Governance

Hawthorns is part of the Schoolsworks Academy Trust, a local multi-academy trust based in Bognor Regis and Littlehampton.

The Board of Directors of Schoolsworks Academy Trust are also its trustees and the governors of all our schools, including Hawthorns Primary School. Membership of the trust allows us to learn from other well-performing schools by sharing good practice, by achieving economies of scale in purchasing services and by working together at a strategic level to ensure the future success of all the schools.

The trust has overall responsibility for the school, but is aided in its work by the work of the local School Community Council (SCC). This group is an advisory body, made up of staff, parents and community members. The SCC works under the direction of the academy trust to support the strategic management of the school. Further information regarding Schoolsworks' governance can be found here.

Hawthorns School Community Council

The role of School Community Council Members is to support the Trust’s governance arrangements by monitoring the performance of the School and reporting back to the Trust on a regular basis. We do this through robust challenge of the day to day operation of the School and by working closely with our Headteacher, Mrs Lawson. In carrying out this role our aim is to improve the quality of the education we provide for children at Hawthorns Primary. The School Community Council meets on a termly basis at least three times per year.

The objectives of SCCs are to be accountable to the Board of Schoolsworks in order to:

Ensure high standards of teaching and learning
Ensure pupil happiness, welfare and safety
Ensure efficient, appropriate and compliant use of local finances
Ensure school premises are safe and secure and there is a good learning environment
To support the Head of School as required (e.g. recruitment or performance management)
Ensure effective engagement within the academy school’s local community

HAWTHORNS PRIMARY SCHOOL - COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEMBERS

Name	Designation	Portfolio Responsibility
Wendy Lawson	Headteacher	–
Karen Ashworth	Chair	Audit and Risk SLT Liaison and School Support Safeguarding and Child Protection
Debbie Hawkins	Teacher	Staff representative
Lucy Allen	Parent	Quality of Education
Amanda Halstead	Community Member	Finance
Colin McHale	Community Member	Health and Safety and Premises
Bernadette Hines	Parent	Community and Engagement and Fundraising

At Hawthorns we are delighted to have a diverse and broadly based SCC. Our SCC members have a wide range of skills which they use to benefit the pupils and other members of our school community. We are grateful to them for their commitment but also believe that they enjoy their role at the school and appreciate the chance it gives them to make a difference to local children and their families.

Hawthorns Primary School is part of the Schoolsworks Academy Trust.