Briefing to Governing Bodies:
Summer Term 2010 /
Part A: For Action
Page no1 / CONSULTATION GUIDANCE FOR SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND SAFER RECRUITMENT IN EDUCATION REVISIONS / 5
2 / ADVICE FOR HEADTEACHERS/PRINCIPALS CONCERNING THE PLANNED OBSERVATION OF LESSONS / 7
3 / Primary School Admission Arrangements / 9
4 / Review of Governor Support Service SLA / 11
5 / Safe Use of ICT in Schools / 12
Part B : For Information
1 / Workforce reform for a 21st century school: a brief for governors / 14
2 / Provision of Free Early Education Entitlement for 3 and 4 years olds / 15
3 / Future Schooling in Knowsley – Primary and SEN Programme – Transition Guidance Manual 2010 / 18
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Executive Director of Children and Family Services Report to Governing Bodies: Summary
The executive summary summarises the purpose and recommendations within the reports in order to assist governing bodies in making appropriate decisions and to comply with deadlines, where appropriate. Governing bodies should refer to the report items for more detailed information and guidance.
Part A: For Action
1 / CONSULTATION GUIDANCE FOR SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND SAFER RECRUITMENT IN EDUCATION REVISIONSGoverning bodies are asked to note content of report and encouraged to participate in Knowsley’s response. Deadline 21 May 2010.
2 / ADVICE FOR HEADTEACHERS/PRINCIPALS CONCERNING THE PLANNED OBSERVATION OF LESSONS
Governors are requested to consider the advice for Headteachers/Principals concerning the planned observations of lessons and determine the approaches currently adopted within school is of the same quality as outlined within the LA advice.
3 / Primary School Admission Arrangements
Governors are requested to ensure that school systems relating to both reception and In-Year admissions are robust and known to all appropriate staff.
4 / Review of Governor Support Service SLA
Governors are requested to participate in the survey by the deadline of 9 July 2010. Any governor who would be interested in assisting the review is requested further to contact Carol King directly.
5 / Safe Use of ICT in Schools
The policies identified in this report support schools in discharging their responsibilities. Governing bodies are therefore requested to ensure policies are considered at their first available meeting and advise Governor Support Services of the date of adoption. Governors are also encouraged to attend the Information Security Conference – see report for details which are also on Governor Support website.
Part B: For Information Only
1 / Workforce reform for a 21st century school: a brief for governorsGovernors are encouraged to read the document to assist in the understanding of current workforce developments.
2 / Provision of Free Early Education Entitlement for 3 and 4 years olds
Governing bodies are requested to note the changes to Free Early Education Entitlement for 3 and 4 year olds from September 2010 and The Early Years Single Funding Formula (EYSFF) for nursery education
3 / Future Schooling in Knowsley – Primary and SEN Programme – Transition Guidance Manual 2010
Governors are requested to note the proposed approach to transition management within the Primary and SEN Programme.
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Part A: For Action
Report from: / Executive Director of Children and Family Services
Date: / Summer Term 2010
CONSULTATION GUIDANCE FOR SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND SAFER RECRUITMENT IN EDUCATION REVISIONS
1 / Purpose
To advise governors of consultation on revisions to the guidance document ‘Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education’ which was published in November 2006 and came into force on 1 January 2007.
2 / Background
Everyone working with children and young people in education settings share an objective to help keep children safe by contributing to:
• providing a safe environment for children to learn in education settings; and
• identifying children who are suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, and taking appropriate action to make sure they are kept safe both at home and in the education setting.
Achieving this objective requires systems designed to:
• prevent unsuitable people working with children;
• promote safe practice and challenge poor and unsafe practice;
• identify instances in which there are grounds for concern about a child’s welfare, and initiate or take appropriate action to keep them safe; and
• contribute to effective partnership working between all those involved with providing services for children.
The purpose of the guidance is to ensure that local authorities, schools of all kinds, and FE establishments understand how to put effective safeguarding systems in place.
The guidance is statutory guidance to which local authorities maintained schools and institutions in the FE sector must have regard.
3 / Report Content
The guidance is being updated primarily to reflect the changes brought about by the introduction of the Vetting and Barring Scheme.
The KSCB Safer Workforce Development Working Group is co-ordinating a response to the consultation on behalf of the Knowsley Safeguarding Children Board however, due to its nature and the significant impact on schools, we are offering all governing bodies an opportunity to contribute to Knowsley’s response.
The consultation opened on 23 March and closes on 15th June. To give time for responses to be collated we ask that all responses are returned by 21 May 2010
Governors will need to have access to the guidance document that is held in school in order to make their response or alternatively an on-line copy can be downloaded from:
www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/Safeguarding%20Children%20Guidance.pdf
Notice of the consultation has been placed on the schools weekly circular and has also been emailed directly to schools to ensure maximum coverage and participation.
4 / Recommendation
Governing bodies are asked to note content of report and encouraged to participate in Knowsley’s response. Deadline 21 May 2010.
Contact Officer: Alison Hughes, School Workforce CPD Manager, 0151 443 5623
Report to: / Governing Bodies
Report from: / Executive Director of Children and Family Services
Date: / Summer Term 2010
ADVICE FOR HEADTEACHERS/PRINCIPALS CONCERNING THE PLANNED OBSERVATION OF LESSONS
1 / Purpose
To inform governors of advice for Headteachers/Principals concerning the planned observations of lessons.
2 / Background
Many schools agreed lesson observation protocols, when the current performance management regulations were implemented in September 2006. Since then, there has been many changes in education, including the Ofsted framework in September 2009. The LA has prepared advice concerning the planned observations of lessons, which takes into account these changes.
It is recommended that each Knowsley school/centre has an agreed lesson observation protocol. Schools/CfLs can either adopt this advice or use it to quality assure their current practice in observing lessons. Any adopted protocol should incorporate or complement the statutory classroom observation protocol required by the performance management regulations.
3 / Report Content
The Headteacher/Principal, or any agent directed by the Headteacher/Principal, can monitor any lesson at any time, as part of their normal duties and statutory requirements. Headteachers/Principals have a requirement to be satisfied as to the quality of teaching & learning, the effectiveness of the management of health and safety, and reassurance as to the well-being of staff and pupils.
Teaching is observed for a variety of purposes, e.g. School Self-Evaluation, Newly Qualified Teacher Status, Performance Management, Continuous Professional Development, capability, Local Authority review as part of the Knowsley’s School improvement Partnership Framework and National Strategy developments including National Challenge.
All observations should come within a published framework that is communicated to all staff, and is open to challenge and review with staff, in order to seek agreement wherever possible. Such communication is a principle of best practice.
The Headteacher/Principal should make sure that no individual is overburdened with observation, ensuring that there are a reasonable number of lessons observations, agreed in advance.
All who observe lessons to make judgements about the quality of teaching and
learning should ensure that their presence does not significantly change the normal teaching and learning context.
All observations undertaken by the LA Education Change Team, advisers and consultants must sit within both the schools protocols and an agreed LA procedure (supported by trade unions). The exceptions are where a school is an Ofsted category or formally identified as a school/centre causing concern.
4 / Recommendation
Governors are requested to consider the advice for Headteachers/Principals concerning the planned observations of lessons and determine the approaches currently adopted within school is of the same quality as outlined within the LA advice.
Contact Officer: Julie Young, Children and Family Services Manager - School Improvement Services & FSK 11 - 19, 0151 443 5603,
Report to: / Governing Bodies of all Knowsley Primary Schools
Report from: / Executive Director of Children and Family Services
Date: / Summer Term 2010
Primary School Admission Arrangements
1 / Purpose
To remind governors of changes to admissions arrangements for reception admissions 2011/2 and for In-Year admissions for 2010/11.
2 / Background
There have been statutory changes to (a) primary admissions for 2011/12 and (b)
in-year admissions in 2010/11, that schools need to be aware of and to take into account in their procedures.
3 / Report Content
3.1 Governors will be aware that they were consulted on the reception admissions arrangements for 2011/12. These will now be inter-authority, meaning the results of the reception allocation will take into account preferences for schools in other boroughs. There is likely to be less movement after allocation than currently. It is therefore even more essential that parents apply on time. The Authority will be sending suggestions to schools about how the admission team and the schools can work together to facilitate an accurate and on time allocation.
3.2 Similarly, In-Year admissions from September 2010 are now being administered centrally and are inter-authority. Schools will no longer be able to offer places directly to parents.
4 / Recommendation
Governors are requested to ensure that school systems relating to both reception and In-Year admissions are robust and known to all appropriate staff.
Contact Officer: Anne Forsyth, Inclusion Services Manager, 0151 443 5312
Report to: / Governing Bodies
Report from: / Executive Director of Children and Family Services
Date: / Summer Term 2010
Review of Governor Support Service SLA
1 / Purpose
To advise governors of the opportunity to participate in the bi-annual survey and the review of the current service.
2 / Background
Service provision has increased over the last few years as, nationally, more duties and responsibilities have been conferred on governing bodies of schools. This increase in workload for governors clearly leads to increased demands on the Governor Support Service.
The Service Level Agreement charges for Governor Services have had only minimal increases over recent years as we have striven to keep costs as low as we could for schools. However with the need to provide a service that can meet the expectations and demands of the 21st Century schools whilst maintaining value for money, we feel that the level of service, the manner in which the services are delivered and subscription charges require a full review. This was discussed at the School Partnership Executive Board (SPEB) meeting of 9 December 2009 and it was agreed we would report back before the end of the 2010/11 financial year, following a consultation with governing bodies.
3 / Report Content
We are proud to say that currently all schools within Knowsley sign up for our service and we wish this continue.
The bi-annual survey of the current service will be sent to all Clerks in the second half of the summer term to be distributed to all governors. There will also be a facility to complete the survey on line via our website.
The principles for the new SLA that will be considered within the survey are:
· The increasing statutory demands being made on governing bodies and headteachers;
· Increasing accessibility to training for governors;
· Raising the profile, significance, and attendance for governor training;
· Raising the profile of clerks including; supporting their training, offering termly forums to keep them abreast of current initiatives, developing and maintaining a bank of advice sheets and proformas;
· The new developments in the services to be offered to improve the level of, and accessibility to, information;
· A fees structure that better reflects, and is fair, regarding the resources that we allocate to each school, some of which are not predictable;
· A service that compliments and utilises the ICT resources available to schools and the local authority, both now and in the future;
· The requirements expected of governing bodies, and headteachers, as we move towards 21st century schools and the use of available technology;
· The need to further improve communication systems with governors, headteachers and schools.
We intend that the new look service will be able to provide, e-administration, e-training, e-newsletters, and IT based information platforms which are to be made available to governors, both in schools, and on the new, more versatile, and informative Governor Services web pages. We believe that this will herald a new age for governors that will significantly support their invaluable contribution in providing educational opportunities for the children and young people of Knowsley.
It is intended that a meeting will take place early in the autumn term to review the results of the survey and discuss the future needs and cost implications as described above. We will seek to secure the involvement of governors across the different categories, a Headteacher/Principal and representative from Clerks. The results will be collated and communicated to all governing bodies and subsequently SPEB for final consideration ahead of distribution in the next SLA spring term 2011.
4 / Recommendation
Governors are requested to participate in the survey by the deadline of 9 July 2010. Any governor who would be interested in assisting the review is requested further to contact Carol King directly on the number below.
Contact Officer: Carol King, Governor Support Officer, 0151 443 3263,
Report to: / Governing Bodies
Report from: / Executive Director of Children and Family Services
Date: / Summer Term 2010