high standards of educational achievement by monitoring the quality of teaching and the progress of all pupils