An Overview

We are extremely fortunate to have such a supportive group of Governors who are committed and focussed upon wanting the very best for our community and the children and staff of Shotton Primary School.

Governors participate on a wholly voluntary basis and their dedication and commitment is much appreciated. It is seen to be an invaluable and essential means in our determined drive towards ever greater improvement.

There is a wealth of statutory information here, within our website, about:

• Who our governors are.

• The terms of reference, structure and responsibilities of the different governing committees.

• The core principles and functions of our Governing Body in addition to our annual governance statement.

All this information is provided below, to allow all interested users of the website to effectively negotiate our website in terms of finding out about the active and valuable work of our Governing Body and specific committees for which as Head Teacher and Chair of Governors we are incredibly grateful for.

Mrs Heather Shaw (Head Teacher)

Mrs Karen Hudson (Chair of Governors)

Key People

The Chair of the Governing Body is Mrs Karen Hudson, who can be contacted via the school office. Please mark any correspondence for Mrs Hudson's attention.

The Clerk to the Governing Body is Ms Helen Turner, School and Governor Support Service, Education Department, County Hall, Durham DH1 5UJ

Statutory Guidance for School Governors

Shotton Primary School, adhere to the statutory guidance from the Department for Education. This means that governing bodies must have regard to it when carrying out duties relating to the constitution of governing bodies in maintained schools. For further information about our Governors please view or download the documents below:

Governor Attendance 

Schools are now required to display a record of Governor attendance at meetings for each school academic year.

Committee Terms of Reference

Click on each for further information:

Delegation to the Headteacher

School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009

The Governing Body can delegate the power to appoint outside the leadership group to:

• The Headteacher

• One or more Governors with the right of the Headteacher to advise

• One or more Governors and the Headteacher

Appointments: 

Governing Body delegates to the Headteacher responsibility for the appointment of:

• Permanent teaching staff posts

• Permanent support staff posts

• Temporary staff

Dismissals: 

Governing Body delegates to the Headteacher responsibility up to and including first written warning / first and final written warning / dismissal of:

• All staff other than Headteacher

• Headteacher to a committee of the Governing Body

Virement and Expenditure Limits

The School’s Governing Body has powers of virement between budget headings after the initial budget has been set. To enable day-to-day management of the School whilst ensuring appropriate oversight by Governing Bodies, some virement decisions are delegated to the Headteacher and some to the chairs of the Governing Body and Finance Committee. These delegations are agreed at the Summer Term Governing Body meeting. 

Current delegations for virement are:

• Up to £5,000 at the discretion of the Headteacher;
• Between £5,000 and £10,000 with the approval of the chair of the Governing Body or  Chair of the Finance Committee;
• Above £10,000 with approval of the Governing Body or the Finance Committee which has delegated authority to agree virements.

Virement without approval is permitted where the virement is for equal amounts between income and expenditure headings, for example in a respect of a donation received to enable a purchase.

A log of virement over the Head Teacher’s delegated limit is maintained. The log includes a copy of the letters or emails from the Chair of Governors or Chair of Finance approving virement and the date of the Governing Body or Finance Committee meeting at which virements were approved.

Where the Headteacher has delegated the authority to approve virement to another member of staff, a monthly report of this virement will be authorised by the Headteacher and retained 
on file with the virement log.

All virement beyond that which can be authorised by the Headteacher, is reported to the next meeting of the Governing Body.

NB Any goods/services purchased and works to be carried out are subject to Durham County Council Contract Procedures Rules (January 2014) for quotations i.e. quotations or tenders to be invited from capable contractors based on the likely value of the procurement over its lifetime:

• Between £500 and £5000 at least one quotation

• Between £5001 and £50,000 at least three quotations

• Over £50,000 full tender exercise

Current Vacancies

We currently have 2 vacancies for a Parent Governor and would very much welcome applications from current parents/carers who fit the criteria below and would like to make a long-term, purposeful and positive contribution to our school.

All parents other than those employed at the school for more than 500 hours per year or who are elected members of the Local Authority (LA) are eligible to stand for election. This includes:

ð parents of children attending nursery either full-time or part-time

ð any person who is not the natural parent but has parental responsibility for or who has care of a pupil registered at the school (Education Act 1996, Section 576)

If you are interested in becoming a parent governor please complete a nomination form. Forms are available from either the school office or may be downloaded and completed electronically. Please contact school for a nomination form.

The completed and duly signed nomination form should be returned to school by 4pm on Friday 24th October 2025. NB No later than 7 working days after the date of circulation.

Forms can be returned either in person or via email.

If in the case of only 2 nominations being received a ballot will not be necessary.

Any remaining vacancies will be appointed by our Governing Body.

Should a ballot be required each parent will be sent a voting form.

When the process has been finalised school will inform the parent body via our newsletter, website and text. School and Governor Support Services will write formally to all nominees confirming the outcome of the ballot.

If you are interested in making an important and valued contribution to our school we would very much welcome your involvement.