KCSP Governance Model 

 Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership

Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership (KCSP) is a charitable trust and a company limited by guarantee, established in August 2012 by the Archdiocese of Southwark. We are are committed to providing strong, faith-led education across our family of Catholic schools in Kent. 

At the heart of KCSP is a robust governance structure designed to ensure transparency, accountability, and excellence in leadership. The Trust Board of Directors oversee the strategic direction, management, and administration of the Trust. To carry out these responsibilities effectively, the Board delegates specific functions to a series of governance committees, as outlined in our governance structure chart.

We recognise the vital role governance plays in the success of our schools. To support our committees and leaders. KCSP provides comprehensive guidance through our Governance Handbook and Scheme of Delegation. These documents outline the principles. responsibilities, and procedures that underpin our governance model, ensuring consistency and clarity across the Trust.

The Governance Committee is a ‘critical friend’ of the school. It provides Strategic Leadership in school improvement. It does this by being appropriately involved in the school improvement cycle as follows:

1. Developing and sharing the values and vision
2. Setting out the aims and objectives of the school
3. Setting out the policies and procedures by which the aims and objectives will be achieved
4. Establishing the criteria by which the aims and achievements will be seen to be achieved
5. Taking the views of stakeholders into account
6. Evaluating evidence on how well the school is doing
7. Finding out how well the school is doing in comparison with similar schools
8. Agreeing targets for improvement
9. Planning to achieve improvement
10. Ensuring that deployment of staffing and resources match the school’s priorities.

Key Issues

The governance committee will consider and keep under review: the progress and attainment of all groups of pupils, evidence of narrowing gaps between under achieving groups and other pupils, improvements in the quality of teaching, the school’s improvement since the last inspection, and the school’s self-evaluation of how well it is doing currently. Governance committee members are not expected to be involved in the day to day running of the school.

 Who can be a governance committee member?

• Almost everyone over 18 can become a member. Governance committee members are volunteers from all walks of life – everyone has experience and skills to offer
• An effective governance committee has people from different backgrounds and with a mix of skills. No formal qualifications are needed to be a member
• Governance committee members are not education experts – they are there to offer a fresh perspective

What makes a good governance committee member?

• The ability to work in a team
• An interest in education and a commitment to the school
• Patience, energy and enthusiasm
• A willingness to listen, learn and to spend time in school
• A willingness to undertake training

St Edmund’s Catholic School Governance

St Edmund's is an academy within the Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership (KCSP):  32 of Kent and Medway's Catholic schools belong: 27 primaries and 5 secondaries.  

Governance at St Edmund’s lies with the KCSP Trust Board, devolved at local level to a Local Governance Committee.

What do the committee members do? 

They work with the Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership Trust Board and school leaders to ensure that

• The school has a clear vision for the future and is well-led
• The school is able to provide the best education it can for its students
• The school is fully-staffed with good teachers and support staff
• Students and staff get the resources they need
• Students and staff are safe and cared-for
• Public money allocated to the school is well-spent

How do committee members fulfil their responsibilities?

We meet at least 6 times a year and between meetings we visit the school to get first-hand knowledge.  We need to know our school really well and we also need to be up-to-speed on what’s happening in education nationally.  We hold the Head Teacher to account and ensure the strategic vision for our school addresses the need of current and future pupils and is financially viable, so we look at long-term issues, budgets and admissions.  We ensure our school is run in line with the decisions of the Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership Trust Board.

How many committee members are there and how are they appointed?

We can have up to 12 members.  Seven are appointed by the diocese (called foundation committee members), 2 by the parents, 1 by the staff, 1 is co-opted and the Head Teacher is a governor, too!  Each year the committee members elect a Chair and vice-Chair.  Committee members are volunteers and serve for 4 years.

Who are the Local Governance Committee members?

Foundation committee members:  John Philpott (Chair), John McCann (vice-Chair) Verity Irvine, Deacon Jed Watkins, Bridie Dodson, Keryn Poulter and 1 vacancy

Parent committee members:  Kevin Rackham and Jurgita Wanstall

Staff committee member: Kandy Dearsly

co-opted member: Robert Walsh

Head Teacher:  Gráinne Parsons

Clerk:  Mandy Boxall

How do I contact the committee members?

You can write to Mandy Boxall, clerk to the committee, at the school address or e-mail the Chair of the Local Governance Committee, John Philpott, at JPhilpott@st-edmunds.com     

How do I become a committee member?

Get in touch and we’ll gladly talk you through all that’s involved!  It’s rewarding, challenging at times and makes a difference to our children’s futures!

19/05/2025

Chair of the Local Governance Committee 

Mr John Philpott

jphilpott@st-edmunds.com 

If you wish to contact the Chair of the LGC Committee, please use the email link above. Alternatively you can send a letter addressed to the Chair of the LGC Committee to:

St Edmund's Catholic School

Old Charlton Road

Dover

CT162QB

Copies of Governing Body minutes are available from the School Office.

Clerk to the Local Governance Committee: 

The Clerk to the Committee is Mandy Boxall who can be reached via: 

mboxall@kcsp.org.uk