MuxtonPrimary School
Governors’ Annual Statement
2014 – 2015
The main focus of the work of the governing body at MuxtonPrimary School is to ensure that our pupils make appropriate progress in their education. We appreciate that, for this to happen, the pupils must be supported and taught by a professionally competent, enthusiastic and motivated staff who are well led by a dedicated headteacher. For this to happen they must work together in a safe, supportive environment where expectations and standards are of the highest calibre.
The governors also appreciate the expectations of our pupils’ parents and carers and their need to be satisfied about the overall leadership and management of the school and how it affects the safety, learning and enjoyment of their children. Therefore, the governors have set challenging targets and objectives for the headteacher and have reviewed the progress to achieving these on a regular basis.
To achieve their objectives governors must regularly review their own performance and evaluate their effectiveness. In reviewing the role they have played within the life of the school they must publish relevant information to all interested parties. This statement is part of that evaluation and accountability process. It highlights some of the key areas in which we have been involved over the last 12 months and the impact that our involvement has had in these areas.
Staffing
Recruitment and appointment of new teaching and support staff is the responsibility of the headteacher but members of the governing body have played an active role in the interview process on more than one occasion. The appointment of a new headteacher is the statutory responsibility of the governing body and an appointed selection panel carried out a rigorous selection process in the autumn term 2014. As a result, a successful appointment was made and we are pleased to be working alongside Mrs Pritchard in her role as substantive headteacher. A new senior management staffing structure was put in place from September 2014 and this will remain until the end of this academic year. During the summer term 2015, the governing body started the recruitment process for a deputy headteacher. This is a lengthy process but the governors are determined to recruit a candidate of the highest calibre.The governing body has appointed an external adviser to assist with the statutory requirement to carry out an annual appraisal of the headteacher’s performance. Nominated governors set performance targets for the headteacher and review progress towards these objectives on a regular basis.
Teaching and Learning
Governors understand that their principal role is a strategic one but that in order to carry out this role effectively they must have clear and accurate information on the progress, achievement and attainment of the pupils in school. The Teaching & Learning Committee and the Pupil Achievement Committee meet at least once a term to receive information from the school. Detailed analysis and interrogation of data has enabled the governors to have an accurate picture of where progress is being made and also where improvements need to be made. Governors are aware that for consistent improvements to be made, the quality of teaching must be judged consistently good or outstanding. It is not the governors’ role to make these judgements but instead to rely on the professional expertise of the headteacher and staff. These judgements are validated by external monitoring from local authority officers. We are pleased that the judgements made on the quality of teaching show that the school is making excellent progress to achieving its target.
Governors visit the school as part of their responsibility to monitor the work of the school. These visits are considered a valuable opportunity for governors to be able to work closely with members of staff across the whole school. Governors have specific, ‘curriculum link’ responsibilities and arrange meetings with their respective staff member. These visits enable governors to have a deeper understanding of the work of the school in a particular area i.e. English, mathematics, Special Educational Needs & Disability, Arts, Information Technology, PE. Such visits enable governors to have first hand experience of curriculum developments and to make informed contributions at governing body meetings. The impact of the visits is to reinforce co-operative working to prepare and introduce new policies and working practices especially with the introduction of a new national curriculum.
The Teaching and Learning Committee has addressed the following specific issues this academic year: terms of reference(the committee was formed in January 2015); school website; new National Curriculum; monitoring procedures; Social, Moral, Spiritual, Cultural(SMSC) Education; new performance descriptors and baseline assessment. In all these areas this committee seeks to ensure that the school is committed to reaching the highest standards of teaching and learning.
Curriculum
Co-operative working on preparation and implementation of the school development plan follows considerable research, preparation and input from the school senior management team and all other members of staff. The development plan is monitored and reviewed termly with governors. The headteacher’s report to governors gives an evaluative overview of current progress and areas for further development.
Details of the school’s use of the Pupil Premium grant and Sports/PE funding can be found on the school website. Governors have placed particular scrutiny on pupil progress across all ability groups including vulnerable groups and on the effective use of the Pupil Premium funding.
Leadership & Management Committee
The Leadership & management Committee meet termly as a minimum and the purpose of the committee is to ensure that the vision and strategic direction of the school is maintained. This committee works alongside the Headteacher and Senior Leadership to ensure that all statutory policies and documents have been referenced for compliance. The Headteacher is held to account for school performance by the committee. The committee members are Chairs of their respective committees and it is their responsibility to ensure that all relevant information is shared with their committee.
Governor training & Development
Governors have attended training courses to ensure they are kept up to date with their roles and responsibilities. In particular, courses on finance and budget were attended as well as a session on financial benchmarking. Several governors have attended training on preparing children for life in modern Britain. Five governors attended training on the government initiated Prevent programme which is to ensure that school children are not subjected to radicalisation.
Governors also make use of an E- learning system that enables online training to be undertaken at home. A record of the sessions completed by governors is kept in school.
Wayne Jervis our Police Community Support Officer and school governor is now an accredited trainer for CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) and is scheduled to deliver a session to parents in June. He is also attending the school’s residential visit in September.
Organisation
To comply with statutory requirements, the governing body carried out a reconstitution exercise in the autumn term 2014. The outcome of this exercise was that the total number of governors was reduced to 13. New parent governors have been elected and new co-opted governors have been appointed. A governor’s term of office runs for 4 years or for less is they resign during this period.
The work of the governing body is done through its committees. The current committee structure is:-
Finance & PersonnelChair: Mr G Parkinson
Teaching & LearningChair: Rev M Lefroy
Pupil AchievementChair: Mr K McNamara
Health & SafetyChair: Mrs A Walkley
Leadership & ManagementChair: Mr K McNamara
In addition, committees have been established which will only meet as and when required. These are:
Complaints; Appeals and Grievance; Disciplinary; Pupil Discipline
The full governing body meets once a term. This meeting is principally to receive and discuss the headteacher’s report. The governing body employs a professional clerk to both advise on statutory issues and also to take and prepare accurate minutes. Attendance at full meetings and committee meetings has been consistently high with any absences having been fully explained, accepted and approved by the governing body. All governors are showing a high level of commitment.
School Premises
The governing body continues to monitor the impact of the increase in pupil numbers on the accessible space in the building. We are continuing to press the Local Authority for further improvements to the existing building which will enhance the educational provision for pupils.
We also took the decision, along with the headteacher, to manage the provision of school meals ourselves with effect from 1 April this year. This means that your children now receive the best possible dining experience with good quality food.
Policies
Governors review all relevant policies on a programmed basis to ensure that all guidance is current and up to date. Specific attention is paid to ensure that the school complies with the DfE mandatory policy list.
Financial management
The Finance & Personnel Committee meets at least once a term to monitor the school budget. Reports are received from the School Business Manager and the data is examined to ensure that expenditure is in line with statutory regulations. Spending limits have been set for the headteacher so that expenditure is kept within the agreed parameters. An external audit was carried out by the Local Authority’s finance team earlier in the year and the school’s practices and processes were found to be more than satisfactory. An annual report form, completed by the Governing Body, the School Financial Value Standard (SFVS), has been completed and submitted to the Local Authority. For the third consecutive year since the introduction of this requirement the school’s systems have been found to be both efficient and effective.
The School Fund account has been audited and the audited accounts have been presented to the governing body for their approval. The governors are satisfied that the account is well managed.
Governors oversee the expenditure on all staffing appointments and have taken decisions regarding the staffing structure at school. This has ensured that the school is operating at an effective and efficient level whilst staying within the financial resources available to it.
Current membership.
Headteacher. Mrs J Pritchard
Co-opted Governors. Mr K Mcnamara (Chair of Governors)
Mr G Parkinson (Vice- Chair of Governors)
Mrs J Bailey
Mrs C Little
Mr W Jervis
Rev M Lefroy
Staff Governor.Mrs L Sleigh
Parent Governors. Mr M Armstrong-Barnes
Mr J Brumwell
Mrs A Walkley
Local Authority Governor. Cllr N Dugmore
There is currently one vacancy for a co-opted governor on the governing body.
The Governing Body of Muxton Primary School is constantly striving to improve and develop the school. It remains our principal objective to ensure continued improvement in pupil progress and attainment across all ability groups including vulnerable groups. We remain committed to supporting the headteacher and all school staff and to challenge them in ensuring that they provide the best possible education for your children.