About the College
Governance
Chair of Governors
MRs Gostelow
Since Horizon Community College opened in 2012, our aim has always been to provide a first class education for all our students. The college is part of HCAT, a cross-phase multi academy trust based in Barnsley. The HCAT trustees are the governors of the Trust’s schools, but delegate many of their responsibilities, particularly around school improvement, to local governing bodies.
Our role as local governors is to agree the college’s vision and strategy, and offer supportive challenge to staff who provide the best possible education for our students, equipping them to move successfully on to the next stage in their lives. We scrutinise the college’s improvement priorities, hold regular business and training meetings, and investigate in detail our link areas.
We are immensely proud of what our staff offer in terms of the breadth and ambition of the curriculum they teach, and also the part they play in the wellbeing of students, in addition to offering personal development opportunities and extra-curricular activities.
We are proud of our students who have shown maturity and commitment throughout the pandemic both in the college and when engaged in remote learning during lockdowns. We’re so pleased that families have worked in partnership with us to ensure that their children’s experience at secondary school has been positive and fruitful.
All local governors are invested in the success of our students. We are proud that the college is inclusive and outward-looking, forward-thinking and pro-active, collaborative, and a learning community at every level. We value our staff and students, and our wider stakeholders, as we work together to improve opportunities, skills and life chances for our young people in Barnsley.
OUR GOvernors
Chair of governor
MRS GOSTELOW
Local Authority
Responsible for
Staffing and Finance – (Mrs Huddart)
Governor Term
End of Term – May 2023
Vice Chair of governor
MRs Charlesworth
Co-opted
Responsible for
Health and Safety – (Mr Clark)
Staff workload and welfare – (Mrs Saeed)
Policies
Governor Term
End of Term – May 2023
Governor
MRS CREETON
Co-opted
Responsible for
SEND – (Mrs Proud)
Governor Term
End of Term – May 2023
Governor
MR Kouris
Co-opted
Responsible for
+ Post 16 link
Governor Term
End of Term – October 2023
Governor
MR Punshon
Co-opted
Responsible for
Behaviour, attitudes and attendance (Miss Collins)
Governor Term
End of Term – October 2024
Governor
Miss Thomas
Co-opted
Responsible for
+ Post 16 link
Governor Term
End of Term – May 2023
Governor
MRs Gillott
Parent
Responsible for
N/A
Governor Term
End of Term – October 2025
Governor
Mrs Ledger
Parent
Responsible for
Quality of Education – (Mr Bowden)
Governor Term
End of Term – May 2023
Governor
MRs Harrison
Staff (non-teaching)
Responsible for
N/A
Governor Term
End of Term – May 2023
Governor
Mr Knowles
Staff (teaching)
Responsible for
N/A
Governor Term
End of Term – May 2023
Governor
MR Kennedy
Horizon Archbishop Holgate Trust
Responsible for
Staffing and Finance – (Mrs Huddart)
Governor Term
End of Term – May 2023
Governor
Mr Lynch
Foundation
Horizon Archbishop Holgate Trust
Responsible for
SEND
Governor Term
End of Term – November 2024
Governor Report
Review of the Year 2020-2021
The local governing body met throughout the academic year on Zoom. We held at least two meetings per term, one business meeting and one training and information meeting, when we were able to look at a particular area of the work of the College in more detail.
We are part of HCAT. The trustees are the governors of the College and we follow the Trust’s scheme of delegation which clarifies our roles and responsibilities. Partnership working within the MAT has been of great benefit to us.
Opportunities for governors to visit the College in person were restricted because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but we continued to meet with staff virtually, for example to discuss our link areas. Staff sent information to governors via email and videos so that we stayed in touch with events and initiatives in the College. We are incredibly proud of our staff and students for their character and resilience, their rapid and flexible response to changing situations and the teaching, learning and safeguarding that happened during the year.
Student Discipline Committees were held in the College when parents were unable to access them virtually.
In our business meetings we received the Principal’s report with data dashboard, and information about progress against the College’s priorities. We were able to carry out our compliance role in regard to risk assessments and policies.
Our training information meetings covered personal development, the quality of education, SEND & Inclusion, and behaviour and attitudes.
All governors have a link area , follow an agreed protocol and feed back to the local governing body.
All governors subscribe to our Code of Conduct; there is an expectation that we prepare for and attend all LGB meetings and attend training for our own personal development. Training is available from HCAT, the local authority and the Barnsley Governors Association.
The local governing body is committed to the principles and values of inclusion and diversity. Governors come from a range of backgrounds and experience; this adds richness to our discussions and helps us to have more informed decision-making.
Sadly this year the Horizon Nursery had to close. We pay tribute to the staff who stayed until the end and ensured that the children had the best experience possible.
We also said farewell on his retirement to our founding principal Nick Bowen, who set up and opened the College in 2012, but we look forward with optimism and excitement to the future under the leadership of Mrs Huddart.
Becoming a Governor
The role of the Governor
College governors have a varied and important role
helping the school run effectively and to have a positive impact on student outcomes.
They have 3 core functions:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
- Overseeing financial performance of the college and ensuring money is well spent
- Holding the Principal and leadership team to account
The governor role is strategic rather than operational. Governors don’t get involved with the day to day running of a school, instead supporting and challenging the school’s leadership team to drive college improvement.
Governors usually attend around 6 meetings a year. Being a college governor is a commitment and a responsibility, but offers you the chance to see first-hand the impact you can make in improving education for children in your community.
Horizon is part of HCAT Multi-Academy Trust. The trust board is the governing body but delegates many functions to the local governing body chiefly around school improvements.
Who can be a School Governor?
You don’t need to be an experienced professional – it’s about attitude as well as expertise
School governing boards need skilled people to help them run effectively, but both hard and soft skills are needed around the table.
Schools need skills, such as problem solving or negotiation or team working as much as specific expertise.
All governors are subject to an enhanced DBS check as part of College Safeguarding Protocols.
Governors do not need specific skills to undertake their duties on the governing body. However, in certain areas the school can benefit from a governor who has a specific expertise they can bring to the work of the governing body.
The governing body need to ensure governors have the necessary skills and commitment, including to challenge the school to bring about improvement, and hold leaders to account for performance.
Check the Department for Education’s guidelines about the requirements for becoming a governor.
Types of governors on the Horizon Governing Body
Co-Opted Governors
appointed by the governing body
FOUNDATION/TRUST GOVERNORS
appointed by The Holgate Trust
PARENT GOVERNORS
elected by parents of children registered at the school
STAFF GOVERNORS
include the Headteacher by virtue of their role, teaching and support staff
LA GOVERNORS
nominated by the Local Authority, appointed by the governing body
Expectations
You can expect
What we expect
To be offered training opportunities
To have a mentor during your first year as a governor
To have a better understanding of how the college works
To work and be part of a team making the best decisions for college staff and students
To attend 85% as a minimum, of all local governing body meetings
To attend specific training to enhance your own personal governor development e.g. Health & Safety Training
Show commitment and challenge to the college e.g. by asking questions
Show loyalty and support to the College
Attend meetings with your link area staff and produce a report on the findings annually for the local governing body
The Seven C's of a Governor
Committed
Devoting the required time and energy to the role and ambitious to achieve best possible outcomes for young people. Prepared to give time, skills and knowledge to developing themselves and others in order to create highly effective governance.
Confident
Be of an independent mind, able to lead and contribute to courageous conversations, to express their opinion and to play an active role on the board.
Curious
Possess an enquiring mind and an analytical approach and understanding the value of meaningful questioning.
Challenging
Providing appropriate challenge to the status quo, not taking information or data at face value and always driving for improvement.
Collaborative
Be prepared to listen to and work in partnership with others ad understanding the importance of building strong working relationships within the board and with executive leaders, staff, parents and carers, pupil/students, the local community and employers.
Critical
Understanding the value of critical friendship which enables both challenge and support, and self-reflective, pursing learning and development opportunities to improve their own and whole board effectiveness.
Creative
Able to challenge conventional wisdom and be open-minded about new approaches to problem-solving; recognising the value of innovation and creative thinking to organisational development and success.
How can I become a Horizon Community College Governor?
If you are interested in becoming a Horizon Community College Governor, now that you know more about the role, you will need to write to the Chair of Governors via Karen Cooper at the college and tell us about yourself, to:
- Demonstrate evidence of the appropriate skills and experience you have and how these can be used on the governing body
- Express your willingness to undertake training to develop your skills
- Make a commitment to the values of the college
- Be able to give sufficient time to contribute effectively to the work of the governing body
If you wish to have an informal chat about the role, please feel free to contact the Chair of Governors via Karen Cooper at the College.
Important Documents
Governors Calendar
Meeting & Training Schedule 2021-2022
Autumn Term 2021
Covering; Safeguarding/Prevent Refresher, Sexual Abuse / Harrassment.
Governor Review of the Year – WWW, areas for improvement, Governor priorities for 2021-22, Governor link update.
Covering: Principals report, results, recovery plan, full data dashboard.
Covering: Teaching & Learning, Curriculum, Early Careers Teaching, Health & Safety.
Spring Term 2022
Covering: Principal’s Report, full data dashboard
Covering: Personal Development / Student Passports, Careers / Community Enterprise updates, Alumni Initiative, Post 16, Mental Health.
Covering: SEND / Disadvantaged / Inclusion / Additional Needs / Pupil Premium, Health & Safety.
Summer Term 2022
Covering: Principal’s Report, full data dashboard
Covering: Behaviour & attitudes. Updates from areas covered this year.
Health & Safety.
Covering: Governor review of the year, WWW, areas for improvement.
