Attendance is a key component to your child’s success

Our Governors

Thank you for your interest in working at Ruskin High School. Current job opportunities within the school are listed below.

The role of the Governors is to provide a strategic view for the school, to ensure accountability and to be a critical friend.

The Governors set and agree frameworks within which the school operates. The Headteacher and other professionals manage the day-to-day running of the establishment and the Headteacher liaises regularly with Governors.

The Governors provide the Headteacher and staff with support, advice and information, drawing on members’ knowledge and experience. In these ways, the Governors act in the role of critical friend.

The Governing Board has the responsibility of ensuring a high-quality education at the school; therefore the Governors examine all proposals from the Headteacher.

The Governors are mindful that they answer to the parents and community for the school’s overall performance. The Governing Body comprises of 14 members. There is a Chair of Governors (Mr J Rhodes) a Vice Chair (Prof. B Ollier) and a team of supporting Governors who bring a variety of skills and knowledge. The Governing Board meets termly as a Full Governing Body and it also meets in smaller committees every term. The school Senior Leadership Team (SLT) attend these meetings and, at times, Governor Representatives attend SMT meetings. This gives transparency and mutual understanding in the strategic decision making process.

Governors are appointed by the Local Authority, Full Governing Body, school staff and parents.

Governance Statement

Most of the Governance takes place at committee level. When the Full Governing Body convenes, it reviews the work of the committees. It also reviews the reports provided by the Headteacher and the verbal and written feedback from Governors with special responsibilities.

Key topics that have been discussed in the last 12 months:

  • Whole school curriculum review
  • Monitoring SEND action plan
  • Student and staff wellbeing
  • Making improvements in attendance and behaviour
  • Improve school environment and spaces
  • Ensuring Safeguaridng is a top priority 
  • Monititor school finances

The key focus areas for the coming academic year:

  • Implementation of 5 year strategic plan
  • Achieve ment of disadvantaged students
  • Attendance
  • Student and staff wellbeing
  • High Prior Attainers
  • In Year Admissions and PAN
The Ruskin Governing Body currently has two Parent Governor vacancies.

If you are interested in becoming a Governor, for further information, please contact Cheryl Jackson (Clerk to Governors) at cheryl.jackson@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Personal Interests

The following Governors have children/grandchildren at the school: Mr D Burrows
The following Governors have a family member as a member of staff: Mr J Rhodes
Governors that are members of staff are: Mr D Postlethwaite, Mrs C Harrison, Mrs D McCumskey, Ms D Jones, Miss E Szymura
Governors with no personal interests in the school are: Mr C Griffin, Prof. W Ollier, Mr J Rhodes, Mrs M Veitch
Governors with roles in other educational establishments are: None
GOVERNOR TYPE OF MEMBERSHIP TERM COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP LINK GOVERNOR ROLE PANEL MEMBERSHIP
Duncan Barrow Co-opted 7 Dec 2022 – 6 Dec 2026 Leadership, Management and Environment Committee
Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee
ICT
PE
Staff Grievance
Appeals
Pay
Chris Griffin Chair of Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee
Co-opted
7 Mar 2022– 6 Mar 2026 Student Development, Behaviour and Welfare Committee
Chair of Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee
English/Performing Arts Appeals
Donald Higgs Co-opted 7 Dec 2022 – 6 Dec 2026 Leadership, Management and Environment Committee
Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee
Student Development, Behaviour and Welfare Committee
Safeguarding
Humanities
Languages
Maths
 
Debbie Jones Co-opted 31 Mar 2022 – 30 Mar 2026 Leadership, Management and Environment Committee    
Denise McCumskey Co-opted 7 Mar 2022 – 6 Mar 2026 Leadership, Management and Environment Committee Residential School Trips  
Professor William Ollier
Vice Chair of Governors
Co-opted 5 Dec 2021 – 4 Dec 2025 Leadership, Management and Environment Committee
Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee
Student Development, Behaviour and Welfare Committee
Headteachers Performance Management Panel
Disadvantaged Pupils
Career Education
Science
Art
Technology
Pay
Emma Szymura Co-opted 10 Jul 2023 – 9 Jul 2027 Leadership, Management and Environment Committee
Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee
Student Development, Behaviour and Welfare Committee
   
Margo Veitch
Chair of Student Development, Behaviour and Welfare Committee
Co-opted 7 Mar 2022 – 6 Mar 2026 Leadership, Management and Environment Committee
Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee
Student Development, Behaviour and Welfare Committee
Headteachers Performance Management Panel
Special Education Needs Pupil Exclusions
Pay
Dean Postlethwaite Headteacher 20 May 2021 Leadership, Management and Environment Committee
Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee
   
John Rhodes
Chair of Governors
Chair of Leadership, Management and Environment Committee
Local Authority 30 Mar 2022-29 Mar 2026 Leadership, Management and Environment Committee Health & Safety Pupil Exclusions
Complaints
Staff Grievance
Pay
Claire Harrison Staff Governor  3 Dec 2020- 2 Dec 2024 Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee
Student Development, Behaviour and Welfare Committee
   
Peter Storey Co-Opted  20 March 2024 – 19 March 2025 TBC  TBC  TBC
Peter Thorpe Co-Opted  20 March 2024 – 19 March 2025 TBC  TBC  TBC

Committee Meetings for the academic year 2023/24

Term Committee Date Time
Autumn Term 2023 Full Governing Body Tuesday 10th October 4.00pm
Pay Committee Tuesday 7th November 9.30am
Leadership, Management and Environment Tuesday 14th November 4.00pm
Student, Development & Welfare Wednesday 15th November 3.15pm
Teaching, Learning and Assessment Wednesday 15th November 4.15pm
Full Governing Body Wednesday 29th November 4.00pm
Spring Term 2024 Leadership, Management and Environment Tuesday 5th March 4.00pm
Student, Development & Welfare Wednesday 6th March 3.15pm
Teaching, Learning and Assessment Wednesday 6th March 4.15pm
Full Governing Body Wednesday 20th March 4.00pm
Summer Term 2024 Leadership, Management and Environment Tuesday 18th June 4.00pm
Student, Development & Welfare Wednesday 19th June 3.15pm
Teaching, Learning and Assessment Wednesday 19th June 4.15pm
Full Governing Body Wednesday 3rd July 4.00pm

Governor Meeting Attendance 2022/23

Please click on link

 

To help students, staff and parents understand how the school operates there is a range of policies which have been produced and approved by the Governors and Senior Management Team. Our policies are available to download from the school website.
If you would like a hard copy of any policy or procedure, please contact the Main School Office.