Our governors are deeply proud of Burnside's achievements and are committed to helping the school deliver an exceptional education.
The governors work closely as a team, particularly with the Headteacher and senior staff on a wide variety of tasks which include:
• developing a strategic plan for the school;
• determining school aims, policies and priorities;
• setting targets;
• monitoring and evaluating the work of the school;
• appointing staff;
• securing high levels of attendance and good standards of pupil behaviour;
• ensuring that all children in the school have access to a broad and balanced curriculum;
• ensuring the health and safety of pupils and staff.
This list may seem daunting, but brings with it satisfaction from seeing the school is improving. The governors are a strong team with a variety of skills who work well together and have a shared commitment, working together for the benefit of all our children.
Committee Structure
To manage our statutory duties efficiently, the Governing Board meets regularly as a Full Governing Board (FGB) and across two specialised committees:
Pupils and Achievement Committee: Focusses directly on the educational experience. This team reviews pupil progress data, monitors EYFS and National Curriculum frameworks, evaluates targeted interventions (including SEND and speech support), and reviews policies relating to behaviour, inclusion, and safeguarding.
Resources Committee: Oversees the operational infrastructure of the school. This includes robust financial auditing, budget planning, health and safety monitoring of the estate, resource allocation, and workforce frameworks.
Constitution and Governor Categories
The Governing Board of Burnside Primary School is structured across statutory representative categories to ensure a balanced, highly skilled collective board:
Parent Governors: Elected by the parent community to bring the vital perspective of families to school leadership.
Staff Governor: Elected directly by the school workforce to represent our teaching and support teams.
Headteacher Governor: Held by Miss Ramsay by virtue of her executive position, ensuring seamless cohesion between governance and daily management.
Local Authority (LA) Governor: Nominated by Northumberland County Council and appointed by the board based on current skills requirements.
Co-opted Governors: Appointed directly by the Governing Board to fill specific professional skills gaps (such as legal, financial, or premises expertise) from the local Cramlington community and beyond.
The Chair of Governors can be contacted by emailing Admin@burnside.northumberland.sch.uk
Approved meeting minutes are available to stakeholders upon request through the main school business office.