CAEN COMMUNITY SCHOOL
Caen Street, Braunton, Devon, EX33 1AD
Tel: 01271 812786
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Minutes of meeting of the Full Governing Body
held at Caen Community School onMonday 16November 2015 at 7pm
JOANNA HOWARD VICE CHAIR / SAM PAGELOUISE GRAY / MARK WOOSEY CHAIR
MARK RENTON / KARL STRINGER
KAREN CRUTCHFIELD / SUE NIGHTINGALE CLERK
1 / Welcome and apologies
JIM JONES LOUISE ROUND – authorised
The Governors thanked Heather Naish for all her years as a Governor and her hard work as a Governor.
SN to send flowers and a card.
Sophie Williams has been voted on as a new staff Governor ad will be invited to the next FGB meeting in January 2016.
2 / Declarations of Interest
None
Staff will leave for the Part B.
3 / Minutes from Meeting on 14 September 2015
Signed and approved
Matters arising
Shared Vision
This was discussed by some of the Governors with the Head and Deputy. MW produced a matrix for the Governors to look at and discuss about what needs to be achieved to make the school outstanding with Ofsted. The Governors will do a series of consultation and on Tuesday 1 December the staff will be consulted. The parents will be consulted and the feedback will then be taken to the SMT and a vision for the school will be produced. Any Governor able to attend at 2.30 – 5.30pm on 1 December would be welcome.
SP and KC have been to meetings about schools future and about Academies and or Federations. There will be more meetings for Governors to attend in the new year and find out more on this. Governors will be informed of the dates.
4 / Safeguarding
SP and LG have met and discussed the safeguarding within the school. Safeguarding Governor before the next meeting come into school and discuss safeguarding with the staff.
5 / Ist and 2nd Committee
Pay and Review Committee
The following Governors will be on this committee.
Jo Howard, Louise Round, Jim Jones and Karl Stringer
Terms of reference for FGB – paper
The membership of each committee was agreed and signed by the Chair.
6 / SEF – paper
JH Why has outstanding been put into the SEF?
It used to be that Ofsted would send for the SEF and the data beforehand but as now as a shorter inspection they will look at the data and the SEF whilst here. The Head Teacher directs the inspector around the school, show the impact of the school and shows evidence for the SEF. If the school is outstanding then more inspectors will be invited to do a fuller inspection. If the school is still good then the school will just receive a letter to confirm this decision. The school as outstanding has been confirmed by the Adviser that has come into school and the paper has been sent to Governors. KC suggested that the Governors should have training on outstanding schools. This will be arranged by KC and the date given to the Clerk.
Why are schools put into academies?
When the school has failed at Ofsted.
7 / Finances
FRS –paper
KS discussed this with the Business Manager and he discussed this with the Governors.
Relevant points were:
The Pupil Premium money has increased due to more pupils coming into school.
There have been changes in staffing.
An increase in the utilities due to taking over the play school.
As there is a profit in school meals could this be used for the dish washer?
School trips are not being supported by the parents so the school is subsiding the trips and residential.
Over what period has this debt occurred?
Last year
What is the follow up?
The school agree that some parents can pay after the trip but some parents just do not pay. There is a way of getting the county involved and this will be considered by the school for non payers. The school will consider a School Debt Policy. The Business manager to be asked to send each non payer for residential an invoice from County.
The FRS report was agreed by the Governors.
KC would like the Governors to consider wherever the teachers who have a temporary contract have a permanent contract. If there are there any new teachers for September do they then have a permanent contract from the start as recruitment is not easy.
MW How do we know that the numbers are good for September?
KC has been told that from the Data Set produced by County the school will get 50 pupils in Reception.
There are 3 teaching posts for September and there are 4 teachers in school at the moment.
This was discussed in length.
What is the point when these teachers need to be told?
Easter at the latest but if worried about security then they may look for positions soon.
The carry forward is more
JH Could there be a sub total for each section on the next FRS report?
The Governors would like to see the funding for the Foundation Unit.
This will be passed onto the Business Manager.
KC asked for Governors to be part of the interview process
JH agreed to help.
The Governors agreed to interview the temporary teachers with a view to making them permanent.
Foundation Unit
KC would like to take 2 year olds into the school. The personnel involved see no negatives to this proposal.
From January the posts are self financing in the Foundation Unit.
Are there extra costs involved re staffing?
Who has experience of children that young?
HN has had the training.
MW has experience that the school that take 2 year olds usually does not make money and the money is made by the 3 and 4 year olds.
Various experts in other schools have been talking to the staff about this.
If taking under 2 year olds there are different aspects that need to be considered.
The money is still available in the budget for the smaller toilets in the Infant block.
LG will look at the Business plan that has to be submitted.
The Governors agreed that the school will take 2 year olds (birth date) and from as soon as possible.
Health and Safety Report
Nothing to report. New Health and Safety Governor – Sophie Williams.There will be report for the next meeting.
Building Work
There will be a plan for building work required.The Business Manager will produce on for next meeting.
8 / Residentials
No meeting has taken place between MW and the residential teacher HR so this will be taken to the next meeting.MW will arrange another meeting.
9 / PE Plan – paper
This is a very detailed plan and it would be made RAG for the Governors.
THE FIRST PART OF PART B WAS DISCUSSED AT THIS TIME.
LG left at this time.
10 / LDP – paper
The Governors have received the summary but feel that this now too short for the Governors to ask questions.
The report will be RAG on the report and sent to Governors by SP for questions.
11 / Raiseonline – papers
There are no weaknesses in KS2 and no causes for concern.
Writing is weaker than reading last year and this is being addressed in the LDP.
There are action points to help the children in KS1 with their reading and writing within the school.
These children will be monitored and this will be brought to the next meeting.
There has been a lot of talk about summer born children but this is not the case in this school. SP will show this data at the next meeting.
Raisonline is expensive to run so is being scrapped. Data Dash board will be used instead.
If asked by Ofsted about data the governors could prove that there has been a lot of information given to them and can be proved to the inspectors.
JH Is the school expecting a dip in SATS next year?
The progress for the children is good and can be proved. The school has known about this for a while and has taken measures to address this.
How are children being prepared for the SPAG test this year?
______
It is also suggested by Ofsted that the Governors do not take for granted what the school tells the Governors. The Governors could ask an independent adviser to check the Raisonline and Data Dashboard for the Governors.
The Groups Ofsted are keen on are Pupil premium, More able and Children who achieved a lower level at KS1 to see if they have made good progress.
These children did make age expected.
What about look after children?
The child that was did well last year. There are none this year.
Data will be shared with JH by SP before the next meeting.
12 / Visit note from David Chaplin’s visit – papers
This were positive reports
There are some good questions at the end.
DC is coming into for 2 days in December. It is suggested that during this time he talks to middle managers and possibly Governors about what to expect from Ofsted.
How do parents hear about these reports?
They are given a summary.
13 / Guidance for Governors to combine their strength – paper
Governors were reminded about the meeting on 1 March 2016 for MATs.
SP has been to a meeting where it was stated that the Government expect every school to be part of an Academy and the advice is that schools should be in a federation or academy with about 6 schools as there are financial implications i.e. accountants etc.
JH felt that due to staff recruitment that partnerships with other schools was a good idea but KC would not like to be partnered with weaker schools. MR stated that it was a big decision as there are lots that need to be learnt and there were implications especially if forced to do join an academy. MW stated he would want to know the pros and cons in more detail. SP stated that as the school was in a strong position it may be better to wait. KC stated that a teaching school was like an academy and as we have a strong position we could affect some change for good in the area.
It was suggested to have this on the agenda for the next meeting for 20 minutes.
14 / Chairs items
Delayed entry
The Government has stated that parents have a right to keep their children at home and can then join the school at Reception or Year 1. The schools view is that this will not be pushed as it is not been thought through by the Government and it is noticeable in the one child within school who has had a delayed entry.
The Governors agreed to the school’s view but the school has not right to refuse any request.
Clerk items - paper
New information from courses attended was given to the Governors.If any Governor has questions please let the clerk know before the next meeting.
Governor for Health and Safety – Sophie Williams
A Health and Safety report will be brought to the next meeting.
Governor Visits/Training
The Governors who have attended any courses should fill in the form and give to the Clerk to file.
KS attended a course called Governors Update.
Courses attended will be evaluated at a Full Governors meeting in January.
15 / Policies – papers
County policies
Equality,
Grievance,
Guidance for safer working practices,
Managing allegations,
Managing information disclosure,
Managing sickness absence,
Maternity and adoption leave,
Maternity,
Maximising attendance,
Medication, This policy will be completed by staff responsible for medication and brought to the next meeting.
Recruitment and selection,
Safer recruitment,
Staff leave,
Supporting children with medical conditions,
School policies
Prevent,
Governors expenses,
Governor visits,
SN to send the policy to the Governors for reference.
Lettings,
Unpaid/paid leave.
These policies were accepted by the Governors.
15 / Action Points for next meeting
Action points are in red within the text
16 / Date of next meeting
Monday 1 February 2016
17 / PART B
Meeting closed at 9.30pm